What He Wore
Jacket: Suit Supply
Shirt: J.Crew
Pants: GAP
Pocket Square: Elegant Erkél
Loafers: Union 66
Watch: Sleek Supply Co
Created Style Category Archives
Brands: NxN
Happy Monday folks! As you know, it’s been a while, but we are back in the full swing of things. Today, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the creators of NxN, Nkem & Nina Egbuta. As a newly created clothing line, NxN offers a variety of hats to accessorize your wardrobe. So, without further ado, check out the full interview below.
Who are the creative geniuses behind your brand?
Nkem Egbuta is the Owner and lead designer of NxN. Nina Egbuta is the creative director. Our brand specialistsambassadors include Michelle Kusi and Habib Cisse.
Let’s discuss the history of your brand. When and why were you created?
NxN was created in the Spring of 2016. Although, my sister and I are Nigerian, we were born in America and the concept of creating this hat line was so that we can use fashion and culture as way to build bonds between African, West Indian, and American communities. What started as a simple idea became something much more and fast after a positive focus group session. In August of 2016, NxN made its way to the public.
What is the objective of your brand?
The goal of our brand is to reinforce in our people that “We Are Gold;” we are worth so much and we are so valuable, from our flaws to our flawless features, we are gold! To remind them that no matter what this world tells you, you must know deep down who you are, where you come from, and that your life means something.
What does your brand offer to your consumers and customers?
Our brand offers high quality products, but most importantly, these products come with a message that is deeper than fashion. It is about representation, style and cultivating a generation that was once in the dark about where they come from, the motherland, but now they are seeing, embracing, and loving the true essence of our shared cultures.
How are you able to distinguish your brand from others?
NxN stands out in a crowd because of the simplicity, yet the power, in our gold emblems. Our product says nothing with words, but everything with presentation and that alone can captivate any audience. The quality of the product is also a plus and the fact that we try to meet all of our customers’ needs to the best of our ability is always an asset. We will go above and beyond to surpass the expectations of our customers. In addition to all of that, we are a team and we work hard. We want the world wearing NxN.
What are your long term goals for your brand?
We aim to expand into different and new opportunities, not only in just fashion, but also in other sectors of business and community development. As stated previously, we want the world to be wearing NxN, and down the line we want to proud of all the work we will accomplish. It’s deeper than fashion to us, it’s more than a temporary high. We want to create a long lasting impact in our communities.
Where do you see your band in the next five years?
NxN will be on the top in the next five years. Our plan is to be a leader in the industry, operating throughout the world with our main hubs being in New York, London, Lagos.
Thank you Nkem and Nina for this amazing interview! For more information, please head over to their website, shopnxn.com.
Readers, we look forward to your feedback about this interview! Thanks!
Brands: The KRIVE Shop
Here we are once again! We hope you enjoyed our last interview with Joe Cirincione of J.Ciro Designs! This week, we are headed to Chicago with Karla Rivers, creator of The Krive Shop. With only one year in the game, The Krive Shop offers high quality and amazing merchandise that will keep you coming back for more. So, let’s be kind and get to know Karla a little better. Check out her full interview below!
Let’s discuss the history of your brand. When and why were you created?
I’ve always been an artistic person but never quite knew what I wanted to do. Originall.y when I was attending classes at Columbia College Chicago, I was a game design major. But in the midst of those courses, I took a graphic design, class and I instantly fell in love. My parents supported the decision in switching my major to graphic design and almost immediately after, I found myself designing shirts for my dad’s fraternity. It was an amazing feeling seeing people purchasing the shirts that I created, and knowing that they would be rocking them out in the open and at their greek events. So my love for creating t-shirts pretty much stemmed from that event. Five years later on October 2016, I finally opened my own online shop, The KRIVE Shop. “K” being the first initial of my name (Karla) and “RIVE” being a portion of my last name (Rivers).
What is the objective of your brand?
The objective of The KRIVE Shop is creating apparel that people can relate to. Whether it be pride in the skin they’re in, embracing their nerdy qualities, being a lover of God and more. I create shirts with my audience in mind.
What does your brand offer to your consumers and customers?
With The KRIVE Shop you can always expect original, quality apparel. I offer the type of apparel that will go through hundreds of washes and still maintain its quality and won’t wear off. I also pride myself in great customer service and fast shipping times because I know how anxious and excited customers are to being able to rock their KRIVE apparel as soon as possible.
How are you able to distinguish your brand from others?
Although there are plenty of apparel brands out there with great messages, the shirts that The KRIVE Shop puts out are original. I always find that with some apparel brands across the globe, a lot of them have very similar designs or the same exact messages. Also, my apparel focuses on a variety of groups. African Americans, Christians, Nerds and more! So you’re getting everything all in one shop.
What are your long term goals for your brand?
I want my brand to be a force to be reckoned with. I want people to walk by and see the logo of my shop and know they’re getting quality every single time. Heck, I would like to see everyone wearing my shirts! A girl can dream, right?
Where do you see your brand in the next five years?
I see The KRIVE Shop being a more recognizable brand with millions of followers and loyal customers. I’m already off to a great start when it comes to having customers coming back for more. But I would love for even more people to know what The KRIVE Shop is all about. And someday, I would love to open up its first physical location in the city where it all started, Chicago.
So, are you in love with The KRIVE Shop yet? If so, head over to the website here.
Also, let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Thanks for reading!
Brands: J.Ciro Designs
Welcome back to a new Brands Feature for the week. If you fell behind in your reading, check out our previous post featuring Shirley from Fashionpowwow™. This week, we head up to the Garden State to meet up with Joe Cirincione of J.Ciro Designs. Recently, we had an opportunity to chat with Joe about his high quality accessory brand. Check out the full interview below!
Let’s discuss the history of your brand. When and why were you created?
I started making cuff links in December 2011. I initially began after shopping for wedding party gifts for my groomsmen, and not finding what I was hoping to purchase. After that, I made cuff links on the side for a few years and then officially created the company, J.Ciro Designs LLC, in January of 2014.
What is the objective of your brand?
The objective of J.Ciro is to provide consumers with an affordable, yet high quality, variety of fashionable accessories including watches and cuff links. Many of the cuff link designs stemmed from personal inspiration and the concept of “daring to be different” while others are more traditional and simply designed to be stylish and durable. Additionally, after the successful launch of our first watch collection in October 2016, our motto has become “Quality. Style. Class.” This first watch design, the Ambassador Collection, was created to be an elegant, yet affordable, option for both men and women to obtain a beautifully crafted dress watch. Overall, J.Ciro strives to merge the concepts of uniqueness with high quality fashion at an affordable price.
What does your brand offer to your consumers and customers?
J.Ciro offers a collection of timepieces, cuff links, and other accessories.
How are you able to distinguish your brand from others?
Quality, affordability, and unique designs. On top of the designs we already have, we also do custom cuff links. This concept includes anything from custom materials, photos, initials, to custom wedding gown cuff links (a huge hit!). We specialize in taking care of our customers and ensuring they get exactly what they want. Our wedding business also specializes in building the right package for bride and groom gifts, or something for the entire wedding party.
What are your long term goals for your brand?
I would love to walk through a major retailer one day and see J.Ciro watches and cuff links on the shelves. In addition, we want to continue to grow with our small business partners and expand to new clothiers and style shops across the U.S.
Where do you see your band in the next five years?
I see J.Ciro expanding its watch collection to include several new designs. The goal would be to have J.Ciro still have the service and care of a microbrand but to expand into larger markets and become more of a household name.
How did you like the watches? Which one is your favorite? Be sure to share your ideas in the comments section below!
Thanks for reading!
