Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Althea Young. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Althea, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

One of the biggest trends in fashion right now is customization. It’s all about personalization and individual expression. With customers seeking unique pieces that reflect their personality and style, brands are increasingly offering customizable options, from monogrammed accessories to custom sneakers. The trend emphasizes inclusivity and empowerment, allowing customers to play a more active role in the design process, and creating garments that truly communicate who they are. Whether it’s choosing color, graphic, or embellishments, customization allows for a deeper connection between customer and product. NoBasis Co. has been an early adopter of this concept providing a line of customizable streetwear from jackets, to joggers to foster our customers sense of identity and authenticity.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My whole life I have been a creative. The most noticeable way I expressed my creativity as a child was through fashion. I grew up wearing notorious streetwear brands such as Rock-a-wear ,
Baby Phat, & Ecko, paired with thrifted items and hand-me-downs. I would pair these items
with my own flair. I would never buy an outfit right off of the mannequin, even today.
Growing up I would often hear people say”I would have never put that together…but it works!”
As time went on fashion became a part of my personal brand. I would use it as a way to show up as myself and start conversations. I pursued different studies in school however, after being told there was “no money in fashion”, and the industry would be “too competitive”. I went on to receive a Bachelors of Science in both Logistics and Marketing. I did have a life changing experience, nonetheless, while in pursuing my business degree. I studied abroad in
Strasbourg, France in 2013, and that is where fashion and business collided for me.
During my study abroad in France, not knowing the native language I had the idea to get a tshirt
made that said “Parle Vous Engles?,” meaning,.. “Do you speak English?“ From the local’s
reactions I realized that fashion is not just about looking nice, it’s truly a form of communication, a
language, an ice-breaker. From this experience, NoBasis Co. was born.

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

NoBasis Co. has two main revenue streams as we service both B2C and B2B clientele.

The NoBasis Co. flagship store (B2C) is a family clothing store that offers a line of branded
streetwear apparel for all ages. We often connect with students, moms, young
professionals, entrepreneurs, travelers, and people celebrating special occasions. Anyone
needing a custom item, fast, can benefit from our services. We encourage our audience to
express themselves through clothing.

Our commercial print sector (B2B) offers a high quality customer experience from brand
conceptualization to the finished product, educating our clients on the printing process
throughout each step. We specialize in apparel branding and awareness helping them build
awareness through sourcing and logo printing. We help companies capitalize on opportunities
for selling their own branded merchandise, corporate gifting, staff uniforms and team uniforms.
Our commercial printing sector offers four types of printing processes including screen printing, direct-to-garment printing, heat transfer vinyl and embroidery.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I began working on NoBasis right after graduating from college. I was also working full time for a corporation as a supply chain analyst. It was no easy feat by any means. I stayed up late, and worked weekends all because of the vision I had in my head. I took the leap of faith and left my full time position after working there two years. While I don’t regret it , there are some things I wish I had done beforehand. For instance I wish I had a better understanding of my finances. I had saved some, but it wasn’t enough to sustain me, and run the business. I ended up taking out my retirement fund to keep myself afloat. I also wish I knew that I could ask for help. Early on I had many people willing to accompany me on the journey, however, I did not have enough trust in myself and therefore in them, so I found myself not delegating task in the beginning. Lastly and it something I am still working on today…I wish I knew it was okay for businesses to change and pivot according to the current landscape. Change is not failure and failure only exist if you quit. Remember, every business is going to have it’s ebbs and flows, it’s important not to compare your season in the valley to someone else’s peak season.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nobasis.co
• Instagram: @nobasis.co
• Facebook: @nobasisco
• Twitter: @nobasis.co

Image Credits
Derrick Pender