Two cities. Two very different vibes. But somehow, both gave the world a streetwear brand that people can’t stop talking about. In Los Angeles, it’s That’s An Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup. In Madrid, it’s Cold Culture. Let me tell you how they got here, because the stories are pretty wild and full of lessons for anyone who loves fashion.
It All Started Small
Let’s start in LA. Thats A Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup did not come from a fancy office or a big fashion school. It came from a van. The founder, Desto Dubb, is from Watts, and he used to sell his t-shirts out of the back of his van in Downtown Los Angeles. That’s it. No big budget. Just a bold name printed on a shirt and a whole lot of hustle. And people bought them. Then they came back and bought more.
Now jump across the ocean to Spain. Cold Culture started in 2021, made by a group of young creatives in Madrid who were tired of the same old thing. They wanted something cleaner. Simpler. A little cold and futuristic, honestly. Neutral colors, oversized fits, nice fabrics. Their whole idea was “thinking worldwide,” which basically means they never wanted to stay small or local. They were aiming big from day one.
Two Very Different Styles
Here’s the fun part. These two brands could not look more different, and that’s exactly why both work.
That’s An Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup is loud. The name alone makes people look twice. The designs are bold and a little cheeky, and they’re built to get a reaction. You don’t wear this brand to blend in. You wear it to be seen.
Cold Culture is the calm opposite. It’s clean and minimal. The clothes lean on neutral tones, boxy oversized cuts, and quality fabrics. It’s the kind of look that feels expensive without shouting. One brand grabs your attention. The other earns your respect quietly. Both win.
How They Actually Grew
So how did these two go from tiny to famous?
For That’s An Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup, music did a lot of the heavy lifting. Rappers started wearing it. We’re talking names like Quavo and Young Thug. When your favorite artist wears something in a video, you want it too. That’s just how it works. One van slowly turned into real stores across LA. People even started calling it one of the biggest streetwear brands to come out of the city.
Cold Culture grew in a different way. They went hard online. They built a massive following, over 300,000 people on Instagram, and they dropped clothes in small limited batches. When something is limited, people rush to grab it before it sells out. Smart move. Now they ship worldwide and they’re pushing into more European cities like London, Berlin, and Amsterdam.
More Than Just Clothes
The real reason both brands grew is simple. They are more than clothes. They are a feeling.
When you wear That’s An Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup, you’re showing that you’re bold and that you back the underdog. The whole brand carries that “came from nothing” energy, and people connect with it. It feels real because it is real.
When you wear Cold Culture, you’re showing that you like clean style and that you think big. It’s not about logos everywhere. It’s about a mindset. That clear identity is what turned casual buyers into loyal fans.
Two Cities, One Culture
Here’s what I find so cool about all this. Two brands, two totally different cities, two totally different styles, and yet both won at the same time. LA gave us the loud, in-your-face energy of That’s An Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup. Madrid gave us the clean, quiet confidence of Cold Culture. It’s proof that great streetwear can come from anywhere on the map, as long as the idea behind it is honest and strong.
It also shows how global streetwear has become. A brand born in a van in Los Angeles and a brand born online in Madrid can now reach the same fan, in the same city, on the same day. The internet made the whole world one big shopping street.
Final Thoughts
The stories of That’s An Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup and Cold Culture teach the same lesson from two different angles. Start with a strong idea. Stay true to it. Build a real community that actually cares. One brand did it through music and bold designs. The other did it through the internet and clean style. Different roads, same finish line.
If you follow streetwear at all, keep an eye on both. They came from opposite sides of the world, but they’re both climbing fast, and they’re not done yet.
