Toronto, Im looking to work on some projects possibly regarding shoes and apparel

[I J F]

Hey if your in Toronto and looking to start something up regarding shoes and apparel possibly denim, please contact me, [email protected]

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[poobrowne]

what did you have in mind?

fuck around and get your waffle split

[high_contrast]

i'm interested in helping out but i have no capital, just knowledge.

i go to ryerson too!!! second yr. itm, you?

[I J F]

Hey whats going on, Im first year communication, ACS, I have quite a few concepts and ideas to work with in terms of T-shirts and denim, and im looking at working with a concept from England on female shoes, get back to me, thanks,

Ilan

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

i always wanted toronto to have its "own" street/graffiti brand. i know there are quite a few artists out there but no one has really used their skill to apply to clothing. it would be pretty cool to have our own underground brand. since we have extreme weather (ie. cold winters, hot summers), it would be nice to have a brand cater to our environment using a mixture of colours and fabrics.

if we have the same vision, maybe we can talk after finals.

hC

[sr20det]

like a HAZE/FUTURA brand but hailing from Toronto?

"and we can find new ways of living make playing only logical harm"

[high_contrast]

yeah something like that because all we wear are other brands and we don't have any brands that represent us. I'm sure there are a lot of toronto ppl that rock underground brands from "street-rich" cities such as SF and NY but we're holding it down as well, why don't we have our own sh*t? i'm sure there are many ppl out there who would support this kind of project but just don't got the funds or time for it.

[I J F]

Hey,

yah you guys have a strong point. We could develop some sort of urban appeal in that sense although we have to illustrate what our targets and intetions are. I am aware finding is a priority and I dont have much right now. However we can always start somewhere. My intentions were to get into denim and really blow people away. I have some strong concepts in mind. I would like to work towards creating something like One True Saxons style of denim with a bit of a twist. I wouldnt like to limit my market in terms of stricly an urban product or strictly something that would cater to a couture market, I wanna make some quality denim. Im thinknig of pherhaps Japanese ringspun or maybe look into some Italian denims. Let me know what you guys think, but its good that we have gained some momentum in discussing this. Peace

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

the thing with denim is that you need quite a bit of capital to start with because of the expensive raw materials and equipment use involved. i'm just a broke 2nd yr. university student who spends all my earnings on clothes and always wanted to own an underground clothing boutique with unique toronto styles. if you want to start immediately on denim instead of basics like t-shirts, there's probably gonna be some huge-ass loan involved but i heard something about the government appreciating young canadian entrepreneurs and perhaps something can be done about the start up load.

[I J F]

Yah,

you are quite right, it does require some financial investment. The guvernment does give grant some financial support however its is a couple week process I believe. My friend got one for his company involving Xtreme bikes and it wasnt even a major proposal and the guvernment gave hime 3 grand. This may be a good route if we can put together some strong information and create a proposal I think you can get up to 10 000. Along with your boutique store, its one of my aspirations too, I just dont like the vibe in vice and goodfoot, Lileo are cool, but some of these guys just think that they rule the world, so I wanted to turn around and open up shop in their face. Just an opinion, anyhow keep me posted

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

totally man, the staff at those stores are super cocky and it's like...they don't even care if you're in their store or not. i want a store with super friendly staff and a pure chill vibe, just like bomb shelter, it's all family and love. no pressure to purchase anything whatsoever, that's how you build a loyal customer base.

what i'm feeling is that...our brand grows with us as well as our customers. say right now, we might like a certain type of style/design/fabric and our brand reflects that but as time goes by, our tastes change and the brand matures with us. since our customers are probably in same age bracket as us, they also grow with us. haha, just a dream but hey, i think we're actually getting somewhere.

i actually thought about writing a business proposal when i was 18 and 2 yrs. of university later, i think i'm almost ready to write one.

[I J F]

Well its good to see we are on the same page in terms of ambitions and possible ideologies. But the thing is at some of these stores I tried to get a job at some point to get my foot in the door somehow or to gain experience on the field and these guys act as if they are king. I know that I have more of an understanding of their product than most of their employees, but its who you know I guess. In terms of a proposal I have made several in the past and I have a basic template to work with. A proposal is different to a business plan, a bit more basic but I can alter it to suit a business plan style. Check my belts out, www.brani.com, this was the first business plan I had to do and it proved to be successful. So we can work off of my general proposal and ofcourse changing it to what your intentions are too. I like your idea of having a brand to work with and being recognized with it and later growing on us. But I am also starting to realize the secret behind longevity and that is really to expand on your target market in terms of making it limitless. I want to create an upscale denim, really quality product that may cost 220.00 to 250.00 per pair because nowadays it sells and its standard pherhaps even below the margin. But those are just some ideas I may be jumping the gun, but its a start, get back to me bro, peace

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[sr20det]

the only thing outta toronto in terms of "street wear" that i recall was the "416" brand. they even had a retail location on queen once but they went under. then i see a lot of kids sporting "THE ONE" clothing, which i think is just a ripoff of the RDS logo. i wonder if they even know that? hmm?

