Doni Nahmias on Building a Brand From Scratch, Being Present, and Designing With Authenticity
00:00:00.000 | (upbeat hip hop music)
00:00:03.240 | - Welcome back to another episode of Curious Mike.
00:00:11.560 | I am here with my boy, my friend, the GOAT designer,
00:00:15.480 | up and coming best designer ever, Donnie Nemeus.
00:00:18.880 | I appreciate you getting on the show, my boy.
00:00:20.600 | - Thank you for having me, my boy.
00:00:22.360 | - Let's do it.
00:00:23.640 | So yeah, before we get into the fashion space
00:00:25.640 | and everything you got going on,
00:00:27.240 | I think it's important, you know,
00:00:29.160 | everybody kind of gets to know you.
00:00:30.520 | So what was your childhood like growing up?
00:00:33.000 | You know, I feel like people with the creative mind
00:00:35.680 | that you have, always have an interesting childhood
00:00:38.440 | to think outside the box.
00:00:39.480 | So kind of walk me through that.
00:00:41.280 | - Yeah, growing up, I grew up in a small beach town
00:00:44.680 | called Santa Barbara.
00:00:46.320 | It's about two hours north of Los Angeles.
00:00:50.600 | Super small community, but I really just grew up
00:00:53.920 | skateboarding, spent some time surfing,
00:00:56.320 | and I was kind of just a--
00:00:59.720 | - A free spirit?
00:01:00.640 | - Just a free spirit, getting into some trouble as a kid,
00:01:04.520 | just, you know, getting through school as I could.
00:01:07.600 | And, you know, I loved to play basketball
00:01:10.680 | and just kind of hang around and cruise around the city
00:01:13.480 | on my skateboard.
00:01:14.920 | - Was it, so did you go to public school
00:01:16.760 | or were you, how was that dynamic?
00:01:19.240 | - I went to public school.
00:01:20.880 | I went to Santa Barbara High School,
00:01:22.240 | Santa Barbara Junior High,
00:01:23.760 | and just kind of breezed my way through.
00:01:27.040 | I was never really the most academic student, I would say.
00:01:32.040 | - So at what point then, growing up,
00:01:34.680 | did you decide like, oh, fashion is important to me.
00:01:38.640 | I wanna get into this.
00:01:39.560 | I know you probably didn't have the vision
00:01:41.600 | for like a whole brand yet,
00:01:43.200 | but when did you realize fashion was kind of important to you?
00:01:45.560 | - Yeah, I really didn't know much about fashion,
00:01:49.320 | especially in Santa Barbara.
00:01:51.200 | There's not much designer stores.
00:01:53.160 | There's no Saks Fifth Avenue or anything like that.
00:01:55.880 | We had like a Macy's.
00:01:57.080 | So I didn't know much about fashion,
00:01:59.760 | but as I started to spend time at the skate park
00:02:03.520 | or at school, I did notice myself looking at
00:02:07.600 | what other people were wearing
00:02:09.160 | and maybe not as much the brands,
00:02:11.400 | 'cause I didn't know much about that,
00:02:12.600 | but how they were wearing their clothes,
00:02:15.120 | how baggy they were,
00:02:16.600 | were they rolling the cuffs at the bottom,
00:02:18.800 | were they double layering their t-shirts,
00:02:21.640 | and how does the collars look.
00:02:23.120 | So it was more, I started to pay attention
00:02:25.560 | to kind of like the silhouettes of what people were wearing
00:02:28.280 | and noticed what I liked and didn't like.
00:02:30.240 | And I think that was my first kind of like instinctive,
00:02:34.000 | like loving fashion or how things were worn.
00:02:37.400 | - Right, and like, obviously, you know,
00:02:39.360 | you have this big brand now that's booming.
00:02:42.000 | You know, things are going well.
00:02:42.840 | - It's getting there.
00:02:44.040 | - It didn't always start out like that.
00:02:46.400 | You don't just become the entrepreneur you are.
00:02:48.400 | You had to start somewhere.
00:02:49.560 | So like walk me through like, okay, you know,
00:02:52.720 | high school, college,
00:02:54.160 | and then did you have to do some interning
00:02:56.840 | or what did that kind of,
00:02:58.160 | how did that journey look for you?
00:02:59.720 | - I was definitely just a self-taught designer.
00:03:02.600 | I had no clue what I was doing.
00:03:05.000 | I knew I wanted to do it.
00:03:06.680 | So I initially started by just kind of,
00:03:09.600 | my first garments was I was selling pockets on t-shirts.
00:03:13.760 | I was going to craft stores,
00:03:14.920 | picking some interesting fabrics I liked
00:03:17.520 | and selling pockets on shirts.
00:03:19.960 | I was screen printing
00:03:21.600 | and I was just trying to sell these to friends and family.
00:03:24.880 | And just at the time I thought it was cool,
00:03:27.800 | but looking back,
00:03:28.720 | it's almost embarrassing what some of the stuff looked like,
00:03:31.560 | but you got to start somewhere.
00:03:34.080 | But every piece I did,
00:03:37.520 | I started to learn what made it better and better.
00:03:40.680 | And it just took years of evolving to understand
00:03:44.400 | like how to get to a luxury brand level
00:03:48.000 | versus a very amateur kid starting a brand.
