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