26INCMarch 2014

PUMA“Beyond the Ink”

The Fashion Issue

26 incMarch 2014

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Editors’ Letter

In the age of technology, companies have moved from print distribution and have turned to the internet as their main vessel for the sharing of news, ideas, and stories. Rarely do we make pit stops at the news stand just outside our offices for our daily scoop. Why do that when you can get it online, or via the many apps you have downloaded on your smart phone.

26INC is not blind to this phenomena. Over the past six months, we have envisioned an online maga-zine that will highlight the achievements of those in the fashion and entertainment industries, as well as upcom-ing artists in these fields. We wanted to create a platform to acknowledge those who are busy being awesome, as well as share our own thoughts and experiences.

Almost everyone relies on the internet for information, so you might be wondering what sets 26INC Magazine apart from your every day blog or other seasonal magazines. Well to that we say this..

26INC Magazine is here to focus on that which is dope. The music and design.. Our thoughts and inspi-rations.. What's in this season and who to look out for during the next. In sum.. the art.

We aim to bring you an editorial that focuses on just that.

And so we shall.

In The Fashion Issue, we bring to you four young people from NYC and New Jersey who are making great contributions to the industry. You already know one, and the others are making a name for themselves. Join us as we chat it up with them and celebrate their work.

3 Editors’ Letter

4 Who is Friday by Friday?

7 Honey Cake in New York

8 Puma “Beyond the Ink”

12 26 Picks

12 Chatting with Herds

15 Thank you

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Michaela Alyssa BrathwaiteAicha Forbes-Diaby

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WHO IS FRIDAY BY FRIDAY?

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WHO IS FRIDAY BY FRIDAY?

Brooklyn native, Friday, 22, is an upcoming jewelry designer who caught our eyes a few months ago. The epitome of what it is to be a young entrepreneur, Friday always brings quality to the table and her creativity never ceases to disappoint. We got the opportunity to sit down with her recently and get the deets on Friday by Friday.

How long have you been practicing your craft? I’ve been designing accessories for two and a half years and have been involved in the industry for about 8 years now. I attended Fashion Industries High & LIM College where I learned the ins and outs of fashion and how to be a successful businesswoman. I’ve always had a creative eye and I decided to further my knowledge on how to successfully run a busi-ness over solemnly being creative. In 2011, I recognized a market for my craft, launched a company and its been going great ever since.

What do you love most about it? The thing I love most about designing accessories is the ability to provide a piece that can be worn by men and women. I’m a lover of all things androgynous, so when I have the opportunity to design a successful product that eliminates all gender lines, I’m excited.

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Sweater: Creative Erathecreativeera.bigcartel.comPhotographer: Lershaun O’Brien

Photographer: Lershaun O’Brien

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When did you realize this is what you wanted to do?As long as I could remember, I’ve had a strong love for fashion and being creative. As a child, I watched my older sister make fashion collages for her portfolio, secretly tore pages out, and put them on my bedroom wall for my own inspiration board. I’m not sure of the exact moment that I fell in love with this industry, but once I discovered it, things just fell right into place and now I’m designing accessories that I love.

Any hobbies and special interests beyond jewelry? Way too many! I enjoy finding new things that I can be successful at; things that can contribute to the growth of my future empire. This includes photography, beauty, styling and being an overall creative being. Other hobbies consist of eating, eating and eating!

Where do you get your inspiration?I gain inspiration from everything in life. Magazines, nature, everyday, ordinary people, fashion shows, etcetera. I’m most intrigued by big business owners and multi millionaires who came from very little but were smart enough to build a successful and lasting empire.

Anything you remember most from your beginning stages?I remember never wanting to give, up no matter what the situation was. I was, and still am, dishing out all of my personal expenses into my company and I’m not concerned with how long it takes to become what need to be. I’m in this for the long run and I’m willing to sacrifice

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to become MY definition of successful.

What are you currently working on?Friday by Friday has a few amazing projects adding for Spring/Summer ‘14. Follow me on IG (@fridaybyfriday) for up-dates! Check out the website and shop, shop, shop! www.fridaybyfriday.com

What are 5 things you must have on you all the time and why?My phone. I blame the new age, tech way of life but I can’t function without this baby. My FRIDAY by FRIDAY accessories. I’m a walking ad for my brand. I’ll always be caught out with something from one of my collections. Business cards. You never know who you’re going to meet and it’s always important to network! A confident, inspired and clear state of mind. I can’t leave home without this one. Very important. A big bag. Even if I have lipstick, hand sanitizer and my wallet inside of it, you can never go wrong with a big bag!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?I see myself being more successful than I could ever imagine, happy and still striving for more. I also see my hand in a few more ventures.

Advice for other young entrepreneurs?It’s super important to figure out who you are and who you want to be as a person. Ask yourself, what makes me happy? What am I passionate about? Doing so is the first step to becoming a natural leader and a BOSS.