00:03:53.000 | - Yeah, anyone who starts their own business,
00:03:56.000 | like I have a lot of respect for,
00:03:57.200 | 'cause it's just so many hoops you have to jump through.
00:04:00.440 | What was something that was like harder than you thought
00:04:05.440 | about inventing your own thing, like from scratch?
00:04:10.160 | Is it the hiring of people?
00:04:11.440 | 'Cause I mean, I've been to your warehouse plenty of times.
00:04:14.160 | It's a lot going on.
00:04:15.040 | What was some of those kind of early on struggles
00:04:18.000 | and things of like literally starting from the ground up?
00:04:20.440 | - I think the hardest thing
00:04:22.680 | is really finding your voice as a designer.
00:04:26.480 | I think starting out,
00:04:27.640 | all I was doing at the beginning
00:04:29.800 | was looking at all the other designers,
00:04:32.240 | like who's winning, who's working and what are they doing?
00:04:35.440 | And I'd be like trying to rework
00:04:38.160 | what was already out on the market.
00:04:39.920 | And I think once my brand started to grow
00:04:43.560 | was when I stopped looking at what other people were doing
00:04:46.600 | and taking inspiration from them,
00:04:48.360 | but diving into myself for inspiration
00:04:51.080 | and like making unique original pieces that were true to me.
00:04:54.600 | So I think things started to work
00:04:57.320 | as you learn to be more authentic
00:05:01.120 | and find your own brand DNA
00:05:03.560 | versus being influenced by others.
00:05:06.000 | I think everyone starts that way.
00:05:08.520 | Everyone starts by loving something
00:05:10.520 | and taking it from there,
00:05:11.520 | but then you'll learn to create your own as you go.
00:05:15.920 | - And man, there's so many brands now,
00:05:17.560 | so many people trying to dip their feet
00:05:19.480 | in the fashion world
00:05:20.320 | that it's probably hard to even come up with creative ideas.
00:05:24.480 | I mean, but me and you have talked about,
00:05:26.560 | and it's similar in basketball,
00:05:27.800 | like when you feel refreshed
00:05:29.880 | or you feel like mentally, physically, emotionally,
00:05:34.440 | like stress-free, you come up with your best ideas.
00:05:37.520 | And like I said, I've been to your warehouse
00:05:39.040 | and there's so many unique pieces.
00:05:41.600 | Like how do you even come up with these concepts?
00:05:46.200 | Is it just sitting there
00:05:47.040 | and kind of like sitting still and meditating
00:05:49.400 | and just thinking of things,
00:05:50.440 | or is it just like they come to you on the fly?
00:05:52.040 | How is that process?
00:05:53.400 | - Yeah, it'll come in waves.
00:05:55.520 | Like there'll be days or weeks even where I'm just slumped.
00:05:58.760 | I can't think of anything.
00:05:59.920 | Like I'll just be so consumed by the business as a whole
00:06:03.480 | and the operations and having to answer to so many people.
00:06:07.760 | But then there's days that
00:06:09.680 | I'll go up to Santa Barbara for the weekend,
00:06:11.440 | let my mind and like my brain kind of turn off,
00:06:14.040 | and like my brain will just start firing.
00:06:16.720 | And I'll just take a bunch of notes on my phone
00:06:18.400 | or sketch something out real quick.
00:06:19.760 | And like I could get a whole collection done
00:06:22.640 | in a matter of a few days,
00:06:24.080 | but sometimes it could take a few weeks
00:06:27.000 | just to be like, figure out
00:06:28.600 | what the fuck am I doing with these genes, you know?
00:06:30.680 | So I think mental clarity is key.
00:06:34.240 | And this industry is like so stressful.
00:06:39.160 | So it's really important to figure out times
00:06:42.540 | that you can, you know, be alone
00:06:44.760 | and just let your mind rest,
00:06:46.760 | 'cause that's when you'll perform the best.
00:06:48.720 | I'm sure same with basketball, like.
00:06:50.520 | - It's that inner work and that inner peace
00:06:52.560 | that then allows you to go do the physical thing
00:06:54.880 | at a high level.
00:06:56.040 | It's super true.
00:06:57.080 | You talk about the stress of this industry.
00:06:59.960 | I mean, everyone kind of looks at their own
00:07:02.960 | kind of like the area they're in in life.
00:07:05.160 | You know, athletes think that we have it the worst
00:07:06.960 | and it's so stressful and we have so much pressure.
00:07:09.160 | You know, other people working a nine to five
00:07:12.440 | think they got it rough, you know?
00:07:14.160 | And then you talk about the stresses
00:07:16.200 | and I guess the anxieties of like your industry.
00:07:20.480 | Kind of what makes the fashion industry
00:07:22.280 | so competitive and so hard?
00:07:23.760 | I mean, there's only so many dope designer brands
00:07:26.280 | that people like to wear.
00:07:27.760 | Is that the hardest thing
00:07:29.080 | or what do you think makes it so stressful?
00:07:31.320 | - I think it's so competitive
00:07:32.920 | in the sense, I mean, even comparing it to basketball,
00:07:35.280 | like there's so many hoopers out there
00:07:37.720 | and there's so many incredible basketball players,
00:07:39.960 | but only like few can shine through that.
