By | Teylor Edmonds
In recent years, streetwear fashion has become increasingly popular among young adults. It is a style that emphasizes comfort, creativity, and self-expression. Some young people have even turned their love for streetwear into a business by launching their own clothing brands. In this article, we will explore the experience of a young Black man who started his own streetwear clothing brand and offers some tips on how to be an entrepreneur. Meet Brandon, a 21-year-old who started his own streetwear brand called "Diamond Island" in Cleveland, OH in 2021. In the meaning of his brand name “Diamond Island”, The diamond represents someone that you love and the island represents the paradise or Heaven in which they reside in. Brandon has always been creative and has been drawing since he was in elementary school. After quarantine, Brandon wanted to do something better with his time so he started brainstorming and came up with the idea to have a clothing brand because “ I wanted to make my Father Proud”. The journey of starting his own streetwear clothing brand was not an easy one. Brandon faced several challenges, including sourcing the right materials, finding manufacturers, and marketing his brand to the right audience (because quality isn’t cheap!). Living in the city of Cleveland means that our city supports popularity and not creativity, because of this it was a challenge to have people buy his apparel. Despite these challenges, Brandon also faced some highs as well like selling out on one of his products and also having an influencer wear his brand! Brandon learned several valuable lessons along the way. Here are some tips on how to be an entrepreneur from Brandon’s perspective: 1. PATIENCE: Brandon believes that the most important aspect of being an entrepreneur is having patience with yourself and your brand. Unless you have a major platform, you will not sell out products right away, become a six-figure brand owner, and have that corner city view apartment right away, you have to work really hard and go through a lot of trials with your mental and your manufacturers. 2. NETWORK: In the fashion Industry, it's imperative that you learn how to network. Making connections means increased visibility for yourself and the person you are networking with. You can gain a stronger support system and improved business growth. 3. POSITIVITY: You have to stay positive when owning a clothing brand, often times you can get discouraged and catch yourself comparing your journey to someone else’s. Another reason you have to stay positive is that you may not always get support from everyone and that's okay, as long as you are doing what you love from beginning to end with your clothing brand that's the main thing that should matter to you. In conclusion, being an entrepreneur is not an easy task, but it is a rewarding one. As a young black man, Brandon faced several challenges in starting his own streetwear brand, but he persevered and learned valuable lessons along the way. His advice to young people is to have patience, make connections, and STAY POSITIVE. With hard work and determination, anyone can turn their passion into a successful business.
Sources
Brown, Brandon. Telephone Interview. 18 Feb 2023