“Figures of Speech”

The Baller Alert Show & The High Museum presents...

“Figures of Speech”

ATLANTA STREETWEAR CONVERSATION

Moderated by: Kenny Burns

With Panelist: Marina Skye, Kwassi Byll & Renaldo Nehemiah 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the stage, Kenny Burns. What's happening, y'all? Feel good?
Say yeah, I'm gonna take this hot ask coat off
in two seconds. I just want you all to see
the whole outfit. Uh. Capricorns. Is it still Capricorn season? Okay,

(00:29):
you're lucky. I want to bring out three individuals that
I think represent Atlanta great um and very well on
the fashion side, just the lifestyle side in general. First,
I would like to bring the beautiful Sky to the
stage from Sets by Sky. She's my spirit animal and
we did a little Coca Cola thing on accident. We

(00:50):
didn't even play it and she got on dickies. Give
it up a sky, y'all. Uh. Next, I'd like to
bring to the stage my brother from another mother. He
is the creative director at Wish Renaldo Nehemiah, that Co
five boy at Co five and last but not at

(01:10):
least Uh. He's a legend in Atlanta as far as
I'm concerned. The owner of motor for for a quasi
bill qataria Um. I don't know if you all know
everything about Virgil. If you know everything about Virgil, put
your hands high. You don't let me help you. Virgil A.
Blow is an American fashion designer, entrepreneur, artists, and DJ

(01:33):
who has been the artistic director of Louis Vutan's men's
wear collection since March. A Blow is also the chief
executive officer of the Milan based label Off White, a
fashion house he founded in Can you show them the original?
That's an original? Peace, you're gonna stand up? Quasi turnaround? Okay? Great? Yeah,
that's his original. Oh uh, ladies and gentlemen. He is

(01:57):
also a trained architect, I Blow who also worked in
the Chicago street fashion scene, with one of his first
offerings The Daily Making Dollars t Chicago's in the Building
fashion gigs. Oh are you in the building? I got
this information? I got a cheat sheet. Uh. He also
had his first collab with leaders Um, a famous street

(02:20):
where movement out of Chicago, designed the chain Tea with
his then company v A A L l C. Did
anyone know he had a company called v A A
L l C. We're learning tonight. This is gonna be
a learning curve for all of us. Uh. And personally,
what I'm most proud of is that he is the
first American of African descent to be named artistic director

(02:44):
at a French luxury fashion house. Give it up please.
Time magazine also named him one of the most influential
people in the world. So how many people remember the
first time they all Virgil or heard of Virgil? Not many.
I'm loving this. Um. There was an infamous photo taken

(03:07):
by a photographer by the name of Tommy Ton and
it was outside of the Calm de Garson show and
what is obviously wildly circulated on the net, and it
featured can we get that picture up there? On the screen?
It featured Don c tesst Arnold, Chris Julian, Kanye West,
Farnsworth Bentley, and then it featured an unknown Virgil a blow.

(03:29):
Did anyone know that you ain't know ship? No one
is scared of anyone in this room. For those who
didn't know, now you know that started? Uh that's actually
those yeezis or the Louis Vuitton yeasys that everybody was
going crazy over when he did his Louis Vuitton offering,
his first Loui Baton offering. So we're gonna start the

(03:51):
first question, and I want to open this up to
our amazing panel. Um, what do you think Virgil's contribution
has meant to Atlanta fast and culture. Um Virgil has
made an amazing impact as far as like fashion and
art and also has given the opportunity for a lot
of people to actually step outside of box to actually

(04:13):
make a difference in fashion and fashion world because you know,
we're living in the days where people wearing more casual
leisure were as supposed to wearing a suit, so now
everything's more so streetwear were although near Maya. The influence
of everything that he has done for me as a
young black male, you know from the South, it just
is a young Black African American male period too strive

(04:37):
to do what we was not supposed to be to do.
Um giving me the inspiration to being a young black
creative director in a city that's powerful and being powered out,
you know by African Americans. It gives me the strength
every day to seeing the iconic things that he's doing
for me to say I want to do the same thing,
to take Atlanta to the world is well and speakful

(05:00):
Atlanta to the world as well, and everything that I do,
you know, being a creator direct their wish. So by
him being that stap on, that trophy that I can
look at every day and study. You know, it's my
aspiration to you know, do that. Yeah, I think it
allows us to be able to think outside the box.
We see someone who's doing something like that that looks

(05:22):
like us, and now it allows us to think that
it's tangible for us. Men and women are like black
and brown. It's very important. Absolutely, I think. Um, I
think he blew up because he made bigger clothes, bigger.
I think there was a time when, no bullshit, I
think there was a time where where designer clothes were

(05:46):
not made for black men. I think that there was
a time, you know, even when I started Ryan Kenney,
the problem we were having and we were the second
black designers ever in sacks with the Avenue by the way,
with Ryan Kenney, but go hello, what's Aaron? We need
shots a Yama. Um. But I think he kind of

(06:10):
he kind of hit the mark. I mean he he
was making things that could fit athletes, that could fit
you know, oversized people. And I think that you know
when you saw I mean, black men have shoulders, we
have butts, we have guts, we you know abo And
I think he literally coined it and hit a home
run with it, because if you think of his first offering,

(06:31):
which was pyrex. You know it was a whole you know,
it was a whole thing, like you know they were.
He took the flannels from Ralph Lauren he printed on
the back of them. I think, Zoe, you told me
there was a flash cell at Polo when that happened.
So where are you at flashal geek, Zoe? This is
my cheek she Zoe, Stand up zo, stand up Zozo.

(06:53):
He has geek out of Chicago. So the rumor has
it that he there was a flash sell Ralph right,
and he brought all the sizes and the painted pirates
on the back, right, okay, and they had huge sizes. Okay, cool.
I just I don't want to I want to have
all facts, and we're gonna get to the facts. I

(07:14):
want facts from coming in the audience with the microphone,
especially to the white people. Okay. Question number two, how
do each of you characterize Atlanta Street where? Now? I
wanna I don't want to set you up with this
question because you're from l A. Originally, Dickies is an

(07:34):
l A Atlanta thing, too, right, we share that, right, um,
But how do you characterize Atlanta Street where? Because Dickies
is totally Atlanta Street, where I just wore Dicky Suit
the cassette two weeks ago. So honestly, I think Dicky's
is a as a it's a special special case because
it's universal. This is this is like the poor man's uniform.

(07:55):
That's what it started as. So it's not just an
l A thing. It's not a Southern thing. It's a
US thing. Um, everyone worthies when they when they went
to work. So I don't think. I don't think everyone
had the tailor to fit before Atlanta. I mean this
is an evolved fashion has the tailors. Yeah, I mean
this is okay. But everyone can can relate to this

(08:19):
in one way or another. Either someone's grandfather wore this
to work or someone's panel speaker war to a panel. Um,
that's sky alright, alright, Um, it's it's relatable. But it's
also it's practical, and that's why I like it. That's
also like why I like Dickies in general or anything
like that's a gumpsuit because I can wear these to work.

