In a new interview with The Fader, joint owner of OVO Oliver El-Khatib reflects on the success of the expanding brand.
Since the launch of its clothing line, Drake made it clear that he wanted to produce a quality line with longevity, and so far that is what he's done. With the help of El-Khatib, the offerings grew from logo T-shirts to next level collaborations on outerwear with brands like Canada Goose and Roots, to a full lifestyle line including cut-and-sew pieces, accessories, towels, and totes.
"I’m really proud of where the brand is at today,” Oliver tells The Fader. “The clothing business is a tough business to go into and have success. It’s something that takes a long time, and it’s an immense amount of work—you’re working 16, 18 months out.”
Many rappers have tried and failed to launch a successful clothing line, but OVO has gained a loyal following of fans wanting to sport the crew's gear. Although the production has grown immensely, Oliver says it remains a “mom-and-pop” operation. "If there is any idea that this is some massive corporate entity that’s worth billions of dollars, then that’s a misconception,” he says. “There’s a few of us putting our blood, sweat, and tears into this 24/7. It’s a lifestyle. It’s not a job that we all go home from. It’s something that we’ve put our own time and money and equity into, and we’re building it with hammers and nails.”
Last December, OVO opened a flagship location in Drizzy's hometown of Toronto, which Oliver says is a way to celebrate kids like himself who have an “incredible work ethic, incredible ideas, and an incredible amount of passion.” He hopes the space can be the birthplace for creatives to do something new.
