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Making your name solid (and sought-after) is nothing nouveaux for a group of exciting and extremely creative, young, ethnically and
culturally diverse designers. They are the members of Intricate Concepts, Inc. - five urbanites who are diligently working behind the scenes of
major urban fashion houses, simultaneously making each product line they handle stand out in its own unique way.
Co-founded in 1999 (after successful freelance opportunities with key manufacturing labels and design houses), Joseph Mbeh and
Raymond Wong, both 27, decided to pool their expertise and talents. As a result, Intricate Concepts was born. Now, the NYC-based design
firm has a tight hold on the garment district and what's behind some of today's most successful and ultra-contemporary lines. The company
serves as a creative clearinghouse for the urban fashion industry and is outsourced by top companies to design apparel, logos, hang tags,
labels, and pocket flashers. It provides corporate branding imaging and graphics, develops website, etc., and can count top fashion houses
such as Sean John, Marithe Francois Girbaud, Phat Farm, DKNY, Timberland, Mecca Femme and Avirex among their clients. "We're proud
that our business allows us to express ourselves through our work and gives us the opportunity to work with the kinds of clients that we do",
said Mbeh. "Also, as artists, our work allows us to use fashion like canvas. We're excited to see our art hanging in people's closest in a variety
of ways."
Along with their colleagues Mbeh and Wong, Raymond Rois, 30; Tarikh Commodore, 29; and Malcom Davis, 21, have similar
educational backgrounds and have attended prestigious art and design institute such as Coopers Union, Pratt Institute, Fashion Institute of
Technology and Parson's School of Art. Culturally, they couldn't be more different, but their differences merge into a range of ideas and
freshness of thinking that clients seem to value; Mbeh is Cameroonian, Wong is Asian, Rois is Puerto Rican, Commodore is African American
and Davis is Jamaican - and they bring the flavor and uniqueness represented in each New York City borough.
"We're like the Neptunes of fashion - working very well together," said Wong. "Ethnically we're all different; we all do different things
inside and outside of the office. We see what works and what doesn't, living in this city. Our individual cultural experiences help to build our
uniqueness and creativity. [this] allows us to create out own market."
The market they are establishing, geared toward fashionably savvy individuals ranging from 12 to 35 years old, is helping their
business to grow by leaps and bounds, Although they admit that business has tripled since their beginning, none will divulge exact revenue
figures."We're happy to say that we're doing an increase in revenue and in new clients over 2003," said Mbeh. "We're also extremely proud
to have clients who have remained with us over the years, such as Marithe Francois Girbaud, a high end sportswear company, Avirex and
Sean (John) Jean who continue to trust us with their work." Wong concurred. "Business has been pretty good and even though the 9/11
situation impacted the fashion industry, our income has increased and we're still here after four years and expect to be here many years to
come growing in a variety of areas," he said. One area in witch the designers are growing is advertising. They recently began developing some
print magazine ads and billboards."For clients like South Pole, we have developed some ads, which are due out in about 30 to 40 magazines
over the next few months; and out South Pole billboard is pretty large," said Raymond Rois. "Additionally, we are working with a new client
called FOURFRONT, an up and coming clothing line being launched in Spring 2005," said Tarikh Commodore. "The apparel will not only
appeal to people due to its fashoin design, but also because the apparel will teach people who wear it about the icons of leadership, and how
we too can be leaders. We'll be helping consumers celebrate history through fashion."
The designers of Intricate Concepts are working to be the next design powerhouse of the urban fashion industry and they fell they
are well on their way to doing so. Patterning themselves after leaders of industry outside the apparel world, the "Fab 5" liken their futures to
those who have already become household names. "We envision ourselves becoming like the Kinko's of the fashion industry," concludes
Mbeh. From Canada to Tokyo, their couture franchise will make their designs truly.... international!