Fly Never Goes Out of Style: The Story of Orange Karti (Article)
Getting into the fashion circuit is not just about making some clothes for people to wear. Fashion is about wearing artistic expression. I was given the privilege to interview a fashion brand that is destined to become a household name. Let me introduce you to the founder of Orange Karti, Decatur, GA’s very own Pretty Kartier.
You may already know Karti for her raps but she’s in a whole new league of her own with a brand that puts TLC into all of the details - from the graphic designs to the fabric selections to the overall marketing. Every Orange Karti piece is a statement piece. But how did this gem come to be in the first place? Karti explains it simply: “I like the color orange. It’s eccentric and I think it resembles how I take a few approaches to life. The other part of it is that people who know me by my music can sometimes get lazy and shorten “Pretty Kartier” to just “Karti”. I just took it and put “Orange Karti” together for the official name.
Karti is very keen on seeking vintage pieces to draw inspiration from. “Before I started making clothes, I would go shopping at thrift stores like Goodwill and look for pieces that specifically came from or at least resembled the 80s and 90s look. I wanted to pretty much recreate that essence that I felt while thrifting. It’s a number of flavors, I think that’s what makes our brand unique. There is something for everybody. But no one piece is like the other.” And just to add to the signature statement, she innovated the “No Restocks” apparel drop when certain items will only be dropped ONCE and when it’s out - it’s out. This idea was drawn from Karti’s love for thrifting a mixture of inspiration from Supreme.
Some of Karti’s favorite signature pieces that sold out almost instantly were the 2020 giraffe print and champagne bandanna shorts. There were even a drop of chocolate finish and orange crocodile print duffle bags that were a big hit on the website. Karti embraces being organic with both her sound and the look of her brand. “Honesty, I let everything develop naturally. Originally it was a way for me to yield more money for the music but the popularity of it took off. In some ways, exponentially faster than the music.”
Carhartt and Dickies, step ahead. Since Karti has already tackled her hand in making collegiate gear, she shares that she’s ready for “workwear”. Always up for trying something new, I can’t wait to see what new threads will drop for the upcoming fall/winter season. While we wait, you can go ahead and check out her www.orangekarti.com website. You also can tap into OK’s merch updates, exclusive drop releases, and product collaborations through @orangekarti on Instagram and Twitter.