The Deviant Stem is the creative partnership of Stephen Toms and Timothy O'Sullivan. The name 'Deviant Stem' is an anagram of 'Steve and Tim'.

The duo first met at London's University of Westminster in 1992 and, soon after graduating, became a design and illustration team for various Italian streetwear brands. In 1998 they moved to Ireland and set up a designer eveningwear label under the name 'Toms and O'Sullivan'. The label quickly gained the attention of prestigious retailers in Ireland's booming 'Celtic Tiger' economy and featured heavily in the Irish media.

The pair returned to London in 2001 and were soon developing their creative skills in very different roles