Second post in the #BlackExcellence series. I had the pleasure of speaking with a collective of amazing and humble men that exude excellence in all that they do. The driven founders of luxury menswear brand, Velviere, Clifford, Denis, Jide and Gerald are based here in the UK and their brand, Velviere, aims to help you live your life best dressed in colour.

JF: How did the idea come about?
DA: I will give you the short version! The idea actually came whilst on my group birthday trip to Vietnam. Jide wanted to get some items tailored. We had some time to kill one day whilst the ladies were out and went to see this tailor. From there, we came up with the idea to create our own line, connected with a manufacturer and took it from there.

Image (L to R): Founders of Velviere: Gerald (GA), Denis (DA) and Jide (JO)

JF: Talk me through the meaning of Velviere.
JO: We spent months trying to find a name. It remained an outstanding item on our meeting agenda for a very long time. I was brainstorming and in my list of 10, it popped up, we fleshed it out and took it from there. As a luxury menswear brand, we wanted a name that exudes luxury and Velviere does just that.
DA: Once we had the name, before we did anything, I did all my necessary checks to ensure that the domain was available and also on all social media platforms. Quick business tip - check the domains you want are available before you do anything - you will avoid legal issues in the future!

JF: Why did you decide to go with a luxury menswear brand and how have you defined luxury?
DA: We identified a gap in the market, a gap we believe Velviere can provide a solution to. We all have an eye for fashion and creative flair when it comes to designing. As consumers of menswear and now the designers of menswear, we understand the nuances of both groups.
JO: As Denis mentioned, we looked at our market and noticed that the majority of items were the standard colours – grey, black and navy. In the design process, we have visited our manufacturers in Asia four times to really perfect the products. We have seen improvements in terms of the final product we want to share with our customers. We are very excited to see how they are received post-launch.

Image: Mayfair Beige - women, we can wear them too!

JF: I saw a woman wearing a Velviere coat on Instagram. Do you think you are restricting yourself at all by just targeting men?
CO: Not at all, some of biggest consumers of menswear are actually women. Whilst our main market is men, we acknowledge that the cut, style and colours of our pieces may catch the eye of women and welcome them as trusty customers!
JF: So, what does the ‘Velviere man’ look like?
DA: A man that exudes confidence.
CO: A man that is not afraid to stand out and is willing to experiment with their individual style. Our products are designed to make a statement – let your Velviere coat do the talking.
JO: Our social media marketing captures the Velviere man perfectly. You will see the same coat worn by different models in different ways. Our first coat collection is versatile and is a perfect piece for men looking to further develop their personal style.

JF: I am sure many women (and men) will agree, we stan men that dress well. What essential items do you think every many should own? Talk me through your classics and staples. What essentials should every man own?
CO: Every man needs to invest in and own the following: a pair of good quality shoes (black shoes (fits all outfits), dark brown shoes (works with grey trousers!) and a maroon leather shoes, as they are super versatile and fit navy suits, stone-washed jeans. Onto tops now, fellas, you need a good quality jumper, white t-shirts and a well-fitted white shirt. If you find an item that fits you well, buy several, just in case they discontinue the item. Personal tip, when you buy a quality pair of jeans, get a slightly bigger waist and find a tailor to take it in perfectly for you. Finally, your wardrobe is not complete without a Velviere coat – buy the camel piece if you are a simple dresser or one of the coloured coats if you are a bit experimental like me.
JO: I am a huge fan of accessories and no outfit is complete without an accessory. Invest in a quality pouch or scarf to add something a little different to a classic outfit.
DA: Simplicity is key for me, adding a small gold chain, a simple gold watch with a pair of clean white sneakers (emphasis on clean) and well-fitting trousers can be used as a base for daytime to evening looks.

Image (L to R): Founders of Velviere: Jide (JO), Denis (DA) and Clifford (CO)

JF: Entrepreneurship is far from easy. What has the journey been like, what pitfalls have you experienced?
JO: We formed our team and identified the key strengths that each individual brings to the table. When it comes to pitfalls, it has been two-fold. As with any start-up: capital and balancing your main career with getting a brand off the ground are probably the most challenging things to deal with. Learning to work with friends in a business environment was also challenging initially, but we have learnt not to take things personally and not let disagreements spill over into our personal relationships. The journey has been an interesting one, great learning curve for all and we cannot wait for the launch.
CO: As a team, we dreamt super big and whilst there is nothing wrong with that, it was necessary for us to scale back a little bit and phase our vision out across product/collection releases. For our upcoming coat collection, detail, quality and consistency are things we had to consider and effectively communicate with our supplier. Don’t get me started on the time-zones and sometimes language and capacity difficulties, but we got there in the end – remain persistent!

