We recently connected with CODE FORTY and have shared our conversation below.

CODE, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I spent a lot of time learning about what I like to do. It came naturally because I have interest in what I do, so I find myself researching and watching videos about my craft in my free time either way. Subtle things like reading a magazine, watching a podcast, looking at look-books, or studying some of my idols are just some basic things that help me learn about my passions. I tried to take my time with learning so I could fully understand concepts before moving on, but creating a routine to keep me on track would have definitely sped it up. Out of all the skills I learned, learning graphic design, and consumer psychology was definitely among the most important steps. They help me out so much know in understanding what customers wanna see, and how to create things I wanna make. In terms of obstacles, it was mostly about staying consistent, most of the struggle came from not being disciplined and letting myself slack off. It kinda plays back into the routine part. It’s all about consistency.

CODE, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hey everyone, I’m the founder and creative director of CODEFORTY, which is a fashion brand I curated in March of 2023. I grew up taking inspiration from so many idols in the fashion world such as Kanye, Virgil, Pharell, etc. CODEFORTY is a one-man team as of now, so I shoot ads, edit videos, make art, and curate soundtracks for all my videos and promotion. I try to create things that are useful to me and just clothes that I find cool. I try not to worry too much about setting myself apart as I feel that it’s more important to be yourself, and let the people that gravitate to your work find you, instead of pretending to be someone else just to stand out. I’m really proud of some of the newer stuff I dropped such as the fleece jacket, and the Electrician jacket which took a lot of time, patience, reworking, and hard work. I drew inspiration from where I was brought up and my father being an electrician, which inspired me to create something useful. The inspiration for the fleece jacket came from being raised in harsh weathers, where a heavy jacket with soft material would be useful. As for what I’d like people to know about me and my brand, is that I try to inspire others to be themselves and through my work, hopefully I can make an impact on others.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My social media presence was fully built on creating a sense of community. Making others feel included and not just “fans.” I like letting my supporters voice their opinions and have a say in the brand image / creation. Many of my followers came from referrals and organically growing with time. I started with asking friends and relatives to follow, and let it slowly grow. Hosting community events such as giveaways and pop-ups are also crucial for gaining traction. My piece of advice would be to make your audience feel included, and create a brand image that you like.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I have a lot of goals and hopes that drive my journey as a creative, and those help push me to work a little harder when I need it. Things like helping the people close to me, retiring my parents, being able to fund other projects, and financial freedom are just some of the things that drive me to work harder. I feel like the biggest thing for me is being able to inspire and motivate others, to follow their passions and be themselves in their craft. Spreading that message throughout my journey is something I’d like to continue. This is a big thing for me because that’s exactly how I got inspired to be myself in my own craft. I’d watch so many Tyler, The Creator and Kanye interviews where they would talk about the same things, and I want to push that message forward to those that haven’t gotten it yet.

Contact Info:

• Website: codeforty.ca
• Instagram: codefortyclothing
• Other: Tiktok: CODEFORTY