Hi Gigi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I love this question. It always gives me the opportunity to retell my story. Hello, My name is Gigi Panier. I am a creative! The Owner, creator, PR specialist, and more of Kasual Krookz NYC. In terms of the conception of my brand Kasual Krookz, the start of it was actually quite simple. I know when you think of an entrepreneur, the first thing that may come to mind is struggle or pain. “What’s their story”, or ” what was the pain aspect or key turning point in their life that made them say I want to start my own business”. Sorry to say that there wasn’t much of a breaking point in my life that started this all as much as it was more so a realization. Kasual Krookz was founded in 2015, my freshman year of college. By then, I’ve had my share of different jobs and experiences in what you would call the “work-life”. Styles around me were evolving and having something of your own was just key. I realized I wanted to create a foundation that I could call MINE, a brand that described my style and would portray the many styles of others. What better way to do that then streetwear I thought. Having moved to New York from Florida, the styles were so different.
In Florida, my style would change consistently, I never felt as though I fit in much based on how I would always want to dress. Trust me, down south, you will stick out like a sore thumb! Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough confidence in myself to release the brand in 2015 but later released in 2019. Throughout those years, I focused on the message I wanted to send, the audience I wanted to attract, and most of all the clothing I would want to release. Kasual Krookz to this day, is now open to all unisex wear, showing that females too have a stand in the streetwear culture just as much as males do. The message I hope to give is that you can be THAT girl and still dress down in what some may call ” tomboy”, or you can be that guy and rock anything CASUALLY and effortless. Clothing is an art, and what better place to do that then New York, the creative city itself. Filled with tons of street art and culture. I later hope to own my very own storefronts in Brooklyn NY, ATL Georgia and Los Angeles, California.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing in life will ever come easy. I’ve been told I have a habit of making things “look easy”, although trust me, I am slowly dying inside lol. Like this is really hard! I won’t sugarcoat it for you, you reap the benefits of all the work you put in. I’ve been in business for about a year now and I am still finding my way. There is no tutorial on how to do this, no guide book, no special key given to special people. We’re honestly all trying to figure this s*** out as we go along and making it all up as we go. Especially working in the fashion industry, there are NO RULES! The struggle has been trying to create your vision the way you see it, so others can see the same. There are days where you’ll be so thrilled about a collection and sadly at times, the feedback you expect isn’t always what you’ll receive but you can’t let that knock you off your feet. It is a trial and error.
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
As a creative, we live through art. My horoscope is an Aquarius and we’re big on being eccentric/open-minded. We’re big thinkers and highly intellectual people. People born under the Aquarius sign look at the world as a place full of possibilities. Aquarius is an air sign, and as such, uses their mind at every opportunity. Being creative, I allow myself to be an outlet to do just about anything, from fashion and my artistic abilities in painting/drawing/designing. I specialize in a range of things so that I never limit my abilities. At times it can be either a plus or a downfall because it is hard trying to perfect every talent rather than a single one. I guess it comes with never truly being satisfied with simply one thing. If you asked my friends, they’d probably describe me as the financially stable, school driven girl boss with her at times strange tendencies.
I’d like to think that I am known for being uncommon, a creative power with limitless capabilities, and the mind to create financial stability and financial freedom. I am most proud of my confidence to create not one but two brands of my own because that takes great courage and forcing yourself to have little doubt to continue. I’d like to believe what sets me apart from others is my way of thinking. Though many of us are alike, our minds are oh so different. My artistic vision and the way I view life can never be compared to others.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I plan on moving to ATL in the summer of 2021 and hope to meet of a ton of creatives. Networking is key to any business/brand.
Contact Info:
- Email: paniergigi@gmail.com
- Website: www.kasualkrookz.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/babygyalgee
