Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn...
...an artist/designer named Vinnie Angel sewed up and silk-screened a bunch of durable 100% cotton canvas tampon cases and gave 'em out for free on the subways and streets of NYC (*but only to anyone who asked for one). Inspired by his friends who always complained that their period products kept getting torn or crushed in the bottom of their bags, Vinnie had a hunch that a custom case adorned with his cartoon face would keep period products safe as well as be an amusing addition to backpacks, totes and back pockets.
*To get people to ask for a free case, Vinnie had the words "I'm Vinnie, Ask me for a Free Vinnie's Tampon Case!" embroidered onto the back of vintage red bowling shirts-- and he wore these shirts EVERYDAY FOR FIVE YEARS. in that time Vinnie gave out over 10,000 FREE custom Vinnie's Tampon Cases®. True story.
From the get-go, tucked inside every case was a cardboard Vinnie's Handy Period Chart®. In the early years, Vinnie would lug a duffle bag full of his locally silk-screened and sewn tampon cases from his studio apartment in DUMBO Brooklyn to his Sicilian grandmother & Aunt Fran's house on Staten Island (via subway and the Staten Island Ferry). After a couple bowls of pasta, they'd stuff Period Charts into the cases while watching pro wrestling. That's amore!
Initially, Vinnie silk-screened and sewed the cases himself, but eventually sourced the production in and around NYC. His partner, Sarah "Zombie Slayer" Sockit, helped manage the project as it grew--including opening the eye-popping VTC storefront on Eldridge Street (Lower East Side, NYC)--and bringing on two amazing women (Jilly-Jill, J. Boyea) to pick up the ever-increasing slack.
When retail stores clamored to offer his cases, Vinnie was initially resistant, always wanting his cases to be free. He ultimately agreed if stores vowed to keep the price affordable ($5)--and when his rag tag team could no longer meet the exploding demand, Vinnie partnered with the Nash brothers (the consumer product geniuses at Blueq.com) who thankfully took over the manufacturing and distribution.
Today, over a quarter million Varsity & Junior Varsity menstruators around the world use a Vinnie's Tampon Case® every month to keep their period products safe and secure in the bottom of their back-packs, back-pockets & bowling bags.
With Blue Q, Vinnie released his Cramp Relieving Bubble Bath® & Music for Menstruators® Soothing Songs CD, and then, along with Chronicle Books (SF), released Vinnie's GIANT Roller Coaster Period Chart & Sticker Book®-- which had a vinyl Vinnie's Tampon Case® attached to the cover of every copy.
Vinnie's Tampon Cases® have been featured in countless magazines, newspapers and websites--and Vinnie appeared (in uniform of course!) on a variety of TV shows and did countless interviews with shock-jock morning radio DJs around the country.
As a result of all this exposure, millions of nose-wiping, video-game playing boys, upon seeing a bumpin' Vinnie's Tampon Case® in their period pal's bag, snap to attention and ask..."Yo! What's a Vinnie's Tampon Case®?!!" And, right then and there, a guy has volunteered to learn more about the monthly cycle. Armed with this new found information (and possibly appreciation!)...next thing you know he might be bringing you chocolate for your next cycle...or offering a soothing cramp massage, or..... running you a warm bath...or.... So, get a Vinnie's Tampon Case® and try it yourself!
Vinnie's Brand New Bag! Vinnie stopped wearing his uniform and giving out free cases years ago to focus on other projects, get married to his fave Zombie Slayer, and to raise their daughter, Ziz. Now 16 yrs old, Ziz thought it was about time her pop made a special Vinnie's Tampon Case for her generation. So, he did.
Though, Vinnie won't be wearing his uniform and giving out free tampon cases on the subway anytime soon (as even Ziz had to draw the line somewhere), he'll still be offering free cases periodically right here on this site. Natch.
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An interview with Vinnie Angel, the creator of Vinnie's Tampon Cases® Conducted via text by his 16yr old daughter Ziz.
SESSION ONE: VIN: Is there a reason we have to do this by text? ZIZ: Yes. I'm multitasking in my room and I don't even know where you are right now. VIN: I'm in the kitchen. ZIZ: Now I know. VIN: Were you the one who left the half eaten avocado on the counter? ZIZ: Maybe.
ZIZ: Did you really wear a red embroidered shirt everyday for five years that said "I'm Vinnie, Ask Me For a Free Vinnie's Tampon Case"? VIN: I did. But, it wasn't always the same shirt. Once the project took off I got more shirts and even jackets custom embroidered. ZIZ: I know that, but my question is whether you actually wore a Vinnie's shirt EVERY day? VIN: I did. ZIZ: That must have drove mama nuts! VIN: Ha! By the end of the five years it was driving her a bit nuts because she'd heard my shirt explanation to strangers a million times -- as I'd get asked wherever we'd go...like on the subway, or out for dinner, or the movies, or at Yankee games, etc. But, we weren't married yet, so she was under no ceremonial obligation to suffer. ZIZ: Oh right. She had only herself to blame. VIN: It wasn't all bad! (FYI: I'm putting your avocado away. ZIZ: I said "maybe" it was my avocado so don't be looking for a pat on the back from me. Can we finish this later? VIN: No probs.