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

VIVEK, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

In 1999, I took a gamble and decided I would try to create the best socks in the world. Of course, most of my friends and family thought I was out of my mind, but I knew this was what I had to do. Of course, my personality prevented me from getting a real job, so my options were limited. For the next 20 years, I built a forward thinking brand, was recognized as making the “World’s Best Dress Socks” by Esquire Magazine, featured as the ‘Best of the Best’ in the Robb Report and became the favorite sock of George HW Bush. From socks, I created a full collection of men’s clothing. The concept centered around a high functioning, stylish wardrobe that was ahead of any other designer brand.

But the real risk that I took was when my business fell apart due to the Pandemic of 2020. Decades of work vanished and the future seemed bleak. Now in my late 40’s, I was beaten and not sure where i was going to go. Dark thoughts constantly came over me, and I was almost about to succumb to what I thought was my only way out. Debt had piled up, bankruptcy was inevitable and there was no light at the end of this tunnel.

However, I was not ready to throw in the towel, I felt I had something to give this world and I had to just re-set and figure it out. After months of self reflection, I came to terms with the fact that my only real skill set was my creativity. I had to not just protect it, I had to find a way to strengthen and fortify my creative talent. The best way, in my opinion, was to enter a totally different path, something that was totally foreign to me. In addition to preserving and enhancing my creativity, I also needed to humble myself.

In order to do this, I chose to take a risk and move to Barbados and become a street cook. I took my father’s recipes and created a twist on Indian food and making it a sexy street food concept. i designed a cantina, a concept, a menu and a marketing plan that would either be the final nail in my coffin or the catalyst that would transform me into the man I was meant to be. With the grace of God, FireByrd was an instant success. Aside from the business success, my soul was rejuvenated and my creativity sharpened and grew in ways I never thought possible.

The friends I made are now lifelong friends and I could not imagine my life without them in it. I knew my time in Barbados was temporary, but I chose to make the absolute best of it. I would not let myself feel victimized or point blame, I needed to pull my pants on and man up. As my time in Barbados started to wind down, I started to think about my return to designing men’s clothing.

I had an idea, a plan, but with no financial backing, the plan was merely an idea. Here is where risk comes again. I had managed to convince some family and friends to loan me money in trade for clothing that I would make using the funds received. I was able to create a small collection and re-engage with what I have always felt was my purpose in this lifetime. I managed to get started but was unable to get off the ground. As time went by, I found myself constantly borrowing money to survive and had to dig deep within to continue.

With no real option, we decided to raise money to open a showroom for my collection. By God’s grace, we found the perfect location and set up what could be the coolest men’s store in the country. We are currently in the proof of concept phase and so far so good. It is a long road ahead, but I am so grateful to have this opportunity to share my gift with the world.

VIVEK, 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?

I was born in India in 1972 and moved to Brooklyn, NY in 1977. My father did his residency in Brooklyn and subsequently joined the US Air Force. We were stationed in California for seven years and my father set up his private practice in Central California. I attended UC Irivine in hopes of becoming a doctor but failed miserably. I had always known I was never meant to be a doctor. As a child, we spent every summer in Madras visiting my maternal grandfather. He had a luxury chain of clothing stores and I would find myself spending hours a day in the stores.

After graduating from USC, I began working for my uncle’s clothing company. In 1999, I decided to start making socks with the intention of making the best socks in the world. By 2005, I had our socks in every luxury store in the country. My thirst to create clothing was insatiable, so I began creating a full line of men’s sportswear. I have always been fascinated by fabrics and the process of turning a piece of fabric into a beautiful garment. Inspired by Luciano Barbera, I worked painstakingly to make the interior of our jackets just as beautiful as the exterior.

My goal was to create a high functioning, interchangeable wardrobe that made getting dressed as easy as possible. Men no longer need to worry about what went with what because every piece worked in harmony. We stuck to a classic color palette and focused on clean lines and tailored fits to create a wardrobe that required limited pieces but offered limitless options. Our stores were more speakeasy bars where clients could unwind and relax as we put pieces together for them based on their lifestyles.

Without sounding pretentious, so much sets us apart. Our style, our attention to detail, our respect for our clients time and money forces us to bring forth sophisticated, functional clothing for every day life. The design ethos is masculine, clean, functional and most of all comfortable. We focus on a garments movement, and how the client will engage each piece we create. Each piece must serve a purpose, far more than just being aesthetically pleasing.

At ARITCL3, we bring forth luxury at accessible prices. What defines luxury to us is simple: great fabrics, superior design and purpose driven garments that help make the client the best he can be. Our dedication to fair trade workmanship is non-negotiable and brand stands for value, authenticity and integrity.

ARTICL3 is much more than a clothing company, it is a brand that is driven by purpose. Six percent of our profits are given to a selected veteran each quarter. Rather than donating to an organization, Vivek Nagrani feels the funds should go directly to those who need all the help they can get. In addition, Nagrani has teamed up with private schools in Lima to offer scholarships to children who exhibit excellence in academic or artistic endeavors.

The mission is simple, do things the right way and in the best way possible.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The pandemic destroyed 20 years of my work, but I was not going to let the stop me from sharing my passion with those who choose to enjoy my work. I took a two year hiatus and worked as a street cook in Barbados. During this time, I wrote The Burden of Masculinity in hopes of sharing my point of view on what it means to be a man in today’s rather anti-masculine times. I knew I would return to my passion and make clothes, I just did not know how. After filing for bankruptcy, I knew raising captial would be a challenge, but I did not make excuses. I scrimped and saved to have enough to make a set of samples and then began raising money to fund a small production. Soon after, I began selling on line but things were not working.

I took a step back and under advisement of my advisory group, I raised funds to open our flagship showroom in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Located at 91 Allen Street, the ARTICL3 flagship has proven to be the best decision I could have made. I am not going to lie, it is extremely nerve racking as we have to prove concept, show results and continue to fine tune our collection and brand message with a very short run way. I do not think of what could be but focus on what is now and how I can be better today than I was yesterday.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I do not think anything is worth doing without a real mission. Aside from creating a thriving company and iconic brand, my mission is to help those who need help. Just as so many family and friends have come to help me get back on my feet, it is very important to me that I keep paying it forward for the rest of my life. I hope my work will keep paying it forward long after I leave this world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://articl3.com
• Instagram: articl3co
• Facebook: articl3co

Image Credits

vivek nagrani, articl3 mfg co, llc