Fashion is inspiring, responsive, and controversial. From November 2022 to now, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founders of For The Crew Clothing, Sulayman Tahir and Briana Tansey have used creativity as their voice to spark conversation around the brand’s fashion designs.
Their approach to causal leisure wear has harnessed the attention of powerhouse filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan and commercial broadcast television and radio network NBC.
For Black Business Month, Sulayman Tahir sat down with the Los Angeles Sentinel to discuss the brand’s start and its rapid growth since last year.
From Philadelphia to L.A., Tahir moved in 2019 as a filmmaker pursuing his passion for directing, producing, and writing. After testing his ideas for a clothing line and sending samples to friends, For The Crew Clothing was launched on November 11, 2022.
When explaining the intended audience for the brand, Tahir shared, “Me and my partner, Briana, talked a lot about designing clothing geared strictly towards the people in the field, like photographers, videographers etc., and for years that idea was so narrow.
“A part of my background is in videography and e-commerce clients, so I wanted to create something with a broader appeal. Urban rap and street culture often have [clothing] representation with cool sayings. I developed something that was cool and casual that represents productivity.”
Although Tahir would not categorize the brand as streetwear, For The Crew Clothing is one of a kind as it’s redefining causal leisure wear in more ways than one. Their messaging transcends the brand for a new wave of individuals who consider themselves creatives. Facilitating conversations around their signature “Sorry I’m A Creative” and “For Creative Purposes Only” slogans, the idea is not to cater to a singular culture, but to promote duality and exclusivity where the clothes can be worn in all realms of the working-class industry.
“I don’t want the brand to be trendy. These pieces you can wear at the grocery store, work on set, be around other coworkers at a company meeting, or you can be out in the club outside on scene. We’re making things that can be worn in every facet without being considered too expressive,” explained Tahir.
“A lot of current designs for creatives is too expressive, meaning ‘I’m a creative, I’m supposed to be loud and colorful.’ But just because you’re a creative, you aren’t necessarily an expressive artist,” he noted.
“We have clients in the corporate world who are dentists, bankers, financiers, etc., but on the weekends, they do music or clay molding. How do put everybody under that umbrella without making it too inclusionary, it has to be more casual,” Tahir said.
Perfecting a brand that is casual, yet niche has been For The Crew Clothing’s base and has contributed to their successful expansion within the last six months.
It’s not easy to make distinctions from start to finish when following a specific career path, however Tahir made clear that being a creative is a seamless entity of experiences that connect to one another, film and designing have gone hand and hand in his life.
“’Sorry I’m A Creative’ is an explanation, not an apology. It depends on how you approach the phrase. If you see me moving a certain way, you have to understand this is the reason why. Everybody is a creative in some capacity, creatives can genuinely and generally be anything,” he said.
“If you’re going to function in any space, you have to come up with different ways to problem solve or troubleshoot problems that you have. In my mind, this is the type of brand that’s the first of its kind to represent creatives specifically but general enough for the general populus while maintaining an edge.”
In the next 10 years, Tahir and the team expect For The Crew Clothing to become a big contender in casual wear that is accessible and affordable.
As he forecasted, “We’re going to continue to grow, continue to make strategic partnerships and brand deals, collaborate with other clothing brands, and keep building. A win for me is if we’re in a store or a mall for people to reach it and embrace it.”
He added that the company’s goals are to keep the brand exclusive enough to stand out as a conversation piece, while expanding their presence in fashion culture.
Connect with For The Crew Clothing at https://forthecrewclothing.com, in-person at the monthly community market festival Black on the Block, or view their latest drops on Instagram at For The Crew Clothing (@forthecrewclothing) on Instagram.
VIP Records has been a starting line for many music artists, rappers like Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik acknowledge the world-famous record store in Long Beach, CA., as a place of inspiration for many of their earlier projects.
Cletus Anderson came to California first from Mississippi and in 1967 he was able to purchase a space to start a record store. In 1970, they moved VIP Records to a bigger shop. Business was goo, and his brothers — David, Glen and Kelvin — followed him to grow the company.
The L.A. Watts Times had an exclusive interview with Kelvin and he shared the current waves of operating a niche market as a Black business owner.
“A lot of our clientele were celebrities and athletes…people like Barry White and Stevie Wonder. Jamie Foxx would shop there,” explained Kelvin, who noted that the best VIP Records location was on 28th Street and Crenshaw.
Kelvin is currently holding down the fort. He’s been considering the future of the family-owned business. He explained the complexities of keeping a Black-owned business open.
