Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Davis Nakashima. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Davis, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve been working on recently is helping AKASHI-KAMA expand into the realm of home decor.
We are known for being a Japanese American clothing brand – so stepping into new territory comes with many challenges. It’s a tall task and one I’ve been handling with immense care and thoughtfulness. We pride ourselves in providing exceptionally high quality products, so discovering a way to do home decor that is authentic to us has been the top priority.
As Japanese Americans, we love, cherish, and take a special pride in our home furnishings. Many pieces carry a deep cultural significance and have been passed down from generation to generation. From norens, art pieces, lamps, dolls, lacquerware, etc. – they all play a part in our story and connect us to our roots. This is why we feel so strongly about entering the home decor space – it feels like another way to share our culture and feel proud of what our ancestors had to hide or even destroy.
I’m taking one step at a time but be on the lookout for AKASHI-KAMA home decor very soon!
Davis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Davis Nakashima and I’m the Head of Marketing and Creative at AKASHI-KAMA.
Fashion and streetwear have always been a staple in my life and a way I have felt free to express myself. My early teen years were spent trying to save up money to buy, sell, and trade sneakers or clothes. I love how fashion is fluid and that everyone has their own styles that match their personalities. Mixing fashion with my love and appreciation for my heritage just made sense.
My older brother, Alec Nakashima, founded AKASHI-KAMA in 2019. Since its inception, I was always passionate about supporting the brand in different capacities while also working full-time as a Marketing Project Manager. Earlier this year, I felt really blessed to have been given the opportunity to turn this passion into a full-time job. I’m still amazed how Alec turned his passion into a reality for the both of us – two brothers working together on something they love. Now my work pretty much covers all parts of the business – the majority of it going towards marketing, production, social, video and the occasional modeling.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My drive really comes from wanting everyone to be proud and never forget their culture and history. Japanese Americans definitely have a complicated history; the previous generations in my family were told to hide their culture from the world and I feel like I’m trying to help heal myself, others and the previous generations through clothing. Even if it’s just a fraction, that’s the goal.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Personally, I feel that authenticity and transparency can only help your reputation. If your brand voice is true to who you are then it eliminates a lot of guesswork and makes a more authentic connection. Even when it comes to directly communicating with your audience – there have been many times we get emails from customers with really thoughtful questions. And if anyone is willing to take the time to inquire about something, we will absolutely take the time to write out an authentic response trying to answer any questions they may have. Mixing authenticity and transparency with the goal of being proud of our Asian American heritage and celebrating our cultures has hopefully brought a lot of trust with our audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.akashi-kama.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akashi_kama/