00:07:42.600 | And that might be through work ethic or not giving up
00:07:45.480 | or a certain style or a certain swagger
00:07:48.280 | that make people connect to it more.
00:07:50.280 | And I think same with fashion.
00:07:52.320 | There is so many brands.
00:07:53.600 | I think almost every kid grows up,
00:07:55.640 | like I wanna have a brand.
00:07:57.120 | Like it's such a common thing.
00:07:59.840 | So I think just being able to figure out
00:08:03.760 | how to shine through the rest
00:08:05.600 | and it's really about being different
00:08:07.360 | and pushing boundaries.
00:08:08.520 | And like, you can't be afraid,
00:08:12.040 | just like in basketball,
00:08:13.440 | you can't be afraid to take that last shot.
00:08:15.240 | If you miss, you miss.
00:08:16.760 | Like people might hate on you at that moment,
00:08:18.480 | but if you make it, you're great.
00:08:20.920 | And so I think same with putting out collections.
00:08:24.280 | You can't be timid.
00:08:25.360 | You gotta just really put something out that feels good
00:08:28.680 | and it might be a little scary to put out
00:08:31.280 | 'cause maybe people respond poorly to it,
00:08:33.680 | but maybe they absolutely love you for it.
00:08:36.040 | So just put it, you know.
00:08:38.120 | - That's not, that's a really good point
00:08:39.480 | because like I was watching some interview
00:08:41.440 | and it really connected with me.
00:08:42.360 | And it was like the best players, basketball players,
00:08:45.280 | and I'm sure, you know, it's weird.
00:08:47.800 | Like an NBA, every player at some point
00:08:50.080 | was the man on their team.
00:08:51.520 | So they had this trait at some point,
00:08:54.280 | they probably were taking the last shot at some point,
00:08:56.320 | but the trait of being able to take on the risk
00:09:00.560 | and being confident enough to fail
00:09:03.960 | is really what makes the superstars in the NBA.
00:09:07.760 | It makes the great players in the NBA.
00:09:09.360 | And I'm sure it's similar like in your space,
00:09:11.280 | like being confident enough in your ability
00:09:14.720 | that you're okay failing and you're okay with the backlash.
00:09:18.040 | I feel like a lot of complacent people in life,
00:09:21.120 | that's one of the things they lack is--
00:09:23.000 | - For sure.
00:09:23.840 | - And that makes them fly under the radar.
00:09:25.160 | But being able to take on that risk is an important trait.
00:09:28.520 | - Yeah, the amount of failures I've had is like,
00:09:34.520 | there's been thousands.
00:09:35.560 | So I've taken every failure as a way to learn,
00:09:38.200 | but yeah, it's damn near impossible
00:09:42.040 | to succeed in this business.
00:09:43.240 | So just being able to eat shit day in and day out
00:09:46.920 | and just keep pushing and keep trying.
00:09:48.760 | And if you give up, that's when you won't make it.
00:09:51.760 | But if you keep pushing, like there is a finish line
00:09:54.200 | or not necessarily a finish line,
00:09:55.840 | but you're gonna get somewhere as long as you keep pushing
00:09:58.640 | and you gotta be able to handle the failures
00:10:01.080 | and the people that are against you.
00:10:02.520 | And people will come in waves of loving you or hating you
00:10:05.880 | or loving the product or hating the product.
00:10:08.240 | - Yeah.
00:10:09.080 | - So.
00:10:10.000 | - That does seem stressful.
00:10:10.960 | What is your ways you think of being able to deal with that?
00:10:15.200 | I mean, basketball athletes have their own ways.
00:10:17.800 | I'm sure you have your way.
00:10:18.680 | How do you, 'cause it's a lot.
00:10:20.120 | And to even maintain like joy and happiness in life,
00:10:23.960 | you gotta have, is it your family, your friend?
00:10:26.040 | What is it?
00:10:26.880 | - That's what I'm, this year,
00:10:29.040 | like just this past few months is like,
00:10:31.400 | I'm really learning to be present and enjoy life for,
00:10:36.400 | yeah, family, find the friends that you love
00:10:39.560 | and figure out the things that give you peace
00:10:42.560 | and do those things.
00:10:44.000 | Because I got caught, got so caught up
00:10:47.440 | just being stressed about wanting to perform
00:10:50.280 | and make sure I'd be so successful
00:10:52.440 | and I'd get this pop up and my clothes would be
00:10:54.360 | in this store.
00:10:55.200 | But in the end, you get those things
00:10:56.920 | and like nothing really changed about your life
00:10:59.360 | or your heart or your wellbeing.
00:11:01.040 | So the things that really mattered would be
00:11:03.480 | spending that time with your family and friends
00:11:05.880 | and loved ones.
00:11:06.720 | And that's what really matters.
00:11:08.280 | And then making sure your business,
00:11:10.320 | your business will perform better
00:11:12.520 | if you put more attention into those things,
00:11:14.960 | you know, 'cause you'll be more at peace.
00:11:16.280 | And it's just kind of having that carefree feeling.
00:11:20.840 | Like if it works, it works.
00:11:22.320 | If it doesn't, it doesn't.
00:11:23.440 | But I love what I'm doing.
00:11:25.000 | And like, that's how your mentality should be.
00:11:28.080 | - It's true.
00:11:29.120 | And it's weird.