Emphasizing the importance of supporting Black businesses, Kelvin said that he’s been observing less people from the collective community coming into the store. He mentioned that most of his customers are White, Latin and Asian.
VIP Records has been a beginning point for numerous musicians and a source of inspiration for their early efforts.
Artists like Warren G, Nate Dog, Ab-Sol, and many more worked out of VIP Records. To commemorate the legacy, recording artist Giveon donated a studio to VIP Records last year.
Snoop Dogg has paid tribute to VIP Records a number of times, creating buzz around the store with the collaboration in hosting his 25th anniversary of the “Doggystyle” Album.
According to the Long Beach Post, the world-famous VIP Record sign was removed from the renowned record store on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in January 2018. The Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to recognize the sign as a historic landmark.
“For someone like me who’s been on this block for 44 years, there was Black businesses around here. I saw the demise of Black businesses. Why? Because we don’t stick together. We don’t support each other,” Kelvin said.
Kelvin is held in high regard because continues to be a father figure to many.
Since the inception of VIP, he has maintained relationships with young artists that have evolved and been passed down through each generation.
Kelvin's generosity quickly became imprinted on the soul of Long Beach. His kind nature provided a space that withstood the violence and frustrations that routinely eclipsed the community's working-class atmosphere.
Kelvin has over 51 years of experience and imparts that to anyone interested in listening. He is known for helping the community. Kelvin would often be the person that would find a solution to people that would come to him troubled.
“People still come to me with problems and situations and if I can’t help them, but if I know someone that could, not only am I going to send you there—I’m going to call and let them know that you coming,” he said.
Getting out the box and into the media, Serene Agency is a Los Angeles based, women-founded, and women-led creative agency, specializing in public relations, brand management, and social media content.
Founder and professional media strategist, Nia Rice, built her agency on purpose and intention by executing brand campaigns without compromising the integrity of her clients.
Working with emerging marginalized brands, influencers, and non-profits like The Blueprint and the Pico Youth & Family Center, Serene has a diverse company client list, including Emmy award-winning company, Issa Rae Productions, and national organizations like the African Chamber of Commerce.
The agency also represents high profile individuals like L.A. native and singing sensation Elle Varner, 3x Grammy award-winning artist and producer Hit-Boy, P-Valley’s Shannon Thornton, The Billionaire Chef Tolu Eors, and internet personality Yvng Swag. Rice connects the dots between entertainment, lifestyle, technology, and hospitality.
Disrupting the traditional approach to media content and brand management, Serene is responsible for transforming multicultural owned businesses into globally respected entities. With more than 10 years in the industry, Rice is changing the narrative of how major corporations and studios cater to minority audiences and projects.
She is a professional media strategist because of her dedication to advancing her clients by connecting them with lead industry executives using multiple digital platforms. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel, Rice, and Account Executive Vice President Jasmine Young, opened up about Serene’s start, success, and next steps for the future.
After graduating college with a Hospitality Management degree, University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumni Nia Rice aspired to be an event planner, but quickly found her passion in public relations while working with Priscilla Clarke of Clarke PR.
During her senior year until the age of 23, Rice worked in radio, sharpening her skills in advertising, public relations, events, making connections with established personalities, and building her reputation in the D.C. area.
When asked about her start in the industry, Rice shared, “I knew in D.C. I was hitting a cap, so I moved to New York and when I started working at The Chamber Group and Hunter PR, and that’s when I truly saw my capabilities as a media strategist.
I knew how to tell stories and I understood how to pair people based on their personality and who to best match them with to tell their stories correctly, I saw my talent for connecting individuals. I began to build my contacts and resources, then when I moved to Los Angeles everything hit.”
The Huffington Post listed Serene as the top rising agency in the nation for securing their clients in top media outlets like People Magazine, Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon, AdWeek, CNN, and Good Morning America.
They have created exposure for their clients by placing brands on carpets such as the Golden Globes, People's Choice, and the Grammys. The agency has secured multicultural brand partnerships and assure brands are solidified with corporate awards and listed at the top of the industries with and others and has been listed by Huffington Post, Medium and more.
To keep operations organized and communication tight, the agency hosts weekly briefings to prioritize clients and their needs. The briefings determine the strategies for the week including brand development, event coordinating, and scheduling. Serene has a variety of clients, which promotes diversity in the agency’s representation and assists in expanding the brand.
Working with multicultural brands that deserve massive and high-level media consumption, VP Jasmine Young explained, “Every day is different as we have a lot of different clients ranging from athletes to film directors. We start our day prioritizing and focusing to see if the day will be about outreach or if we have to do in-house research for a client and we move from there.”
