we don't need any new 'new' sh*t BY CYNTHIA VASQUEZ We are living in a world where instant gratification and efficiency rule supreme. Especially in the realm of fashion, consumerism is at an all-time high. Whether it’s the latest pair of Balenciaga sneakers, new styles from Zara, or the latest trends released by any other popular fashion brands, many companies have turned to a new solution to keep up with the demand of fast-fashion. “We’re working on this new concept called the world doesn’t need any new ‘new’ sh*t,” says Kwaku Agyemang, one of the co-founders of the fashion brand known as the BrownMill Company. Unlike most modern-day apparel brands, the company’s main focus is on creating its apparel through upcycled fabrics and clothing. “That’s the foundation of how we want to move on. We want to have a message that sets us apart from any other brand.” Fashion currently presents a limited amount of environmentally-conscious clothing lines. They are the companies that do not receive nearly as much publicity and promotion as mega-chains like Forever 21, H&M, and online boutique stores like Missguided or SHEIN. However, that does not mean they remain completely in the shadows or are not making any impact through their creative work. Cue in BrownMill, a company that focuses on eco-friendly clothing manufacturing and production. Founded in 2009 by three young men from
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Piscataway, New Jersey, they found a side hustle that proved successful when they were only in middle school. “I joined my freshman year of high school,” explains Kwaku. “Then they included me as a founder. We started making bow ties out of my cofounder’s mom’s old dresses, old t-shirts, and different things. We never had money to buy new fabric. As we started to spend, we realized there’s not really a reason to buy new fabric. People have so [many] old clothes they don’t use, and that’s just as good to use as fabric.” Walking what they talked, they turned the lemons they already possessed into a local Black business. Their overall style gives off an urban-minimalist ambiance mixed with a vintage essence. They make clothing that people hailing from urban areas will naturally gravitate toward, still adding their own subtle yet signature appearance that has the clothes look as if it were a rare find. The brand now extends beyond their hometown as well. In recent years, the team has received considerable recognition along the East Coast. Throughout the past couple of years, they’ve hosted a plethora of pop-up shops throughout the DMV (the Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia area) and at universities such as Morgan State University and Howard University to name a couple. They’ve also made appearances at fashion shows hosted by other universities like Princeton,
THE SQUEEZE
