Today we’d like to introduce you to Lucius Firmin.
Hi Lucius, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The idea of starting up my own clothing brand had been lingering on my mind ever since I was a freshman in high school. I remember when I was a young boy going into 3rd grade, my mom had forced me to wear these boots to school. I hated those boots so much and actually almost cried because I did not like the outfit so much. This is the moment that I knew I really cared about fashion. However, after winning Best Dressed in high school and constantly being asked to start a brand, I decided to pursue the dream of mine. I started showing off my designs on my social media platforms and it received such positive feedback that I decided to get them manufactured. At first, all I was going to release were two T-shirts, but then I expanded the inventory to things like sweatpants, hats and shorts. Now, the brand has grown into many more things like hoodies, jackets, jeans, sweaters and more. Not only am I receiving love from my friends and family but it has expanded to NBA and NFL players.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say it has been a smooth road given the circumstances. The only challenge I have encountered is being a small business owner at the age of 19. Some people might not take my brand seriously given how young I am and be quick to undermine my service and knowledge of the industry. Also, I am not a fashion major or have not taken any fashion courses so some may look past my ability or designing process. The hardest part about starting up at such a young is the money factor however. Everything was self-funded and ran by just me so it was hard to learn how to efficiently produce and ship everything out. I had mentorship on the operations process so that cleared up many things but it was still hard to do everything for the first time. Although, as time goes on, you learn more and the process becomes easier.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a fashion designer and the Founder/Creative Director of CRAV* Industries. I create the designs of each piece of clothing and determine which pieces to release to the public. The designs stem from my personal encounters with topics like social justice reform, politics, world peace, environment protection, and art. When people think of CRAV*, the main connotation behind it comes from a fashion standpoint but it also represents art, media, and positivity. I think I am most proud of the love I have received from the NBA. It has always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA ever since I was a young boy.
However, when I stopped growing, those dreams were shattered. But now, I get to relive a part of that dream seeing all the players wear it. Not only do they wear it just out of support, but a lot of them constantly wear it and posit it on social media. It has meant a lot to me and furthered my success of the brand a lot. I think what separates me from others is the message behind the brand. Getting compliments on the design means a lot because I put a lot of time into them, but getting compliments on the actual meaning of the brand means that much more. I am all about spreading positivity and being accepting of others in a peaceful manner has been something I have preached almost all of my life. So to see it resonating with all of these people is the icing on the cake.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I would say luck has only played a good role in my life and in CRAV*’s life. The timing of current world events aligned perfectly with the messages of my brand. The uproars behind the Black Lives Matter movement and rising tensions in the political battles in our nation only boosted the want to support black businesses more and that is how a lot of my sales went up. Although it was a result of several tragedies, it was a blessing in disguise for me and other black-owned businesses. Not only that but because of the pandemic, government financial assistance for small businesses were provided too that helped boost the production process better. I do not want to call two unfortunate events “luck” but they definitely had a long-term positive impact on my business whether I liked it or not. Also, I find myself lucky that several NBA players actually reached out to me. I messaged many at like 3 am in the morning and 10 minutes later, I am talking to Nickeil Alexander-Walker all about my brand. I do always think how lucky and blessed I am to be in this position, but I will also not discredit the work I put in to actually draw in big names like them.
Pricing:
- Long Shirts: $50
- Sweatpants: $75
- Hats: $30
- Jacket: $150
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.cravindustries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cravindustries/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cravindustries
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FCIvVzeFSM
Image Credits
Lesley Pimentel, jrshotya, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
