About Nola Shirts
Nola Shirts was born out of the resilience and soul of New Orleans, right after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
My name is Billy Schell, and I started this brand with a stack of shirts, a Sharpie, and a deep love for the city that raised me. After the storm, when everything felt upside down, I had one mission: “Keep New Orleans in front of everyone we see.” That became the heartbeat of Nola Shirts.
New Orleans isn’t just a city—it’s a feeling. The kind that sneaks into your bones and stays there. The music, the food, the wild, beautiful culture, and most of all, the people. I wanted to bottle all that up in something folks could wear, wherever they go.
Each shirt and hat is a tribute to the spirit of this city that refuses to stop dancing. Whether it’s the rhythm of brass bands in the French Quarter, the soul of a neighborhood second line, or the joy of a Mardi Gras morning, I try to capture that feeling in every design.
After starting Nola Shirts, I hit the road with my two Labrador sidekicks—Sazerac and Alvin Kamara Jr.—in a Storyteller Overland van. We traveled for four unforgettable years, racking up 113,000 miles and seeing just about every corner of this beautiful country.
But here’s the thing: no matter where we went, nowhere else had that certain something. That flavor. That magic. That soul.
New Orleans really is the coolest city on the planet.
At Nola Shirts, we’re not just selling T’s and hats—we’re sharing a story. My story. Our story. A story about a city that refuses to be forgotten, even when the waters rise. I’m the last of ten kids, raised right here, and I’ve made it my mission to keep NOLA’s spirit alive, one shirt at a time.
So whether you’re a born-and-raised local or someone who just gets it after one visit—join us.
Let’s celebrate New Orleans together—one shirt, one hat, and one story at a time.