(08:41):
I can wear these in a set and then I
can take my shoes off, put heels on, and go
to dinner if I want to. Um. So it's kind
of universal and love your style. Ronaldo, creative director of Wish.
I mean Atlanta, you know, it fluished me through my
whole life. I mean growing up in Miami, Florida. I
mean my favorite group, you know, Joan Bloods. I mean

(09:03):
I tell everybody all the time, the Flyers. The Flyers
guy that I used to look out too in Miami
when I was growing up was Big gift Um. He
was the Flyers of them all. I mean he he
was charismatic. He just like yo, listen, I got the attitude.
I'm riding my box Chevy and I'm gonna, you know,
still be me. And you know, growing up at Miami,

(09:24):
that's what we wrote this Donks and box Chevys. I mean,
I was like then in college, I go to walm
up by my Dickies. Even though there was a size
I was like a size eight back then, I was
wearing a size thirty four. You know what I'm saying.
So about that life right, it still is in a
more you know, curated way. But Atlanta always like, like

(09:45):
you know, Andre three thousand said, the South has something
to say, and every time you see somebody from Atlanta,
it's an air about them all of my friends that
are genuine from Atlanta that I meet, that I love
and respect. This is confidence of like yo, listen, I'm
from Atlanta from one six. You take old national role,
you know, Metropolitan Stewart Avenue. This is what you're gonna get, Okay,

(10:05):
addresses um these in these streets though. Look look you
know Ronaldo Style, some of your favorite rappers, um Quasi
Before you answer, I just want to I want to
give the people a little bit. Quasi started uh selling
me close at Ralph Lauren and he took that knowledge

(10:29):
of his customer base opened the store about the name
of motor for for which he has today. And the
genius about this man is that, you know, when all
these fashion houses from Europe we're making all these things
that didn't fit high armpits, low waist jeans, he went
out into the world and found the same silhouettes and cuts,

(10:52):
but things that fit us. And I just want to
commend you for that because it's unheard of for an
independent owner to being business over fifteen years selling fashion. Well,
thank you, Kenny. Um. I want to also elaborate that
the fact that Atlanta, when I first moved here in
right after the Olympics was incredibly a city where it's

(11:13):
growing fast. And I was living downtown Atlanta and loft
and I noticed the style is more so the classic
Cortez Nikes. It was like the dope boy fresh look
with baggy levies an oversized white T shirt. So we've
graduated from that to the point where we have Virgil
that's now making an amazing collaboration with like Nike and

(11:35):
making of the cooler version of uh, what fashion is?
You know, so our style and motor fhul Force more
so international where we actually reach out to the global
market where if it's a Japanese style, if it's oversized, look,
you can still have a cool effect where you're actually
expressing yourself without thinking twice, you know, kind of like
growing out of bed and just point out a cool outfit. Yeah,

(11:56):
and I want you to elaborate a little bit more
because I think that you know, as I mean, being
in business over two decades, basically a happy new decade
to everyone. By the way, you know, this is not
a new year, this is a new decade child. Um.
But but seeing Atlanta go from you know, because when
we moved here, you know, it was really you know,

(12:17):
the Southern music was starting to ascend. You had the
face records, you had social death, rowdy records, you had
all these things starting when you when you came, or
starting to actually peak when you came. But um, I
just want to talk about how you could talk through
the history and the evolution of the fashion here. Sure,
um spending time Atlanta's fashion. When I worked at Lenox

(12:41):
Mall actual Ralph Laurence, my first retail job, everyone was
at Lord and Taylor. So UM at the time, I
think for the most part, I was in college at
Clark and I couldn't sleep see you. So Clark was
very fashionable, and coming from New York to Atlanta wasn't
was an amazing Um just changed in my life just

(13:03):
for the fact that I went to HBC School, but um,
the fact that I met some of the middles amazing
people there and to this day they all my friends. UM.
I remember just you know, being in New York or
wearing a lot of outdoor gear like Northface, and I've
just kind of seen fashion Atlanta just changed to the
point where we're more we're actually wearing more high fashion brands.

(13:25):
So it's incredible, I think for me with with Atlanta fashion.
I think it's grown into the metropolis that it is.
I think because of all the beautiful people that moved
here to you to go to school, um, to pursue
a loved one too, whatever you came last year in
high school. I think Atlanta has built up of so
many different cities, and those cities have poured into Atlanta

(13:48):
and now has you know, attached themselves to not only fashion,
but music and everything else that has to do with lifestyle.
But you know, I remember coming here and it was
country like that. That's how people referred to Atlanta. They
referred to everything Atlanta country, their style, their music there, whatever.
And I had a certain affinity because of the tempo

(14:09):
of the music. And I would go off the reservation
because when I first came to school, Atlanta didn't funk
with the colleges. It was like, you go to college,
don't come over here. But because we were in the
street a little bit, we were allowed to go play.
And I think when I first went to Cascade, when
I would go out to Old National Highway to make

(14:29):
my runs like I would just I was immersed into
the culture and and to be honest with you, you know,
Atlanta unlike any other city in the world, that was
its own thing. And then as the people started coming
in and making their families here and growing. Because I've
been here almost three decades and to see where it's

(14:50):
at now. It's a true metropolitan city. It's a true
thoughtful city, and it's offering. We're not only leading the music,
We're not only leading in tech on a lot of levels.
And with Paul Is bringing to the city, we're not
only you know, we I mean, I would like to
really dissect on who spends what I would believe Atlanta
would be in the top ten in the world. So,

(15:12):
you know, I just I like and I want to
challenge everyone here, like, you know, how many people are
residents here, live here? And how many of you are
not from here? Like this is your home? Wherever you're
from is cool? Everybody on on this stage was not
born in Atlanta? How many people aren't born in Atlanta?
I want to see that, Grady baby, what Georgia? Okay, well,

(15:35):
so there's another hospital. Sounds graty. We just learned, we
just learned important. Where's that at? Okay? Well, the fact
that it was another hospital makes me feel whold. I
just because all you hear is grady. But I just
want to say this is our home and keep repping
it the way we do. Um. I'm gonna get to

(15:55):
the next question. How do you think having this exhibition?
How many people have seen that exhibition upstairs? Okay, well
those who haven't, after this you'll be able to see it.
But how do you think having this exhibition effects or
inspires the creative culture or trends here? Um? A whole lot,
because if you look at the history of this Virgil

(16:17):
Pick there is ever to be in Chicago first service
in his hometown, then anybody to Atlanta. He could have
chose any city else in the country or the world
to bring a second, and for him to bring his
second that just shows the impact that we have that
he the world is watching and people don't even realize it.
You think about all the dope brands out of Atlanta,

(16:38):
like Cease and Desist, Raunchy, All Friends, Welcome by the
Original Fani, you know, all of these brands. Yeah, you know,
you gotta think about these brands that actually live in
Atlanta that is moving throughout the world, that is influencing
Because a lot of our rappers are wearing them. And
if anybody don't think that these guys like Virgin Damn

(17:02):
are not paying attention to what these young designers are
doing in Atlanta, you would be crazy. I I appreciate
you saying that, I really do, because I think that
he might not get the credit for that, and that
is a very I mean, I'm sure he could have
went to New York, or he could have went anywhere,
and he brought it to Atlanta. Do you guys have
any more energy with that? Sure? Sure? Sure? Um. One

(17:22):
thing I appreciate about what Virgil has done is to
actually express himself with like um, the political aspect of
life through his art and also the fact that fashion
is at his best right now. Ever, where I would
be in a thousand years because working at Rop Floren
for me was soon talk kind of thing on a
daily basis, but I started off at Polar Sport where

(17:42):
it was more casual. Um. I was actually shopping this
past holiday at Louis Batton and I walked into the
leaving store and I just noticed a scarf that was
an American flag made out of fur with a Ghanaian flag,
and I was amazed by it because it was like
a piece of art. I was like, Wow, this kid
is amazing where he's actually expressing his native roots. Me

(18:03):
being West African native, I was touched by it because,
you know, as far as like the culture is concerned
in Atlanta right now, we're like the most powerful state
of emergency. Man, It's it's crazy. There's a lot of
good things happened in the city. We have the typ
fairy thing popping, we have music, we have fashion, and
you have people all walks of life. So hey, let's
get it guys. Sure. So I was just gonna say,

