Uncovering the next big thing is what ComplexCon is all about. And with its highly-anticipated return earlier this month, attendees couldn’t be more excited for a stacked lineup. To make sure people didn’t miss out on streetwear’s most promising brands, official shipping partner UPS tapped none other than Kids of Immigrants[KOI] to bring together an eclectic squad of small businesses.
With a commitment to supporting different communities, KOI used their activation space in Long Beach to help up-and-coming creatives gain next-level exposure. KOI co-founders Daniel Buezo and Weleh Dennis threw the Support Your Friends potluck, a hype backyard BBQ featuring the official ComplexCon debut of 13 must-know brands including Black Billionaires Club, Pasadena Roots, Gente Unida, and more.
Instead of food, the business owners came through with their products displayed in aluminum pans. Similar to great home cooking, the setup was simple, but memorable. Plus, the products spoke for themselves like the booth’s “When Everyone Loves, Everyone Heals” sweatshirt, which sold out just hours into the first day.
Of course, UPS kept the momentum going with exclusives such as free delivery for VIP guests, additional shipping discounts at UPS stands throughout the event, and personalized KOI totes at the brand’s customization station. Additionally, the worldwide shipping company commissioned visual artist Mr. B Baby to paint a mural on an iconic UPS truck to commemorate the special collaboration.
“To be honest, we barely describe ourselves as a clothing brand,” KOI shared on Instagram. “We figured this would be a perfect moment to represent who we are. This… is really a family, a community filled with special creatives and more than anything good… people. Design is cool but where is your heart… love is important to us, circulating abundance is our life, supporting our friends is in our DNA, we do this from our hearts.”
Aligned with that idea of lifting others up, UPS also took action by making a significant contribution to the Kids of Immigrants mission and growth of the small businesses with a $5,000 grant for each of the 13 brands that participated in the activation. There’s no doubt that these entrepreneurs will continue to pay it forward inevitably leading to a new group of innovators to watch. In short, stay tuned.
