Toronto Fashion Designer Ahniel Lee started with nothing but a keen eye for fashion, attention to detail and a vision for his streetwear company, Povrich Apparel. Each piece is a work of art that has been spotted on celebrities like Zoey Dollaz and Swae Lee. His motto? Design without fear.
What does it mean to be a fashion designer?
I create. Whatever inspiration I can find I jot down and end up creating the garment one of two ways. One is on the computer, that I end up screen printing. The other way I create is to sit down with my seamstress and go through designs that I have sketched out. From there we bring it to life.
How did you get into this?
Initially, I wanted to be an actor when I was younger. I have always had a knack for fashion through the way I dress and carry myself. I feel like I speak through what I wear. As time went on and I graduated from George Brown College, I decided to start a fashion brand right out of university. That’s how Povrich started.
What makes your job #CareerGoals?
I love what I do because it allows me to meet really dope people. All of the connections you make is incredible. When you look at it, the amount of work you put into each piece and to see people gravitate towards it is phenomenal. I can see someone wearing my garments and think, I created that. That shirt is from my imagination.
How could I become a fashion designer?
Just do it! Every one of us has this little talent within us, you just have to turn it on. There are things that I create that I sometimes second-guess, I turn away from it and when I go back to it, I decide that I am just going to do it because of the energy I put towards it, where other people just mess with it. You aren’t perfect but always follow your gut.
What type of person or personality is suited for what you do?
Someone that is open and able to talk to people. Even if you feel you are a bit closed off, your designs can speak for you because at the end of the day it is art.
What are three tips for being successful?
- Follow your heart in what you create.
- Design without fear.
- Be smart with your money!
Tell us a secret about your job?
I am connected to a lot of up and coming rappers and there are big things I am expecting to happen this year.
Anything exciting coming up?
For the first time, I am doing my own fashion show. I will be debuting a lot of the pieces no one has ever seen. I consider this the next tier of Povrich because it’s going to be in the high-end market for niche clientele. Pricing ranging upwards of $500.
You can check out and purchase Provich Apparel here, as well as connect with Ahniel on Instagram.