Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki McKnight.
Hi Nikki, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
FIEcrū (pronounced fī kroo) is an acronym for Family Is Everything crew. It started out as an independent record label run by myself and my cousin Ty Davis. We wanted to put our logo on a few tee shirts and hoodies so when we were out with the artists we worked with, we could all represent the brand. A lot of people liked the logo and what it stood for, so they kept asking how they could get their own. After a while, the requests started coming in for joggers, shorts, caps, etc. The more the requests kept coming in, I decided that I needed to trademark the brand, set up a website and make FIEcrū Apparel official. Business kept growing at a fast pace and I ended up having to invest in some equipment so I could learn to print myself. Using a third party had me on someone else’s time and that wasn’t good when I had paying customers waiting for the product. Since then, everything has just been moving steady.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but the journey and the learning process has been worth the small bumps on the way. Some of the struggles I’ve encountered include being on someone else’s time and having to wait in line to get orders processed. People saying they want this and that, but when it’s time to pay up they get ghost. Sometimes those orders would be custom-made, so now I’m stuck with all of this stuff after either paying someone else to do it or working on it myself. It got really frustrating at times. And of course, you get the “where my shirt at” people who want you to just give them things for free. All of that was the number one reason for the website. If you want it, hit the link. Simple math. Also seeing other brands imitate some of our designs and ideas have been a pain. It’s a little flattering at first, but when they do it over and over its kind of aggravating.
We’ve been impressed with FIEcru Apparel, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
FIEcrū apparel is a Black-woman owned business. We specialize in urban street fashion that is both stylish and affordable. You can find something in our catalog for the whole family. There are items available for any gender at any age. Some of those items can be customized with your choice of colors to match whatever sneakers or other clothing you have when you can’t find that perfect fit at the mall or anywhere else online. I take pride in providing my customers with the best service possible. I know that’s what keeps me loyal to any business I shop with, so I do my best to pay that forward with those who shop with FIEcrū.
What matters most to you?
Family matters the most to me. That’s what the brand name represents. Family Is Everything crew. Though I love my kin with everything in me, family doesn’t always have to be blood-related. I have friends that I think of as family. I have loyal customers who have become family. I just want to keep spreading that love and positive vibes to as many people as I can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fiecru.shop
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fiecru
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/fiecru
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/fiecru
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzhHibpJ-PqIq4k_SO9t4fQ
