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Kyiesha Kelly, co-founder of her family’s urban fashion retailer, Hip Hop Closet, knows that celebrating the 25th anniversary of her Brooklyn business isn’t easy.
A native of Fort Greene, she’s been through it all in the retail space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Rapid gentrification and an ever-changing landscape. Challenges for retailers to meet the demands of digital consumers. A series of recessions. Real estate crisis and global pandemic.
Hip Hop Closet’s staying power is reverently rooted in the same pillars of the hip-hop genre: community, self-expression, and cross-generational appeal. Choosing a naval yard might seem like an unconventional home base. But for Kelly, an industrial park is a good choice for their business and in line with their mission to stay ahead of the curve.
“Growing up, there was always this wall around the Navy Yard, and I really thought that Brooklyn was over and there was only water on the other side,” Kelly said.
To Kiesha’s surprise, her brother Malik We set our sights on the once-thriving Navy Yard for new business ideas, and when the location was great and the rent was affordable, we successfully sublet the space and Hip Hop Closet was born.
A Howard alumnus, Kelly eventually ditched her civil engineering career to grow a hip-hop empire alongside Malik. The move proved pivotal as the popularity of the music genre expanded from his underground party scene to fashion runways.
Initially surprised by hip-hop’s global success, Kelly quickly embraced new fans and consumers in Brooklyn and around the world.
“We had customers buy our items in Australia where shipping costs alone can cost more than Durag’s price. Thank you so much for the love!”
Famous brands like Avirex, Adidas and Walker Wear still reign supreme at the Hip Hop Closet, with a new generation of hip hop fans.
“Given that April was the first woman to truly dominate urban menswear, we are proud to be a distributor of leading iconic brand Walkerwear,” Kelly said.
Shoppers will have no shortage of hoodies, Biggie memorabilia, and other hip-hop nostalgia items at Suite 607. The retail space is affectionately known.
But the hot ticket item is the classic sheepskin coat. Available in an assortment of lengths, styles, and shades that blend classic hip-hop streetwear aesthetics with modern flair, he’s priced between $1,200 and $2,500.
Custom coats can take approximately two to three weeks to design, depending on the time of year. Kelly said creating custom her designs is a rewarding part of the business for her and her customers.
“There was a ball working with the TV show Power because its cast has such a wide variety of styles.”
“Running a family business isn’t always easy, but at the end of the day, we share a common goal of growing this business together,” Kelly said.
Aim to expand Hip Hop Closet into a global e-commerce business and experiential events space with the help of Kiesha, the face of the brand, and her daughter Raina and nephew Navon Kelly.
Kelly just entered into a community partnership with HITN, a holiday collaboration donating to New York Cares Court Drive, and is looking forward to rolling out a year-long line-up of events to mark Hip Hop Closet’s 25th anniversary. .
“It’s eye-opening to see how hip-hop culture really integrates race, ethnicity and culture,” she said.
“At its core, hip-hop is self-expression.
“That’s what makes it so compelling and relevant over the years.”
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