At 24 years old, Oakland native Kevin Shephard made history as one of the youngest Black men to have a clothing brand nationally distributed through Foot Locker’s “Home Grown” program, which amplifies designers who are shaping the future of streetwear.
Presently, his brand YANG VIBE is available within 32 Foot Lockers across the U.S. in states such as California, Texas, and Philadelphia with plans for expansion forthcoming.
Shephard first developed a passion for fashion while in middle school. He tells the Sentinel that at the time, “I would put different fabrics on the brim of the hat, and I would take the strap off the back and replace it with a watch strap to make it feel more high-end. I went from that to distressing denim and customizing my jeans because I never saw anything I liked in the mall. When I started doing it for others, people began asking me if I had my own company and that led me to start my own brand.” Shephard decided to forgo college to put his all into launching his business.
Amid building YANG which is an acronym for “Young And Naturally Grinding”, Kevin became a father. He shares, “Many people say their business is their “baby” but having my son was my biggest growing point because I’m not choosing one over the other, both are my priority. I’m going to take care of my son and this business is going to create generational wealth.”
He adds, “At first, I lost a lot of friendships because it took a lot of resilience and sacrifice to build this business. But I’ve also been able to heal a lot of relationships now that people have seen what I was striving for and it’s a full circle moment.”
Speaking of resilience, Shephard shares that working on his first launch with Foot Locker back in 2021 he, “gained ten years of fashion knowledge in like six months.” With his manufacturer being in China, Shephard’s initial production costs were more than projected due to the global pandemic but it was a challenge that he overcame, and YANG became one of Foot Locker’s top-selling brands when the first collection was released in February 2022.
“Prior to the deal I was doing everything myself from designing to sketching, contacting manufacturers, and shipping the products but this was a different magnitude and it opened my eyes to how big the world is and how beneficial the right partner can be.” He added, “You don’t have to start from scratch to build an empire, you can build a brand that has value, solves a problem for society, and scales globally by partnering with someone.”
Shephard goes on to share additional lessons that have changed his business outlook, “The Foot Locker experience taught me contracts, strategy, and how to maneuver on a calendar. Many of these big companies plan years in advance. They’re already planning for November 2025. Having a strategy to stay ahead of the game has been the biggest lesson for me.”
Within the last five years, YANG VIBE has had a series of wins that many clothing brands only dream about from having his clothing worn in season 2 of the hit series, “Bel-Air” (Peacock), to having a plethora of athletes and artists including Grammy-nominated rapper, Rick Ross wear a YANG hat on his Instagram page in addition to the brand being featured in a Foot Locker ad on the famous jumbotrons in Times Square.
Having recently begun the rollout for their Fall/Winter 2023 collection, Shephard’s business partner Chase Mullen shares what they’re looking forward to in the New Year.
“What I’m most excited about is being able to showcase the quality of garments and the innovative designs that we have yet to drop. Knowing what we’ve been able to create in the market in the early stages has my imagination flowing with the possibility that the future holds.”
Speaking to Shephard’s visionary outlook on fashion, Mullen adds, “Kevin has brought back textures that haven’t been used and designed them in ways in which we see other companies emulate six months to a year later.”
Shephard describes his brand as “fashionable motivation,” a mantra that’s evident via Instagram where he shares the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur but always through the lens of teachable and actionable steps, which includes offering brand consultations for up-and-coming businesses. In a social media-driven culture where many people spout the phrase, “move in silence,” Shephard is vehemently against it.
“Be willing to tell everyone your dream. If I wasn’t so open with my dreams, aspirations, and things that inspire me, nobody would know what YANG really stood for. You have to be your biggest advocate. I’m big on the ‘Law of Attraction,’” says Shephard.
“When you tell the world your dreams, you open your life up to be in a space where you can receive those things as well. Never be afraid to share your dreams out loud because I spoke my dreams aloud in 2015 and now, I’m living them.”
To learn more about YANG VIBE, visit: yangstang.net.
