ZOPE By Zee Interview (Uncut)

This interview is one of the five that I conducted as part of the 3000+ word guide on how to start a clothing brand!

Me: So tell me a little bit about yourself. What was your life like before you started your clothing brand?

Zee: So, I’ve always been a creative person. When I was little, I loved to write and draw, and I wanted to be a children’s author. I shifted to music, and I’m currently working on being an EDM artist—DJing in places and working on music. But I always felt like clothes weren’t made for my tastes. I never felt like I had an “aesthetic” for me. I always wanted to work for myself, to have something of my own. Seeing how my loved ones were treated under their own bosses is something that made me aspire to work for myself in any way, shape, or form.

I really respect your desire to work for yourself. What was the moment that made you decide that launching a clothing brand will be the right move for you?

I remember I was looking for part-time jobs, and I was getting really tired with what I was going through. I took a break to text my aunt, who is a big raver by the way, and she was mentioning wanting to get some new rave outfits, but something casual. I don’t know why or how, but I had this spark that made me rush to sketch a design, and I asked if she’d consider wearing it to a rave. She said she needed it ASAP, so I knew I needed to create a store for people like her: clothes that are cool and expressive but are casual, streetwear clothing. She ended up being my first customer too!

That’s really cool how she became your first customer. Since you said that you needed to create a store for people like your auntie, what key things did you take into consideration about her when designing your first set of pieces?

So, I want my pieces to be unique and “sketchy” in a sense. They’re all hand-drawn to give it a “streetwear” sort of feel, a personal touch. I was thinking of something she could tie-dye at home to give it a vibrant, expressive look. At the same time, I want them to be pieces that you can wear anywhere, especially when you wake up tired and just want to throw something over your head and call it a day. For those who love casual urban fits with a playful touch!

Ooh, fair enough! I know earlier you said you loved to draw when you were younger & that clearly shows in your clothing. Aside from that, what other skills did you use that helped you find your vision and bring it to life?

I’m great with social media, which has lent me a hand with promoting my works. I’m good at gauging people’s needs, especially from working in salesy environments before. In general, I’m quite a business-oriented person; it was rooted in me from a young age. If I have an idea, I immediately jot it down and see what’s on the market. I’ll take that and combine it with my taste to make my vision come to life.

Okay, that’s great! You’ll definitely need these kinds of skills when launching a clothing brand. Now you told me that your brand’s name is ZOPE. How did you come up with the name? How difficult was it? Were there any changes you needed to make before landing on ZOPE?

Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult compared to things I’ve done in the past. It was quite a mindless thing: I thought of the word “Dope” and I thought of my name “Zee” and just smooshed it together. I had many ideas in reality, so the most difficult thing was just to stay focused. I have such a creative mind, so I tell myself, “Just do something,” and I find my brand voice through that.

“Just do something” is a good rule to live by :) Although you started your brand recently, did you find any challenges you needed to overcome? Whether practical or creative struggles, how did you overcome them?

I’d like to say promotion has been the hardest part. Especially in this day and age, people aren’t sure what to care about when everyone is telling them to care. But people like to feel special, and I like to make people feel special. When I invite them into my process, when I show how I draw my designs, and when I talk to them, they feel important, like I will take care of them. That’s something brands often forget. Your customers aren’t just numbers; they’re people. If you take care of your people, they will take care of you. Getting personal with them, even if you’re doing so online, is very important. Difficult, but important.

A lot of brands tend to treat their customers as numbers, so it’s really nice to see a brand that doesn’t! Do you believe getting personal with your customers is your biggest selling point? What other qualities do you use to stand out in the streetwear market?

I’d say so, that along with how personal the designs feel. We’re also quite a sarcastic brand. If you look on our website, the first button says, “Don’t push me.” Naturally, you wanna do it. (I find myself doing it when I’m just checking on the website.) We tell you not to scroll down in our bios. Naturally, you scroll. I scroll. We’re real with you. We literally are a clothing store. We literally are just drawing things on shirts and hoodies. Nothing to hide. Nothing more, nothing less.

