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Local Clothing Company Lands Distribution Deal with Nordstrom
asbarez
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
ARKA Founders (from left to right) Sevan Aliksanian, Burag Celikian,
and Shant Der Ashodian display their T-shirt designs at their showroom
located in the Fashion District in Downtown L.A (phoro by Karen M.
Guzelian)
BY KAREN M. GUZELIAN
Special to Asbarez
A few years after its establishment, ARKA Clothing launched its
collection in Nordstrom's online store. Last month a variety of ARKA
production began retailing at the Nordstrom stores.
Since 2009, ARKA has been distributing its collection of t-shirts and
accessories to several retailers across the U.S. and more than 11
countries worldwide, with Nordstrom being its most valuable contract
to date.
`It still hasn't kicked in yet because it's still very fresh,' said
ARKA co-founder Sevan Aliksanian, regarding the company's biggest
partnership. `I say in about a couple of months, it'll start sinking
in.'
Co-founders of ARKA, Shant Der Ashodian, Burag Celikian, and
Aliksanian have been working on expanding the company by networking
and working with major retailers.
According to Der Ashodian, the Jan. ENK NYC and Feb. ENK Vegas fashion
trade shows brought ARKA success and nearly 75 additional accounts.
Through the ENK trade shows, the company was also able to land some of
the most prestigious accounts nationwide: Nordstrom, Fred Segal (Santa
Monica), Akira (Chicago), MGM Resorts (Las Vegas), Boogie's (Aspen),
Bloomingdale's (Dubai), Simon's (Canada), and Karmaloop.com.
Each co-founder made lifestyle changes to focus on their new
enterprise. Aliksanian has a background in computer engineering, while
both Celikian and Der Ashodian were working in real state prior to
ARKA. They each had a stable career, but then gave that all up to
pursue their passion and focus on the expansion of ARKA.
The Fashion District in Downtown L.A. is home to the showroom of the
up-and-coming ARKA Clothing company (Photo by Karen M. Guzelian)
`We pretty much dropped everything for this,' said Der Ashodian.
`Everything was going for us, but this is our passion.'
According to Celikian, the concept of starting ARKA was motivated from
Aliksanian's dislike of the Ed Hardy craze. `[Sevan] was like, `We
need to make a T-shirt line,'' he explained. `We started this as a
need for society. He thinks we're doing a public service.'
ARKA's T-shirt designs are based on the founders' view of the city of
L.A. `If you look at us, you'll just think we're really random,' said
Celikian. `If you look at what [L.A. is] right now, we're like a
melting pot... Our line kind of reflects that.'
The company's target demographic is the 22 to 30-year old men who
still want to wear graphic T-shirts. On a few occasions, they have
attracted buyers who do not fit in the target demographic, yet enjoy
ARKA's designs. `[We] have the 16 to 18-year old loving our stuff,
too. We have 50-year-old moms buying our stuff for themselves,' said
Der Ashodian.
ARKA got its breakthrough deal from its first participation in the ENK
Las Vegas trade show in Feb. 2011, which landed it a deal to send its
products to Bloomingdales in Dubai.
`It's cool seeing the reaction of people now that we're being
distributed... It's nice to see the appreciation,' said Celikian.
Family has also played a big role in the founders' lives, as they've
received a great deal of support from all family members. `They saw
the potential and `believed' in us more than anyone else. One of the
key success factors for ARKA has become the support we have received
from our parents,' explained Der Ashodian.
Determination, family support, and the bond between three best friends
helped ARKA succeed the way it has. The founders put all their effort
in the company and were willing to do the `dirty work' to market
ARKA's one-of-a-kind T-shirts, and not allowing money to get in the
way of their friendship.
`[People] usually tell you not to get in the business with your
friends, but in our case, it works,' said Aliksanian. `If money gets
between us, the business is done. I'll keep the friendship.'
