In recent years, streetwear culture has been having something of a cultural renaissance across major metropolises around the world: from London and New York to Tokyo, Paris and beyond, it’s almost impossible to not find this once-niche subculture in the cities transcending social and economical boundaries. The streets now serve as runways, where confident, bold and expressive styles—all of which are rooted in Blackness—merge with the architectural backdrop of the city lifestyle.
In Birmingham, England, Armani TakeRisks was able to become the creative championing force behind Take Risks & Prosper, a streetwear brand that has captivated the scene, brick by brick, ever since its inception in 2016.
Take Risks & Prosper first gained attention with its striking reflective jackets when 30-year-old Armani launched the label at 22 years old—TRAP later expanded to become synonymous with the coveted paint-splattered apparel, which the UK rap scene couldn’t (and still can’t) get enough of. From the iconic logo caps to the signature hoodies, Take Risks & Prosper exudes a fearless aesthetic and unapologetic attitude that transcends borders, capturing the attention of fashion enthusiasts from the UK to Australia, Germany, Amsterdam and the United States. Each design narrates a story of daring ambition, resonating with individuals who are unafraid to dream and, well—take risks.
Armani TakeRisks’ influence extends far beyond the world of streetwear, though: The Members Only Network—his innovative content platform on YouTube—is a treasure trove of thought-provoking and captivating visuals with a focus on rap music.
One of its most compelling features is the Conversations With A RiskTaker interview series, where rappers, creators and artists share their inspiring journeys, discuss the latest fashion trends, and delve into the driving forces behind their music, lifestyle and more. These in-depth conversations aren’t racking up views for the sake of it but are also highly enlightening, mirroring the brand’s ethics and ethos of challenging norms, embracing risks, and flourishing in the ever-changing realms of the creative industry.
We caught up with Armani TakeRisks to talk about his clothing empire, building a community around his brand, balancing his relationships with artists, and more.
COMPLEX: How did where you’re from shape the inspiring Take Risks & Prosper mindset that you have today?
Armani TakeRisks: I’m from Birmingham, from a place called Great Barr and Perry Barr—my mum’s from one side, and my dad is from another side. It’s very multicultural and it helped shape me in a way to speak to everyone. My primary school was Black, my first secondary school was white, and my second secondary school was Black and Asian, so I was able to be around and navigate different cultures from early which has helped me to be more sociable.
Before we talk about your clothing brand, most people will probably know you for your candid interview series, Conversations With A RiskTaker, where you chop it up with some of the biggest rappers and industry figures in the game. How did that come about?
That was a natural branch off of what I was already doing with the clothing stuff. I’ve always seen myself as an honest person; I’ve never been a ‘yes’ man and I like to keep real with my friends, so it only made sense for me to have these conversation interviews on-camera. I’ve never been the person to hold my tongue [laughs]. Just before lockdown, I purchased a bus for touring purposes for people to hire, but then lockdown happened because of Covid. I started thinking about other ways to use the bus so I thought, “How about I start having these conversations on the bus?” And that was really the birth of it.
Has there been any struggles with making an interview series on YouTube?
Loads! Like people coming on there and releasing they didn’t articulate themselves in the best way, or they didn’t like the way they came across and then they don’t want it going out anymore, which causes some issues when I send them production costs because of it. Little things like that, and also technical issues with great episodes. But it’s always major comebacks because it’s not that bad. I get more annoyed in the clothing field—that’s much more stressful.
Do you think your relationships with rappers and artists could jeopardise the type of questions you ask based on the relationships that you have?
It depends on the relationship that I have with the person. Personally, I think I’m respectful with the way that I ask questions, therefore the people I have good relationships with don’t even bat an eyelid to what I’m saying. There have been times when certain people have felt a way but it’s just me being honest with them; I’ve never disrespected anyone on my platform.
What is the initial inspiration behind your streetwear brand, Take Risks & Prosper, and how has it evolved since its inception?
Initially, my whole plan was to have sit-down conversations with artists. Podcasts just started getting popular, but we thought we couldn’t compete with other podcasts that were out at the time who had a similar vibe to us, so I decided to do the clothing instead and then came back round with Conversations With A RiskTaker. That’s how that went.
In what way do you see your clothing brand representing contemporary culture, particularly in the rap and streetwear community?
I feel like I’ve influenced a few waves in this thing. The whole drill streetwear thing when drill first came about, I feel like I was at the forefront of that and it was copied and spilled out after that. I had a mad impact at that time. Now it’s changed and you constantly have to change, and to still be here you need to keep reinventing the brand and keep going. I think I have one of the most established street brands in the UK. I’m not the biggest, but I’m happy that I’m still in the game.
What’s the creative process when designing a new collection? Where do you draw most of your influence from, and how do you translate that into your pieces?
I just sit with the designer, tell him what direction we want to go in and show him random pieces that I’ve been thinking about and see how they can fit into the new collection. I draw influence from things I’ve seen abroad that haven't been done over here in the UK; I get inspiration from travelling. I haven’t been in the country for longer than two months for the last three to four years, so I’m always seeing what the fashion is like abroad and they always have their distinction in how they dress.
Collaboration seems to be a big part of the industry. What collaboration do you like the most recently, and are there any dream collaborations that you’re hoping to pursue?
I’ve done a lot. I have a collab with Russ coming out, I’ve done a Potter Payper collab, but these collaborations aren’t as impactful as they used to be back in, say, 2021. I feel like the world has changed since Covid times, and that’s across the whole world. Clothing collaborations aren’t as impactful as they were before with artists. I’d rather do collaborations with other brands rather than with artists. I’ve probably done over fifteen collaborations with artists when it comes to clothing.
In a competitive fashion industry, what are some challenges you’ve faced about your brand?
My mentality has been a challenge, to be honest. Coming from one way of doing things to understanding that you need to build a team, it’s been a challenge but I’m getting there and I can see the growth. Also, the competitiveness of the fashion industry continuously swings in roundabouts. I’ve seen how you have to continuously adjust with the times so much because it’s a continuous maze—you have to adjust to a new style every four to five months and it becomes tiring sometimes. This is why you need a team of young, fresh people who are ready and excited to get stuck in.
What is the core message and mission you aim to convey through your brand?
Literally—Take Risks & Prosper! As much as I’ve had hardships in life, I’ve had a way better life taking risks and just trying something. I’ve failed at many different things, but if I didn’t take risks, it wouldn’t have worked out.
How important is community to you and your brand?
On a community level, since I travel so much, whenever I’m back in Birmingham, I try my best to engage with the locals, such as speaking at the school I used to go to and sponsoring them with their PE kit uniforms. Also, all the clothes that we aren’t selling, we donate them to villages in Gambia three times a year, and I’ve also put on football matches and given out clothes in Jamaica. Right now, I’m just trying to do what I can.
With sustainability being a big issue in fashion, how do you approach ethical practices in your clothing brand?
For years, even though it’s very expensive, we’ve been using organic cotton with our clothing. One of our biggest-selling tracksuits was made from organic cotton and I’m kinda proud that we were able to do that. I’m not the best when it comes to [sustainability] but I’m trying to change that as we continue to grow.
Where do you see the future of streetwear fashion heading, and how do you see your brand having a part in that?
I see it consistently evolving, honestly. I see places like Tokyo and Milan leading where the fashion goes, but at the same time, there’s no real way of telling what direction things could go. How the fashion industry is now is completely different to what it was eight years ago, when I started, but I do see my brand becoming a way bigger brand than it is right now.