Reign *Interview*

1. What’s going on guys, first off tell the world a little about yourself.

We are a boutique out of Orlando, FL at the corner of University/Semoran in our sophomore year. Idealized back in 2005, but not brought to life until 2007, our desire to open up a boutique here in Orlando was influenced by our many trips to bigger cities on the left coast, and up north. We would travel to those places, and would bring back things we know people could not get here, and realized it was something Orlando was lacking. And that’s how Reign was born.

2. Give us a little background on the inspiration of your shop and how you guys became partners.

When we initially started brainstorming names for the shop, we wanted a simple one word name that would stick in people’s heads whenever they heard or saw it. Growing up to Golden Era hip-hop, the word Reign was used heavily in a lot of songs, and being that it rains everyday in the afternoon like clockwork during the summer and even during the winter it was a no brainer. Also, the definition of the word itself is “to have control, rule or influence of any kind” and our goal for Reign is to make Reign one of the mainstays of streetwear in Florida, and to influence the hiphop and school communities we closely work with.

3. When people hear Orlando, FL they usually think Disney World and Mickey Mouse (lol) how big is Street wear locally?

The streetwear scene here is growing. With the massive amounts of Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and other outlets here, it has created a rather large sneakerhead community, which has branched off into the streetwear scene, and is helping the scene as a whole grow.

4. What are some of the brands you carry? Are there any that you are looking to do business with in the future?

Play Cloths, Crooks & Castles, Akomplice, Foreign Family, Dissizit, Acrylick, Hellz Bellz, Married To The Mob, Stussy Womens, Kallusive, Jason Markk, and look to add some new lines in the near future. We won’t say yet, but peep www.reignfl.com for the new goods!



5. Would you say that music influence opinions on clothing and if so in what way good or bad?

Back in the day people would blame gangsta rap on crimes, and would associate people that wore red or blue as bloods or crips, and bad people in general. Nowadays, it’s a totally different game, there are so many different artists that are now involved in the game, or have their own clothing lines that it is helping the whole industry come into the mainstream. For example seeing Weezy at the MTV music awards sporting Supras, has opened up a door to a whole different market. No longer is fashion subjected to its niche market.

6. With that being said, as of recent street wear has been making a big buzz on today’s radio waves and music videos. People like to call this type of business boom a fad, or you scared that like all other fads this would hurt business in the future because something new comes along?

Unfortunately most fads come and go, but I think the whole streetwear game will evolve with the industry. As more people embrace it such as hip hop and rock artists, to everyday people, the brands that go mainstream will go to the masses which will make way for the new and upcoming brands. It’s a never-ending cycle. The big dogs go mainstream, and new ones come in with a fresh new idea or style that changes the scene.

7. What is the most difficult aspect of running a boutique?

The most difficult part of running a boutique has to be the amount of hours you work. Unlike corporate America where you have 2 weeks of paid vacation, sick days, and other random days off, you don’t have that luxury when you own your business. Of course you do get to set your own schedule, so here and there you may get days off, but it takes a lot of dedication and hours to keep a business afloat.

8. What do you enjoy the most about running your own boutique?

The best thing about owning a boutique is seeing it transform from an idea into reality, and taking the steps to help it evolve into what you envision it to be. There of course are other perks like being your own boss, not having to report to anyone, setting your own hours, and creative freedom. On top of that, it’s living the American Dream, and doing what 98% of America is afraid to do. Step out of the box!

9. Can’t help but notice the fly kicks in the case when you enter the store, what are some of your favorite pairs of sneakers, better yet, you can only get 1 pick.

Hmmmm if I had to pick one pair of sneakers I could only take with me to a deserted island they would have to be these old OG Air Huaraches I had back in 89/90. I would wear those things everywhere because they were so comfortable. I wish my mom hadn’t thrown them out lol.

10. Thanks for you times guys any closing comments or sneak peeks on upcoming projects we should know about?

No, Thank You for taking the time out to interview us. We do have a few projects coming up. A notable one, being a collaboration tee with a dope designer out of New York, definitely one to look out for.

*This is the spot to be at if you're looking to get fresh in Orlando*