Flagship Store & Gallery | Runaway from convention.

THE GENESIS OF RUNAWAY® Gabriel Eng-Goetz, founder of RUNAWAY, is a lifelong artist. After graduating with a Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University, he returned back to his hometown of Durham, North Carolina, working as a freelance illustrator for names like Big K.R.I.T., Wolfgang Gartner, and Delta Rae. With his attention to detail, darkly playful themes, and bizarre imagination, Gabe and his art quickly gained recognition among his peers. Wanting to make his work more accessible, he founded RUNAWAY as a side project. In 2012, RUNAWAY made its first hire — Justin Laidlaw (that's me). Originally, Gabe called me in as a ringer for one of RUNAWAY's first photoshoots at Durham Skate Park. From there, I became more involved, participating in fashion shows, selling merch at rap concerts, and running a little social media here and there. RUNAWAY had been a one-man show up to this point, and with all the various operations, I felt I could be useful. The message of the brand, as well as Gabe's artwork, spoke to me in a way that was irresistible. GOING ALL IN As the brand grew in popularity, retailers from around the Triangle started carrying our products. Sponsoring local shows turned into sponsoring the city’s annual hip-hop festival, and we made local and national headlines for our brash attitude and perspective. By 2015, it was clear: we needed to fully commit to RUNAWAY. The search began for potential retail locations in the heart of Durham. Apparel remains at the core of RUNAWAY, but as we continue to grow, we want to use our platform to showcase the creative class here in the Triangle. Collaborating with musicians, visual artists, and filmmakers has grown RUNAWAY's imprint in the area and established a powerful network of like-minded, ambitious individuals. Out of these relationships have come projects like The Runaways, filmed by Durham cinematographer Ned Philips, and the Bee Downtown x RUNAWAY collection. Ventures like these have expanded the identity of what RUNAWAY is capable of.