As the agency continues to grow, Rice and Young have made it a point to be intentional with their work-life balance, reminding each other and their staff, to work towards being better professionals each day. With increased success comes increased responsibility.
Rice embraces mistakes and understands the importance of learning as you move through industry challenges.
“I tell my team; your mistakes are going to come as the experience happens.”
In the next 10 years, Rice hopes to connect with high engagement production companies in the film industry to work on projects in television, advertisement, and documentaries.
“To be the most highly sought agency to flawlessly direct brands in the right direction for maximum reach and complete our offices in the states and then becoming global to Africa and London are the ultimate goals.
Making sure my staff and my team are well taken care of, generational wealth is important internally for our employees and externally for our clients,” she said.
Serene Agency is currently active in Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., and Atlanta. Rice is working on opening workspaces in L.A. and New York to continue to expand their reach across the country.
Rice and Young encourage upcoming public relation agencies and individuals looking to break into the field to get started with their ideas, invest in themselves, and seek mentorship.
“Don’t be scared, invest in yourself, go to workshops, take a class, you will get the money back. All my peers, including myself, have a mentor. Really get out there!”
Connect with Serene Agency online at Publicity | Serene Agency, or on Instagram at Serene Agency (@serenetheagency) • Instagram photos and videos.
“Growing up and being a Black girl is hard,” said Kheris Rogers. “It’s not just what you go through as an adult, everyone says being an adult is hard—it’s hard being a kid too.”
Kicking off a Women’s History Month weekend, the teen model, activist and CEO of Flexin in My Complexion and founder of the Kheris Rogers Foundation, held a virtual media round table featuring her book “Shine Bright”, Thursday, March 23.
Published by HarperCollins, “Shine Bright” is about a young girl who loses her self-confidence when others criticize her appearance.
The young girl finds encouragement from her sister to find her inner “shine” by helping her to love herself.
Rogers wanted to share her real-life story of bullying, colorism and self-esteem issues she faced over her dark complexion at the age of 10.
“I’ve experienced colorism and racism,” said Rogers. “And growing up and experiencing those type of things at a young age, and not really knowing what they mean can be very life-threatening.”
She continued, “I could be self-harming or not mentally okay with myself.”
Although encountering those hurdles at a young age, Rogers says the experience has brought rewards in her life and given her a purpose.
“Going through that, especially going through colorism and you feel like you don’t have the support around you from your own community can really be a little off,” said Rogers.
“But, experiencing those things, I’m actually glad that it happened because without it happening, I probably wouldn’t be doing anything that I’m doing today.
“It’s good that I turned that negative into a positive.”
In celebration of Women’s History Month, The Kheris Rogers Foundation hosted a free women’s round table event in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 25 in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District, Black Student Achievement Initiative.
The panel discussion addressed colorism, racism, representation and celebrating Black women.
Guests were entertained by live music, refreshments, a selfie wall and swag bags. Model troupe Runway for Peace modeled in a mini fashion showing a “sneak peek” of the spring Flexin in My Complexion line.
When it comes to “Shine Bright”, Rogers created a book that talks about the struggles of Black youth but, also gives hope and pride.
“I just thought it was super important to write a book for young children so they can know this is what the real world is like, this is what us Black kids go through,” said Rogers. “When you have that confidence in yourself, when you can look at yourself every day and just know who you are—nobody else can say nothing.”
Rogers continued, “We’re not used to seeing Black girls or Black boys in books. When they see someone who has the same hair texture as them… you know, they get excited.
“I think it’s super important to feel represented or just to be seen, just to feel heard. It’s a good thing that kids are feeling represented in reading books, tv shows, on social media or anything.”
The Kheris Rogers Foundation is set to host another free event in Atlanta on Friday, May 12, 4:00pm-7:00pm (Eastern Standard Time)
The Atlanta event is in partnership with the Black Hair Experience Museum. The Black Hair Experience is an interactive selfie-museum that combines a pop-up art exhibit with Instagram-friendly spaces, celebrating Black hair. The exhibit pairs Black culture with affirmations of self-love.
Rogers believes her book is a positive way to help Black youth both see and love themselves.
“I feel like a lot of kids, when they hear the book, I feel like they’re just excited to see someone who looks like them,” said Rogers.
To learn more about Kheris Rogers, Flexin in My Complexion or Kheris’s children’s book, “Shine Bright,” please visit these platforms:
https://flexininmycomplexion.com/
https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/kheris-rogers-83876
https://m.facebook.com/100044343250361/
https://www.instagram.com/kherispoppin/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/kherispoppin?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/officialflexininmycomplexion/?hl=en