(18:26):
I think it's interesting. I think we all should need
to consider the contents of the exhibit, like the pieces
that he chose to display. I don't want to spoil
it for those have not seen, but there's a whole
bunch of rugs up there, y'all. It's um. It's quite vast,
like he had covered a lot of bases um with

(18:48):
this exhibit. And the fact that to your point, he
decided that he felt Atlanta could appreciate all of the
different aspects of the exhibit is really important. Considering the
fact that what you said earlier, Atlanta used to be
a place that with a joke to people. Um so
I think I think the city is finally is the

(19:09):
post and I think it's important and people are paying
attention to it. She ain't. La Poe used to try
to hate on Atlanta all the time on the side
side conversations. Um this, this next question is gonna resonate
heavy in here. And I'll be the first to say,

(19:30):
I am one that really tries to find the value
in Virgil and not that you know. Like I said,
I'm most proud that he is the first American of
African descent ascent, I mean decent to lead a men's
fashion house in you know, French fashion house. But I mean,
whatever it is, I said it earlier. We wanna take chapter.

(19:53):
He is the first American of African descent to be
named artistic director at a French luxury fashion house. Um,
but I you know, I had a bad experience. You know,
I'm a host. I host all over the world, and
he ran in the booth when he was gonna DJ

(20:14):
after Q tipping Oye one time, and he was just
so arrogant. So every since then, I've been trying to
hate on him, but I can't. I can't. I try.
I'm like skining. I'm a scorpio. I tried, and but
I can't because I think his offering is too special.
But I want to read this and then after we
give you our opinions, I want to know your opinion

(20:36):
because I'm gonna fry him a little bit. Virgil recently
made these comments. Uh, on days Virgils say wow, I
would definitely say it's gonna die. He's referring to street
where like it's time will be up in my mind.
How many more T shirts can we own? How many
more hoodies? How many sneakers? I think like we're gonna

(21:00):
hit this like really awesome state of expressed. This is
his words, expressing your knowledge and personal style with vintage.
There are so many clothes that are cool that are
inventage shops, Like people don't already shop inventage shops, and
it's just about wearing them. I think that fashion is
gonna go away from buying a box fresh something. It'll

(21:22):
be like, hey, I'm gonna go into my archive. Scott,
I know you're a vintage shopper. Now this is true,
not in ten years. Talk to your people. Well, first
of all, I have I kind of have like two
different opinions on I'm gonna pay play Devil's advocate on
my own opinion politically correct, I'll be the asshole. I

(21:47):
I'm a little bit bit of an asshole in this
situation too. Okay. I was a little a little disrespected
by this because, first of all, you have the most
popular streetwear clothing brand and you are saying that it's
gonna die. So I'm just trying to figure out, are
you just trying to push the culture for a second

(22:08):
and then pull out, or like, where are we going
with this? Where are we going? One side, it's just
one side. The other side, we're very excited to hear um.
The other side. I have been shopping in thrift store
since I was in a stroller with my grandmother. UM.
There's no piece, no outfit that I go out and

(22:30):
that does not have a vintage something a part of it.
This UM. So I am personally excited that he feels
like there is um a new hope for the vintage world,
but it hasn't gone anywhere. There is an entire subculture
of people that specifically go to thrift stores to find

(22:52):
personal pieces to accident outfits. So they'll go to Niemans
and find an outfit, and then they'll go to a
thrift store and find a brooch as an accent piece.
So it's not we're still doing that. Um. But I
guess I'm okay with him shutting some lights, Renaldo, for
him to be boldly, to feel like you're bigger than

(23:14):
what made you, it's kind of weird. Um. So that
and for me personally, streetwear would never die because I
was raised in the streets, and so streets is a
guy that is fresh cut. Your cameras on my my

(23:36):
O g s and the guys that I looked too,
you know, in Miami, we wore Dickie fits and Wallabies
and Chucks and and Clark's and my uncle's and they
told me, don't you ever get dirty. And I just
give you money because all the girls gonna love as
long as you look good and you smell good. And
I live by that model. Is that true? So you
want to thug? I know you. But I see all

(23:59):
of this to say, a street where it's just not
one genre is like music. You cannot take away something
that impact the world. And at the end of the day,
Atlanta is a big representation of streetwear. Street where is
just not Streetwears high ended me. Also, you get what
I'm saying, the evolution that we're starting, And I'm gonna
just say this to be honest at Wish, it's a

(24:21):
new definition of what street wear is gonna be. We're
gonna raise that standard. So when he says that Streetwears
did something, say, well, listen, when you come to rich
you're gonna pay homage to Atlanta, hold on to say
street where it is dead. You gotta be from the
motherfucker streets. You cannot say I had to. I'm sorry.
As long as there is it, as long as there's
a middle class and a local class, there's always gonna

(24:43):
be street This is my issue. I'm sorry. Cars, you
get some burnings up, that's fine. You know, we talk
about culture vultures and we talk about them being white,
but we have our own culture voltures. How do you
create a brand called Pires? I got it on? Actually,

(25:04):
how do you how do you create a brand called Pyres?
And you can't tell me off white? Don't mean you
hear me? And I'm just confused. How when you're ready
to move on in the sin you leave a whole
culture behind. I'm sorry, you going? I got something else
say after your qual well, I come from a different

(25:26):
era where when you actually bought fashion, it was almost
like buying a piece of art. So at this point,
right now, three quals with you. You know, fashion is
at the point where when you're buying a hoodie, it's
almost like you're paying twelve hundred dollars for a hoodie,
and then all of a sudden you see it on
self like three dollars. You realize that it's it's oversaturated,

(25:49):
there's no more value to it, and everybody's gonna have it.
So that's the game right there, right where mass production
takes place. And then he he mentions that street was
that because he's made his money. Now he's moving on
to other things. But can I say one more thing
to hold on? Come on, like skin brother, let me
just say one more And then another issue that I had.

(26:16):
You're not from Chicago? Hold on fashion? Is he from Chicago?
Is he? That's what I wanted to say that man
out there, wait is the leg hold on, Zoe? Is
he from Chicago? Because you know I'm from DC, but
people from Alexander, Virginia say they're from DC, Oxy Hill, Maryland.

(26:37):
Is he from Chicago zough so so. But I'm gonna
tell you a quick story though. In Vegas almost fifteen
years ago, I was in Vegas with my golfer, the
John Monopoly and him and I saw this fashion geek
ron Stone hoodie going up this escalator. I chased him
all the way down. It was like, you got to

(27:01):
give me one of these. I never got it, because
this is why he was ahead of his time. He
was doing a rhymestone with the geek that Kanye Ward
and everybody went crazy over. I sent him a text
a couple of months ago, maybe a year ago. I said, brother, listen,
you have to bring the geetback with the ron Stone hoodies.
All right, Gee, I got you. Next month later, Chinatown

(27:24):
Market came out with the same hoodie with the same colors,
with the Roon Stone. When I tell you, I called
him and I was livid because he is the street
where God to me, thank you for flying down here
to give it up for Alonzo jact Right. You know,
I had to have somebody from Chicago on here if
I was gonna talk ship, and then let me talk
about ship. So let's go back to him saying that

(27:49):
Vintage will be the experience in ten years. It's because
he's making all that big boxing ship that's going out
of style, and this is we're self serving. Sue for heroes.
Get on my motherfucking nerves. You gotta always remember you
from the Kanye School of University. Jear mean. But all
I'm saying to y'all is as leaders in your prospective fields,

