We were lucky to catch up with Karl Hibbert recently and have shared our conversation below.

Karl, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

Early in my creative career I remember learning “If you can explain your dreams for others to understand, they’re not big enough” – With this, I attack every goal and milestone I want to attain with an unwavering passion that guarantees me nothing short of success… For the first two years following the curation of Fortunate LifeStyle, there were no physical garments for sale, which meant no online/store locations to shop, which meant no/low brand engagement for *possible* consumers. During what would have been my freshman year in college, I was pushing my only product at the time, which were Pacman ghost/Heart-shaped Lego pins which could attach to bags, jackets, coats, and anything of rigid structure. Due to the cheap, and abundant availability of Legos, and the “expensive” (at the time) initial investment for bulk blanks and silicone heat press machines, this was the best way to get a product out for consumption and brand promotion. Shortly after my initial Lego push, the “support” if you would call it was underwhelming to say the least. Jokes about the childish nature of the Legos, questions about “”Where are the clothes?”, and confusion of how a Lego pin was a fashionable accessory were some of the reasons that delayed my clothing curation and public showcasing at the time. I was nervous about no sales, scared of jokes, mad I didn’t have a partner to help…It was a lot of external forces and apprehensions which hindered the launch of FLS.

To date, my Lego pins remain a staple product of the Fortunate LifeStyle brand – allowing individuals to create custom colorways and shapes to express flags, patterns, or characters which embody their mood or fashionable flavor for the day. Conclusively, the vision of becoming a nationally acclaimed fashion designer who merchandises and styles for artists and tours coast to coast is one that I can honestly say I did not picture in April of 2011…However from the strength which I found to silence outside noise and focus on my growth, I created a lane for not only myself, but for clothiers and creatives after me from the Midwest region.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Karl Hibbert & Fortunate LifeStyle (FLS) was curated in 2011 as a creative outlet for myself, and as a vision to connect me to the world. In 2017, After connecting with 21 Savage, Young Nudy, and other Atlanta natives, FLS & it’s core Midwest base grew immediately.

Once I began college, and started working, I was finally able to invest into FLS the way I had yearned, and immediately grabbed inkjet and laserjet printers, silicone heat presses and basic vinyls for cutting. Fast-forward to 2022, the benefits of investing in myself have shown, as I have recently completed my 4th national merchandising tour alongside Atlanta artist Young Nudy this past Fall.

I started FLS as nothing more than a creative outlet; one which would, at most, bring pleasure through simply seeing my ideas expressed on others through clothing. So to have traveled the country, connect with fashion icons, build a priceless network, and make a living all through clothes – I can’t do much but be grateful for every failure turned lesson, every order & every day.
Whenever I think about the time, I realize it’s easier to see where you have come from when you stop and look back, compared to when you’re actively on the journey. I embody the proverb which states: “Do nothing of no worth”. Make every move count, and know what it’s trajectory can reach.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I feel as though, especially in the creative space, there are so many unorthodox ways to become successful, especially in the technological 2022. Nowadays, I feel as though communication and breaking barriers have been made easier than ever with tools such as Direct Message, @ Mentioning, and Contact tabs in the bio. Also, with event like Rolling Loud, Day n Night Fest & Fashion Week, creatives are able to place themselves in rooms full of inspirational figures who they align with and network more than ever before. However, the issue that still remains amongst all of this is the access to production resources. As a clothing designer, having IN-CITY access to heat presses, sewing machines, garment transfer kits, fabric lounges, and textile walls would be noting short of heavenly for the 2015-Karl. For musicians, being able to find affordable, readily avaible studio sessions nearby their homes would allow for more creative flow when the artist sees fit, instead having to “get in the zone” once a month for a session. Creators should empower those who come after them and always look to give back wisdom and make ease of access more convenient than it was for you.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

This was one of the strongest lessons I learned along this journey, and it’s something I feel we all innately know…but once you fully accept it and apply it towards your craft, you’ll soar so much farther. Put quite simply, “no one is going to care about your craft, as much as you do.” A simple phrase, but the meaning and application mean so much. Once you as a musician, artist, actor, athlete, or whatever your path is STOP allowing yourself to be influenced by outside opinion, you’ll fully be able to immerse yourself in your work and thrive to the best of your ability. I had to understand this from a level of support; I used to be taken aback when I saw peers and classmates not resharing, commenting or even shopping with me – until I understood that my journey, my goals, my vision is solely that, mine. Expecting someone to support me the I would support me is absolutely ludicrous, and all it did was mentally make me feel inadequate and take confidence away from my daily stride.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thefortunatelifestyle.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/fortunatelifestyle
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/FortunateLifeStyle/
• Other: www.thefortunatelifestyle.com