For our latest interview at The Totality I was thrilled when Liam Massaubi of Kanati Clothing agreed to spare some of his time to answer my questions. The impossibly cool Canadian lifestyle brand has made huge splashes with its unique, vivid and bold designs since it's debut and further expansion looks inevitable in 2013 and beyond. Be sure to follow Kanati Clothing on Twitter here and Liam Massaubi here . 


Kanati is something of a unique brand as it cultivates a lot of influences from further afield than many mainstream clothing companies – as well as Native American culture, the brand fluidly incorporates trends and materials including Japanese denims. What specific criteria does Kanati use when looking to put together their lines?

Basically, we try to make the absolute best products we can. If that means sourcing materials overseas, then that is what we do. We have grown into more of a higher-end brand in our market and our quality has to reflect that.  This year’s spring collection will be a testament to our progression as a company.

We definitely look at how our products compare to other on the market based on technical specs and materials used, we put more emphasis on craftsmanship and all of our collections meet a criteria of premium style and functionality. 

You’ve recently worked with Deanne Jean Van Winkle in your “Hollow Hearts” ad and the Kanati brand has also featured in videos by the likes of Meek Mill  – it is a testament to the eclectic appeal of the brand. Who would you say is the typical Kanati Clothing customer if there is such a thing?

Yes we did, she fit the image we were looking for and was a natural fit for that campaign. I think the brand appeals to people because it is so different from a lot of brands out there. We do things a lot different from others and use high quality fabrics that others don’t. We do create certain products for certain countries, for example; what you see in Europe may not be what you see in Canada, but to try and describe a typical customer would be difficult because we see so many different people from different walks of life wearing the brand.

Whilst on the topic of celebrity endorsements: Who, if you could pick anyone in the world, would you most like to be seen sporting some Kanati wear?

I can’t really pick anyone individually. I am thankful for all the celebrities we have had the opportunity to meet and work with but when I am out somewhere and I see someone wearing our brand, no matter who they are, that is what makes me just as happy as seeing any one celebrity in it. 

 

Kanati Clothing was originated in Canada but, as of late, have begun to expand to over a dozen more countries. What are the future plans for Kanati?Yes, we have been very fortunate as far as people embracing the brand internationally. There is always room for growth and we are working on a lot right now. When our Spring/Summer line drops I think people we see how hard we have really been working. We are also working on a few major projects I currently can’t comment on but you will see soon enough, so we are definitely excited for 2013.

Aside from Kanati, there are companies like Dom Rebel Threads and Canada Goose which, like your brand, also come from Canada. What do you think has inspired such a wave of creativity to emerge from Canada in recent years?

There is a lot of creativity in Canada and there always has been.