(28:14):
as responsible humans, we have to deliver messages that are
not self service. This is a selfless life, or it
should be. And I think he said that my personal opinion.
I don't know if any of the Fantastic Four Greek,
but he said that because all the ship he making
that is gonna be in the thrust though, say nobody
can want that ship and ten years. That's my personal opinion. Now,

(28:36):
I'm amazed that he is the first American of African descent.
What I say earlier, I want to say that again
because I'm very proud of that, and that takes us
further and further in our plight to get what we
came for. I am saying, though, it is irresponsible for
you to take streetwear culture, launch your career and then

(28:59):
say nah, it's gonna be done. It's never gonna be done.
As long as poor people have vision and want to create,
the streets will matter. And there's always going to be
a disparity in class. You know this. So I just
want us to be focused and hold people responsible but
also giving their credit because again I am proud that
he is the first American of African Dissett descent to

(29:23):
be in the Fashion House. Now what I wanna do
is I'm gonna pick a couple of people. Now, it's
some free game going on in here. So if you
have questions I've been getting d m s, please feel
free to ask them. But if you have a question
and or comment, I just like you to raise your hand.
I'm gonna send Aaron to you and you can get
your things off. You got somebody already first and foremost,

(29:46):
thank you all for coming. My name is Joshua Burrell
and my Moorhouse College Junior Cinema, Television and Emergent Media
Studies Major and Generalism minor from Maryland, Paris in Southeast
Family already right front boat black bas lifestyle. But um,
all right, come closer to the stage. I want to
see your face on stage. Oh, standing standing right there?

(30:13):
All right, let's go, all right, so, um, considering all
things considered, UM, how do you all think street street
fashion would develop away from fast fashion or high fashion
and take more of a local or regional urban influence.
For example, a lot of my friends make clothes, and
I'm thinking that, you know, we're gonna go from less
of Glucci and Proud and things like that too. Like, uh,

(30:35):
my friend makes some nice clothes, I want to buy
that off him. And I'm gonna represent myself through the
people around me what they make, you know. So what well,
I think when you have UM the great world and
the great family over there, I wish UM were more
in supporting the community in Atlanta, you know what I'm saying.
And my thing was, as I became a creative director,

(30:57):
I wanted to take Atlanta to the world and to
showcase young talented designers that deserve that right and to
make them as high fashion respected as Gucci, Louis and
all these other respected brands. And it all just come
to the point that the community has to support y'all.
If I see a young designer and yourself is fired

(31:18):
by it, I have them presented to the gods that
maybe a wish to say, listen, I believe in this brand,
that this brand deserves to be represented in our story.
That the world looks at as an establishment of Wish
because once the young designer gets into that store, that
changes your life. So then when Barney's or somebody come
talk to you, now you have the legs and that

(31:38):
this city and this foundation of Wish supported us. So
the thing is that the community, we just have to
get behind the young designers and push y'all just as
well if we're gonna push anything else that is major. Yeah,
Sky and I had the opportunity to come to Clark
Atlanta University UM during the Revolt Music Conference and there
was a festival of sorts really, I mean market Thursdays. See,

(32:04):
she's not far removed from college twenty seven years off,
that motherfucker. But what you need to think about, young blood,
you need to think about how can you put your
clothes or your friends clothes on someone's back. I think
a lot of times, especially in the city like Atlanta,
people are like, how can I get on what? They
walk through Lenox every day, They walk through phips every

(32:27):
day to buy something. Run up on them. You see
them little kids out there trying to sell water and
canny and everything else. Gon't sell your clothes, and I would.
I would encourage your friends even on a market Thursday situation.
You know, I remember when I was at the end
of au See, the formally defunct Morris Brown. Anybody okay, great,

(32:48):
but I would encourage the au See to figure out
some type of unity or union rather where you can
put those collectors together and have an offering like a
market Thursday. I think it's a beautiful way. You're good,
thank you for your course, and we got one more
course and coming. Okay, let's go. Hi. I'm Ada. I
am the co founder of a brand called floor Plan,

(33:09):
and we do thematic retail experiences that change on a
yearly basis. And I wanted to know how um as,
Macy's and other big box retailers are closing. How can
new emerging retailers um help streetwear brands, beauty brands, um
these emerging entrepreneurs thrive. Well, I have to So what

(33:30):
is that to ask you a question? Right now? In
our new era this social media. So social media is
one of the things where you can actually, you know,
kind of promote your business. And for the most part,
have you ever worked at a retail job at all
pop pop hotels, pop up shop, popp shops. Okay, so um,

(33:51):
you know with me, my personal experience started off with
my first job. Like I said earlier, it was Lord
and Taylored, and then I moved on to J Crew
and after J Crew was pulled Sport and once I
stted into the rough Lauren world, it was amazing the
fact that this man just created his lifestyle and I
crossed over the men's suits. So um, I learned so much.
It was like to go into like a school of fashion,

(34:12):
you know. And as you know, fashion changes, what goes
around comes around. So um. For this particular question, I
would say to actually keeps driving and don't give up
and keep promoing your brand. And um, also be specific
about your target market, you know, because a lot of

(34:32):
times I've noticed in Atlanta people kind of think, oh,
a sweatshirt and a T shirt, it's a cloth line.
No it's not. It's a whole collection and there has
to be a certain lifestyle behind it. Also, you know,
if you look at um, well, people don't know. Andre
three thousand had a cold aline called Benjamin Bigby, and
Benjamin Biggsby actually launched at Barney's and also launched it

(34:52):
um Nemon Marcus, and most people really weren't aware of
it at the time. Um, they actually pulled it because
it was the cells are pretty low and it was
kind of like a spinoff of Ralph Lauren. It was
the Quesrian lifestyle where he sold you to for jacket,
the rugby shirts and so on. Um. So my thing
is most boutiques and vendors wanted to actually see a lifestyle,

(35:13):
you know, if it's like a question lifestyle, or if
it's like a you know, if I don't have a
cycling or something like that, if it's just a hoodie
and a saying it's kind of like black you know. Um.
But one thing again, the fact that this is a
Virgil show and we're honoring him. There's a lot of
cool things that you well, to be honest with you, minimentistically,
he's impeccable and he's done so me political things in

(35:38):
fashion that if you're able to see it, you don't
understand it. So it has to be a message behind
your fashion sense, you know, because you gotta you can't
think for yourself. Sometimes you gotta start slowly and gradually.
Once people get ahold of your brand, then you can
express yourself freely. UM. One thing before the gentleman screamed

(35:59):
out breaking mortar, I personally think that you don't need
department stores. I think if you are in your perspective
markets and you want to have a foundation by property
and sell your stuff on your property, I think that
you know, we to Quasis Point. We have an opportunity

(36:20):
with social media that is unheard of, so there's an
online component. But I think people want to see you.
I think they want to see your brand. I think
they want to have an experience. And like the gentleman said,
I don't know who said it, but I think that
it should be some ownership in the properties. A lot
of this rent and I mean you've been renting, you
know for fourteen years years and yeah, but there's nothing

(36:43):
like owning your property and paying it off and having
your stuff for self. UM. Agree. I also want to
let you guys know that you guys are doing an
amazing job and like, you guys are absolutely amazing. You
guys just opened and you guys are making waves. So
congratulations to you guys on that. Um, but also continue
creating this world around the brand. The brand is new

(37:05):
right now. But that doesn't mean that you can't create
this like this world around it. So figure out exactly
who who you're targeting and then push that create these
pop ups in there, and then also move your spaces.
Is is like concrete for now. But also you said
your background is in pop up shops. Do pop up

