N.C. A&T Alumnus Takes Style to a Whole New Level with Luxury Clothier Business
Omar Kinnebrew ’07 has always loved the notion of “when you look good, you feel good,” and he truly believes that people are received well when they feel confident in their appearance. The Atlanta-based business owner of Bespokuture, LLC, now in his third year of business, is seeing exponential growth in his company due to his hard work and commitment to style.
“Growing up, my dad was always present in my life and he was a dope dresser and a Kappa man who always had style,” said Kinnebrew. “I looked up to him and I always admired other black men who took care of their appearance.”
When Kinnebrew decided to attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, he was initially a chemical engineering major, but soon realized that business management was a better fit for him. He was also a walk-on for the Aggie football team, playing for two seasons. He also became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. After graduating, in 2007, he started working in corporate America in sales management in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Working in sales taught me how to build relationships and how to conduct business,” said Kinnebrew.
While working full-time at a print and communications company for more than eight years and pursuing his master’s degree in marketing from Mercer University, Kinnebrew knew it was time for a change to take place in his life. He was newly married, a first time dad and he decided to start a side business.
“I wanted to venture out of sales and I wanted a marketing job, but I didn’t have any experience,” he said. “I was chasing roles that were not for me and it was very difficult because my resume didn’t reflect it.”
In 2014, Kinnebrew invented a patent for pocket square holders and he started selling the product and other accessories online. In 2015, he incorporated OSK Styles, LLC to produce custom clothing such as suits, dress shirts, overcoats, shoes, accessories and leather goods.
“Everything I was going through in my career, prepared me to start my custom clothing business and how to be a full-time entrepreneur. Even my relationship with my parents taught me how to be empathic and genuine when it comes to customer care and creating the vision for a final product,” he said.
In the beginning of 2017, things started to shift for Kinnebrew when his current position was at risk of being terminated due to a company-wide lay-off. After the layoff, he was given 30 days to find a new position or take a severance package.
“My natural reaction was to look for other jobs, but one day I looked at my wife and I told her I didn’t want to stay in corporate America. She then proceeded to tell me that she supported me 100 percent but I had to promise whatever I decided to do I would always pay the mortgage,” he said.
In April 2017, Kinnebrew rebranded his company and changed the name to Bespokuture, LLC to help elevate his business to a standard in glamour and luxurious styles.
“My company has been successful due to my clients trusting me to bring their wants into reality,” he said. “I typically work with brands, entertainers, corporate executives and athletes.”
In the future, Kinnebrew plans to continue growing a team to represent his brand outside of his immediate area and to launch his subscription service for his custom dress shirts.
For more information about Bespokuture, please visit www.bespokuture.com.