Charlie Smith (LEFT) AND JON MAURICE

Ages • Jon is 42; Charlie is 28

Home • Both of St. Louis

Company • Trim Industries

What they make • A clothing, denim and accessories line for men that's inspired by "a love for chrome, rubber, steel and piston-powered thunder." Products include shirts embellished with vintage upholstery, custom belt buckles built from original emblems and messenger bags made from automotive vinyl.

Jon has a degree in English and creative writing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 1992. Charlie has a dual degree in graphic design and illustration from Missouri State University in Springfield, 2005. By day, Jon is executive creative director at Javelin, a marketing company; and Charlie is a creative director for Momentum. They both partner with Javelin in the Own the Moment development company, which has three reality TV shows in development right now.

What was the inspiration for Trim?

Jon: The heart of the brand is Charlie's dad (Steve Smith of Sedalia, Mo.). He's been building, customizing and pin striping hot rods for 45 years, and he's a true artist. He pretty much lives at the shop, Smith Racing. We ask him to do some crazy things, and he's along for the ride. He designs some of our type and also custom builds our buckles in the speed shop.

Charlie: At first, he was kind of like, "Really, why? and who's going to want that?" But I've always admired what he does and this is my way to commemorate and applaud him in a way. He's my inspiration and my idol, and he gives what we do depth and credibility.

What is it about the vintage car culture that's so appealing?

Jon: For me there's a couple of things. It's the design that's just gone today. It's the materials, the sound, the chrome and that instant connection to another time. And on a less sophisticated note, they're just so bad ass and so ... cool. I'm not interested in driving what everyone else is driving or wearing what everyone else is wearing.

What do you guys do to relax?

Jon: We have so many projects going all the time. I'm a firm believer in pursuing passion. I'm working on a screenplay right now. We're working on a treatment, and Charlie's doing all the photography and building a (video) trailer for it. We want to shoot all of that in St. Louis. Charlie is also working on a couple of music videos right now. And he's constantly collecting Americana — stuffed foxes, motors, dentist chairs. If he ever moves, he's in trouble.

So you don't relax?

Jon: We do but when we're relaxing it's an exchange of ideas, and that's really what all of our friends are like. We all have a lot of things going on. It's great when one thing leads to another thing. That's how this all started.

How did it all start?

Charlie: It's been about four years since my first sketches and within the last three, it's really coming together. Jon and I met at a small design shop (in St. Louis), and he heard that I wanted to create something that was my own. We talked and started building it to what it is today.

How often do you wear your line?

Charlie: I wear it every day of the week. I've got the motorhead T-shirt on now, and I don't go anywhere without my belt buckle (embellished with the fuel injection and checkered flag). I kind of feel inadequate if don't have it on.

You mean like it holds your superpowers?

Charlie: (laughs) Yeah, that's it. It's all about the things you build up for yourself inside your head, right?

What do you guys drive?

Charlie: My everyday car is an HT Hummer. It's not an old car, not one of the classics, but I think it's a beautiful piece of machinery and a lot of people hate it, and I kind of like that a lot people hate it (laughs). But I also have an old '86 Chevy truck that I got from my father when I turned 16. It's lowered and beautiful looking. And I have a 1930 Chevy that's in perfect shape that I have in my garage, and I'm going to work on getting it ready to ride and cruise around in. Jon's everyday car is a '64 Impala, and the company also has a '57 Chevy Bel Aire.