That’s great! The streetwear scene can be competitive, so it’s important for brands to have their own identity & stand out. It’s great that you’re doing exactly that! Moving on to the practical side of things, how did you find the resources to begin producing & distributing clothes? Did that bring any sort of challenges as well? And if so, how did you overcome them?

I learned from one of my parents about the dropshipping business, and I didn’t like that. I tried it once, and I didn’t like it. It didn’t feel right for me to sell things that weren’t my own. But then I heard about print on demand, which is like dropshipping, but it is your own stuff, which I appreciated. I learned a lot from using resources online and from talking to others. Having control of your own stuff felt great to me. Getting the quality down was difficult though, especially with money. I didn’t want it to feel cheap or detached. The details are everything. If it feels off, it will be off. I only sell what I know will work, and I only test it if I’m 100% certain it has potential. If I test it and something feels off, I do it again. Quality is so important.

I believe quality is very important too! It can be challenging to ensure that quality remains consistent when producing your clothes. Sometimes, challenges can cause some people to end their clothing brands. Have there been times when you thought about giving up? If so (or if not), what keeps you motivated to keep going?

Honestly, who hasn’t thought about quitting at one point or another? I’ve thought about it with a lot of my goals—be it music, this store, or anything. But a few things keep me going:

a.) I’m stubborn as hell. It’s a problem, yes, but it keeps me going.

b.) My motto: “Never Settle.” It’s been my motto for a few years now, and every time I remember it, I have to keep going.

c.) People need someone to look up to. Big or small, we all look up to someone. Being someone’s inspiration always keeps me going.

It’s inevitable for people to feel like giving up, so it’s great that you maintain the motivation to keep going. Going back to when you told me about how you earned your first customer, have there been any other milestones & successes you’ve achieved? Big or small, what were they, and what did they mean to you?

Honestly, I think every milestone is something to me. I’m almost reaching my first week as a small business; that’s important. My first few followers on here, my first dollars I made, my second customer, and a friend who wants to work with me. They all mean that I’m making progress. They all show growth. I’m super excited for what’s next, and I can’t wait to see where ZOPE is going to go. Perhaps to places I never thought it could.

That’s really great! Your brand has a lot of potential for growth, & you definitely have the mentality for the world of streetwear startups! Speaking of streetwear startups, how often do you find yourself looking at other brands in the startup scene? Do you find yourself making comparisons between yours and other people’s brands? How beneficial/detrimental is that to you and your brand, and how do you remain grounded?

I try not to compare myself, but I love to support other brands. Competition is more mental than it is physical; supporting others in their journey always pays off. I love to give feedback to their team, take inspiration, and share my work. A lot of it I’ve learned from my journey with music too. You rise when others rise, so you might as well support each other and say nice things.

That’s a really good outlook to have! Comparison can help build inspiration, but it can also be the thief of joy. It’s great how you use other brands to build your own! With that being said, where do you see your brand in the future? What’s in store for ZOPE & what plans do you have for your brand?

I’m hoping to bring someone along for the ride as I build ZOPE up; it’s pretty hard to work solo for the long term. I’m hoping to grow more on my socials, and I’m hoping that ZOPE can establish a strong community. 🤍

That is definitely a good goal to have! I really do believe you will achieve that & so much more :) It’s been a really great interview I’ve had with you! It’s been a pleasure speaking to you about your journey as a brand owner & all the things that made ZOPE what it is today! I have one last question for you: what is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring brand owners who don’t know where to begin?

Thank you! I’ve had such a good time chatting with you and sharing all about ZOPE and my journey. My advice for aspiring brand owners is just start somewhere and embrace the journey. You don’t have to have a big store or have much, but even selling pens goes a long way. and embrace all the ups and all the downs. It’s going to be tough, but one day you’re going to look back and reminisce on all the times you had, good or bad. It’s a lot, but it might be worth it one day.

This interview is one of the five that I conducted as part of the 3000+ word guide on how to start a clothing brand!

I would like to give a huge thanks to Zee for giving me the opportunity to interview her. Please make sure to check out ZOPE & show your support by checking its catalogue!

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