(37:27):
shops in Atlanta that push your business back to your
brick and mortar. That's fine. The city is big and
it's also small, but people talk. So make sure you
create this world and then also bring the business back.
And I agree with the pop ups. I agree with
the problem thing that actually works till as visuals. You know,
it's a lifestyle again, even when you're working at the
workshop or getting ready to set up your shops, doing

(37:48):
a short from a short film to kind of show
the world what you're working on and people are really
loving the nada's or even go live online. You know,
just don't buy your don't buy your likes and their followers.
We got some more dope people, dope questions. My name
is Anita Brian. I'm from d C, havingue okay, real
d C. Yeah, what I wanted to ask you is

(38:11):
n d C. There are designers that are trying to
amp up the manufacturing and infrastructure. I'm wondering what you
guys are doing to improve manufacturing of your products, to
create jobs and give you all longevity. Yes, well, first
and foremost, I was inspired from Washington, d C. To

(38:34):
do fashion in general. When I was growing up. Do
y'all remember EU the butt to younger? So there was
something they're not too young. Everybody know the butt, but
there was a video that you might not remember, and
they had this this this store called the Madness Shop.
And the Madness Shop inspired me beyond belief because it
was the neighborhood shop and they would always make clothes

(38:55):
to match back to your sneakers. I see, you know
remnants of that in Chicago with fashion geeks O. Not
that he got it from d C, but just the
neighborhood shop is always respected um and value because you know,
they grew up with the person, They know the person,
they know the authenticity behind the brand, as far as

(39:16):
as far as fortifying opportunities and you know, manufacturing for
smaller companies. I think like my my son is for
fifteen years old. He has a clothing I called b RNs.
His mom and I to your point of pop ups.
Went to our friend on our first collection and he
gave us his store free or charge. We made forty
two tho allars two days. He didn't charge me. But

(39:40):
I think those are the things that help business. We
are a community, we are a village. It takes a village.
If I know manufacturers, printers, graphic designers, I'm totally willing
to share um. And I think a lot of time
as creatives, y'all, we don't want to share because we
think that someone's gonna steal our swag where no one
can do you like you. That's one and then too,

(40:00):
if you're a real creative, a new idea comes up
in the middle of the in the middleseconds. So don't
be afraid to lend um your um, manufacturers, your distributors,
your creative graphic designers, people that you know can help
someone out because you know, just like the question back
to department stores, that's that's that those are dinosaurs. People

(40:24):
aren't even consuming in stories like they used to. So
it's gonna take new creative ways and obviously us helping
each other to go forward. Anybody else, I gotta hand
the MinC ring Okay, there we go. I would like
to ask some clarity to a lot of the Atlanta questions.
I'm from Atlanta to the west man, Um, yeah, Um.

(40:45):
We were not a joke, Sky Yeah. And we were
not country Kenny. We considered southern. This is just a
southern area. Hey, don't you ever despect your brother, your
big brother in public? You you not being from You're
not being from like being from out of that. I

(41:06):
was providing clarity. Yes, So as streetwear designers, I totally
understand what Bertha was saying because urban berth streetwear, and
if you remember, urban doesn't exist anymore. So a hat
streetwear has to birth something new, it has to evolve.

(41:27):
That's what fashion does. And because he's in that position,
he's not leaving us my arm. He's telling us that
we were designing thirty five dollar T shirts. Now we
can design three hundred dollar shirts and a luxury platform.
So if we follow the path that he's making, then
we're able to put ourselves in a position to not
only like thrive like ad is asking, or like young

(41:50):
Man is asking, we can now make real profits and
actually make a life from being designers. It's a very
difficult path. Preach the math actually designed the first collection
for my son's first, second, and third. Thank you gonna
say that, thank you, no, no, But I agree with um.

(42:14):
We're gonna go to the next question. But I agree
a dent where the evolution conversation comes in. But the
word street is never going anywhere. Where is going anywhere.
So however you phrase it, however you want to call
black people urban, all that ship is connotation. I'm talking
about the spirit and the selfishness, sorry, the self the

(42:36):
selfishness of the statement, and that that's where we now.
This is the first American of African descent in the
luxury house. You have the world on your shoulders, you
have the responsibility of generations on your shoulders. You cannot
discourage someone who is in the streets from creating. That's discouraging.

(43:02):
And we'll go to the next question. But thank you
d Matt for clarifying all of that. First off, I
am or everything you guys are doing. UM. I really
love what you do. H Kenny um with just from
college being the promoter all the way to what you've
done now and the legacy if you created you Um.
But my question is where in a moment did you guys,

(43:24):
turn your passion into a legacy that you've created and
a business for yourself. Um, because at one point you
were just a fly kid in high school or you
were just a popular kid in college. Um, and that's
kind of something that you know, I've always kind of
thought about myself. That's a great question. Thank you for
shouting me out. Um. You know what, who was popping

(43:49):
before Instagram? Individually? They put the motherfucking hands down. So
for me, I think I realized my superpowers when it
became no longer about me and the first time I
got some real money, I took all of my best friends,
gave him forty thousand dollars a year, and we moved
to California, And I felt like growing up as friends,

(44:11):
it was my responsibility because we said we were gonna
do things together. When we moved to California, we started
this record Labe. We had a girl group called Dream.
He loved Me. He looked okay, great, biggest debut girl
groups behind Spice Girls. But when I started happening, everybody's
passion and started to arise. I think, you know, in life,

(44:32):
you think that you know your friends supposed to go
with you they're gonna go with you all the way.
I think for me that was defined the defining moment.
I knew I had things to offer. I knew that
I can offer them to millions of people, and not
just the tend that moved with me to UM to
l A. But I think that was a defining moment.
And then it was about teaching people what I know.

(44:54):
You know, d Nice and I had this thing called
the Nice and Burn Show, and we're creating a curriculum
where we're gonna college and universities of because all history
is his stories about things that happened in the past.
All English is are really kind of stories of things
that happened in the past. And I think hip hop culture, uh,
lifestyle culture now, um, black culture, UM, it's so important

(45:18):
to share what we know. And I think that was
the defining moment for me because I wanted to share
what I knew. I had an unconventional story at a
non traditional blueprint. I was convicted fella in at eighteen,
single mother, like the whole If if I was to
post a child put on the screen and they don't
have it, if I was to post a child for
he ain't gonna make it it would have it had

(45:40):
been that. So I just think that you know selflessness. Guys.
This goes back to my dear from from d C.
Like we have to share all the information, we have
to share all the information. We can't hold all the
information so close to our chest that other people cannot
benefit from because I think that we're doing a disservice.
But that was when't I jumped off the porch my

(46:03):
question to you. And of course I understand all of
y'all of the business. I've been to your DMS before
and act about three years about being a mentor. But Kenny,
I'm asking you when up Ronaldo, why is we? Why
is you? Why? But real talk on the most non

(46:23):
social media person. It's not respect. It's not respect. I
ain't you know. I ain't throwing you under the bus place.
That's what I'm shine. But no real talk though, um
and I actually opened it up for all for you
because the clothes mouth don't get fed if you will
be open to a possibly mentoring me because I want
to take my man at this point, I work with
a mayor. I actually have a cultural fest day in

(46:45):
my city and the Goustor, Georgia August Um, so we've
been doing. She shooting hold on, hold on, she's shooting
the hell out her shot. Give her the mike, give mike.
I'm gonna say this, hold on auto, and then you
can defend yourself. I tell everybody that wants to be mentor,
let me see your face in the place. If you're
around me enough and we have a conversation, we connect.

