THE JOURNEY PART 3 - Identity

Welcome back, it's been a few days since my last entry. As I mentioned in the last entry, this one will be focused on how I stumbled upon the brand identity for None Like Us. I don't know if it's something that other clothing brand owners have had to struggle with, but in my case, what it was was foggy for a while.

For context, as I said in previous posts, originally, I didn't have a concrete brand identity for None Like Us. I originally just wanted to make hoodies that I liked that were influenced or inspired by topics or subjects that I found to be particularly interesting. In the beginning, that was Japanese-inspired clothing. Focusing on powerful Japanese phrases or words that represented a much deeper meaning than that at face value. That's about when I created POWER, IKIGAI, KAIZEN and DREAM. The idea that I only make hoodies that I would wear, remains, however slowly, I found myself shifting from the Japanese-focused attire to something entirely different...

In my life, I have always had a feeling, something hiding under the covers. For a very long time, I didn't know what it was, so I ignored it. I settled. It wasn't until recently that I began to notice this feeling and recognise it as the gift it is. Eventually, I started to notice that I didn't think like a lot of the people around me, I didn't do things that other people did, I didn't notice it, it was only when I took a step back and had a real look, that I noticed - I'm not normal.

I began to realise that I was different. I was given this gift, this ability to grow, to change and to see. I began to see that I was unlike a lot of my peers around me. I wanted to know if there were other people like me. So many people have settled for mediocre. I didn't want that; I was sick of being average and being normal. I know that many people go through life wishing that they were normal or more like everyone else. I began to see being different as a gift. Something that separated the average from the exceptional. I know I'm not alone, I know there are others like me. I know others have this feeling, this belief that they are meant for much more. Their existence in the world will bring a contribution that was significant.

I know that everyone might have this gift, it's just so many go through life without ever nurturing it, without taking that leap, without believing in it, without believing in themselves. 

I wanted to create a way to nurture this gift. A way to pull it out of the individual so that they realise they are special, I want to be the catalyst that helps people have that very same epiphany I had. As well as a way to allow those who know it to represent it. I want to create a way for those who know they're special to come together, as a collective of exceptional individuals.

And thus, the real Identity for None Like Us. Was born. It's a little ironic, isn't it? I named this brand None Like Us, but it took me a few months to connect the name to its identity. None Like Us is a brand for exceptional individuals. For those that are, those that are trying to be and those that don't even know they are. It's the brand that will represent those who are special, those who feel different. The brand that will help nurture them. Being different is in our blood. It's who we are.

This is what I believe in, this is what I want None Like Us to be. It's not just a clothing brand; it's bigger than a few hoodies. It's the place that will help people understand how special their dreams are, how special THEY ARE. 

I took something that I felt in my personal life, and found a way to express this feeling through clothing. And I think this has helped me to define what a brand is.

It's a feeling.

In the clothing industry, when people put on your clothes, they should FEEL SOMETHING. That, to me, is the true definition of a brand. It took a while for me to define it with NLU and how I wanted to translate this, but I got there, and if I got there, so can you.

I know right now, NLU is small, basically unknown to everyone, but slowly, surely, we, together, can grow this to what it's meant to be.

I hope you all have an amazing day. See you later,
Aleks

BECOME EXCEPTIONAL