The Reason Why Corteiz Rules The World

Welcome back, readers. When people think about fashion and streetwear in the modern day, there's a handful of brands that you'd think of. Brands like Stussy, Timberlands, Bape, Supreme, & Ed Hardy could come to mind. With urban fashion being so popular, there's plenty more out there that could be mentioned.

But in recent times, there's been one brand that really stands out compared to others. This brand has its roots in northwest London & went from a small brand in 2017 to a huge movement known worldwide.

So let’s get right into the story of Corteiz.

Chapter 1: Before Corteiz

Corteiz was a brand founded in 2017 by Clint 419, a Nigerian entrepreneur from NW London. However, Corteiz wasn't his first clothing brand. No, in fact, this just so happens to be his second. His first brand was one called Cade--a brand founded 2 years prior.

In a rare interview he did in 2016, he speaks on how Cade was created & a bit of how growing up in London influenced his brand.

• Tell us about Cade.

‘It’s a clothing line my friend Ade Sanusi and I co-founded. We released our first collection in April. Our slogan is “On the Map’.”

‘When I was 16, I was in this group of creatives called Apex. We were just hanging with each other, being ourselves, and other kids bought into it. We built up quite a big online following. That doesn’t happen if you’re not from London. It’s a hub for music and art.’

Chapter 2: The birth of Corteiz

In 2017, Clint 419 moved on from Cade & began what's now known as Corteiz RTW. Back then, it only had a limited collection of screen-printed t-shirts and crewnecks. Its logo has the infamous Alcatraz prison, something that is symbolic of the brand's message, "rebellion over convention."

As the 2010s came to an end, Corteiz became known more & more for its unique marketing techniques. This caused the brand to grow and expand rapidly as time went on.

Chapter 3: Da Great Bolo Exchange

In 2022, Corteiz would commence what's now known as "Da Great Bolo Exchange." In a car park somewhere in Wormwood Scrubs, West London, Clint offered a free jacket to anyone in exchange for their coats.

Suddenly, hundreds of young people were hopping fences just to be able to swap their jackets for Corteiz's new Bolo Jacket. But there was a twist: the only jackets eligible for a swap included brands like Moncler, The North Face, Supreme, & Stussy.

Their jackets were expensive, but their desire to swap them in exchange for a Bolo jacket goes to show how much desire there is to own Corteiz pieces.

All the jackets Corteiz collected were donated to the homeless.

Chapter 4: The 99p Market Stall & Da Great Denim Exchange

That same year, in 2022, Corteiz held "The 99p Market Stall." The gimmick was different this time. The brand popped up in West London once again with a store. They were selling their brand-new cargos for 99p.

However, there were two changes: firstly, the store was only open for 2 hours; secondly, you had to show up with exactly 99p.

As expected, this caused many people to flock to the store. In fact, a whopping 3000!

Two years later, Corteiz would move over to NYC & commence "DA GREAT DENIM EXCHANGE." With only 250 pieces available, the brand offered anyone their brand-new Corteiz denim in exchange for their jeans.

Brands like Levi's, True Religion, Carhartt, Ralph Lauren, Supreme, and even Amiri were eligible for swaps.

Chapter 5: Sued by Nike & Collaboration

In 2021, Nike sued Corteiz and the owner, Clint 419. Allegedly, the brand's name was too similar to the Nike Cortez sneakers. Being that the Cortez was Nike's very first track shoe released by the brand, the shoes held significance to the brand. As a result of this lawsuit, Clint was ordered to pay £1,850 to Nike.

However, in 2023, Corteiz & Nike would collaborate for one of their biggest drops yet, the Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95. Being that the Air Max 95s are a really significant part of British streetwear, this was a huge moment for both Corteiz & the UK as a whole.

Key Takeaways:

Corteiz has gone on to do much more than what was mentioned in this post, which just shows how much the brand has grown. From a dream in a 21-year-old's head to a huge conglomerate known worldwide, Corteiz has had one huge come-up.

Its success can be greatly attributed to its ability to market its products in unconventional ways. Instead of traditional advertising, they chose to leverage the power of word-of-mouth & guerrilla marketing. From Da Great Bolo & Denim Exchanges to the 99p Market Stall, social media has helped to push the brand to global heights.

As always, stay true, stay laive.

Source: TimeOut | Wiki | Vogue | TheCultureCrypt