(47:06):
It's organic, it's easy. So don't nobody asked that ship
the rest of the night. But but I'm I'm anyone
in here that knows me. I speak to everybody. I
answered every question if I'm in the vicinity. But I
think the best way for you to get on is
to show people what you have to offer and we'll
go forward. You want to find yourself, and she fried
you a little bit. She's a she's a queen. I

(47:30):
her bro. I don't go back and forthard On. But
who got the next question? Y'all? Um, so can't you
be my mentor? No? I'm just so I'm from Atlanta
and went to Howard, So you know, you know, so
coming from Atlanta and going to Howard, I feel like

(47:51):
that kind of made me think differently about fashion. Um,
but I kind of want to bring the conversation back
to Virgil and Eat and Dapper Dan, like why why
is it that we have to attach to these high
fashion brands? Like there's so many designers in Atlanta, d

(48:13):
C l A, New York that have popping ship, to
be honest, so it's like why does why do we
have to attach to high fashion? Like why can't we
seek out these people on social media and use that
and then when you do get the platform. As Virgil,
people talk about his attitude all the time. I mean,

(48:35):
I can't say which way, but Dapper Dan, even on
the Breakfast Club, he kind of was on some I'm
trying to be international. It's like, when you get to
a certain level, you leave the community behind that basically
gave you all your swag, everything that you have, all
your making. Well, let let me just cut it out
on the situation is not accurate. Dan. In the eighties

(49:01):
he would still basically from M C M Gucci, but
he was the hottest thing cracking. So he got in
some issues with that and couldn't really do it. But
the God works some mysterious ways. He designed a particular
garment that was his design, his pattern, his thought right

(49:21):
Gucci remade it and didn't ask him, and then he
went to Gucci and said, you know this man, seventy
something years old, y'all took my design. I want you
know what I'm saying, my hall of half a dash
to get back pot and that that's basically what happened
to that. And I and I want to say this,
that's rare in general, but for him to get his dude,

(49:45):
please God give it all to him now because he
he had a big guy from the eighties to the
two thousand, nineteen eighteen before he really saw his dude.
So you know, um, I just help people to do
what they say. Don't talk about it. If you're gonna
support somebody. If a guy said you're my teasher called
fifty dollars, bro, I'm not gonna ask you for no discount,

(50:07):
but give the man his fifty dollars, you know what
I'm saying. The same way, if your friend that's in
this circle or anybody that's in here, just because you
don't see a celebrity wear it, that doesn't mean that
it's high it's not high fashion, you know what I'm saying.
So it's like everybody in here put that same effort
and live by what you say. If you say that

(50:30):
you want to support and get these young designers to
this pedestal, that's what I do as a stolear for
fifteen years. I could say in this room, I don't
put designers on celebrities and gave them a look of life.
You get what I'm saying, And I can stand by
that and guess what. I gave the designers what they
asked for, and I gave them the money to hould

(50:51):
support you. Because if I didn't know you, I still
would have brought it anyway. So it's just like, you
just gotta live bout what you You believe in what
you say, and I come from a different code. So
if I believe in you, I'm brock with you, even
if you're sitting beside a Louis and yourself is in
the same store. If I like it, I'm gonna buy
you this first on my walk out. And that's what

(51:11):
it has to be. But we gotta stop hating on
each other. The egos gotta go out of the way.
This is the problem people. Black and brown people the
biggest haters in the world. And until we support each other,
like is there a baby. Is there a whole baby
and it's my mother, give me, give me my baby.

(51:35):
I thought I was hearing ship, But I think I
think the problem is and the ultimate answer to your
question is we would be better off from a you know,
fashion standpoint, if we supported each other. There's a lot
of amazing designers in the world that just don't get
half the chance because oh now I'm gonna get that
balanc of y'all. I'm gonna go get that whatever. You

(51:57):
know what I'm saying. And it's cool to have all
of that. It's cool to be, but involve your community
as well. Hi, how is everybody doing? Um? When you
asked the question, you said, how does Virgil inspire Atlanta?
Immediately my mind went to how does Atlanta inspire Virgil?
Because at the end of the day, Um, I used

(52:19):
to work at Louis Batton. I worked there for about
two years. I've seen I'll call some people. I've seen
a couple of guys in there. Um, no, you only
work with no but anyway, UM know, but I ain't
working with any anyway. I ain't working with Claude no more.
Claude is like a total sweetheart. Yes he does so Anyway,

(52:45):
what I'm saying is we inspire the streets. We I
mean fashion, the streets inspire fashion that happened even back
from the eighties, even further than that. So you know
what I'm trying to say is Atlanta Vaton is about
to go to two stories. Okay, this is before Virgil
even got on, So it's not a coincidence that he

(53:07):
has his exhibit here in Atlanta. Atlanta has the highest
sales associate in the Louis Batton Company in in America.
I mean, probably saying too much, but um, and it's
he's in men's he's in men'swear. So, um, if you
go inside of Louis Baton, are you go inside of
a lot of those high end stores, it's streetwear, it's

(53:30):
hip hop. It's a lack of people. So streetwear is
never going anywhere. Hip hop is never going anywhere, like
people are never going anywhere. So you know, it's just
kind of preposterous to me the way he kind of like,
you know, said that. I just thought that that was
just real. So to answer your question, though, he has

(53:55):
people that's from Atlanta around him. You got in Connor,
you got my brother Blue that with two change that
just did the virginal discount. You know what I'm saying,
He has the South around him because we are everything
from the back when James Brown and everybody stole his style.
He is influenced because he's paying attention to Atlanta, because

(54:17):
people from Atlanta is telling him what it's cool. Once
you come to Atlanta, there is nowhere else in the
world that like this. When you get off that off
that plane, the energy that you feel here is never
nowhere else ever in life, you know what I'm saying.
So like, even when I go to Paris on Tuesday,
they represent with wish, They're gonna know that I'm just
gonna drop that. You're right when they see me, they

(54:42):
go and guess what, I'm wearing Atlanta designers the whole
time I got my whole outfit. I'm wearing runchy the
first day I'm when all friends welcome to the next day,
I don't represent everybody. That's so when somebody watching they
see me walking, They're gonna say, bro, whatre you I'm
from Atlanta while I live in Atlanta. That's the best
thing in the world is that? So if you want this,
you gotta come to Atlanta, come to Wish and we're

(55:04):
gonna supply you, and then you go back home and
you tell the world where you got it from. So
trust me when I'm it's gonna be respected. That's why
the outcast muror is over there a little five points,
you know what I'm saying. So he is respected and
and he has had an influence around him every day.
Trust me. So it's all right, little baby, we got there.
All right. I appreciate you all. What's going on? How

(55:25):
y'all doing South American New York? And I've been in
Atlanta for about fifteen years. My question is it's gonna
be a little off pointing, but uh, Nipsey hustle been
getting that new legend non legend kind of status. But
the same thing for streetwear. Um, I've been shopping that

(55:45):
motive for for since it started. Since respect new buildings
that Wish. I'm trying to get some of that Coca Cola,
you know what I mean. I see you, I see you,
Kenny Burns. Um, But how can we give our flowers
to the new street where the new street legend? Because
I'm definitely a consumer. A lot of what I got

(56:05):
on is just been paid for on the regular. I
ain't designer, I ain't coming up. But how can we
give flowers to the new street where the old street where?
Or the Atlanta Street where as a whole I'd say,
go by their whole collection. Now every time they do
a pop up, every time they dropped them, go by
the whole thing Atlanta, Atlanta fashion is up for grabs,

(56:30):
Atlanta Street where is up for grabs there? To your point,
there's nobody leading the pack that everyone across the world
has to have. I think it has to be supported
locally before can be supported worldwide. The efforts that everyone here,
from Quasi putting in his store, from you know, Ronaldo

(56:50):
putting it in his store, from Scott just being fly like,
I think you have to literally support it and I
don't know, you know. To to his point, yes, by
it where it, But at the end of the day,
tell people about it and you know, and that's the
only way we can grow and own fashion like we
own music. And I think that also this is this

(57:12):
conversation is coming full circle because it has a whole
pop up like experience where the clothes could be in
her store. When they're in her store, you can buy
them and this is a cycle. So we have literally
in this room. We have the designers, we have the
brick and mortar, we have the promoters, we have the fashionists.

