Business of HYPE: Vashtie Kola

There were very few women to break through the male dominated streetwear scene of the early aughts. Vashtie Kola remains among the most iconic of them all. The first woman to design her own Jordan back in 2010, Vashtie has gone on to start her own brand Violette and direct music videos for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$ and Drake.
She sits down with long time friend and BoH host Angelo Baque (Founder, Awake NY) to reflect on the years they shared together back on the scene. From shop kids to creative directors to label founders, the two trace through what steps it took to get to the top.
This season of Business of HYPE is sponsored by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey.
BULLEIT BOURBON Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 45% Alc/Vol. The Bulleit Distilling Co., Louisville, KY. Please Drink Responsibly.
VASHTIE TIME CODES
00:00 Intro
3:07 Vashtie origins
6:03 Making lasting friends and lasting skills at a retail job
10:18 Attempting a career in the arts despite your parent’s disapproval
11:59 Finding confidence as a woman in the streetwear scene
16:16 Vashtie explains why she wanted to be a filmmaker
19:05 Building a brand with your own unique identity
24:05 Getting into DJ’ing
27:34 Being adorned as an “It Girl”
34:44 Vashtie denying Angelo her Jordan
35:40 Starting a family and how it benefits the creative process
39:42 Words of advice for young creative women
Executive Producer - Kyle Reyes
Director - Jon Fusco
Producer - Alejandra Zelaya, Jenny Fu
Director of Photography - Julius Ignacio
Gaffer - John Izarpate
Grip - Rick Lim
1st AC - Brian Nguyen
Set Design - Lucy Hislop
Production Assistant - Tealoni Butler
Editor - Jon Fusco
Special Thanks
Sarah Schecker
Sophie Schieli
#business #hypebeast #fashion

[@dontrevino443]

more business of hype please. one of the best series on youtube & very educational for the next generation

[@thomaspayton_]

please dont stop making these hypebeast...

[@Faaade_]

Va$htie was always the it girl to me.✨A true renaissance woman.

[@beyonduniquecollection]

Vashtie, love her she did the 1st female Jordan sneaker, true. But the 1st women P.O.C to start a Streetwear clothing brand goes to April Walker. In 1987 Walker started her clothing store Fashion In Effect out of her home, and in 1988 she opened her first clothing shop on Greene Avenue in Brooklyn. Ps just wanted it to be mentioned Angelo said he wasn't certain that's what comments are for Salute BOH One-day myself look forward to also seating on that couch too. Been watching since Jeff was the host.

[@Chi6u]

Vashtie was one of them ones for me🔥 showed you how to not be boxed in as an artist and left the blueprint for ppl

[@Chi6u]

Is*

[@MrLENrok]

Keep these coming. NYC staples of the early days

[@SDPTheGhost]

Love these interviews 🔥🤞🏽

[@sameezydeezypeezy]

Hi, I just started listening to this podcast listened to the latest 3 episodes), and I’m with the people saying to not stop this podcast! As someone who doesn’t live in a big city or have fashion connections. This podcast is the best next thing. I want to give some feedback tho bc it’s really hard to hear, the audio is low so I have to put up the volume to the max, then if the host or guest laugh or something else, my ears are in pain bc they get so close to mic 😭 besides that everything is cool, God Bless 🫶

[@jasu5142]

Great advice

[@makeit624]

VASHTIIII THE G

[@skyelerdelva3309]

Great Episode!

[@theboss6422]

This was dope!

[@rafeeqwarfield9690]

Great interview. Awesome interviewee. Thanks, HYPEBEAST, for showcasing incredible talent, inspiring stories, and a window into what's possible. Vashtie Kola is a maestro, I am going to take some gems here and put them to use

[@2susjus]

I applied to SVA because of Vashtie 💜 loved seeing her entrepreneurship as a teenager

[@Seele08]

Iconic ✨💜

[@seanwilliams515]

RIP Max Fish 🥲

[@steveruiz4601]

Vashitie’s blog was big ⛽️⛽️⛽️ The Violette package addresses were hand written

[@sayhaje]

Yes!!! 💐

[@johnny8030]

OG!

[@grooovyrellyrel]

Forever love Vashtie 🖤

[@f4llenstarr]

IS Daniel Arshams one coming out on video?

[@Corneliousssssss]

🔥

[@goisiahgo]

so tough

[@pjae1076]

What about walker wear? Female owned street wear circa the 90s

[@arrow2sun]

😮😊

[@joshuagamble167]

I’m loving this interview but Leah McSweeny is not black. Angelo mentioned black and brown owned brands owned by pic women and mentioned married to the mob?? Threw me off guard. But nonetheless this is still one of my favorite interviews that BOH has done. Sage was also really good too. Keep doing these please.

[@SM61778]

@joshuagamble167 But then right after, Angelo mentioned how Vashtie was the 1st POC/female streetwear brand owner. I think he was just talking about FEMALE-owned brands when he mentioned Married to the Mob. Because Made Me brand was founded by a white female as well, who he also mentioned. Angelo made it sound confusing regardless, but Leah McSweeny is as white-girl as it gets, so there's no way he was confused lol.

[@A9POLO]

Vashtie og

[@thembisilepraise]

Shoutout the females in the game man

[@user-bv2on9rk9y]

happy eid guys beep boop beep bop please don't disneyify this eid or whatever

[@LilHondaCivic808]

This interviewer a sarcastic hater

[@antichrist5583]

gender fluid?? lmfao oh god. i think "unisex" has always been a thing

[@antichrist5583]

alphabet soup gang and feminist talk is beyond boring