Bakwaas Apparel was founded by a group of friends to create a unique space where South Asian and American cultures beautifully intertwine through casual and streetwear. We sat down with the visionary minds behind Bakwaas Apparel to unravel the inspiration, challenges, and cultural significance stitched into the very fabric of their brand.
For those who might not know you, tell us about yourself. Who is behind Bakwaas Apparel, and what made you enter the clothing industry?
A few friends with a vision. We are people with a simple taste in fashion, and we always wished we had a way to represent ourselves through casual or streetwear apparel. After a bit of research, we discovered an avenue to provide not only ourselves, but also our community an opportunity to represent their South Asian and American cultures through casual and streetwear apparel!
Bakwaas means silly or rubbish… how did you come up with the name? What made you use ‘Bakwaas’?
It’s a catchy word that people can remember, a unique word in the South Asian culture, and a word that shows we’re here to have fun. We went through multiple ideas before deciding on Bakwaas and we think that this word plays well with our brand image: Playful, Creative, and Stylish
Bakwaas Apparel has a really unique logo, (the crown, 3rd eye, etc.) where did the inspiration come from? Is there a special meaning behind it?
We simply designed a logo that embodies the expression of our brand’s name and our mission: to merge the South Asian and American cultures together. We wanted people to look at the logo and develop their own thoughts. If you really think about it, it can mean anything you’d like. It’s your take on what it was like to grow up here with many different cultures. We would like the logo to be a symbol for the kids who grew up here, but it really doesn’t mean anything until our customers or fans define it for themselves.
“American Born Confused Desi” is something every first gen born American gets called; what does that phrase mean to you and what inspired you to create the “American Born Confused Cultured Desi” shirt?
This design was created to redefine the stigma around kids being raised in America and their ability to learn and accept their South Asian roots. We want to give people an opportunity to represent their story on how they went from being confused to cultured. The idea of merging the South Asian and American cultures is a phenomena that has been going on for years, and we are just riding the wave because this is something we’re genuinely passionate about as a brand!
Following up to the previous question, how important is it to you to combine South Asian and American Culture? What inspires you and where do you hope this can lead to?
It is very important for us to make the connection between these cultures as it is a part of our mission and the values we believe in at Bakwaas Apparel! We’re inspired by the movement of our cultures in the western world, and all the other individuals, companies, and organizations that are breaking barriers in the South Asian community. We want to be able to create an outlet for the future generations of South Asian children, and provide them with an opportunity to learn and embrace their roots.
Let’s shift to some of your designs, how did you come up with the creative design ideas? (Dosti, Live Maast, and Bhagavan’s Plan are some of our favorites!)
In the beginning, we thought about different avenues we could take to parody pop culture with a South Asian twist. Understanding both South Asian and American cultures is the key to coming up with these creative designs. As we matured as a company, we shifted to more original designs. Instead of adding a South Asian twist to existing things like Dosti (Friends) or Live Maast (Taco Bell), we created our own from scratch like You Are a Phool or Desi me Rollin’.
You have a Pani Puri design on one of your t shirts, what’s your favorite South Asian dish?
An impossible question to answer, but we would have to stick with Pani Puri on this one!
Starting your own business is no easy task, what were some obstacles you faced when you chose to embark on creating Bakwaas Apparel?
Generating sales, drafting designs, and team fluidity are amongst the top obstacles we faced during the start. We kept our heads down until we knew we had something good on our hands. Every day, new companies/brands start but fail to keep up in the fast changing market. This easily could’ve been us, but we have kept and will continue to keep our heads down and master our craft before we start to make strategic moves towards more ambitious goals. We all have to start somewhere, and this is our starting point. We take it day by day and try to keep a positive belief that things will work out as long as we consistently put in the work with genuine intent. All other obstacles will seem surmountable once you establish a strong foundation.
What was that initial feeling like when you first saw people wear your apparel?
It feels amazing, and it brings a smile to our faces. We’re our own worst critics, and no matter how many hours we spend making and marketing these designs, it never feels complete. When people use their hard earned money to purchase our apparel, we feel like all that time and effort put in behind the scenes is worth it. That satisfaction of giving an individual the opportunity to express themselves and their culture through our apparel is unmatchable.
If someone wanted to start their own clothing brand from scratch, what’s the best piece of advice you could give them?
This is a team effort. Find a partner or a team that has the skills and vision to build something, and have fun along the way. Always keep an open mind, and realize that everyone is learning along the way. There will be times when you are discouraged and times when you may fail, but having a team provides you the opportunity to talk through it all. Once you have that, just let things play out and enjoy the ride. There will be ups and downs, but everything is a lesson, so learn from it and let it help you grow.
Finally, what can we expect from Bakwaas apparel in the future?
You can expect not only more awesome apparel that merges South Asian and American cultures together, but also media content that highlights the community that we’re a part of!
From their playful name to their deeply symbolic logo and designs that resonate with a generation, Bakwaas is more than just a clothing brand; it’s a movement. As they continue to grow, we can look forward to more exceptional apparel that bridges two worlds.
