A new clothing line started by an MSU alumnus and Western Michigan University student is set to launch Thursday in what the pair hopes will be a positive showing of innovation in a state whose livelihood has been underscored by economic despair.
Nick Smith, who graduated from MSU in May 2009 with a degree in finance and economics, and Nate Teitel, a senior at Western Michigan, have spent the past three months developing their clothing line, called Brand Nu.
The high school friends-turned-business partners officially are launching their spring line with a party in Kalamazoo on Thursday evening.
And although the first collection is relatively small — T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, mostly — Smith and Teitel said they plan on expanding it to include hats, sunglasses and other apparel.
“We want to sell clothing that isn’t generic, that’s stylish, very limited edition (and) comfortable for a reasonable price,” Smith said.
The pair said they are pursuing their passions by founding Brand Nu.
Smith, the self-proclaimed “business operations” side of the partnership, said he always wanted to start a business. Teitel, the creative director for Brand Nu, said he’s long been interested in art and fashion.
Smith said the duo want to raise awareness of Michigan’s daily plight, while conversely trying to show that entrepreneurship in the state can be successful.
“We’re launching a clothing company that we hope to successfully operate, but we’re really putting an emphasis … that it’s not all doom and gloom,” Smith said. “It’s nice to see people do something positive rather than negative.”
Teitel said the two envisioned clothing that is comfortable and simplistic, yet stylish at the same time. They also put an emphasis on bright colors, he said.
He said Brand Nu has benefitted from an overwhelming amount of support from their friends and acquaintances who have volunteered help in aspects of the process such as design and marketing and even have invested money in the company.
Teitel credited the help of others for the success of starting the clothing line in the relatively short three-month time frame.
“As far as how far we’ve come, it’s definitely been about the people we know and what everyone brings to the whole experience,” Teitel said. “People have been throwing up support left and right.”
MSU finance senior Lisa Htang, who is helping Smith and Teitel launch Brand Nu, said the partners have a camaraderie that ultimately will benefit the clothing line as it expands.
“They’ve been very efficient and very quick, and their communication (is) very good,” Htang said. “This is going to be a big, big thing for them.”
Several initial clothing items are available on the Brand Nu Web site, www.livebrandnu.com.
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