Then comes the sacrifice. If you want to start or are currently running your own business, there will be lots of sacrifice from staying home while everyone you know is having a blast, putting in those extra hours of work at 4am, and putting your personal spending habits last and your company 1st, along with the overall stamina.

Once you fully understand and have complete knowledge of these things, you will be on the right path for entrepreneur-ship. Everything else will come; just have patience and a lot of faith in yourself.

New York Fashion week came and went like a flash! We got a chance to see a few shows, however, and we’ve picked our fave! The Sweedish brand, Honeycake Clothing, turned heads at its debut in Midtown. Showcasing fun, fierce, and bold clothing, Honey-cake ripped the runway! We caught up with designer Carolina Fred-lund after the show. Check out some highlights from our interview. How long have you been designing?I have been sewing since I was twelve. I started six or seven years ago. But then I stopped because I was, I don’t know, uninspired. This is my come back. I’m doing this because this is what I want to do.

What was your inspiration for the line you just showcased?I would say colors…or a fading a fading of colors. That’s what I want-ed to show here today.

Where can we purchase your beautiful pieces?You can shop honeycakeclothing.com! Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram @honeycakeclothing!

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Hat: Creative Erathecreativeera.bigcartel.comPhotographer: Lershaun O’Brien

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Beyond the Ink

“My thing is about achieving goals. You set a standard or bar for something, you can’t just stay

stagnant on the bar. You gotta go on to the next one,” he says.

Since his days as a fan favorite on VH1’s reality show Black Ink, tattoo artist Puma has stayed true to

his words.

The Bronx native, who turned to the tattoo business to stay off the streets, now sits in his sleek, dim

lit, contemporary designed shop, Ink 124, on Harlem’s east side. The spacious main area displayed not

only tattoo art on the exposed brick walls, but pieces from the clothing line IUFONY, which Puma co-

owns. Who would have thought that the Black Ink star also takes an interest in the world of fashion?

Displaying themes that push the envelope, IUFONY will quickly grow to be a fan favorite. “It started

off as a clique,” Puma explained. We all have the tattoo on us. From me, to Sassy. A bunch of people,

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you’d be surprised,” he said while showing us his permanent mark. The brand became a represen-

tation of how the group lives their lives and their sense of unity. But true humility shone when Puma

emphasized the team effort behind the brand, ensuring that everyone has a role and reaps the benefits.

“Real kinds make sure that everybody eats,” he exclaims. IUFONY was created so that everyone would

have a part. “We’re a whole team. We do everything ourselves,” Puma stated.

Since its launch, the brand popular for its unique UFO inspired graphics has been spotted on artists

such as Joey Badass and Maino, director Little X, Knicks ball player Iman Shumpert, and has even

caught the eye of greater fashion brands like Marc Ekko. Once IUFONY started to gain popularity, it be-

came more of a reality for Puma and his crew. “To have people come up to me, big designers, and tell

me they saw my line..,” Puma said as he smiled at the memory.

With his personal life as busy as his business, Puma’s level of cool and collected was admirable

and almost palpable. “It’s so amazing, but so hard at the same time,” he expressed on being a newly

wed to wife Quani, and the father of one-year old daughter, Tamia . “I hate to miss little things. Thank

God I happened to be there when she took her first step.” Puma continues to make things look easy

as he prepares to spend more time on his passion for music. What many don’t know is he loves engi-

neering and music production. “In all honesty, my original love and I’ve achieved the goal of what my

original love is, but I’m still working on that, is music,” he expressed. But being aware that music isn’t

something you can just jump into, he makes it clear that more preparation is needed before the public

get’s a taste.

As far as say ten years from now and what we can expect from the goal-driven artist, possibly a

book, a franchise, and “possibly, possibly something I’ve always wanted to do, is write a movie.”Since

its launch, the brand popular for its unique UFO inspired graphics has been spotted on artists such as

Joey Badass, director Little X, and Maino, and has even caught the eye of greater fashion brands like

Marc Ekko.

“I guess it’s just a brand for people like me and my friends. That’s our demographic,” he smiled.

With his personal life as busy as his business, Puma’s level of cool and collected was admirable

and almost palpable. “It’s so amazing, but so hard at the same time,” he expressed on being a newly

wed to wife Quani, and the father of one-year old daughter, Tamia . “I hate to miss little things. Thank

God I happened to be there when she took her first step.” Puma continues to make things look easy

as he prepares to spend more time on his passion for music. What many don’t know is he loves engi-

neering and music production. “In all honesty, my original love and I’ve achieved the goal of what my

original love is, but I’m still working on that, is music,” he expressed. But being aware that music isn’t

something you can just jump into, he makes it clear that more preparation is needed before the public

get’s a taste.

As far as say ten years from now and what we can expect from the goal-driven artist, possibly a

book, a franchise, and “possibly something I’ve always wanted to do is write a movie.”

