We were lucky to catch up with Vick The Creator recently and have shared our conversation below.
Vick The Creator, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Everywhere I go I look different than what society expects me to look like. Being a masculine female wearing men garments, people have already gathered ideas and thoughts of who they think I am when they first see me. I’m effective and successful because when they meet me with their assumptions I shatter them with everything they thought they knew of me. Leaving them with the cliche thought of “Never judge a book by its cover.” Get to know me and I’ll be one of the best books you’ll ever read.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My journey is really a journey that is a bunch of crumbs left behind that later formed a cookie. Around 2013 I was introduced to thrifting. From there I got the idea to customize denim jackets and sell them. I came up with the name Heartless Vintage for my custom denim jackets. Heartless came from Kanye’s 808s & Heartbreaks album. He had just dropped the Yeezus album which went crazy! But honestly I was still stuck on the artistry on 808s & Heartbreaks. So the name came to me from track 3. The Vintage came to me from the up cycle of my denim jackets. So that’s how I came up with “Heartless Vintage.” My logo came to me many years later. I took a break from customizing denim jackets in like 2015. Fast forward to 2023 I’m watching the Wu-Tang Saga episode where RZA first sees the Wu-Tang logo for the first time. And I remember thinking to myself I need to make a timeless logo for HV. And just create a clothing line. I got into my head and came up with the logo just by watching that episode and the rest is history. My first fashion show was the launch of my brand to the world. I haven’t stopped since. My clothing brand is the definition of sexy, edgy street fashion for everyone. I can wear the same HV custom camo jacket to a random store that I can later dress it up and wear it to an upscale party and turn heads.
A lot of my pieces are custom however I’m producing a lot more manufactured pieces like my new varsity jacket that is scheduled to drop in a couple of days. Be on the look out for that!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Great listener, patience and determination were most impactful in my journey. Great listening skills helped me elevate my craft and learn how to take it to new levels with minimal mistakes. I listened to people who have done it before me and took out of it what I felt was right for me. Most people want to be heard and understood. But if you are always talking how do you actually learn? Patience didn’t come easy. Sheesh! I would watch everything great happen to everyone else. I would ask myself “Why nothing good is happening for me?” “When is it my time?” I still don’t think my time has come but I learned to be happy with what I have and accomplished. Until then you will never be ready for “your time” because you are busy worrying about someone’s else’s progress. Again, how can you accept any blessings when you are busy worrying about someone’s else blessings? Patience is definitely a virtue. Be ready to receive whatever you are asking for. Determination comes with a lot of self doubt at times, courage to keep going when you feel like you have failed too many times and it comes with loosing family and friends. To be determined is a lot harder than a lot of people give credit to. To be determined in a dreamer’s world is to stand strong against people who think you are crazy for not just going to get a 9-5. There’s not a lot of Jay-Zs, Kanye Wests, Rihanna’s or Oprah’s but there’s a Vick The Creator. It’s not easy for them to see that because they have to see the ending where in a dreamer’s mindset we projected our ending already. I had to be determined and go against the grain when it came to my dreams. A fashion designer? They’re still a few telling me that a warehouse is hiring. I use it as motivational tool and I continue to be determined to prove those that doubt wrong. My advice to anyone who is thinking about starting a clothing line or any business is to be uniquely yourself without ever thinking you are too old, or too educated to learn. Accept the knowledge and stories of others. They are free gems and will add to your growth if you allow it. You are going to hit hurdles that seems to be too difficult but fight through it. If it all came easy we would have ten Virgil Ablohls walking around! RIP to an ICON. Learn to wait patiently for your time by working harder on your craft. Invest energy in yourself instead of putting your energy somewhere it doesn’t serve purpose for your growth. And learn to be determined by keeping only positive people around you. If they aren’t there to lift you then they are there to hold you down. Do it for yourself and stand firm in what you believe in and who you are.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Allowing me to be me even when they were like where the hell did we go wrong? Lol. They taught me what they thought I needed to survive and make it in this crazy world. I’m far from perfect, maybe even far from what they expected of or wanted for me but I believe they did the best they could. And with that they did well. I wouldn’t be me without that foundation. So I thank them. Thank you.
Contact Info:
- Website: Heartlessvintage.com
- Instagram: Heartless_Vintage
- Facebook: Heartless Vintage Clothing
Image Credits
Max.is.magic Bussalenz Tha_eye Vick_the_creator Distinct_visionz_photo_
