Creative Corner: Charlotte Resident Creates Shoe Line
I am always looking for creatives in Charlotte that have some amazing things going on. I found another Charlotte resident for the Creative Corner.
Ben Davis currently lives in Charlotte. He has worked extremely hard to create a new line that is share to take the city by storm. I sat down with Ben to get details on his new line. Where it came from, how he created it, and more.
- How did you begin your line?
Nile West began as a self-motivating challenge to create something. I’ve never felt like a creative, but I began gravitating towards urban and luxury fashion. As I started understanding some of the business, influence and societal impact of the culture-leading brands, I wanted to bring forth a start to the future of limitless creatives taking that first step in their journey as well as making my mark in some dope stories.
- What were the biggest challenges you faced?
The biggest challenges I am facing involve visual branding and marketing, product sourcing and exposure as far as the industry and with designing the shoes. On an interpersonal level, I’d have to say, simply understanding what it means to completely create my own journey without a blueprint or all the answers upfront or easily accessible. The sneaker industry is the ocean, so many possibilities being the different species but the brands we know being the more popular creatures, and of course Nike would be the Great White and Nile West is a seahorse; cool, different and small, but ready to spit out all of its potential to make magic, if you know how seahorses reproduce, you’ll get it.
- Are you a Charlottean?
Hahaha. That’s a funny question because who admits it these days. But no, I am a New York native, Brooklyn boy to be exact. Charlotte has been my place of residence but hasn’t been able to capture my heart. But Nile West was birthed here, whether it stays home is completely up to the city. We need Charlotte to want it as much as we feel the QC deserves it.
- What have you poured into your brand?
I have poured half of my sanity in at this point, from countless hours of sourcing manufacturers, dealing with people near and far, to simply the endless designing, research and aesthetic based development. I am dreaming about what’s next literally multiple nights and throughout the day.
- How Long did it take you to create your brand?
Creating the brand is endless just as is rebranding, I’d say I simply created the route we are taking at this moment, until the next course becomes apparent, and I feel it’s approaching quickly. To add, I came up with the idea almost 5 years ago, but being young, and not as eager to dive created some apprehension. Also, the rigor that comes with finding just a name that you feel connects you to your purpose can be a time-taking feat.
- What do you hope young creatives reading this story takes from it?
My favorite question of them all. I really hope that anyone reading this understands that creating a brand is one of the most self-defining tasks you can put in front of you. If you are younger, you have to know that everything has a value and it will always apply itself to you, negative or positive, that goes for who you are with, who or what you idolize, how you express yourself and ultimately what you wear. I hope my brand becomes something everyone raves about, however even if it’s not mine, it could be yours, your family or friends, or another creative looking to re-shape the industry to allow the next creative, because “oh my god, what happened to Virgil.”
Follow the brand
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUqDRG7pjt2/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D