00:11:29.960 | Like when people talk about even the law of attraction
00:11:31.760 | and things like this, the more you want something,
00:11:34.400 | sometimes the more it evades you.
00:11:35.800 | But the more you kind of like, you know,
00:11:38.240 | put your energy into other things as well
00:11:40.080 | and kind of just, you know, like you said,
00:11:41.560 | that carefree mentality.
00:11:45.680 | And this is something I think I've spoken on another podcast
00:11:48.360 | but how when you're so focused on chasing something
00:11:51.680 | or like an end goal, sometimes we get those things
00:11:54.560 | and it doesn't change anything about how happy we are,
00:11:57.360 | how peaceful we are.
00:11:58.440 | And it's weird how some people go through their whole life
00:12:01.200 | and they think if I get this or I get this or this,
00:12:04.280 | that will make me happy.
00:12:05.260 | You know, as a basketball player,
00:12:06.960 | I've talked about this before, you know,
00:12:10.440 | your whole life you wanna be a D1 player,
00:12:12.520 | whatever it is, you get that.
00:12:13.880 | Then you're like, man, I really wanna get drafted.
00:12:15.440 | If I get drafted and I get some money
00:12:16.760 | and I can help my family out,
00:12:18.020 | then I'll be happy.
00:12:18.860 | Then you get in the NBA and you're not playing.
00:12:21.020 | Then you're like, oh, if I could just get on the court
00:12:23.040 | and be in the rotation, I'll be happy.
00:12:25.300 | Then it's, I wanna be a starter.
00:12:26.440 | I wanna be...
00:12:27.280 | And so the whole point is like, it never stops.
00:12:29.120 | - It never stops.
00:12:30.120 | - That's the human kind of mind.
00:12:32.200 | I don't know, like, I feel like in a,
00:12:34.600 | over here in the Western world,
00:12:36.480 | that's probably just more of like the hustle mindset,
00:12:39.000 | the American dream, like go get it mindset,
00:12:42.120 | but it really kills a lot of people's ability
00:12:44.120 | to achieve peace and happiness.
00:12:46.120 | So I think-- - It's so hard to be happy, yeah.
00:12:48.260 | - I think, you know, in an industry as stressful as yours,
00:12:51.140 | and we talked about this in the sauna at Voda,
00:12:54.500 | shout out to Voda Spa. - Voda.
00:12:56.260 | - We go there and we have good conversations.
00:12:58.180 | - Voda. - Yeah.
00:13:00.100 | We just talked about like, how do you have happiness
00:13:03.720 | and peace through the midst of like
00:13:04.940 | the entire stressful process of life?
00:13:07.620 | And you kind of have come to that realization,
00:13:09.540 | which I feel like is important.
00:13:11.020 | - So now I'm just learning how to tackle that
00:13:14.580 | to the best of my ability, like going back on that.
00:13:17.980 | For instance, we just opened up our own pop-up takeover
00:13:22.980 | at Maxfield in Los Angeles,
00:13:24.480 | one of the best boutiques in the world.
00:13:26.100 | Like, since I started, that was my dream.
00:13:28.980 | It's like, I want my name on the window of Maxfield.
00:13:32.140 | I wanna do an installation.
00:13:33.260 | I wanna have a collection with them.
00:13:34.780 | We just had that.
00:13:35.820 | The opening night was just the other night,
00:13:38.660 | and it was amazing, but it happened, and now it's gone.
00:13:44.140 | I mean, it's still up, but it just like,
00:13:46.060 | that moment happened, and it's just like, now what?
00:13:48.720 | Like, now what?
00:13:50.460 | And so like, but then I had a night
00:13:52.260 | with my family and friends, and we celebrated,
00:13:54.940 | and being at home with them was almost the better moment
00:13:59.060 | than the event itself, you know?
00:14:02.300 | Like, so just finding ways to step back and breathe,
00:14:06.740 | and just, I think being present is the hardest part,
00:14:10.140 | 'cause we're always consumed like on what's next,
00:14:13.060 | or how am I gonna make this better?
00:14:14.460 | Are people gonna like it?
00:14:15.540 | And it's really just about like,
00:14:17.460 | when I spend time with you, it's just different, you know?
00:14:22.460 | - Bro, same thing.
00:14:24.780 | Like, I would compare your Maxfield opening
00:14:26.620 | to like us winning the finals, right?
00:14:29.500 | Every NBA player's goal is to win a championship, you know?
00:14:33.500 | And then you do that, and then you celebrate the next day,
00:14:35.700 | and the next two days, bro, you're just at home.
00:14:37.420 | Like, what's next?
00:14:38.860 | Like, what?
00:14:39.940 | And then, you know, you get to celebrate with your family,
00:14:41.860 | and you know, you have the memories,
00:14:43.060 | but even when like I saw like the Chiefs, for example,
00:14:46.660 | like Patrick Mahomes,
00:14:47.500 | and then win the Super Bowl this past year,
00:14:48.940 | and he was, in the press conference, he was like,
00:14:52.380 | like, we're gonna get a third one next year,
00:14:53.820 | but you just won that one,
00:14:55.220 | and it's hard to even like enjoy the moment.
00:14:57.780 | So it's a whole, it's just a,
00:15:00.140 | it's a crazy mindset that we have as humans.
