Mike Cherman is the founder of the popular streetwear brand Market. In this interview, he shared his insights on building a successful clothing brand and the importance of marketing in the fashion industry.
He got hit by a car in NYC and that tragic event sparked an idea: Making reflective socks as a way for pedestrians to be easily spotted by cars, so they could avoid getting hit.
He went to a market, set up a stand, and quickly sold out of the 40 pairs of socks that he brought. That led to the formation of his first brand, ICNY.
It was a success but after taking on an investor, he was fired from his own company.
Not one to be defeated, Cherman decided that he could do it again. He experimented with several designs before he hit it big. The one that set it all off was a Nike shirt with a picture of Frank Ocean on it. He brought it to Complex Con, sold out of it, and made tens of thousands of dollars.
He was back!
Fueled by the success of that shirt, he kept producing high-quality streetwear and built a community of devoted fans. He continues to innovate and frequently does major collaborations with bands/brands, like The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, My Chemical Romance, and more.
He also is a big believer in giving back and frequently helps younger designers by sharing what he’s learned along the way. In this episode, he shares business and life advice that can apply to anyone, regardless of their profession.
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