In July, ARKA will be part of the Nataline Sarkisyan Foundation
Fashion Show held on the roof-top of the Mercedes-Benz dealership in
Calabasas. To view ARKA Clothing's latest designs, visit
ARKAClothing.com.
asbarez
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
ARKA Founders (from left to right) Sevan Aliksanian, Burag Celikian,
and Shant Der Ashodian display their T-shirt designs at their showroom
located in the Fashion District in Downtown L.A (phoro by Karen M.
Guzelian)
BY KAREN M. GUZELIAN
Special to Asbarez
A few years after its establishment, ARKA Clothing launched its
collection in Nordstrom's online store. Last month a variety of ARKA
production began retailing at the Nordstrom stores.
Since 2009, ARKA has been distributing its collection of t-shirts and
accessories to several retailers across the U.S. and more than 11
countries worldwide, with Nordstrom being its most valuable contract
to date.
`It still hasn't kicked in yet because it's still very fresh,' said
ARKA co-founder Sevan Aliksanian, regarding the company's biggest
partnership. `I say in about a couple of months, it'll start sinking
in.'
Co-founders of ARKA, Shant Der Ashodian, Burag Celikian, and
Aliksanian have been working on expanding the company by networking
and working with major retailers.
According to Der Ashodian, the Jan. ENK NYC and Feb. ENK Vegas fashion
trade shows brought ARKA success and nearly 75 additional accounts.
Through the ENK trade shows, the company was also able to land some of
the most prestigious accounts nationwide: Nordstrom, Fred Segal (Santa
Monica), Akira (Chicago), MGM Resorts (Las Vegas), Boogie's (Aspen),
Bloomingdale's (Dubai), Simon's (Canada), and Karmaloop.com.
Each co-founder made lifestyle changes to focus on their new
enterprise. Aliksanian has a background in computer engineering, while
both Celikian and Der Ashodian were working in real state prior to
ARKA. They each had a stable career, but then gave that all up to
pursue their passion and focus on the expansion of ARKA.
The Fashion District in Downtown L.A. is home to the showroom of the
up-and-coming ARKA Clothing company (Photo by Karen M. Guzelian)
`We pretty much dropped everything for this,' said Der Ashodian.
`Everything was going for us, but this is our passion.'
According to Celikian, the concept of starting ARKA was motivated from
Aliksanian's dislike of the Ed Hardy craze. `[Sevan] was like, `We
need to make a T-shirt line,'' he explained. `We started this as a
need for society. He thinks we're doing a public service.'
ARKA's T-shirt designs are based on the founders' view of the city of
L.A. `If you look at us, you'll just think we're really random,' said
Celikian. `If you look at what [L.A. is] right now, we're like a
melting pot... Our line kind of reflects that.'
The company's target demographic is the 22 to 30-year old men who
still want to wear graphic T-shirts. On a few occasions, they have
attracted buyers who do not fit in the target demographic, yet enjoy
ARKA's designs. `[We] have the 16 to 18-year old loving our stuff,
too. We have 50-year-old moms buying our stuff for themselves,' said
Der Ashodian.
ARKA got its breakthrough deal from its first participation in the ENK
Las Vegas trade show in Feb. 2011, which landed it a deal to send its
products to Bloomingdales in Dubai.
`It's cool seeing the reaction of people now that we're being
distributed... It's nice to see the appreciation,' said Celikian.
Family has also played a big role in the founders' lives, as they've
received a great deal of support from all family members. `They saw
the potential and `believed' in us more than anyone else. One of the
key success factors for ARKA has become the support we have received
from our parents,' explained Der Ashodian.
Determination, family support, and the bond between three best friends
helped ARKA succeed the way it has. The founders put all their effort
in the company and were willing to do the `dirty work' to market
ARKA's one-of-a-kind T-shirts, and not allowing money to get in the
way of their friendship.
`[People] usually tell you not to get in the business with your
friends, but in our case, it works,' said Aliksanian. `If money gets
between us, the business is done. I'll keep the friendship.'
In July, ARKA will be part of the Nataline Sarkisyan Foundation
Fashion Show held on the roof-top of the Mercedes-Benz dealership in
Calabasas. To view ARKA Clothing's latest designs, visit
ARKAClothing.com.