00:15:02.300 | But going back to, like you said,
00:15:04.700 | you just opened up your pop-up shop at Maxfield,
00:15:07.660 | and that's a big deal, like, you know?
00:15:08.980 | - It's the Mecca.
00:15:10.020 | It's like every designer's dream
00:15:12.060 | is to do a takeover with Maxfield.
00:15:14.460 | - Yeah, that's huge.
00:15:15.380 | How did that kind of like come about,
00:15:17.420 | and how do you see that kind of springboarding your brand
00:15:19.940 | even to bigger heights than it is?
00:15:21.700 | - I mean, that came, that's just a million baby steps,
00:15:25.180 | getting to this point.
00:15:26.180 | Like, I posted on my social media,
00:15:29.140 | along with the photo of me at Maxfield,
00:15:31.420 | with a swipe to the email,
00:15:33.220 | showing in 2016, 2017, 2018,
00:15:37.340 | asking the buyers just for a chance,
00:15:39.620 | just to show them the collection.
00:15:41.540 | Like, I was just banging my foot on the door.
00:15:44.060 | And so it was just years of perseverance,
00:15:47.940 | and not giving up, and the time will come.
00:15:50.660 | So I think it was just that matter
00:15:55.060 | of just not giving up on that.
00:15:56.980 | - Yeah, I can't wait to go check it out.
00:15:58.260 | We're gonna go check it out tomorrow morning.
00:16:00.260 | You got the big apple in there, in the store.
00:16:03.260 | Talk about that.
00:16:04.100 | What is the meaning of that?
00:16:05.300 | - Yeah, I partnered with this amazing digital artist,
00:16:08.780 | Andres Rezinger, and we were conceptualizing
00:16:12.820 | how to make something super special.
00:16:14.420 | But for me, the apple is a representation
00:16:19.060 | of knowledge and happiness.
00:16:20.980 | Like, that's one of the two main things of the apple.
00:16:22.820 | So having this moment in my career
00:16:25.780 | was like showing these past years of work.
00:16:29.620 | It represents that knowledge has got me here.
00:16:33.100 | And then just the happiness of being able to be here,
00:16:36.820 | and have that moment.
00:16:38.380 | So I thought it'd be so impactful
00:16:40.340 | to just take that huge apple and just plant it in the store,
00:16:43.780 | plant it in the window.
00:16:45.660 | 'Cause that's how I would drive by this block
00:16:47.940 | and manifest it for years.
00:16:49.420 | So then now I can just see it, and it's just in your face.
00:16:53.660 | - Yeah, no, that's dope.
00:16:54.820 | Yeah, I was wondering what that meant.
00:16:56.700 | A couple other concepts that you've come up with
00:16:58.700 | is the Summerland.
00:17:00.260 | You know, you got that on the hats, on the shirts.
00:17:01.820 | Talk about that.
00:17:02.660 | What is the meaning of Summerland?
00:17:03.860 | - Summerland, it's a small town within Santa Barbara.
00:17:06.580 | I spent years growing up there.
00:17:09.340 | And it's just like a small beach town,
00:17:14.380 | which I feel like it defines California.
00:17:17.220 | It's like a little beach, ocean,
00:17:19.420 | and then right behind you is the mountains.
00:17:21.580 | And it's just so laid back and cool.
00:17:24.460 | And I pull all my inspiration from it.
00:17:27.780 | It's almost like this dreamland.
00:17:29.420 | And I think a lot of people don't even know
00:17:31.540 | Summerland is a real town.
00:17:33.020 | - Yeah, I gotta go check it out.
00:17:33.860 | - So it's a real place, and it's so small,
00:17:36.380 | but it's like, it almost represents anything to anyone.
00:17:39.940 | It's like, what is your dreamland?
00:17:41.900 | What's your dream state?
00:17:43.220 | Where do you want to be that makes you most at peace?
00:17:46.700 | And for me, it's going home.
00:17:48.940 | - That's dope.
00:17:49.780 | And then the other one is, you know,
00:17:51.700 | you got it on your hat, the miracle,
00:17:53.900 | the Miracle Academy.
00:17:55.100 | You know, you have a miracle in a lot of your stuff.
00:17:58.140 | What does that mean to you?
00:17:59.780 | - The miracle to me is, I mean,
00:18:02.460 | I find it to be one of the most impactful words
00:18:05.220 | in the dictionary, it's just like,
00:18:07.380 | but the fact that I'm here today
00:18:09.740 | and doing what I'm doing,
00:18:10.980 | I had a phase as a kid in my upbringing.
00:18:14.620 | I was a really troubled youth teenager.
00:18:17.820 | I got into a ton of trouble.
00:18:19.660 | I was sent to Utah for wilderness programs.
00:18:22.340 | I went to juvenile hall.
00:18:23.940 | Like, I was like really a rough kid,
00:18:26.660 | and I was really lost and confused
00:18:28.420 | and getting into a lot of things I shouldn't be doing.
00:18:33.380 | So just the idea of being able to turn around from that
00:18:38.260 | and basically transform into the person I am today,
00:18:43.260 | I see as a miracle.
00:18:44.660 | And that's just like my little story of it,
00:18:46.620 | but it works for the business and the brand as well,
00:18:50.460 | 'cause I think so many people relate to it in so many ways.
