We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kevin Bouknight II. Check out our conversation below.
Kevin, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
It is important that the first thing I do when I wake is lay still. This alows me to calm my thoughts and think over my day. The first app I tend to open on my phone is the bible app, to read a daily devotion and to acknowledge God for waking me up.
Afterwards I’ll typically set my fruit out to thaw for my smoothie, or put water on to make some tea. I value this time because it helps me focus especially if I have a rushed morning. Once I’m done showering or setting my day’s agenda, I’ll then move about my day with work and running errands.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kevin Bouknight, lifestyle brand owner and creative director for Clothed Minded Lou (CML). CML is a fashion lifestyle brand that is aimed to curate fashionable moments for your everyday citizen. CML was rebranded in 2020 after its initial conception of being a bowtie brand, founded in 2008.
Clothed Minded Lou has a strong focus on pushing individual’s boundaries to explore avenues that are often overlooked or shadowed. It is CML’s personal mission to utilize fashion and the arts to help others broaden their worldview.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One moment that really defined my weltanschauung – worldview, was my first day at college. I remember distinctly sitting on my bed, in my dorm, asking myself “what do I do now?”. My mom had just left my dorm and I knew no one. I arrived a week early on campus because I participated in a program designed for marginalized, Black students enrolled at a predominantly white institution. It was at the moment in isolation my view of the world began to shift. Objects seemed bigger, yet small to reach; time started to slow down, but swiftly passed by as I managed it on my own; and the way I started to make choices became more impulsive but the most impactful.
This day encouraged me to take more risks whether I felt prepared or not – that is why my life quote is, “The world is a book and those who don’t travel read only a page”.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering allows you to appreciate success – a process that one goes through when success is earned. When you experience success without working for what you attained, you devalue the purpose of what succeeding truly means.
The root word of testimony is test. It is the act of sharing one’s personal experiences, encounters, and reflections of God’s work in our lives. But we only live to tell that story if we are able to withstand the suffering it took to make it on the other side.
I often think about motherhood. Motherhood isn’t something given but rather something you earn in the quiet moments between the cries, in the pain you carry to bring life into this world.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public me is like a shadow in daylight; part of the truth, but not the whole of it. I show up with authenticity and sincerity, but there are parts of me I keep tucked away. This is not because they’re false, but because those parts of me feel tender, vulnerable, or a boundary I set for myself. The real me lives in both what I share and what I’m still learning to show. Regardless, not everyone has access to me and I love that for my peace.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell after I’m gone is their truth. I want people to know how honest of a person I was. That my purest intention in life is/was to push those around me to be their better selves, even when I didn’t have the energy to be my best self. I hope my legacy is defined by the memories I made and goals I pursued; by the challenges I hurdled and endured. Most importantly, I want my legacy to be a template for others to define what their legacy can be.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @clothedmindedlou