(57:34):
Everybody is here. It's just about utilizing each other. Come on,
we got three more questions out here. What name is
a mirror? I got a clothing line called a Miyor James.
And my question is how do we develop a fashion
house of our own to build that value for for
black designers. We got a gang of talent out here.

(57:54):
How do we develop a fashion house of our own
to cultivate the talent to bring it up and through. Yeah,
I say it's here. What we said it a couple
of times is here. But you know, brick and mortar
is a smart way if you want a fashion house,
to build your own fashion house, I don't I don't
think that there's you know, there's a guy by the
name of Howdiaki who does custom clothing, and I don't

(58:16):
know if y'all know what he's doing, but he has
five floors of awesomeness from lounges to be spoke areas,
to get fitted to play pool wash TV. So I
think you gotta build it. You build it they will come.
My name's LaToya. I'm from North Carolina and my question
is for Sky, what advice would you give to other

(58:36):
young women trying to enter into a Caucasian or male
dominated field such as fashion and set design? And how
do you enter into some of these environments if you're
not really were I'm not really sure where to begin at.
I've been waiting for that question. Thank you very much
for asking. As the only woman on this panel right now,

(58:59):
I would like to to speak to my ladies. UM.
It is quite difficult, and it takes a lot of
time and perseverance and thick skin, and that comes from
being knocked down many times by many different situations. But
if you have, if you know for a fact that
that whatever you're doing is exactly what God puts you

(59:20):
on this earth for, there's literally nothing that anybody else
can do to you, Like you literally get knocked down
and you wake up in the morning and you think
to yourself, like, well, what else would I be doing
with my life? This is what the funk I want
to do? Right, So you should keep on going. You
have you can't stop. Um. As it relates to being
a woman in a male dominated sector, UM. So I'm
a set designer, A built sets for music videos, so

(59:43):
to shoot TV shows stuff. UM, and I have been
the only woman in situations many times. UM, but sometimes
that's that's my advantage. UM. I can be the voice
of reason in situations where there's a lot of male
energy and people look to me for the to be

(01:00:04):
the voice of reason. So you just have to figure
out how to use you and your talents to your
advantage and then figure out how to work the system.
So what exactly do you want to do what you do?
I would love I would love to get your contact
and UM, I would love to bring you onto a
set with me the next time I have something. Look

(01:00:26):
at God, I love your Scott. I would like to
just say this. And I know I'm not a woman.
You know you can detect bad energy off the rip
and I think there's a lot of the times we

(01:00:47):
think we're supposed to put up with some bullshit to
get something, and I promise you that is not the
way to go. And also we tend to put our
hopes and false prophets hands. We tend to put ourselves
in people's way that really don't want to do nothing,

(01:01:09):
but for themselves and I I've worked with everybody, and
you can google me and look at the pictures in
the history, but I want to really share that nine
of these people I wasn't trying to help me. I
had to find a way. You're gonna have to deal
with something in life because just shift around every corner,

(01:01:32):
but you're gonna have to be able to detect the
bullshit quicker than then before you get on your clothes.
And I'm stressing this to y'all because I know we
have a lot of entrepreneurs in here, and it's hard
to go through life knowing that there's so many evil
people and so many people that don't want to help you.
But you have to know that you are one of one,

(01:01:55):
and that you are necessary and that you have a
purpose on this earth. And you have to have that
mindset when those doors get closed or those people aren't
giving that help and hand up. And you have to
be unapologetic about what you want. You have to And
also we'll get to the next talk where is a
difference between what you want what you need, but go

(01:02:17):
after what you want because you seem like you're in
your early twenties. I just want to add one out.
I want to add one more thing to that. So
you said interior and set design, so haven't done. I've
done both of those, interior for Club Daydreams and set
designed for Trot Music Museum and Dinner. For having done

(01:02:37):
both of those, people have told me to choose many
many times. They told me, like, choose one thing and
just like put all of your energy into that, which
is valid. But if you don't, honestly, if you don't
know which one you want to do, continue doing both.
It's gonna make you tired. But that's fine. You're young
where it's time for you be tired. You can work, um,

(01:02:59):
do both until you figure out which one weighs heavier,
and then choose. Don't let people tell you that. Don't
let people limit you, because that's something that I wish
someone would have told me when I was younger. So
that's very important. And if you work long enough, they'll
pay you to be you. Trust me, We got right here, man.
I'm sorry, brother, I didn't mean to look y'all. I

(01:03:19):
can't to the whole panel up there and expected my
man right here, track star. I still remember those days
and ken Burn, but but the retail model is about capital,
brand awareness, and distribution. Right, So where do you see

(01:03:39):
Nipsey Marathon store fitting into that and being the distribution
for some of these streets where brands coming up, if
he's putting them into our neighborhoods, and the way I
view it is kind of like the strip club where
where Future and the rest of the guys will bring

(01:04:00):
them mixtapes and put it out there. So if you
have these distribution outlets like a Nipsey store and others
where local people can bring their stuff and market it
into the streets, how do you see that working. It's
just like wishure. It's just like we're talking about with
these brick and mortar concepts. If you build a store

(01:04:23):
and you want to have motiple, I mean, Amanre, I
mean there's there's a lot of them, social status, there
are a lot of them that are popping up. And
actually what you're what you're saying as far as sadly enough,
the marathon thing, I think that's a phase. I don't
know how long that would last as a distribution hub,
but I do applaud wish I applaud aman yeah, Motor

(01:04:48):
four for so just that these are the hubs you're
talking about, and they should be just like Renaldo was
just mentioning the hubs for Atlanta streetwear culture, for streetwear
culture in general, if you have an opportunity to present that,
that's the distribution you're talking about, and I think it's happening.
I think we should celebrate it more. I know my
first trip is still to Wish for shoes. I go

(01:05:11):
certain place forst certain things. I go to Quasi for
certain So you know, I think that as they grow,
the model should grow um and there will be more
distribution opportunities for street where brands brands in general. And
I could just say openly that I'm approachable to any
brand um if it's amazing our presented, especially the team
and of you know us that wishes we believe in

(01:05:33):
it as well as because we're gonna support everything that
comes out of Atlanta. That anybody could pull up on me,
you know what I'm saying. If you've got a major
dope brand and stuffing to pull up on me, meet
me outside in the back of the parking lot and
wish we're gonna talk people to pull up on you.
This is the A but it's an open door house
that you know, and it's a family. I wish that

(01:05:55):
we're open to anybody. If we feel like your businesses
is in order, we going to support that because it
is a business, like you said, and if it's not
in order, I'm that's my responsibility to tell you this
is what you need to do, so then I could
put it in Wish so we could support you to
the world. And so like any brand out here, I
openly say, feel free to come pull up on me,

(01:06:15):
we have a conversation, have your line sheets and everything
like that, because that's what wishes the family We're going
to do is support in Atlanta and take it to
the world because we want everybody just to feel like
if they come need a brand, that they could come
to Wish and get it only in Atlanta because it
is Atlanta, you know what I'm saying. So I mean,
we support it, you know, but just don't don't be