00:18:52.780 | I think everyone has their own kind of miracle
00:18:55.220 | that they can relate to in their lifetime.
00:18:57.860 | So it just is, yeah.
00:19:00.660 | - Do you feel like,
00:19:01.660 | how much do you connect that miracle to,
00:19:04.140 | do you connect it to coincidence?
00:19:06.580 | Do you connect it to God?
00:19:07.860 | I mean, obviously me and you,
00:19:10.300 | we kick it with Jude all the time.
00:19:11.500 | I know faith has become more important to you
00:19:13.500 | and you're still trying to figure it out,
00:19:14.780 | going to church and things like that,
00:19:16.020 | but kind of what is your thoughts in that space?
00:19:19.740 | - I connect it to a little of everything.
00:19:21.740 | I think I connect it to faith.
00:19:23.660 | I connect it to coincidence.
00:19:25.660 | I connect it to work ethic.
00:19:27.780 | I connect it to kindness.
00:19:30.380 | I think really the way you treat people
00:19:34.140 | is almost one of the biggest parts.
00:19:36.260 | If you're loving to people and you're always outgoing,
00:19:39.780 | making sure someone else is okay,
00:19:41.780 | I feel like that's the best way
00:19:43.340 | that this world can be a better place.
00:19:45.940 | And so I think there'll be more miracles
00:19:48.540 | the more we can be better humans to everyone else,
00:19:53.020 | 'cause I think it's getting pretty rough out there.
00:19:54.820 | And I think a lot of people
00:19:55.900 | are getting more and more closed off
00:19:57.860 | and more out there for themselves.
00:19:59.860 | And I think if we can change
00:20:01.780 | to where more people are worried about others,
00:20:05.100 | still protect yourself,
00:20:06.260 | but there's so many people just going through it.
00:20:09.020 | So just checking in on them,
00:20:10.260 | it can change a lot for everybody.
00:20:12.820 | - Well, you're amazing at that.
00:20:14.180 | I mean, we've talked about this in the car.
00:20:16.220 | I remember me, you and Judah were sitting there
00:20:18.300 | and we were like, what do you think is,
00:20:19.940 | we were going around asking what each one thought
00:20:22.100 | each other's strengths were.
00:20:23.780 | And the word that kept coming up about you
00:20:25.820 | is just how caring you are for your friends
00:20:28.700 | and your people, and that's an obvious trait about you.
00:20:31.500 | All this stuff is going on in your business and stuff,
00:20:34.140 | but you still find time to make sure
00:20:36.020 | everybody else is straight. - That's right.
00:20:36.940 | - And I feel, bro, that's gonna come back around.
00:20:38.900 | That's why you have so many relationships that you do.
00:20:42.460 | Talk about that, the relationships
00:20:45.780 | with some of these celebrities.
00:20:48.180 | You're close with Kodak, you're close with Chris Brown,
00:20:53.060 | some of the NBA players, Justin.
00:20:55.380 | How do you feel like some of those relationships
00:20:57.780 | really came about?
00:20:58.700 | Because I feel like a lot of people in this space
00:21:03.100 | are very closed off, but you come around
00:21:06.180 | and they are very open with you.
00:21:07.980 | Why do you think that is?
00:21:10.260 | And how did those relationships kinda come about?
00:21:13.300 | - Man, I think I'm definitely just blessed
00:21:15.740 | in the sense of, I don't know, I think I definitely
00:21:19.420 | have a special trait of connecting with someone
00:21:21.780 | and just kind of feeling what's inside of them.
00:21:24.500 | And I think they can almost see it or feel it.
00:21:26.620 | I don't know what it is.
00:21:27.820 | It might be a superpower I was given.
00:21:30.140 | But for instance, my relationship with Kodak,
00:21:33.180 | he's a very closed off guy.
00:21:36.180 | He's got a very tight circle.
00:21:38.020 | But since we met, we became like bonded brothers
00:21:42.300 | and he loved me and we would have great conversation.
00:21:46.260 | Even his management is just like, I don't know what it is,
00:21:49.340 | but Bill loves you, you know?
00:21:52.060 | So I don't know, I think they just understand
00:21:55.300 | that I'm trying to care for them for them.
00:21:58.660 | And it's like, you're an amazing rapper.
00:22:00.780 | I love you for your music and your craft,
00:22:03.180 | but I also think you're great
00:22:05.100 | and I can tell you have a good heart.
00:22:06.780 | So I think we connect on that level.
00:22:08.220 | And that same with even Chris Brown
00:22:10.300 | and all these other guys and all these ballplayers.
00:22:12.900 | I think I relate to a lot of these basketball guys.
00:22:16.060 | I grew up playing basketball.
00:22:17.380 | I'm not 6'10" like you, but I get buckets.
00:22:21.180 | And I think I just relate.
00:22:23.420 | I feel like I just connect and relate with these people
00:22:27.460 | on a natural and organic level.
00:22:29.140 | And I think they just feel it.
00:22:30.580 | And so it just works in my favor
00:22:32.260 | and hopefully theirs too, you know?
00:22:33.820 | It's just becomes real friendships.
00:22:35.580 | - Yeah, nah, it's a gift you have for sure.
00:22:38.220 | And I think in the industry you're in,
00:22:40.940 | relationships is very important, you know?
