The Recess Bell's Black History Month campaign, Celebrating Black Creatives, has taken pride in platforming Black creatives' stories & their work.
Today, we present to you a very special tandem: 'GZO' & 'PR' of UDEM: their shared business enterprise. Let's learn more about the two brothers & UDEM through this interview conducted by The Recess Bell's very own Gina.
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Gina: Can you tell us about your background and what led you to start “Underestimated”?
UDEM: "UDEM" was founded in June 2022 by Founder & CEO Prince "PR" Udemezue. As a 16-year-old young entrepreneur with a dream of future success and being his own boss, he created UDEM through inspiration from clothing giants such as Nike and Adidas. He later then introduced his brother CEO: Godson "GZO" Udemezue the following year who helped reshape the brand's memo to the now known "Underestimated".
UDEM's website -- click the image to head over!
GZO, an already-established businessman experienced in e-commerce, restructured the company's memo to personally connect with customers on a more profound level with the clothing that is released, while also relating to the past, as the brothers both felt underestimated growing up.
Gina: Were there any pivotal moments or challenges that shaped your journey as a business owner?
UDEM: Yes! We've had multiple pivotal moments that have shaped our journey as business owners, but one in moment in particular that was a major leap in our success was YouTuber and viral streamer FlightReacts reacting to our Mocha A/S Shorts and our Dennis Rodman shirt, which showed us tremendous growth on social media and an increase to our overall business sales.
The great FlightReacts:
Gina: How does your brand reflect personal experiences or the experiences of your community?
UDEM: Our brand "UDEM" expresses our personal interest in clothing, which are the type of clothes we never had access to growing up; which we're sure other people can relate to as well.
The personal connection to our brand message of being underestimated, which is why we promote quality over quantity and push out only the best products in our selection with also expressing our designs in a fashionable way.
Gina: How do you think fashion can serve as a tool for storytelling and empowerment, especially for the Black community?
UDEM: Our pieces express courage and boldness such as the bold fabrics and the distressing on our recently released "Graffiti" sweatpants. With the majority of our customer base being a part of the Black community, we express empowerment as a Black-owned business showcased through our social media platforms.
Gina: Do you have any upcoming drops, collaborations, or projects?
UDEM: We do have something in store for the ladies, which will be revealed more & more on our social media platforms as the days go on. To stay tuned in, don't forget to follow us on IG @officialudem to be up to date with the release!
Gina: What does Black History Month and being Black mean to you?
UDEM: Black History Month is a month of empowerment for those who are of black descent. It's a month to celebrate our pride, culture, and those who made an impact on Black history. Being Black to us represents strength, courage, and love for our community through times of peace and hardship.
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