Rich Yung at Cargo Trade Show in NYC

Article written by: Jacob Breinholt
Posted on: July 20, 2009

SoJones caught up with the guys from the Rich Yung Society this week at the Cargo Trade Show on Mulberry Street in New York City. Omar Bennett, sales manager for Rich Yung, and Kevin Webb, one of the owners, gives us the lowdown on the backstory of Rich Yung and just how involved NY rapper Fabolous is with the popular menswear line.

Jake: It is pretty widely known that Fabolous was one of the guys who really got this brand off the ground. How much involvement does Fabolous have these days.

Omar: He is still very involved. There is nothing that goes into production without Fab okaying it first.

Jake: Does he [Fabolous] do any of the designing, himself?

Omar: No, not really. He just directs it. When he sees a style that he likes, he sends it to the designers and asks them to use it as a starting point.

Jake: Who are some of the designers? Any names that we would recognize?

Omar: Rich Yung actually contracts with a company called 503 Labs. They are the guys that helped bring back Members Only, and stuff like that. They are like freelancers who have a style that we like. They draw it all up, then Fab has to okay it.

Jake: So, what’s the story behind the logo, with the wings, and stuff?

Omar: Man, I don’t really know the story on that one. Maybe because we’re so fly! Hahahaha. You are going to have to ask Kevin, on that one.

Jake: Okay, no problem. As you know collaboration is huge right now. Everybody is teaming up with everybody else. Does Rich Yung have any plans to team up with anyone, the way that Louis Vuitton and Kanye did?

Omar: For sure, in fact we already did. We came out with a Cavi box set.

Jake: Is is something that the brand has plans to do more of, going forward?

Omar: Yeah yeah. In fact we are working with Bengi jeans right now. They are a super hot company out of Brooklyn, that we are working on a collabo’ with. Also we are trying to work out a deal with No Label watches.

Jake: Russell Simmons recently introduced his American Classics line, to try to appeal to a broader demographic. Do you think that Rich Yung will ever do something similar, or does that sort of go against the brand’s image?

Omar: Nah, I don’t think that you will ever see Rich Yung do something like that. You ever heard heard Fab’s song “Throw it in the bag?”

Jake: Do you anticipate that Rich Yung will add some more formal items to its lineup, like mens suits, or maybe a tux?

Omar: For sure. Well, no suits, yet. But we are working on some clothes with a more formal look. Like, khakis with a suede trim, stuff like that. We also have some v-neck sweaters and things.

Jake: Without giving away any major secrets, what new things can we expect to see coming from Rich Yung for this fall/winter season, or even next spring?

Omar: Really the main thing to watch out for is the collabo’ that we are doing with Benji. It’s going to be hot.

Jake: Kevin, Omar said that you would know the story behind the logo, with the wings and everything. Can you tell us what that is about?

Kevin: Yeah, it was done by a guy called Ouigi. We wanted to get a good mix of the old classic style, like with the old English lettering, and mix it with the young new style, with the wing, like from a CBR.

Here’s something else. Not a lot of people know this, because Fab is kind of the face of the brand. But Rich Yung is actually a person.

Jake: What? Really?

Kevin: Yeah, he is a 19 year old guy who approached Fabolous in Amsterdam, with some of his design stuff. At first we were like, he is kind of young, and everything. But he just wanted to kind of stay out of the spotlight and stuff. So Fabolous kinda went with it.

Jake: So, this guy, Rich Yung, he lives in Amsterdam?

Kevin: I’m actually not sure where he lives right now. I know that he has a place there for sure. He has one in Japan too. He is a normal looking Asian dude. If he was walking through here right now, you probably wouldn’t even recognize him. He just really likes to hang back out of the spotlight. Know what I’m saying?

Rich Yung apparel is available here.