00:22:43.060 | I mean, you're in the early stages
00:22:45.380 | of kind of what this is gonna become.
00:22:47.220 | And you're in the grinding stages.
00:22:49.900 | You may not be making like tons, millions of dollars.
00:22:52.340 | But the relationships you have, the stuff that you make,
00:22:56.660 | it's only a matter of time.
00:22:57.900 | So as stressful as it is, bro,
00:22:59.860 | it's inevitable that this is gonna be the next thing.
00:23:02.980 | You know, Joker talks about your stuff all the time.
00:23:06.340 | You got Justin over here wearing it, Chris Brown.
00:23:08.980 | You got the connections.
00:23:10.100 | It's just keep it going, bro.
00:23:11.900 | Your stuff is dope.
00:23:13.100 | This is a question I wanna ask you
00:23:15.940 | 'cause you're in the fashion industry.
00:23:19.100 | Why do you think that the fashion is going sometimes
00:23:23.220 | towards this, for men's wear,
00:23:26.300 | towards kind of sometimes the feminine type of stuff?
00:23:29.980 | And do you see yourself ever going in that direction
00:23:33.800 | with someone like the skirts
00:23:35.380 | or the stuff the dude's wearing fashion week?
00:23:37.140 | Do you see that?
00:23:37.980 | Why do you think that is?
00:23:38.820 | And do you see yourself ever going that way?
00:23:39.860 | - I see that, but I would never go there.
00:23:41.780 | I'm always gonna stay authentic.
00:23:43.300 | But I see, I think the skirts and all this stuff,
00:23:46.020 | I think that's just designers finding ways
00:23:48.020 | to push their boundaries.
00:23:49.980 | How do we make something?
00:23:51.540 | How do we make some noise?
00:23:52.940 | How do we be different?
00:23:54.060 | And every designer has their way of doing it.
00:23:56.580 | For me, I'm not gonna put a man in a skirt, but.
00:24:00.580 | - Even like the fingernail polish,
00:24:02.180 | what do you think about all that stuff?
00:24:03.940 | - It's just, it's their taste.
00:24:05.700 | I think every human has their own flavor
00:24:08.500 | of like expressing themselves.
00:24:10.020 | And I have nothing against any of it.
00:24:11.860 | And some people can pull it off.
00:24:13.780 | Like I could, I've seen, I think like Westbrook in a skirt
00:24:16.540 | and he kind of looks dope, but it's not for me.
00:24:20.220 | - Jordan Clarkson rocks sometimes.
00:24:22.260 | - My brand's not gonna go there, I don't think.
00:24:24.020 | But who knows, maybe in two, three years,
00:24:25.580 | I have some weird face and I got men in dresses.
00:24:30.580 | You never know, but.
00:24:32.620 | - No, I feel you.
00:24:33.580 | I just always wanted to ask that
00:24:34.660 | 'cause it's so funny to me how.
00:24:36.460 | - I find it funny.
00:24:37.380 | I think the fashion game,
00:24:39.340 | I think there's so much real stuff in it,
00:24:41.060 | but I think there's so much comical,
00:24:44.100 | artificial stuff in the fashion game too.
00:24:46.660 | I think there's designers that are true and authentic.
00:24:49.700 | And I think there's designers that are just,
00:24:54.460 | I don't know, just a bit comical
00:24:56.020 | and just a bit artificial.
00:24:59.740 | - Why do you think, like fashion goes through phases.
00:25:03.460 | It used to be the baggy, the baggy stuff.
00:25:05.380 | And then it went to guys wearing skinny jeans.
00:25:07.620 | - I know the theory.
00:25:09.180 | For instance, you got, I think, true, real, cool culture.
00:25:14.180 | I'm talking, I guess, on a California level first.
00:25:18.020 | You got skaters wearing baggy jeans
00:25:20.340 | and these puffy skate shoes.
00:25:22.780 | Designers now are doing these puffy skate shoes,
00:25:25.900 | baggy jeans, and now that everyone's wearing baggy,
00:25:28.900 | now these skate cats are real street kids
00:25:31.940 | that now they go back to skinny.
00:25:35.300 | So I think it's almost like a chase of the cool kids
00:25:38.580 | trying to identify on their own level.
00:25:40.780 | They're going to dress their way.
00:25:42.020 | That becomes commercialized.
00:25:44.020 | And then it almost just goes backwards.
00:25:45.660 | And it's going to be a vicious cycle forever.
00:25:48.740 | And I think it's just a matter of,
00:25:49.780 | there's like that core, cool community
00:25:52.180 | that paves the lane.
00:25:53.980 | And then there's the designer houses
00:25:56.460 | and bigger conglomerates or whatever,
00:25:58.020 | looking at what cool kids are doing.
00:25:59.620 | And then they're going to recreate it.
00:26:01.660 | Maybe not as well, but it's kind of just--
00:26:03.820 | - Do you see yourself going back to the,
00:26:05.940 | 'cause it is crazy how it used to be baggy.
00:26:08.220 | And then that got weird kind of.
00:26:09.580 | And everyone was wearing the skinny stuff,
00:26:11.660 | even the joggers, you cuff it in your shoes.
00:26:14.820 | Now everybody wants the big sweats
00:26:16.500 | to go over their shoes.
