TRENDING: @X__JS

ENQUOR: RESURGENCE OF STREETWEAR FASHION

“I was born and raised in the fashion capital, a place with heritage, legacy and perspective. People are interested in brands and designers that have a perspective. Enquor does, and we will redefine modern streetwear fashion.”

The streetwear-skewed brand “Enquor” is having its first pop up in Lower East Side, NYC this Friday to celebrate their 1 year anniversary, featuring limited edition items that will be kept under wraps until the doors open. Rest assured that while some of these items are new they did not forget about their greatest hits. “It’s very much the foundation on which Enquor was started, and looking at what is to come.” Enquor creator, Jonathan says of the event. “This night is to simply say thank you, not just for purchasing something but for believing in me and the brand before people had anything to physically touch.”

Back in 2016 when Enquor started there wasn’t a website or Pinterest board to assess the aesthetic, simply word of mouth. His first sale was from an Instagram picture (@enquor) that hadn’t even advertised the product’s cotton poly blend, 2 week turn around time, handmade design, or the drop off option if you were in New York City. The appeal of this brand was all about the authenticity.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know why it (Enquor) started the way it did. I studied iconic urban streetwear brands such as Phat Farm, Baby Phat, Sean John, and Rocawear. They all had their finger on the pulse of our fashion at one point and then suddenly they didn’t. I wanted to know why, but it was more important for me to learn where they went wrong. Answering that question taught me how to move in this market.” Most brands that we've grown up with have moved on to catering to the urban graduate. That particular consumer is looking for an alternative to brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren etc. which leaves a wide lane for Enquor to tackle.

Jonathan is committed to the multi-faceted millennial and while some designers have gone on record saying they do not want to make clothing for that demographic, he has gladly accepted the role and feels as if Enquor is in the right position to assert themselves in an impactful way.

"It would be naive of me to say that my brand is the only black owned line being purchased. There is a lot of great competition out there and I understand that the consumer picks and chooses pieces from popular streetwear lines so we're committed to catering to the overall ensemble." Understanding that his audience is always looking for both nostalgia and innovation, Jonathan has successfully created an outlet for his ever flowing ideas. Enquor's graphics, color palettes, and prints are all designed with the closet of the consumer in mind.

Streetwear references from the nineties and early eighties can be seen trending in retail but there is a major disconnect. By having proper distribution, stories that matter and resonate with the audience Enquor has solidified itself as an extremely niche and relatable entity.

While this particular market has become over saturated with similar prints, logos, hoodies, and t-shirts, Enquors' spin on this avenue is an alluring change. As quality increases and visibility escalates they are sure to keep the momentum and remain in the game longer than the predicted 15 years unlike their predecessors. 

"I was born and raised in the fashion capital, a place with heritage, legacy and perspective. People are interested in brands and designers that have a perspective. Enquor does, and we will redefine modern streetwear fashion."

TRENDING: @LAMBOKEEM

KEEM : LEARN HOW THIS DESIGNER IS PAVING THE WAY FOR HIS COMMUNITY

“I’m only hiring felons. You have to be a felon to apply to my store, sorry if you decided to be an upstanding citizen. The world tells you if you make a mistake you don’t deserve a second chance and I'm in a position to give people second chances, so that’s what I’m on”.

A few years from now you’ll probably be purchasing ByLambos’ latest collection in his new retail space located in Brooklyn, but for now we’ll have to enjoy his interactive pop-up shops that embody the nostalgic house parties that have yet to be re-created.

ByLambo creator, Keem has been an innovative creative since he was a child running the streets of Flatbush. His latest collection, Bklynciaga has already dominated the New York fashion scene. At the moment there are about 4,000 Bklynciaga hoodies, and t-shirts floating around New York, this is solely based on his authenticity and reliability, his work shifts the paradigm much like the historic retailer Vinnie Styles. 

No coincidence that Vinnie’s approach to retail and clothing inspired the ByLambo creator. He has elevated from an admirer and shopper to having his collections be exclusively sold through Vinnies. Although it is his hangout spot, it is also a place where he acts as a sponge to the surrounding knowledge of the fashion industry. 

“For a bit I thought matching died with our era” Keem says. “We used to make sure our sneakers, laces, belts, and shirt were color coordinated and we were proud of it, then it slowly just became a dated trend, it wasn’t cool to do that anymore.” He recalls sitting at the register one day and watching a young man come in the store with a sneaker box. As the customer pulled out his sneakers to see if the colors were identical to the shirt he’s been eyeing, Keem realized he needed to go back to the drawing board, shift his focus to consumer behavior instead of trends and continue to draw inspiration from what he knows very well, his audience. 

Traveling has also allowed Keem to remain motivated in producing quality clothing. If you follow him on Instagram (@lambokeem) you will see the various ways that he uses the scenery he experiences to inspire upcoming collections. “No matter what collection I’ve come up with or what part of the world I’m taking a picture in, I want it to always feel authentic. I want my audience to always remember i’m just a young man from Flatbush at the end of the day who put the work in and made something out of nothing.”

ByLambo and its supporting brands defy the odds. Most things are done on a whim, when the feelings and ideas freshly merge. This is not a generic brand with a plan, seasonal collection, price mark-ups,and fashion shows, which probably can be attributed to his upbringing. “The young men in my hood who are just as impressionable as I was now have different things to look up to,” says Keem. “ I come from a heavy gang affiliated neighborhood, and my big homies told me early on that I didn’t have to do all of that shit that they were doing.” Realizing he had a gift and a talent they let him know there’s a bigger plan for him.  “They always told me I was different and that they needed me to do better than them, they needed lawyers, doctors, and wanted people to actually benefit from what I was doing, not the opposite.” He continues, “I had talent and my job was to put the homies on.”  

That message stayed with Keem and has set the foundation behind opening his own store in the near future. “I’m only hiring felons. You have to be a felon to apply to my store, sorry if you decided to be an upstanding citizen. The world tells you if you make a mistake you don’t deserve a second chance and I'm in a position to give people second chances, so that’s what I’m on”.