We started IFLYUNIVERSE with an Idea in 2013 on a rooftop of our apartment in the Lower East Side. The brand came into fruition in 2019 after taking classes at Mood for basic sewing and pattern making. Our brands Creative Director Andres Biel was a self-taught designer during this time; learning from YouTube and classes from mood, and workshops offered by the amazing team at Harlem Fashion week (HFW). With their guidance, Andres was able to create their first collection for IFLYUNIVERSE called "Rebirth" which showed at New York Fashion weeks HARLEM FASHION WEEK show. During this time, IFLYUNIVERSE entered into their Emerging Designer competition. This competition was judged but pioneers in the Fashion Industry such as Misa Hylton. After the collection showed, IFLYUNIVERSE was presented with and won the Best EMERGING DESIGNER/BRAND for Harlem Fashion Week.

 

Thereafter, we showed a collection in Los Angeles in March of 2020 right before the start of the COVID Pandemic. We used this time to help out our community (see Pandemic Help below). In 2021, we then created our collection called "Universal Light." During this time, police brutality ravaged the United States, and in NYC. We protested the killing of George Floyd. During our March, we were inspired by the unification and solidarity of the people. We saw an individual wearing Orange and Neon, and we interpreted that as communities of color wanting to be safe, seen, and heard. So we created a collection of strength and courage, a collection of safety and inspiration. We incorporated reflective piping within this collection to emulate humanities ability to come together and show their inner light. 

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Since the showing of this collection, it has been published in four magazines both national and international. Our collection was featured on the billboards in Times Square. As well as, allowed us to create our newest collection. We were blessed with the opportunity to create a collection with the Fashion Giant SHEIN. They loved our Universal Light collection and wanted our brand to design and create a Collaboration Collection known as SHEIN x IFLYUNIVERSE now available all over the world on their SHEIN website. 

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Our Creative Designer was also presented with an opportunity to be the lead creative teacher for an Amsterdam Program called the RAMBLER Program in conjunction with the Non-Profit Henry Street Settlement. This allowed for young Entrepreneurs who wanted to learn fashion design a place to create their own brand. With the success of this program, Henry Street Settlement and RAMBLER have chosen to extend this program past the summer so that our Creative Director can continue to hold a space to foster the talents of young creatives by teaching the sewing and brand creation. 

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