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Mishka’s Global Conquest: An Interview with Co-Founder Gregory Rivera

by AaronLevant | Jul 02, 2010 | 1,665 views

President & Co-Owner, Greg Rivera

President & Co-Owner, Greg Rivera

Agenda: How did you get started in the industry?

Gregory Rivera (President & Co-Owner, Mishka): I guess I got started when I joined up with Mikhail to form  Mishka back in 2003. I moved to NYC in 2002 and became and instant fan of what was going on in NYC at the time. I grew up in Central Florida so most of my background was skate and surf brands. I hung out with all the skate rats in elementary school, rocked stussy and went through my everything needs to be from the mall phase in middle school, and was introduced to punk rock in high school. Moving to NYC was almost like a new chapter in my life. Learning about brands/stores like SSUR, aNYthing, Alife, Supreme, Union, it really opened my eyes to a new artform and the idea of Streetwear.

What brands were you into growing up?

I guess I already answered this a little bit, but as a kid I was always into graphic inspired t-shirts. I guess that is what really got me excited about skateboarding as a kid was the graphics. I was a fat kid and I didnt really like the outdoors (hah!) so I wasn’t much of a skater, but I hung out with all of them and fucked around, and what-not. I guess as a young kid it was all about Vision, Santa Cruz. I think whatever at the skate shop that caught my eye. My parents didnt really have much money so I mostly bought my clothes at thrift stores or K-Mart. K-mart had some sick licenses back then though, so I always remember getting fun stuff. like Mad Magazine tees and Itchy and scratchy shirts. In high school i mostly wore punk rock tees, either from bands that I would go see and have merch, generic shit from thirft stores, stuff like that.

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Getting your brand off the ground, were you self-funded or did you get help from investors?

We were self-funded. I know most of my portion came from Credit Cards (Jesus, what a mistake!) and from working on a reality show in Mexico for a couple of months.

What is the biggest hurdle/challenge you faced since you started Mishka? How did you handle/overcome it?

I think the hardest challenge was learning the business side of this industry. Mike and I are artists and we come from a creative background, we had not formal business training or history of it. We also didnt have any family members in the industry or anyone that really knew anything about business. Haha, if you had met us from the beginning you probably would of said we were crazy for even attempting to do what we have done. I think we have taken one hurdle at a time and been very careful about the decisons we have made. I know over the years, I have listened, learned, and observed. Talking to people any chance I can get. Its also been a lot of trial and error.

Mishka Tokyo

Mishka Tokyo: Exterior

What are some key lessons you have learned during your career?

What have I learned about the streetwear/fashion/clothing industry? (whatever you want to call it). I mean some basic things, like how important it is to deliver on time. I have learned that margins do matter. I have learned not to get in over your head. I have learned you can’t have a strong brand without proper marketing. I have learned it might not be the best idea to hire friends. I have learned (and kind of always knew) that nothing if guaranteed and you have to work very hard for everything you want.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

Haha, deliver your product on time!

Mishka NYC: Interior

Mishka NYC: Interior

Did you have a particular guide/mentor that was instrumental in your development and success in the industry? If so, how were they helpful?

I do not have a particular guide or mentor. I do have my friend Nabile Testament. A lot of people may know and love him or hate him, but over the past few years he has given me some great advice since he comes for a more corporate perspective.  I have also gotten much advice from other store owners and brand owners. The wealth of knowledge that someone has that has been doing it longer than you or doing it at the same time is really priceless.

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How did you choose your team? (How did you select the people working for you?)

Well a lot of the people that work for us now,  have actually been our interns. You really can tell a lot about someone who is willing to work for you for free. Other people have either been referred to us or that we have met over the years.

Mishka Echo Park: Interior

Mishka Echo Park: Interior

You recently opened a flagship store based in Echo Park, did you decide to open the store as a marketing/branding tool, or was it for profit? How has the flagship lived up to your expectations?

The store in Echo Park was a bit of both. Of course we want it to be successful financially but we also saw it has a huge marketing tool for the west coast. I mean I guess if were looking to really get a lot of business and foot traffic we would have opened over on Fairfax or Melrose, but its not what we decided on. We are a Brooklyn (NYC) based brand so we haven’t always had the biggest presence on the west coast. We also chose the neighborhood of Echo Park because we felt it had the perfect fit for the brand. Our store manager Andrew is born and raised in LA and spent a lot of time in Echo Park. I think the community really defines us as a brand and how we want to be perceived. It has a very local neighborhood vibe to it and a ton of our friends and associates live in that neighborhood so it made sense.

How do you choose your retailers?

We usually choose a retailer by location and the other brands they carry. At this point in time we are looking for retailers who can pay their bills. Haha. Working with boutique stores is awesome but sometimes it can be a pain in the neck to get payment.

Mishka Tokyo: Interior

Mishka Tokyo: Interior

How important is organic growth of your brand?

I think it is very important for the brand, since we have always just done what we were into and what we were proud to produce. Of course as you grow you have to be more strategic and create items for a specific market, but we have wanted everything we have done to be organic and real. We would rather people come find us and become fans rather then trying to convince them to be.

Talk about any expansion of distribution with the larger retailers and any big accounts outside of the USA.

Yea sure. Whatever we feel will work well for the brand and the brand image. We are not against expanding our distribution or looking for larger retailers. We are just trying to be smart about it.

What particular areas in the USA are you strongest in right now?

The North East is still the strongest for us, especially NYC.

Mishka NYC: Exterior

Mishka NYC: Exterior

Is there a regional difference in styles/trends/preferences you notice?

I guess there a few that I notice. In NYC a lot of kids are wearing their clothes a lot more fitted. There is also a lot of mismatching going on here with high fashion, mixed with streetwear, mixed with thrfit, mixed with whatever. I have also noticed over the years that generally speaking a lot of east coast brands (ourselves) have focused more on graphic based tees rather than logo. This has obviously changed over the years but its something I can still notice from time to time.

How have you adjusted your business plan to meet the demands of this tough economic climate?

I mean, I think like everyone else we have just been more crafty and calculated in the business decisions we make and what we try to do.

Where do you see yourself/Mishka in five years?

Myself, sitting on beach drinking a cocktail out of a coconut shell. Haha. I see myself with a family and a backyard. For the brand I see ourselves continuing to grow strong. I would love to see a chain of Mishka stores around the world. A store that sells our clothing brand and expresses our lifestyle and interests. Sort of like what we have in our 3 stores right now.

Anything else you’re looking forward to in 2011?

We just finished designing Fall ‘11, and are about to start selling Spring ‘11. Both collections are super strong and something that I am very proud of. We also have some great collaborative projects for 2011. If you don’t already you really need to check out our blog, The Bloglin (www.mishkanyc.com/bloglin) Its pretty much a lot more of that!

Mishka Retail Locations:
Echo Park: 1547 Echo Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90927
Tokyo: 3-28-5 Jingumae Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001 Japan
New York: 350 Broadway, Brooklyn New York

For information, check out Mishka’s website: www.mishkanyc.com




Mishka NYC: Exterior
Mishka Tokyo: Interior

Mishka Echo Park: Interior
Mishka NYC: Interior
Mishka Tokyo

President & Co-Owner, Greg Rivera

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