Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Robertson.
Hi Kyle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well, the story behind Cultivate 1.2.8. is rather interesting. One Sunday morning I visited a church, out of nowhere, the Pastor began to prophesy to me about me doing fashion, making garments, and having a clothing line. I began to laugh, thinking you’ve got the wrong brother, being my brother went to school for fashion, I went to school for visual art and knew nothing about fashion. Out of obedience, I start teaching visual art in a high school on the south side. My students at the time were all into fashion and for our art club asked if we could make and design clothing while also putting together a fashion show. I didn’t want to say no because they believed for some reason I would be able to teach them this though I had no background in fashion. So I went out, bought a sewing machine and taught myself how to sew so I could teach them in return. The fashion show didn’t exactly happen that first year of teaching; however, several students were able to understand basic garment construction.
Over the next two years, I continued sewing and implemented fashion shows as a fundraiser for the arts. During the last fashion show process, a teacher walked up to me and asked me a question that hit me hard. She asked, “when are you going to put a name to this thing you’re doing?” and proceeded to tell me that it was so much more than just doing it for my students, and I needed to name my business. Thus the name Cultivate 1.2.8. came about, which is a tribute to the place I was first cultivated and encouraged to become who I am today. I was the third generation to grow up in my Great-Grandmothers home on 128 Street in Queens, New York. This was the place that first taught me about history, culture, heritage, community and provided me a safe place to explore all my creative abilities. I wanted my brand to pay homage to that by replicating that in our society. What started off as an attempt to teach a few students how to sew evolved into a brand that is focused on building, employing, and empowering individuals to become who they’re purposed to be in the creative market. In doing so our team consists of some of the students from my first year teaching and one of my mentees.
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?
There are always obstacles when you’re teaching yourself how to do something new, and one of the greatest obstacles I often face is creating the garment I visualized in my head. Having no formal training in pattern creating, I’ve taught myself how to alter patterns to get to my desired end. Another obstacle I often face is finding patterns when designing garments for men, there’s an astronomical difference in pattern availability between men’s and women’s clothing. Oh, did I forget to mention time? Being a dad to four soon to be five children, a husband, an educator, an elder, an artist, and a student, there’s always a fight to find time to design for our brand and make custom garments for people.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Cultivate 1.2.8.?
Cultivate 1.2.8. is more than just a fashion brand, we are a brand focused on building, employing, and empowering people to “BEE” who they are purposed to become creatively. In doing so we are rolling out our “Project BEE” classes in which we will be teaching people how to sew, market their brand, put together fashion shows, and upcycle clothing. As a brand, we offer custom clothing made specifically for the individual and ready to wear garments such as tees, jackets, and hoodies. When people see our brand, we want them to see more than just fashion, we want them to see a new style creative market being carved where we help everyone win. We believe we have the power to cultivate the things we want to see in society, and we directly influence history, culture, heritage, and community so it’s up to us to do it through building, employing, and empowering people.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t know if I would consider it to be luck perse but I do believe every opportunity I’ve been fortunate to walk into has aligned me to walk into purpose. Who would’ve thought becoming a teacher would manifest building a clothing brand that pushes people in their creative gifts. The part I feel lucky/blessed about is the ability to see these young men who were my students join the team and continually grow creatively! I look at it like this Cultivate 1.2.8. is a house similar to the one I grew up in, and we use our creative gifts to continually grow and develop into who we’re destined to be. This is how we directly impact history, culture, heritage, and community.
Contact Info:
- Email: cultivate128@gmail.com
- Website: www.cultivate128.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultivate128/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cultivate128/
Image Credits
MALCMEDIA, and Tay Rose Productions
