LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar upon the occa-
sion of their designation for special recognition by Brooklyn Community
Housing and Services, Inc.

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those organiza-
tions and individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare of the
community and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Lexy Funk and
Vahap Avsar upon the occasion of their designation for special recogni-
tion by Brooklyn Community Housing and Services, Inc. on Tuesday, June
2, 2009, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music; and
WHEREAS, Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar met at Art Omi, in upstate New York
where they were both resident artists; after both moving to New York
City in 1995, the young successful artists were searching for a way to
make a living through their creative endeavors; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar started Two Tsunami
Productions, a design based company that produced television commercials
and documentary films; despite some moderate success, they changed their
course in 1998 when inspiration struck; and
WHEREAS, Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar rented an old factory building in
Williamsburg, Brooklyn to manufacture their first product, messenger
bags made out of recycled billboards; one afternoon, Vahap Avsar
sketched the view from the Williamsburg rooftop looking west toward
Manhattan, and this drawing became the iconic logo for Brooklyn Indus-
tries, which quickly started creating t-shirt designs and bags for the
local community; and
WHEREAS, Over the next four years, Lexy Funk built up a wholesale
distribution business marketing the brand throughout the United States,
Japan and Europe; in 2001, Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar opened the first
Brooklyn Industries store on Bedford Avenue, the first retail store in
Williamsburg to offer a full range of clothing for men, women and chil-
dren; and
WHEREAS, Today, Brooklyn Industries has nine stores in New York City,
one in Chicago and a successful online website; the Brooklyn Industries
office, design studio and warehouse are located in the Brooklyn Navy
Yard; in 2006, Brooklyn Industries was recognized as a top entrepreneur
with Crain's Business New York's coveted "Small Business Award"; and
WHEREAS, The Company also ranked in INC. Magazine's 500 list and in
2007 ranked in INC. Magazine's 5000 list, which highlights the nation's
fastest-growing private companies; Brooklyn Industries opened its ninth
store in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago in May of 2008; and
WHEREAS, Lexy Funk is the CEO of Brooklyn Industries overseeing the
daily operations of 100 people; she was born in New York City but grew
up in London and Switzerland; she returned to the United States for high
school and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Art and Intellec-
tual History from Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Connecticut; and
WHEREAS, After college, Lexy Funk worked as a professional photogra-
pher in New York City while pursuing an art career; she had many gallery
and museum shows in New York and Europe, attended the Whitney Independ-
ent Studio Program and has traveled extensively; and
WHEREAS, As Creative Director and President, Vahap Avsar heads up the
design studio and is the lead menswear and bag designer; born in Malat-
ya, Turkey, he began painting professionally at age 16, and he also
studied painting at the Fine Arts Faculty in Izmir from 1985 to 1989;
and

WHEREAS, Upon graduation, Vahap Avsar was offered a teaching assis-
tantship at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, where he earned a
Master's degree in painting and studied towards a Doctorate degree
(Ph.D.) in Art Theory; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned our
recognition and applause; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar upon the occasion of their designation
for special recognition by Brooklyn Community Housing and Services,
Inc.; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar.