If you haven't noticed all the military gear that many well known celebrities have been wearing as of recently than get familiar. Cavi Clothing has been worn by some of todays A-List stars from Dwayne Wade to Jay-Z. With all this being said, we got right down to the heart of the brand as we sat down with Phil Gapud, one of the founders of this slowly emerging brand.
illRoots.com: First off thanks for the time of the day man.
Phil: No problem.
illRoots.com: So why the name "Cavi"?
Phil: Oh its synonomous with "Caviar". So you remember back in the day people who had good taste in food had caviar. So the same thing applies with the clothing so you would have great taste and style with Cavi.
illRoots.com: How long has this been around?
Phil: Well I'm the founder, now creative director and I do all the marketing.
illRoots.com: You guys have the military type stuff why go that route? Phil: Military never goes out of style. Its tough looking. The whole military look never goes out and people do that in some form every year.
illRoots.com: What's new that we need to look for?
Phil: Well the spring line is out where you can see it online at www.cavinyc.com. Summer will be out first week in June which will consist of our military pieces. Our top sellers are the sear suckers the sear sucker fabric. We are coming out with shorts now, where as before we didn't have any bottoms, we have cargo shorts, and some T's.
illRoots.com: So you have a new line and its jumping off, What's the main thing that you want people to feel when they put on your clothes?
Phil: The main thing I want people to feel? Honestly you feel like a boss when you have it on. You know a million bucks, with all the metals.
illRoots.com: How does Hip-Hop and the culture and the movements in Hip-Hop parallel fashion and how do you work with that?
Phil: Well of course all the celebrities and the people in this industry are all trendsetters. So basically if Fab rocks it then the Brooklyn kids will go rock it. If Jay rocks its then the Marcy kids will go get it. Kids 18-25 look up celebrities so they are going to mimic what they are doing. Of course they tell you whats hot in the street or not.
illRoots.com: So I'm from the country and one of the biggest problems with us and fashion seems to be the timing. If its hot in NY now then it wont get to a store down here until mad late, what marketing stategies and advertising have you done to set yourself apart from your competitors?
Phil: Well our distribution is spread out all across the U.S. but our strong focus right now is the east coast, North east and South East. What our future plan is to hit every major state and do events there, treat it like its a song for the radio and push it in the same aspect. We are trying to have the number one records, you know
illRoots.com: With technology growing each day have you guys taken any strides to cater to the new technology out? Phil: Yea we will probably do a couple co-branding projects I have a few marketing ideas, possibly one would be the blogs because everything is blog driven. As well I think that technology driven, no body is watching TV anymore its all blogs.
illRoots.com: The future and expansion other than fashion?
Phil: Thats our main focus right now is just branding because people on the West Coast may not know of us because we arent as strong on the west. So right now we are trying to reach that household status to where they know us as well as Sean John. We are trying to be the next LRG, you know just blow it out. Right now with all the upcoming companys and the boutiques and the price points being so high people like you and in Arkansas and the west coast might not have Cavi so we are branching out to them and all around the world.
illRoots.com: Thanks to Phil and the whole Cavi Clothing line. Go Check them out at www.cavinyc.com and get on the movement.