"and we can find new ways of living make playing only logical harm"

[I J F]

Yah the 416 brand and " the one " did derive from Toronto and Dsquared, I dont think they are from Toronto but somewhere in Canada. So basically there is an oppurtunity window, its something that is open, but I want to differ from the labels which last two days and then are forgotten. I dont want some weak silk screened logos, that is inserted into mainstream society and will eventually retail at 15 bucks a pop. Whats the quality and pride in that ? If it means being patient and waiting for the public to appeal to the product then be it. I think a successful approach is the BAPE/SUPREME/EVISU approach where they refuse to just go out there and allow their product to be distributed by everyone and anyone. At least thats how it was in the beginning. That way you have an increased demand especially if your manufacturing quality. The money is in manufacturing and if you are a label that can provide at the end of the day your laughing. Just some of my thoughts, Peace

Ilan

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

there are too many low-end street brands available in toronto so i'm realizing that selling a $30 tee/$140 jean isn't going to work. i agree with you about the bape approach where everything is exclusive and availability is to a minimum. of course, a lot of market research is going to have to be done.

[I J F]

Well thats where I am coming from, we can even ingore the price range for a second of whats available in Toronto and understand that there is still limited quality and product. We have limited if any access to Bape, Vice, no access at all to Yen jeans. I admire Holt Renfrew and their selection but then again its a different target market with a different approach. But we should be able to create product fit for Holt Renfrews standars. The magnitude of this is certainly not an overnight venture however, it is definately within reach. In regards to market research, yes you are right, it is important to gain the correct knowledge and understanding of how these labels went about there business. I think that the regions you launch your product in plays a major role as well as who is wearing it. Product Placement is almost everything and Public Relations. Production of limited runs and ignorance of advertising is a key aspect. At the end of the day even our greatest underground heroes have sold out, but the ones that remain heroes are those that have sold out and remain respected. If you can manipulate this with your apparel you are on the right track. Another key to whatever we are going to be doing is creative creative creative, a Tokyo influence, combined with it all.

Ilan

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

we are definitely on the right vibe man. a holt renfrew standard quality but for a different market. knowing what and who are the first steps to accomplish in any apparel business and i already see it coming out of the shell.

damn shouldn't we be studying?

[I J F]

We should so be studying, my exam is tomorrow morning, but I kinda know my stuff which justifies my posting the odd message. If you were to define what we have in mind it sounds like a Maharishi type label, which could be interesting and unique. Dont get me wrong I dont want to keep this product under the wraps and sell to certain people only, Im thinking big, real big. But it takes time and each step has to have a systematical approach. At some point in the break after finals, pherhaps we can map out some intentions. But for now we can continue to play with the ideas.

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

i like the maharishi idea but i also think it's important to make it somewhat exlusive. it would be available, yes, but not widely. maybe as time goes on, the bape approach will work and it becomes a little more available but at the same time keep its sacredness.

[I J F]

Yah,

whats important in that is also the countries in which the product is launched in. Yes we could rise out of the Tdot but we must launch the product wisely. Like have a launch in two or three locations in New York. The UK maybe asia and potentially Australia. What you then do is limit your product to those locations for a while until the demand is exploding. Then even once the demand is through the roof, you only release drip by drip.

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[high_contrast]

we got some good brainstorming and we gotta start putting this thing to work.

[aDj]

Spruce/Wings n Horns is a high quality label out of Canada. I have a Spruce hoodie and the materials used are excellent. Quality is A+. The Same manufacturer as Supreme.

Alena Skateboarding MTRL has their own line of street oriented clothing. Denim line is called Canvas. Not really high end but simple design. I can see it going somewhere if they stick to their vision.

The "Urban"brands including The One, Lounge clothing, II Black Guys, 100 Miles etc. have started in T.O but then again its a different market from what you want. Low end, cheaper materials used.

Upscale clothing line DSquared had to make a name of themselves internationally before cracking the local market. Ladies labels Wolves, Geek Boutique, Lucious, Preloved are sold internationally but not sure if they have a following.

High_Contrast, if you want to start a local graffiti oriented label out of TOronto then you have to know local artists (ie. Skam, D. Hodgson, A. Pommier).

IJF, you should meet with Wolves. I think they went to Ryerson.

Do we really need more brands? XLARGE didn't even last here.

Edited by aDj on Dec 9, 2004 at 02:26 PM

Edited by aDj on Dec 9, 2004 at 02:39 PM

Edited by aDj on Dec 9, 2004 at 02:52 PM

Edited by aDj on Dec 9, 2004 at 03:12 PM

[Guest]

I dont think its a matter of needing more brands or not as, there should never be a limit on selection however, quality selection is what I am referring to. Dsqaured in my eyes is recent yes, but its the only brand to make it on the scale that I am anticipating, in regards to their quality and target market. Urban brands wont really survive here for a few reasons, we tend to follow the American urban trends or whats coming out of Japan, and thats not only us, thats what is recognized universally, so stuff like The One and 2 Black Guys can only go so far. I know the head designer of 2 Black Guys, he is now the head designer of Roots and when he took his product to New York, his stores were robbed badly, leaving nothing. Skam has moved on to Montreal and he is working with a label doing his own thing, so we kinda missed the boat on that, besides hes not the type that would just work with anyone. In regards to what you refer to on making a name for yourself internationally, I think its an ingredient for success as you have to launch in a region which has a stagnant fashion community, as ours is just growing to the level it could or should be. Who are Wolves and what kind of product did they work with or are working with? Thanks

