Two friends join forces to unleash ‘Highend Apparel’

May 16, 2021 News

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“Young entrepreneurs play an important role in today’s society since they promote innovation and aspire to improve the standards of living.” – Robert Wall

By Sueann Wickham

In weeks past, a wide array of young entrepreneurs – all with a unique sense of creativity – have been featured by this publication. When their various business focus taken into consideration, it is safe to assert that Guyana’s economy is being graced with innovative young pioneers.

However, the two sharing the spotlight this week caught the attention of this newspaper not only for their creativity, but their drive and the mark they are already making locally. Our young entrepreneurs on the move this week are 23-year-old Robert Wall and 22-year-old Denzel Logan, the owners of a local clothing brand called “Highend Apparel.” In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, the young men reflected on their early beginnings and what inspired them to start this business venture. They shared that growing up; they were both drawn to fancy designer clothing, but could not afford them. Wall particularly said that “growing up was no rainbow and sunshine, the days were very rough but my mother ensured that I got my education regardless of the troubles she faced.” He said that he grew up in North Ruimveldt and obtained his secondary education at the North Ruimveldt Secondary School, after which he took great interest in the creative industry. “My only comfort was drawing animated characters and clothing. I moved on to finding comfort in dancing because it was a gateway to release my problems and stress, that hindered my growth, then I moved on to social media and started my fan base by dancing and making people laugh,” he reflected. Logan, who is a lover of the simple things in life, also shared his struggles. He was raised in North East La Penitence and is the eldest of five children. “Growing up I was always a hardworking young man, I would’ve helped my mom sell at a small confectionery stand at St. Pius Primary School and on a weekend help my dad clean customers’ yards and parapets using the brush cutting machine,” Logan noted. After successfully completing his secondary education, he decided that he wanted to serve in the Guyana Defence Force.

He is currently an aspiring cadet officer. The young men officially kick-started their business on October 13, last year which is already making waves on social media. The kick-start they shared saw them making their own clothing which was inspired by their love for designer clothing and the fact that they could not afford these. “We never wanted to be wearing what everyone else in our society would’ve been wearing, also we like to stand out from everyone else, so since we couldn’t afford the designer clothing, we decided to be creative and start designing our own clothing,” Wall told this publication. Despite the mark they have already made, things were not always well at the commencement of their business venture. In fact, Wall shared that they were not always flooded with this much support. Even as business was dull, the young men continued to market their clothing and eventually they gained attention through their turtleneck collection. As they overcame that hurdle, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic presented itself as another obstacle in their journey. The pair expressed that with the mandated social distancing regulations and a halt in social gatherings, the number of customers seeking clothing to attend functions was not so remarkable. In addition, they also faced supplier’s shipment delays and at one point, even experienced limited supplies of certain materials and shortcomings with their equipment. Nevertheless, the young men have refused to let their progress be hampered by challenges and are already eyeing an even brighter future for themselves. Their long-term goal is to ensure their clothing brand successfully extends across the Caribbean and they are also seeking collaborative relationships with other upcoming local brands to promote more growth in the Guyanese fashion industry. Both young men are of the firm conviction that young entrepreneurs like themselves are important to their country. “Young entrepreneurs play an important role in today’s society since they promote innovation and aspire to improve the standard of living,” Wall said. He further added that he believes the government should reach out to small business owners and provide free marketing means and monetary support, especially while the pandemic and its ravaging effects continue to hinder many. Notably, many persons have dived into fashion designing locally, but the duo believes that what sets them apart from others is their unique sense of creativity and their ability to incorporate trendy styles in both formal and street wear. Even with newfound success, they both perceive themselves to be humble, hardworking individuals, who look forward to touching the lives of Guyanese as best as they can. Those who wish to be clad in their attention-grabbing apparel can contact Highend Apparel’s social media pages: @highend_apparel_ on Instagram and Highend Apparel on Facebook.

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