From the combine to the sewing machine, Scott Bruxvoort has been met with more than a few obstacles since leaving the farm. Who he became because of it is moving.

Farm to fashion

Bruxvoort is from a family of farmers in Mitchellville, east of Des Moines. While he has the utmost respect for his family and their work, he said he knew pretty early on that wasn’t the path for him.

“I just don’t like being dirty,” he said. “I can’t farm and wear J’s”

Bruxvoort decided to take his Jordans to the court instead. By early high school, he already had scholarship offers to play basketball in college. It opened a whole new world to Bruxvoort, who said he didn’t even know he could go to college.

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Now, he has a master’s degree in education and a business with his best friend.

How he got there

Let’s backtrack: Earning that master’s degree was no easy feat.

Bruxvoort attended two colleges and played on multiple different scholarships. But his future almost became his past when he was charged with two felonies, retail theft and aggravated battery, during his second year at Quincy University in Illinois.

He got the charges dropped to misdemeanors and was placed on probation. But he lost his full athletic scholarship, He said he was left feeling humbled and embarrassed.

“I had to work really hard in my younger 20’s to even have people take me seriously,” he said.

Bruxvoort felt as if he’d brought shame to not only his own name, but to his family and the athletic department. He was still able to study and play at Quincy University, though. And he said he still had about four people left in his corner. One of them was his mom.

“We were all like, ”Let’s just bet on this season’,” he said. “The people around me were all really confident, my mom, my mentor.”

So he went back. And after a year of being what he called “a different kind of hungry,” he’d earned his scholarship back and was able to complete his college basketball career, graduate and come back for his master’s degree.

“It doesn’t have to be so black and white.”

Post-college, Bruxvoort was looking for healthy ways to deal with his anxiety and depression. The transition from college athlete to graduating was a difficult one for him. He said picking up a camera saved his life.

“When I found photography it just showed me there’s a whole side to this life that I’ve been missing,” he said.

Art has been an outlet for Bruxvoort for years now, and he’s recently started a business with his good friend, Berchell Egerton. The two were brought together by a polo jack Egerton created.

Their business, Des Monies (not a typo), made its debut at Surety Hotel on May 16. In two months, Bruxvoort and Egerton designed and produced a full fashion show comprised of shirts, jackets, bottoms, and bags.

Their apparel and accessories were an ode to the two worlds Bruxvoort has lived in: the county and the streets.

“The parallels between the two is crazy,” he said “Your struggle is very similar between the farm and the ‘hood.”

Hundreds eagerly gathered to see Bruxvoort and Egerton’s creations. The energy in the room was palpable. Drinks were had, embraces were shared and art was well-loved.

Des Monies’ full line of rugged workwear meets street clothes can be found online at desmonies.com.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.