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Photographer: Lershaun O’Brien

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26 Picks

Photographer Lershaun O’BrienInstragram: @ljophotoTwitter: @JLD_CEO

Do you want to know what’s in, who to follow, and who’s the new kid on the block? Well we’d like to take this opportunity to tell you hunny child. Here are our “Who to look out for” picks for 26INC Magazine, The Fashion Issue!

BloggerKelly aka Islandchic77Instagram: @islandchic77Twitter: @islandchic77FB: Island Chic 77www.islandchic77.com

Designer Terry WinstonInstagram: @terry_winstonwww.terrywinston.com

Stylist / DesignerSergio HudsonInstagram: @sergiotheexpertTwitter: @sergiotheexpertwww.sergiohudson.com

If you haven’t noticed by now, we like to showcase young people who are doing the dang thang at this point in their lives. Our next feature is no different. Take a look at our sit-down with leathers accessories company, Herds of the Fathers.

Where does the name Herds of the Fathers come from?(Jason) We wanted the name of our company to be something that you weren’t really sure what it was upon first hear-ing it. We felt it was a name that could fit into any time period and still stand out. The concept behind it is a simple one. Everyday you live in a group, whether that be school, work, or your community. That’s where the “Herds” part comes from. Out of these herds, there are people who “help give birth” to everyone else’s style. That is where the “Fathers” part of the name comes from. Our online store is where these fathers meet, creating new herds. Herds of the Fathers.

How did you and Tobi come to work together?(Jason) Tobi and I had a lot of mutual friends so it was only a matter of time before we met. At the time the company was about to start, Tobi was looking for a leather backpack that he liked in his price range. He couldn’t find anything so he decided maybe he should start his own thing. I was somebody who I think he felt would compliment him and take

Herds of the Fathers

Shirt: Bad Bunch NYCbadbunchnyc.com

Shirt: Bad Bunch NYC

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Photographer: Lershaun O’Brien

his idea to the next level. When he approached me about starting a business I dropped everything I was doing at that time and said lets do it. We had no product for almost 6 months at first. It was all just ideas in notepads and my brain. Even with no knowledge of the business and no experience, I knew it was something I was meant to do.

What are some of your style influences?(Tobi) My number one style influence at this time is my mother. Everything that she owns was custom made to fit her style. She taught me that designers can make some-thing that might appeal to you but at the end of the day it was not made for you. Another is Ralph Lauren. Even the clothing I make for myself now all stems from his aesthetic.

Who do you make your products for (demographics)?(Tobi) We started off making products just for young peo-ple. We built this whole thing from a dorm room so that made sense at the time. But we’re slowly increasing our demographic every time we release new items or visuals. If you take a look from our first look book to now, you can see the growth. We want to be a universal company for all ages. You can see 10 year olds and 100 year-olds wear-ing Louis Vuitton and it makes sense. In the beginning, I used to hate when blogs would call us an “urban” company because I felt like they were trying to put me in a box. I’m not trying to be the best urban company, I want to strive to be the best company on earth. Period.

What makes Herds of the Fathers stand out from other leather companies?(Tobi) We stand out because of the base that we market to. For some reason people, within the ages of 16-35 think leath-er is for the elderly or leather is too expensive to even go near. We make quality products and we do our best to keep the prices affordable.

(Jason) On top of that, there’s really no one else in our age group doing what we do. You see a lot of t-shirt lines and hoodies, but seeing a leather company from two young guys is a rare thing. When we first started off it was hard to get manufacturers to take us seriously because all they see is two young, black guys. We were fortunate enough to get over that hump and now we’re get-ting more respect.

What’s your opinion of fashion right now? Where do you see it going?(Tobi) In recent time fashion has taken on a life of it’s own. People are wearing whatever they feel like and expressing themselves. I think it can’t get any better than that. I think in the near future the average American consumer will demand more out of the brands that make their everyday clothing. The way it’s going now, people want everything customized. No one likes paying dollars to the tailor every time to alter an item. Why not just make my pieces from scratch?

What’s in the works for Herds of the Fathers right now?(Jason) We’re currently preparing the new line. I’m so excited! I wish I could fast forward and show you all the crazy ideas in my head right now. We’re definitely expanding the list of products we’ll have available. Everyday, lifestyle items.

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Photographer: Lershaun O’Brien

Photographer: Lershaun O’Brien

They say the beginning is usually the most difficult part of any launch. If we said this process was a breeze, it would be an honest lie, but this feeling of accomplishment couldn’t feel any better.

For this accomplishment, 26INC owes much thanks to all of our loyal supporters. No matter the delays, you guys stuck with us the entire way. To our amazing photographer LerShaun, thank you for bringing our art to life. You’ve been with us since day 1 and your talent and loyalty are indescribable. The fabulous features of our first issue; Puma, Friday, and Herd of the Fathers, you guys are it. Without you and your talents, there would be no 26INC magazine. Thank you. To our sponsors, thank you for your generous support. Last but not least, our readers of 26INC Magazine The Fashion Issue. We aimed to give you all things dope and you sincerely came right here to 26INC as your source.

Thank you.

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