[Guest]

I dont think its a matter of needing more brands or not as, there should never be a limit on selection however, quality selection is what I am referring to. Dsqaured in my eyes is recent yes, but its the only brand to make it on the scale that I am anticipating, in regards to their quality and target market. Urban brands wont really survive here for a few reasons, we tend to follow the American urban trends or whats coming out of Japan, and thats not only us, thats what is recognized universally, so stuff like The One and 2 Black Guys can only go so far. I know the head designer of 2 Black Guys, he is now the head designer of Roots and when he took his product to New York, his stores were robbed badly, leaving nothing. Skam has moved on to Montreal and he is working with a label doing his own thing, so we kinda missed the boat on that, besides hes not the type that would just work with anyone. In regards to what you refer to on making a name for yourself internationally, I think its an ingredient for success as you have to launch in a region which has a stagnant fashion community, as ours is just growing to the level it could or should be. Who are Wolves and what kind of product did they work with or are working with? Thanks

[I J F]

Hey,

I posted a reply earlier but for some reason, it never appeared. Basically what I had mentioned was that I dont think we can ever limit labels anywhere, we manufacture product for ourselves and the public and its not a matter needing more labels it a matter of quality and recognized labels. Lower end labels that were metioned such as The One, Lounge 2 Black Guys, have had no longevity to them at all, and their success is limited. We seem to follow trends and not create them as we look to the US, Europe and Japan and then we follow. I think the way around this is the method Dsqaured have taken and that is an international release for the reason being that if the product receives a strong international appearance then your bound to succees locally. Local buyers wont support something just because of quality and appearance, it has to be something established. Unfortunately we lack a strong sense of our own fashion sense and are years behind other leading nations. Skam has moved on to Montreal where he is working with a label their kinda doing his own thing, so in that sense, we have perhaps missed the boat, although I didnt intend on catering towards that audience anyhow, nothing against them, Im just looking at the bigger picture. The designer from 2 Black Guys attempted to expand his product, and took it to New York where his stores were robbed badly and nothing remained, he is now the head designer of Roots and has recieved numerous awards. Im not only referring to materials used im referring to a certain target market and a certain clientel.

I am currently talking to a major European textile group located in Bulgaria who distribute various denim internationall and other materials, anyone have any advice as to what sort of denim I should be looking in to. There range is endless from Japanese to Italian, anyone got any advice on what samples I should request to work with in terms of denim? Thanks

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[poobrowne]

How are you gonna start a local graffiti based line if you aren't down with Toronto heads?

Sounds mad fishy to me guy.

And as for getting grants from the government, it takes longer than "a couple weeks", but check out www.bdc.ca or even your local banking institutes. Getting a brand off the ground and doing it right isn't just capital though.

I can't see guys like skam/madreal/pommier et al getting involved with some mark looking to make money off of their names.

On a side note, check www.holy-water.co.uk for pommier's new book! Shit is hot!

Oh and in my personal opinion, Wings and Horns eats ass. Iron on transfer tshirts for a hundred plus bucks and army surplus cargo pants with, again, iron on transfer logos for 6 bills? Give me a fucking break. Japan is smarter than that, I hope.

And Alena rules! www.alenaskateboarding.com BIG UPS!

Nuff plugs from me today.

fuck around and get your waffle split

[I J F]

My intentions were nothing to do with graffiti or urban in that sense. Throughout my messages I have emphasized on something unique with quality. I am looking to work with denim and I already have my concept in terms of t-shirts, to begin with it is based on a book which focuses on the early reggae movement in the 60s towards the 70s and pre-dancehall phase. Thanks for your advice on the grant, I know it will be a challenge. I love challenges without them there would be no purpose, so its a part of the mission. I would look into Alena skateboarding, but just keep in mind off the bat, my target market was not that aspect of the urban market, I think there is a strong relationship between product and clientel which we are all aware of. Keeping this in mind I wouldnt want to limit my audience, although I do respect all your advice and appreciate it. Thanks

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[Dolo]

Guys... I know you're just brainstorming here, but you're already going off on tangents and requesting samples of high quality denim when you don't even have enough capital to fund a single small run T-shirt, nor have any concept art.

Keep it basic, within your means and and evolve from there. It's all fine and good to dream up where you want to go and how you want to get there... But you got to concentarte on putting your keys into the ignition first.

also.. it probably be a good idea at this point to take into emails between the two of you, you know?

[I J F]

Your right I agree, my e-mail address is [email protected], if I havent responded yet im sorry, just been mad busy with everything. To have a target is the greatest stepping stone, thats all I was getting with, with my concepts. I dont have enough capital but I do have potential investors and some ideas about getting capital. Thanks Dolo, Peace

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com