Interview With Creator of Iridescence Clothing Brand (Gordon Lee)

Quarantine has been a recipe for creativity in those who never sought out such outlets to express it previously. Gordon Lee is an example of this. I took the time to ask Gordon a few questions about the creation and progression of his clothing brand: Iridescence.

What inspired you to start Iridescence?

When I returned to Korea from spring break, the COVID-19 was in the early stage and Korea was one of the epicenters of the virus. As a result, I was forced to stay home for the most part. After a few very nonchalant yet wasted days, I decided to do something productive and try my luck in making some money for the summer. In my opinion, it was a strategic time to start. Everyone was staying home, which meant that they will most likely be checking social media all day; it was a perfect time to promote a business in the 21st century. Honestly, I just wanted to experiment.

Is the process of starting a clothing brand difficult, in your opinion?

I'd say it takes some preparation but it's not extremely difficult. The hardest step is the investment. My parents were not enthusiastic about giving me free money to start the brand, so I started with about $250 of my savings and started out by selling to my friends. Using the profits to expand the inventory was the hardest part. Having no prior experience, I learned to photoshop and design from Youtube, and I think everyone can learn those things using the resources online. If you put in a few hours, it's not that bad.

What brand would be your dream collaboration?

I really don't have one, but I'd much rather be able to work with friends or an organization that does good for the world.

What do you do when you feel like you have a creative block with ideas?

I don't think one can force creativity out of the brain on command. At least for me, it just hits at random times. But when I feel like I do have an idea, I go out of my way to sketch it out and see how it would look. Most of the times, the results don't meet the expectations on my mind, so I just wait until the next one comes.

What can be expected from Iridescence in the future?

I'll continue it as long it stays enjoyable. I honestly never expected it do as well as it does as it was an experiment, but I was lucky to have great people support it and social media helped quite a bit. I'm currently working on a deck as a friend of mine connected me to a popular artist who was willing to use my design on his skateboard. That was unbelievable for me. I'll keep working on it once I'm done with my internship, and always continue Iridescence with a humble mindset.