We’re looking forward to introducing you to Qadri Solarin. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Qadri, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I feel called to reach my highest purpose. For a long time, I ran from my potential. Even as a kid, I’d get in trouble at school for being a class clown or not doing well in classes, not because I couldn’t do the work, but because I wasn’t applying myself. Deep down, I always knew I had something great in me, and so many people around me remind me of that. But the scary part about potential is having to live up to it, not just the version of yourself you imagine in your head, but also the version that everyone else sees in you. I’ve always been afraid of falling short of that. Still, I’ve realized I’d rather fail knowing I gave it everything than fail by never trying at all. My biggest enemy has always been me. Me vs. Me. Now it’s time I finally beat that version of myself and step fully into who I’m meant to be.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Qadri Solarin. I am an artist, a creative, and my medium is clothes. The world is my canvas, and my clothes are the paint. I call it Unordinary Collection. I started this brand five years ago in high school Spanish class. I was 18-19 then, now I’m 25. Unordinary was so different then vs now, even the meaning of what this brand is has transformed over the years, as I grew, Unordinary grew with me. Unordinary Collections is a lifestyle daring to be different and owning your uniqueness. It pulls from my world and other people’s worlds and tells stories through clothes. Each collection I create is a story or an event in my life, and I’m telling it through the clothes. Everything has a meaning and purpose, from the colors to the photoshoot to the models. You know, when you get something from me, there’s a whole concept and meaning behind it, and it brings people together to share a story, tagging along with me from beginning to end. That’s what makes Unordinary unique: my color concepts for each piece and the way that every color is different but flows together seamlessly, creating a dreamy, aesthetic feel. With quality and time. I think most people buy into Unordinary because of the journey the rawness I take people on this journey, and they follow along, because it’s not a gimmick, not for fame, not for trends, it’s my passion, it’s my art.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
All my life, I have struggled with the way I see myself. Growing up, I’ve always felt like I wasn’t smart or cool, and I doubt myself a lot. However, there are key people in my life who have helped change my perspective on myself without even realizing it. My girlfriend Amaya, my sister Kenzie, and my brother-in-law Juan. All for different reasons, we are all multi-layered people with different depths, and they have all affected how I see versions of myself. My girlfriend shaped my creative version of myself as well as my inner child. With her, she has shaped my confidence. I believe in myself a lot more. She’s always pouring into me, calling me fly, and now I walk with a different confidence and talk with a different confidence. Even with my brand, she believed in it immediately and thought it was the coolest thing ever. She always pushes me to grow. She also helps with my inner child, constantly telling me I’m beautiful, I’m smart, and I’m great. I struggled to see myself as these things, let alone call myself these things, and she made it a point to constantly remind me.
My brother-in-law has shaped my life in the few years he’s been in it. He’s a great man; he takes care of his kids, his wife, and he’s a leader. When I see him, I see who I want to aspire to be like in my own way. He’s shaped the way I view love and leadership. I believe in Black love because of him. The way he treats my sister is nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The way he courts her, cares for her, the way they communicate, but most of all, just love each other. My parents divorced when I was young, and I had an obscure view of love because I never saw two people who looked like me love each other so openly and passionately. His leadership is what I adore the most. He leads without forcing it. It’s his actions, his sacrifices for his family that they don’t even know about, but he wears them as a cape like a superhero. He has shaped me into a better man, into a man who loves stronger, leads better, and is overall more focused on my goals and achieving them. He’s given me the confidence to chase after everything I want and not give up until I get it.
My sister, Kenzie, has shaped me into being a genuine person, standing firm in my morals, and being unapologetically me. She’s also taught me to never let my inner child die. Keeping my goofiness always. She has poured into me so much over the years, always believing in me and rooting for me to be great. My sister has opened my eyes to love as well. She makes me believe it’s possible to get your fairytale ending. Sometimes, you’ll go through roadblocks, but in the end, it will all work out. Thank you all for shaping me for the better. Without y’all, I don’t think I’d be the man I am today, especially because of my sister and Juan.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
Yeah, I miss who I was before grief, before I lost my friends to gun violence. I miss when my smile was bright and not forced, when good days were just good days, and my mind wasn’t overtaken by flashbacks of my friend in a casket. They say grief is just love with nowhere to go, but my love has a place; it just falls on deaf ears. I miss my innocence, before I realized how real death is. When you’re young, you have a certain naivety until someone your age or younger passes away, and that innocence is stripped as you’re forced to face your own mortality. I miss many things about my former self before grief struck, and I think I always will. I’ll always continue to grieve, but I’ve learned to live with it, to find healthy ways to cope, and to accept this new version of me.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to Unordinary Collections. This isn’t just a brand to me, it’s a lifelong project and a reflection of who I am. Early on in my life, I decided this was what I would do forever, because nothing else gives me the same sense of purpose or fulfillment. This is my calling. I don’t stress about time because I believe God is the best planner, and my moment will come exactly when it’s meant to. Something Nipsey Hussle always said was that he took the stairs and did it his way, and I’ve carried that with me. My journey hasn’t been the fastest, but it’s been authentic. Everything I’ve built has been done with intention and the right foundation. For me, Unordinary isn’t about shortcuts; it’s about creating something meaningful that lasts, even if it takes a little longer.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m creating, I get into a flow state where nothing in the outside world matters. Time slows down, and it’s just me, the clothes, and the music guiding my thoughts as I come up with new ideas. That space is the most peaceful to me because it’s the one place where I feel completely myself. I see myself clearly there. I feel the most beautiful, the most present, and the most grateful. When I’m in that zone, all the noise of the world fades away, and it’s just pure expression. It’s almost like therapy, a release, and a reminder of why I do what I do. Creating gives me fulfillment, calmness, and purpose; it grounds me while also letting me dream. That balance of peace and possibility is what keeps me coming back to it every time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://unordinarycollections.com
- Instagram: unordinary collections
Image Credits
Genesis Trofort
