![]() We are looking to expand next year, but we also still want to keep the brand exclusive to a certain extent and grow at our own pace, though we have a store in Japan and we have a store in the works for 2018 that will be opening in Los Angeles. We’re online and in about 30 to 40 independent stores, and that was all done intentionally. We wanted to make sure we stayed very connected to our consumer base by having an online shop first. Is that something you’re hoping to change in the near future? We were the ones who opened the doors for so many other black designers, and for that, I’m very proud. It started from somewhere, and that somewhere was us. ![]() Fast forward seven, eight years later, the whole thing changed. Before then, there was no streetwear, no African-Americans, no black people at these tradeshows, except for us. We created such energy that in the years following, they created an urban section just because of us. People were lined up around the corner trying to get into our booth. ![]() We were set up right next to Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein and we revolutionized what the MAGIC Show was all about. My company, Karl Kani, and one other one, Cross Colors, were the only two black-owned companies at the show. Man keeping it real with you, my greatest achievement happened in 1990. The colors, the fit, the vibe…prior to that generation, there wasn’t really an era when the youth set the tone, and it totally changed the game for young men’s fashion. I think each brand , has the perfect opportunity to come in now and make a rebirth happen, it’s just up to them and how much they want it.Īs a black streetwear designer, what has been your greatest achievement? A lot of kids who were born in the ’90s didn’t really experience the culture. It’s very interesting to see a lot of designers reaching back to the ’90s for inspiration as this was a pivotal era for fashion, really setting the tone for kids for who were part of the Hip-Hop community. The ’90s were the birth of Hip-Hop fashion and Hip-Hop is still big. Well, obviously we love this trend, we love the cycle, because this is the cycle we created. ![]() Why do you think that is and what are your thoughts on the “nostalgia” trend? FILA, Champion, Guess and other brands are seeing spikes in sales, and the cuts and colors from that era are making a comeback as well. There’s a massive ’90s resurgence right now. It wasn’t until later on that all the competition started to come and mimic our looks. So why did people gravitate to my brand? There was nothing to compare it to there was nothing out there except us. We knew what the kids wanted because that’s what we wanted so we made people like what we liked. I’d say, “here’s what’s real. I’m going to give you the right fit, I’m going to give you the colors that we want, I’m going to give you the whole ensemble, the tops and the bottoms are going to match.” That was our competition, and I had to convince people that they didn’t have to rock them. You have to think how back then the only brands people were rocking were Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Jordache, DKNY and a few more. What do you think drew people to your brand initially and what do you think made customers want to stay?īack then, there was nothing like it on the market, and today it’s the nostalgia factor. We were the unifier of the culture in terms of clothing. Dre, Snoop, and Tupac wearing my clothing. We had Biggie Smalls wearing my clothing and mentioning my name in a song. He just wanted to expand my brand, the black culture, and the black experience. When I met Tupac, he told me, “I’m not going to charge you to wear your clothing, you’re black. I don’t charge my people for anything.” He did all the photo shoots and everything for free.
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