Business ventures are daunting for most people, especially teenagers, who at times can feel like they are dabbling in strange waters. It takes a passion and an ability to monetize and manage them in order to succeed.

One such example is CHS senior Aaron Kim, who has created his own clothing business, Kurmante. He observed people’s fashion choices, but instead of merely making note of them, he began to imagine where he could take things differently.

“I had all these ideas, so why not experiment?” Kim said. “I started with a design that I thought would look really cool on a shirt. I did some dabbling into designing, and then I started getting into actually editing, moving itself, which was drop-down shoulders, maybe reconstructing the hoodie, taking some pieces of fabric and just testing it out. Then I realized, ‘Oh, I can make a living off of this”

Kim predominantly sells streetwear, but he sees himself venturing into other areas of clothing. His ultimate goal is to become a luxury designer.

Kim has gotten a consignment deal with a few physical stores and has contacted a few wholesalers to do business with. He has even received help from another designer, who is constantly working with Kim on fresh ideas and experimenting. He merely considers it the beginning of the road and has high standards for success.

Kim hopes to make a living out of his clothing business and make a name for himself in the fashion industry. He recognizes that it is a very challenging goal, but is willing to persevere and get as far as he can with something that he is very passionate about. For now, it is still the learning phase for Kim, but he has plenty of time to truly dive deep into this business and see what his options are. Regardless of the future, he remains optimistic.

“This isn’t really too different from anything I really do,” Kim said. “I’m like dipping myself into a little bit of everything I can learn, whether it be clothes, cars, dancing, anything honestly. For me, it’s just learning new things, more head knowledge for situations that I might need in the future, maybe just a hobby in the future, or maybe another source of income.”
The Kurmante website is still in development, but drop dates are coming soon: https://www.kurmante.com/