Sheik, Wealthy, Arrogant, Victorious, Original, Retail : SWAVOR!
Three young creative minds bonded together in community college and collaborated to create a brand that celebrates and inspires creativity everyday SWAVOR!
“We met in community college and I heard that he wanted to make a clothing line and so did I”
Lapetitenewyorkaine got the chance to chat with Christofer Brito, one of the creative genius' behind the brand Swavor, launched in 2010 in Maryland which secretes a merging of "fashion, the streets, art and history [while also expressing] pure creativity in a way".
With such a unique name, where else to begin but with the creation of the name. And so we asked where did the name emerge from and here is what Swavor had to say:
CB: D'Rapheal Yates brought up the slang term “Swavor” to Shek and said they should start a clothing line by that name. Shek at the time found it to be absolutely ridiculous. You have to understand were talking back when it meant swag times flavor. Shek later started to seriously think about the idea of starting a clothing line, and how it could potentially change his entire life one day. Nonetheless he had to come up with another meaning for Swavor because what it was at the time was not going to cut it. So he came up with “sheik,wealthy,arrogant,victorious,original,retail” . I personally believe that's when his genius really started to become evident to me.
By investing the 191 dollars he [Shek] had put to the side for himself Swavor was created. A couple years later we met in Paris and had our first fashion show together. I still believe we have another 10 years before reaching our absolute goals, but looking back its been an amazing journey.
LPNY: What did Swavor stand for when it started? Does the brand still hold true to that today?
Swavor stood for a dream, between two young guys who came together and created some really different ideas and were always thinking ahead of the curve. Yes absolutely we're still in that dream process more than ever. Our creativity is constantly hungry for new chances to bring some amazing pieces to the fashion world and to the people.I like the fact were still those kids in the basement from 5 years ago talking about what were going to do. I keep on reminding myself that we have yet to make our greatest design, its right around the corner.
“Truthfully ill probably take that thought to the grave with me. ”
LPNY: At Lapetitenewyorkaine, we’re very big on teamwork and the importance it plays in the success of any brand. Tell us about your team? What are your dynamics?
CB: Oh yeah, teamwork is the backbone of the brand [and] the reason why the body of work is still standing. The team at Swavor is very compact and small for the time being, of course the goal is to expand and work with others on our combined vision. For the moment Swavor is myself, Shek, and a good friend of ours who goes by the name Joe Moore who handles all our photography and videos. Then theres the rappers we sponsor and we are very close friends to Kevin Sinatra and Kassim who are amazing musicians.
In the beginning of the brand we sponsored Logic who is now a super star and still a close friend of ours. As far as the dynamics of the work we do its simple; we work very hard at what we do we consider it our life.
“I actually get on Skype with Shek and design our next collection”
Its been that way for years and thats where all the real magic happens. It still astonishes me how well we work together him being in America and me in Paris.
“The environment with me and Shek whether its face to face or over a screen its really fun. We laugh really hard all the while doing some serious work. ”
LPNY: As we are a blog focused on African touched brands, do you think Africa has had an influence on your designs, concepts, and visions for the future? Is it a place you would drive inspiration from?
CB: Absolutely being from Cape Verde Islands I consider myself part of Africa. I feel more in touch with my African heritage then my Portuguese roots. I would definitely say Africa is a gold mine to change anyones entire perspective on how they see things. Picasso is a great example because by looking at African masks from Ivory Coast he changed the way we see Art. For our Spring 14 collection I designed a very dark piece with an african mask at its center in a misty atmosphere and a forest surrounding it.
It was presented in our fashion show in Paris, and I heard that rapper Future actually purchased it at Kickk Spott the boutique in DC which sells Swavor products. From that moment on I knew people really enjoyed the idea so I knew Africa had a story to tell . I'm planning down the road when we are really and truly in the spotlight of fashion to make a collection dedicated to Africa.
“If I ever do it [a collection dedicated to Africa] I would want to do it right and tell an accurate story. Hopefully make everyone back home proud.”
It's always LPNY's aim to reach deeper inside and find out the latest collection scoop for you, and Swavor made our jobs that much easier; here it is!
LPNY: What is your latest released concept? What does it represent?
CB: The latest concept was the AW 14 collection called 2114. Its about looking down the road the next couple of years and how the world will completely change. It represents a lot of important and serious subjects, like oil spills,women,war, even interracial marriage. We even had our first short abstract film that came with it and explained what each piece stood for. It was directed by Shek, shot by Joe, and editted by me and Shek. This time we changed the fabric completely and had zippers on sleeves and a even better quality print. The pieces were still hand made because the attention to detail is very important.
LPNY: Regarding the newest concept, where did the inspiration come from?
CB: Well Shek came up with the idea while having a conversation with Logic at his concert. But I instantly knew exactly where he was coming from. Everything that is going on in the world makes you wonder where is this all leading to? We saw it as a different road to take, to come up with a more original concept a deep and complex subject. A collection that can at least spark a question mark in your head about the world and its future.
LPNY: What extras would you like our readers at Lapetitenewyorkaine to know? Any exclusives?
CB: Well I can't say to much but I will say we have a very big collaboration coming up. I'm very excited to see what its going to look like and how the people will react. This is definitely going to mark a big step forward for the brand. I hope you guys find us interesting enough to be a part of our journey!
“Do what you love, do what makes you happy, and do what you believe in. Don’t let people categorize and label you, don’t shoot for the clouds aim for the stars, and no matter what don’t give in to the hard times. ”
“Knowing that one day because of Swavor I may be able to give everyone a chance.”
Wise words by one of the creative minds behind the inspiring brand Swavor, Christofer Brito! Lapetitenewyorkaine couldn't have landed on a more prominent, growing and inspiring brand to kick off spring! We can't wait to follow Swavor as they grow and we look forward to catching up with them as they do so!
Make sure you follow them on social media @swavor and keep up with them!