Mike Amiri's Journey: Building a Luxury Fashion Brand from a $30,000 Investment

On this week's episode of IDEA GENERATION, designer Mike Amiri takes us on a journey from his early days growing up in Hollywood, to releasing his first capsule collection, to launching his flagship brand, AMIRI. From handcrafting clothes for musicians, to reaching over $300 million in annual revenue, Mike Amiri's journey is truly remarkable... and it all started with one idea. Act I 00:00 - Intro 01:16 - Influence of Parents' Professional Life 02:01 - Importance of Supportive Network 02:21 - Discovering Creative Abilities 03:32 - First foray into Fashion 03:55 - Influence of Hollywood and Culture 04:37 - High School Years in Beverly Hills 06:00 - Overcoming Creative Blocks 06:27 - Transition to College and Music 07:50 - Pursuing Academics and Law School 09:20 - Unexpected Journey into K-pop 11:00 - Knowing When to Pivot 11:25 - Entry into Fashion Industry 12:56 - Balancing Work to Pursue Passion 13:23 - Building a Network and Developing Craft 14:45 - Embracing Failure and Growth 15:07: Freelance Gigs & Being a One-Man Show 16:17 - Going All In & How Amiri Began 18:15 - Getting Amiri Out into the World 19:28 - Choosing His Last Name to Build a Fashion Empire Act II 20:26 - Unleashing Exclusive Styles at Maxfield 20:57 - Creating Illusion and Demand & Refining the Foundation 22:32 - Balancing Creativity and Business 23:15 - Staying Exclusive in the Fashion Industry 23:53 - Definition of Personal Success: 24:20 - Why Amiri Has The Best Denim In The World 25:10 - Protecting the Brand's Essence 27:14 - The Endless Pursuit of Excellence 28:07 - The Fear that Comes with Scaling & The Importance of a Mentor 29:45 - Defying Norms: The Rodeo Drive Store Act III 31:21 - Evolution of Aesthetic and Influences 32:10 - Amiri’s Uniqueness Reigns Supreme in Fashion 33:17 - Where Ideas Spark 33:30 - Creating Solutions and Making an Impact 34:57 - The ROI of a Paris Runaway Show 36:00 - Most Important Qualities 36:23 - Maintaining Humility and Leading from the Ground Floor 38:06 - Sacrifices, Family, and Carving Out Time 41:31 - Values over Materialism 41:55 - The Vision of the Next 10 Years 43:07 - Empowering Undiscovered Talent through the AMIRI Prize 44:30 - Uncompromising Dedication to Brand Integrity Credits Noah Callahan-Bever Creator & Host, Idea Generation Starring: Mike Amiri Musical Director: A-Trak Animations by: Sang Bleu / IDEA GENERATION Executive Producers: Helena Ox, Tricia Clarke-Stone and John Walaszek Producer: Jack Erwin Creative Director + Editor: Kyle Gaughan Produced by: RAW Media House Director: Mike Marasco DP: Taylor Ross Producer: Kasandra Baruch Production Manager: Brian Antezana AC: Spencer Wood Gimbal Op: Matt Stanley Sound: Jonathan Mendoza Gaffer: Tanner Nichols Key Grip: Eric Gilbert Art Director: James Rene MUA: Natasha Severino PAs: David Kelly, Estavon Hawley Vintage Photos by Nathan Morse Special thanks to: Nima Zaribaf Pauline Perina Cooper Lichacz #mikeamiri #amiri #ideageneration