00:26:18.340 | Do you, when do you see it going back skinny?
00:26:20.700 | And do you see yourself following?
00:26:22.780 | I mean, I guess as a designer,
00:26:24.020 | you kind of got to go with the culture.
00:26:25.540 | But when do you see that kind of happening?
00:26:27.420 | 'Cause it's just, I feel like it's so weird.
00:26:30.060 | 'Cause I used to think skinny was so dope
00:26:33.420 | and now I can't stand it.
00:26:34.740 | - Can't stand it.
00:26:35.580 | - And then we're baggy.
00:26:36.420 | - People be looking goofy.
00:26:37.660 | They look like Dr. Grew from the '80s.
00:26:39.740 | - Right.
00:26:40.580 | When do you see it going back that way?
00:26:42.540 | - I mean, skinny's coming back.
00:26:44.740 | I think there's always going to be,
00:26:46.140 | there's certain designers that'll stick to their core.
00:26:48.220 | You got Hedy Slimane,
00:26:49.140 | like he's going to have skinny jeans forever.
00:26:50.860 | And there's other designers that will have skinny,
00:26:53.020 | but as a brand and a business in the end,
00:26:55.820 | they're going to have to cater to an audience
00:26:57.660 | and sell what they can.
00:26:59.700 | So I see skinny coming back in a sense.
00:27:02.700 | I don't know if I'm going to play with it,
00:27:04.540 | but I've always worn baggy clothes.
00:27:08.060 | Even in high school,
00:27:09.020 | there was like this phase of crew jeans,
00:27:10.980 | these crew skinny jeans.
00:27:12.660 | I just made fun of my friends forever for it.
00:27:15.220 | And I just never got there,
00:27:17.380 | but everyone has their taste.
00:27:19.740 | - Yeah, the baggy's definitely doper.
00:27:22.580 | All right, man, my last question for you.
00:27:26.020 | What is your overall vision for Nemeas
00:27:28.980 | and kind of your purpose for the brand overall,
00:27:31.660 | for you overall?
00:27:33.260 | What is your purpose?
00:27:34.220 | And then what is the vision for the entire brand?
00:27:36.660 | - My vision for the brand is to make it as big as possible,
00:27:42.660 | but still holding its authentic feel and love.
00:27:47.620 | And like in the end, it is a business.
00:27:50.740 | I want it to make money.
00:27:51.940 | I want the world to know about it.
00:27:54.100 | I want people to wear it and feel comfortable
00:27:56.900 | and confident wearing it.
00:27:58.620 | So as big as Nemeas can go,
00:28:00.700 | where it'll still feel authentic,
00:28:03.380 | like I want it there.
00:28:04.620 | And me as a human and as a person with a purpose,
00:28:09.020 | it's definitely going beyond clothing.
00:28:11.940 | I wanna explore everything from fashion to charity,
00:28:16.940 | to organization, to furniture, different forms of art.
00:28:21.620 | Like this is just the start for me.
00:28:23.780 | And this is like my home base to build myself as a person
00:28:27.860 | and then see what else I could do.
00:28:29.820 | I got plenty of time.
00:28:31.300 | I just turned 31.
00:28:33.020 | But I see something greater
00:28:35.340 | with this whole Miracle and Miracle Academy.
00:28:37.540 | I see it as a, almost like a charity program or a situation.
00:28:42.700 | We also have Miracle Garden and it's like,
00:28:45.100 | so there's so many things I wanna play with
00:28:46.620 | and explore in the future beyond clothing.
00:28:49.540 | - Yeah, and I mean, I just gotta point out
00:28:52.580 | something you just said that just hit me
00:28:54.420 | was the fact that you use this fashion brand
00:28:58.780 | and what you're doing to shape you as a human
00:29:00.740 | for some of the other things that you wanna do in life.
00:29:04.300 | And like for me or anyone, I think that's important.
00:29:06.900 | Like not letting what you do become your sole identity
00:29:10.020 | to where it's all-consuming.
00:29:11.980 | Like me, I should be using basketball
00:29:15.540 | to help me grow mentally,
00:29:16.660 | to help me fulfill my purpose in other areas.
00:29:20.420 | Inspiring people, giving back to the people
00:29:23.140 | through charity and things.
00:29:26.100 | So I think that's important 'cause a lot of people,
00:29:28.060 | what they do is who they are.
00:29:29.340 | And you just said, you know, you use,
00:29:31.100 | and it means you use this fashion
00:29:32.940 | to explore who you are, grow who you are
00:29:34.540 | so you can ultimately reach your purpose.
00:29:37.300 | So man, I admire you, bro.
00:29:39.740 | - I love you, bro.
00:29:40.580 | - I appreciate you getting on the podcast, dog.
00:29:42.420 | - I love you, bro.
00:29:43.260 | - My man.
00:29:44.100 | - I already gave up my dreams of being in the NBA,
00:29:46.100 | so at least I can make some clothes for the NBA players
00:29:49.460 | and everybody else.
00:29:51.420 | - Appreciate you, dog.
00:29:52.420 | Curious Mike out.
00:29:53.580 | (upbeat music)
00:29:58.500 | - I drink one of these smoothies every day.
00:30:01.900 | Banana, blueberry.
00:30:05.660 | It's tough, tough life out here.