1
2
ARISSA
styled by: veda manly, hailee milton, & cloe see ying yee photographed by: david he
3
Simba shirt, Urban Outfitters overalls
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
SAMAD
styled by: tanveer vasdev photographed by: david he
11
Simba top and jacket
128
13
14
15
A Brief Interview with Tanveer Vasdev of Simba Clothing When and how did you start Simba Clothing? I have always believed there’s a mindset one needs to have when facing challenges. One must be fearless. I wanted to share these beliefs with others. During my senior year of high school, I had the idea of starting a clothing company. I drew from my family’s African heritage to name the brand. Simba in Swahili translates to “lion”. In January 2017, I officially launched the Simba Clothing website and established the brand. Where do you get your design inspo from? I pull my design inspirations from my travels and my environment. Art, culture, and the people I encounter inspire me in different ways. The designs also come from moods I am in and the message I want to send through my garments. I get inspired by the minimal yet sophisticated outfits of designers like Alexander Wang and Tim Coppens. What is the biggest challenge starting a streetwear brand? Honestly, taking the first step. The biggest fear people have when starting a business is managing their time, resources, and money to build something people will remember. Doing a lot of research helps and should be done when starting a business. Overcoming that first step of manifesting a brand has been the biggest challenge I have encountered. What is the most rewarding thing about starting Simba Clothing? The most rewarding thing has been watching Simba Clothing grow to a global scale. It’s rewarding to see your creations be accepted internationally. In addition, I know that I have inspired other young artists and entrepreneurs to pursue their passions and that means a lot to me. How do you balance your academic life and your job as a founder of Simba Clothing? I am a food science major planning on going to medical school and I run Simba Clothing in my free time. I find time management and prioritizing tasks to be key. For me, creating the brand does not feel like work. Putting in extra hours to perfect the website or to create a new design is a lot of fun for me. I also have a great team in Rochester, MN who helps with pop-up shops and other events. What advice would you give to someone who also wants to start their fashion brand or career in fashion? To anyone interested in creating a clothing brand or working in the fashion industry, I encourage you to not be afraid of pursuing and manifesting your dreams. I know that the clothing industry can be disheartening but dedication and perfecting a product will bring success. Creating and owning a clothing company has been an amazing experience.
16
OLIVIA
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
LAUREN
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38