We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Malik Shuler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Malik below.

Malik, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is to empower local creatives & artisans by making it convenient and seats to shop local. When I was young, I used to love discovering local businesses and finding unique items while admiring the owner’s for having their own world where they can do whatever they want. As I got older, I started to see how difficult it was for small, minority-owned businesses to stay open and to receive the opportunities that others have. I thought, how can I create a platform that highlights novelty locally made items while curating a cool brand and space for people to shop and enjoy.

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

Growing up I’ve always had a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. I grew up in a very creative household, my mom was a painter, landscapist and fashionista. In high school I was a founding member of our fashion club and modeling team which went on to win many modeling competitions in my hometown, DC. I also won best dressed in high school. So when it was time to go to college my peers all pushed me to go to school for fashion. Although, I loved fashion, I didn’t know that I could pursue a career in fashion. I moved to NYC after I graduated high school to pursue my career in fashion. I began assisting celebrity stylists and a creative director in NYC. This is where I found my inspiration and got the vision for a curated mobile shopping experience. I really enjoyed working with clothes and creating beautiful spaces. I also worked in retail while interning at Balenciaga in the press office. This is where I learned a lot about fashion PR and how editorial and celebrity placements work. As I worked I knew that I wanted to build something of my own, so I created URBANE SOCIETY as a way to work with independent brands, producing fashion shows and connecting the brand to the consumer.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I exercise resilience everyday as I face challenges. When I started my business in 2016, I had no clue what I was doing, I was building the ship while it was sailing. I began organizing pop up shops in DC with local and National based brands. This was a lot of work to get everyone on board and it took me a few tries to get a system in place, but there was alway learning experiences. Meanwhile, as I was starting this business I would constantly encounter people copying my concepts, stealing my contacts, etc. So, I had to begin putting legal documents in place to prevent my intellectual property from being stolen. This was directly effecting my work load and income. After about 2 years I decided to move to LA to pursue bigger goals for my business. This was not easy moving everything across the country. It took a few years for me to get on solid footing, but I am sticking to the vision and have been here in LA for over 5 years still pursuing my dream of making URBANE SOCIETY global.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Pop-up markets have been the most effective way for me to grow my clientele. I am able to meet and engage with people in person, then seeing my display and being able to touch the product really helps speak to the quality. Although I would like to build more of an online customer base.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.urbanesociety.us
• Instagram: @urbane_society
• Facebook: @yrbane_society