JF: The last 12 months have probably been the most trying when it comes to my personal development. What pieces of advice have you received lately that have helped you develop as men and now business owners?
DA: Don’t ever ask for permission to start. Don’t wait for the validation of another person. The world is your oyster and you can start – strive to be 1% better each day.
JO: This is more so a lesson I have learnt from the people around me – if an opportunity presents itself, grab it with both hands, take chances, be brave and just jump. You only live once and there really is no time for regrets.
CO: A Pastor recently reminded me to not allow situations I go through to define me. Situations are temporary and you need to be consistent in moving in the direction that you want to go to.

JF: For those of you that have 9 – 5 jobs, how have you dealt with managing evidently demanding careers, excelling in your respective fields whilst putting in the necessary hours for Velviere?
CO: It is important to know your strengths, put the necessary work in whilst at work (9-5) and remain productive and consistent from 5pm – 10pm. Thankfully we have a team were everyone is self-aware, talented and unified by our common goal – a successful luxury menswear line. When it comes to business, there are a number of skills and industry expertise that you can develop in your day role that are transferable and, in some cases, critical to managing a business. For example, Jide has brought his project management skills to the table, the only thing he is yet to discuss with us are sprints!

JF: What advice would you give to someone starting out?
CO: You cannot afford to go into anything half-hearted. You need to be passionate and you need to be determined. The winds of doubt will come but remaining strong and steadfast in your faith and belief in what you are doing, and trust me, you will make the necessary progress.
DA: Patience. Unfortunately, social media seems to promote quick success and consumers rarely acknowledge the time and work that is invested in behind the scenes. Don’t expect quick results, get stuck in – be ready to graft.
JO: I cannot stress enough the importance of your circle and community. We have found solutions to the problems that we have personally encountered, through our friends and wider circle. Be humble and recognise that others have experience. Work on maintaining positive relationships and always be ready to learn.
GA: Praise does not make you the best in the world at your craft and criticism does not make you the worst either. We have been fortunate enough to have been incredibly well received amongst family and friends, and even to all that have followed our journey. The key here is to not get carried away and equally be as level-headed in the face of criticism and negativity.

JF: What does black excellence mean to you?
JO: Personally, I know the sacrifices that my parents have made for me and I strive to set a positive example for the next generation. To me, an individual that upholds black excellence is one that is proactive in creating opportunities for the next generation. No matter how big or small you may think you are, you have a circle of influence and people are looking up to you, work on setting a positive example.

JF: Finally, what is next for Velviere?
JO: Life is best lived in colour so expect bold and brave products and designs. Clifford is a genius and future is indeed bright. As a team, we are extremely excited for the launch of our first collection and cannot wait to unlock all that we have in store for you all.
DA: Rest assured that you have a team of committed founders, a brand that is customer-centric and uphold high standards of quality in each and every piece.
CO: Velviere plan on giving you quality and innovation. Be patient with us, it will indeed be worth the wait.

Final Words:
Hearing about the journey of Velviere, the vision of the brand going forward and a brief insight into the men behind the brand was nothing short of inspiring. Several gems were dropped, I hope you have taken something positive away from this post. I personally believe that this brand is going to be one worth following and the future is indeed bright.

The first collection has officially launched (Sunday 20 October 2019 - congratulations guys!) and I must say, this has exceeded my own expectations. I believe in investing in businesses that uphold high standards of quality so ladies reading, be sure to grab a man in your life a Velviere piece and men, as Clifford (CO) said, your wardrobe is not complete without a Velviere coat. Make your purchase now and serve looks all winter!

Instagram: Velviere
Twitter: Velviere
Shop: AW Collection 2019

BLACK EXCELLENCE: VELVIERE

BLACK EXCELLENCE: BLAQBASE

BLACK EXCELLENCE: NICOLA WIAFE