(01:06:36):
don't be scared, man, Just pull up. Man. If it's amazing,
I'm gonna rock with it. We got one more question
closing remarks to get over to this. Uh good evening.
I appreciate you'll coming out. When I saw a T
Street where it was gonna be here, and now I
was like, I'm there. Definitely one thing like they're saying,
is obviously a t L we have it. When I
look at these brands, like on California, see how many

(01:06:57):
people to each other. I know, I got people got
vans on. I look at Brixton, I look at our
v c A, I look at Levi's, I look at
the California Republic. All those are California brands coming out
of Orange County. And when I look at those brands,
I say, what are they doing? They capture like they're
capturing the surf culture, the scape culture. We have our

(01:07:18):
culture all right, and it's the music. So like they said,
we got a lot of dope brands in Atlanta, let's
remain to stick together, just like we've done in the music.
But as we stick together, let's make sure we've got
our business type. One thing for me is, you know,
when I'm looking at somebody like you know the Rocks,
Rock Fellow, you know rock Nation, and what they're doing

(01:07:39):
with planes, they're looking for ex strategies. They want to
remain some ownership. But what I'm also looking at is
we're here and I know there's a lot of entrepreneurs
in the room. There's a lot of brands in the room.
But one question I haven't heard tonight was obviously we
get to a certain point and we're like, all right,
I spent this much money, I need a little push.
Where's the invest Grisette, where's the venture capitalists? Set I'm down,

(01:08:05):
raise your hands. I mean you've got the money or
you're looking for investor. I'm looking for the investor. And
once again, I'm sorry. My name is Ann Mathis. I
represent Atlanta Good Company, and if it's possible, can y'all
invite some of the investors venture capitalists and stand up
here before we leave to night? Thank you, my brother. No,

(01:08:26):
I'm gonna tell you all this though. And to his point,
money ain't hard to find. It's just what you're looking forward.
And I promise you, good brother. There's so many people
with disposable income in Atlanta and that come through Atlanta.
You know I would I would plot and playing a
little different. I would look. You know. I don't know
if you know about Paul Judge, but he has an

(01:08:47):
incubator on the tech side that he puts smack in
the in the middle of the city and they have
every month they give away a hundred thousand dollars to
a business in tech. Figure out you're at part of
your clothing game. Trigger the system, get the bag, give
me temper. Do we have time for one work? One more? Can?

(01:09:07):
Can Ronaldo get the Plague guy? You said you saw
somebody Ronaldo? Yeah, I'm the Plaque guy. Hey, what's up
you guys? Um Scott Freeze at Last Clothing six Feathers Clothing.
I was born in Atlanta, shout out. I just want
to say, Ronaldo and dude been following your curve forever
and been going to Wish since they had the DJ
booth up top motor forty four at Killers like an

(01:09:29):
all homieh for for Kenny Burns a specialist anyway, man. Like.
What I want to just say is how inspired I am.
But what I'm seeing tonight, it's it's amazing to see
this amount of people here engaging and seeing streetwear culture
and just fashion culture in general in the city. I've
been here so long, I've seen since it was super
country and the ship wasn't popping, and even if you

(01:09:50):
were white and you hung out what black people people
would like think you were crazy. And so I'm saying
you know, to see this and be part of this
and watch what you guys are doing and see how
you're pushing the culture and how long you've been doing
it for. I've been messing with wishing since I was
a little boy, you know what I mean. And now
I've come up in this thing and we're doing some things,
we're making some moves finally, and it's nice to be

(01:10:11):
part of this. And so what I wanted to stand
up and say to everybody in this room is you're
all part of this and we have a real opportunity
right now to really take Atlanta to the next level.
And I see it happening and it's so inspiring. It
opens my heart, it opens my mind, and I'm just
I'm so honored to be part of this. And I
wanted to tell the people on the stage. I've been

(01:10:31):
watching her for a long time and it's so nice
to see you on that stage. It's so nice to
you to have this conversation. Yo, bro, I'm gonna send
you a bunch of that. How about you. I got you,
we got a studio down the road. I got y'all.
But like straight up, like I have honor and what

(01:10:52):
you've done and what you're doing, and it really has
gone come a long way, and it's an honor also
to be here at this growth in the city and
everybody in this room who's part of this and pushing like,
don't be discouraged. I can't tell you how many times
I've been hungry and just kept going despite everybody said
that's not gonna work. And now we're at a moment
when it's gonna work. The music popped, the film popped,

(01:11:14):
and that's our turn to pop. And so thank you
for what you've done in the community. And you guys
right here, I'm not editing that out. Hello, this is crazy, y'all.
I kind of I pay attention to everything. You Remember
that one autist I told you that inspired me coming
from Miami. He's right here, to the right of me.

(01:11:36):
I see him a gift, give respect times in the building, sir,
listen inspired the whole fashion game for me, for your
man out of the South. I tell you that already.
Hold you put that image on the on the screen
from the from Wish, from the back of Wish. So

(01:11:58):
we're gonna give our clothes and remarks. Guys, um, I
don't have too much to say but Atlanta, you know,
thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for giving me
the opportunity. I want to be half a wish. We
opening the backup February. We got some amazing stuff. Guy's
about the change and pushed the culture of Atlanta to

(01:12:19):
the sky. Um, all I'm gonna say is the both
ladies truly gonna be mad at me. But we're building
the baddest motherfucking store in Atlanta. The ship is gonna
be incredible. I promise you. I'm gonna go broke because
all my money gonna go back in the store. But
y'all have a home to come to. It's going to
be experienced, man, and like feel free. Man out staff

(01:12:41):
is amazing justin Malachi. You know what I'm saying, Ladies.
You know we have an amazing photographer named Nikon p
So guess what if y'all want to come model for us,
we support it. If you wanna get your model on,
you have a home. You know what I'm saying. Wishes
there man, and we're supporting everything Atlanta. So just gonna
pull up on them. You know, I sit outside with
you in the back. You know, go to the Zesttos

(01:13:01):
or something. But thank you. I just want to say
thank you so much for coming in, spending your time
to listen to us ramble for the past hour and
a half. Thank you for being a part of this
conversation with us and pushing this culture forward. Um. And
from a personal personal note, thank you Atlanta for welcoming me.

(01:13:24):
I've been here for thirteen years and I truly became
a woman at this at this city and my business
group here. Shout out to the Trap Music Museum. See
y'all back there, I see y'all. Yes, indeed, thank you
again Atlanta for coming out tonight. This is a big deal.
And UM, I hope that we continue to actually have

(01:13:45):
these type of panels so we can have some of
input and also some feedback from you guys. And I
wouldn't be in business for you guys for fifteen years.
And I want to say thank you from the bottom
of heart. Feel up forever. I love Atlanta. Or that
was hard? Shout out? Are you into that player? So
do y'all stand up with me on my last one?
First of all, I want to give a shout out

(01:14:06):
to these beautiful human beings for joining me on this
on this panel. I do want to say this. It's
okay to hold your superheroes accountable. It's okay to ask questions.
It's okay to have discussion, because see, the only way
we can fortify our community is if we have conversation.

(01:14:27):
We cannot point fingers, we cannot blame. We can hold
people accountable. Though, So please, if you're going to join
us in the hallway, we'll say hi and take pictures
and do all that. Aaron, are we gonna go straight over?
Is everybody getting it free? Shout out to Aaron and
everybody gets in for free. There's a discount at the shop.

(01:14:48):
Everything is free, coffee, table books, Oh the shirt, no, God,
bless you'll. We'll see you all upstairs. It's Ullio.