FASHTALKS WITH XIVI

What inspired you to become a designer? 

Growing up I loved fashion, knowing all the trends but also art and creating. This led to my interest in fashion and joining the Nordstrom Fashion Board in high school. I wanted to learn more about the design side of the industry which is what I studied all through college. But when I received my first job in the industry working on the design team at Vince, I knew this was exactly what I was meant to do!

How did your first industry experience impact you?   

My first industry job was in 2018 interning at Vince. I learned and grew so much as a designer at that company and over time was promoted to the assistant designer on the men’s team. This job taught me everything I needed to know when it came to the entire design process and so much more. 

How did the brand’s name come to be?

XIVI stands for 11.06 which is my birthday. I wanted the name of the brand to be close to home and my name was taken so I searched for another idea until I thought of using my birthday!

“XIVI is best described as luxury grunge. The product is created for those who want to feel really comfortable and has a minimalistic style with an edgy flair.”

What did the beginnings of XIVI look like?

When I began working on XIVI, nothing was visible yet. Meaning it was all behind the scenes, sketching, creating technical packets, working with a development team and fit models, sourcing materials and so much more… It took me 6 months from when I decided to start the company to complete all of the above as well as the entire first round of production, photoshoots, creating the website and starting to work on marketing. We had a lot of sales on our first launch date and shortly after opened our store front on La Brea! The store front was key to gaining exposure to new customers every week and having the perfect place to work from. 

What is your favorite part about designing?

My favorite part about designing is after you have researched, sketched, sourced materials, and repeated again and again until you actually believe in the product you are going to create! That feeling of absolutely loving the design and getting so excited to actually see it come to life is a really great feeling! But watching it come to life is also really special to be a part of!

How would you describe the style of your brand?

XIVI is best described as luxury grunge. The product is created for those who want to feel really comfortable and has a minimalistic style with an edgy flair.

What was the toughest circumstance you overcame when just starting out your business? 

My first struggle was finding the right production company to work with. In addition, Covid made things difficult and with the quarantines it was hard to get things done on time because everyone in these factories would get sick together and randomly close for weeks at a time.

What brand values are most important for XIVI?

Producing our clothes in LA is not cheap but it does support local workers, ethical wages and utilizes less transportation.

How important is sustainability to your brand?

Our fabrics are a big part of what makes us, us. We use a lot of Eucalyptus in our clothes, providing some amazing benefits. These benefits include being sustainable, anti-bacterial, odor resistant, temperature regulating, extremely soft and uses 99.5% less water than even your traditional cotton.

What sustainable measures has XIVI taken to better the environment?

In addition to our materials, XIVI partners with a sustainable packaging company that uses sustainable materials as well as plants 1 tree on behalf of all online orders!

What sets your brand apart from the rest?

My brand is unique from the materials we use, to the designs we create. While many styles are somewhat traditional, sophisticated men’s clothes; our designs have some really special details that are specific to us! I also think that unlike most companies. we really focus on comfort in styles that aren’t traditionally this comfortable.

“While I believe being sustainable is really important for the environment, the comfort combined with the designs are what we should be recognized for.”

Do you have a passion other than fashion or design?

I am very passionate about running my own business and being an entrepreneur.

What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?  

XIVI being featured in our first Vogue has been a huge accomplishment! But as a business owner, I think it is important to celebrate all little accomplishments as well.

What is the most important thing you would like your brand to be recognized for?

While I believe being sustainable is really important for the environment, the comfort combined with the designs are what we should be recognized for. I don’t know a brand that has taken comfort to the levels that we have. And that is why our slogan is, Wear Whatever’s Comfortable.

What do you envision for the future of XIVI?

I envision XIVI expanding into more categories as we grow, offering more styles for more genders including gender-fluid focused styles. I envision a whole empire one day!