How do you achieve a sophisticated style without sacrificing character? You take inspiration from Qind Design creative director and founder Victor Nartey. As a hardworking entrepreneur, we were thrilled to welcome him to be part of our More Than Artisans initiative. The Story Leather team interviewed Mr. Nartey to learn more about his brand, products, style, and story in hopes of inspiring other artists and entrepreneurs to find what is unique about themselves and to follow their dreams. Qind Design (pronounced “Kind Design”) is a curated collection of polished apparel and accessories with a touch of traditional African design patterns. Reaching this unique style, “was the result of an evolutionary process,” Nartey described about the establishment of his brand; adding that after starting off as Qind Online- a lifestyle magazine- he and his team, “decided to launch an art merchandising brand which included scarves and accessories… in order to generate supplementary revenue.” After launching the online store, the Qind design team found that the best selling items were those that included African print, thus, motivating the team to focus more on integrating those patterns into the brand’s style. However, Qind Design is about more than just about selling clothing and popular items. Nartey expressed that the word kind “has always been at the heart of the brand’s ethos, being kind to yourself and the world around you. Through Qind Design we offer our clients opportunities to be kind to themselves through elegant beautifully crafted apparel and accessories.” This is also a part of what makes Qind Design so unique. Nartey explained how sophisticated menswear often comprises of dull and boring colors such as blue, black, and grey. However, Nartey contended that “Qind Design is all about breaking that mould, that men can indeed wear colour and carry it off well.” It takes a creative eye to fabricate designs that differ from the norm. That is why Nartey constantly observes those around him to keep a, “look out for trends running through the mainstream and those who stand out and are different.” Taking inspiration from the world around him, Nartey typically spends most of his days either working on designs himself, or with his design team. This is the reason why Qind Design has such a wide variety of apparel, shoes, and accessories ranging from scarves to sunglasses.

Nartey and his team are busy creating fresh, inspiring designs every day, aiming to one day build Qind Design into an iconic menswear brand known for its elegance, timelessness, and vibrancy.

“I love what I do and it fits with my strengths. I am thoroughly creative, constantly bombarded by ideas that I want to bring to life. I love people and making them feel good about themselves. These two elements come together in my business.”

- Victor Nartey, founder of Qind Design