When Cleveland native Austin Oten built Wrath Brand, he wanted to create a streetwear line outside of the norm that people of color, as well as others, could wear. The brand launched in late May of this year and Oten hopes that it will further prove to other skaters of color that they have a place in the industry.
A recent graduate from historically Black Central State University, Oten told HBCUBuzz that his education motivated him to become an entrepreneur saying, “Central State was the best thing that happened in my young life. Taught me so many lessons inside and outside of the classroom. I learned how to carry myself no matter if I’m amongst friends or a room full of CEOs and that confidence is still here today.”
Wrath’s first collection features t-shirts and hats emblazoned with the clothing line’s name in a gritty uppercase font. The t-shirts feature a saturated picture of the moon. Oten, who started the brand because of his passion for fashion and to be an inspiration to his son, says that after running some focus groups for additional input on the design, he decided to add the moon to the word “Wrath” to give the logo some edge.
When asked about the challenges he experiences as a Black business owner, Oten was frank, saying, “…being a black-owned business is a tough thing in today’s society because there’s a lot of negative stereotypes that come with being a black owner. I’m here to change that mold, I believe conducting yourself with a certain level of professionalism is the way. We may not be a million-dollar business yet but we will continue to display proper service as well as supply our customer base with quality clothing.”
According to Oten, this is only the beginning for the urban clothing brand. To check out their Spring collection visit wrathbrand.com.