Meet the Founder, Vandyke:
Who is the founder?
The founder of the Mayhem Collection, Kwamina Vandyke, is a 29-year-old Ghanaian American who is a designer, entrepreneur, cinematographer, creative consultant, and founder of the non-profit A New Home Football Academy..
Vandyke is a former division one Virginia Tech athlete, he grew up as someone who was always on the go which carried true throughout his life as an athlete and an inspiring businessman. He often found himself wanting to present himself in a fashionable way while also being able to bring convenience anywhere he went.
Playing college football at two universities gave him a chance to travel often for games which he and his teammates considered business meetings. Vandyke’s time on the yard at Hampton University inspired him to express himself creatively through fashion as HBCU campuses across America are known for their fashion runway like environments. Studying abroad and traveling extensively after graduating, Vandyke voyaged to 14 different countries including his motherland Ghana twice a year. The global lifestyle had him living out of suitcases that didn’t accommodate his aesthetics or convenience he desired. During these international voyages, Vandyke recognized the void in travel luggage that provides equal parts of luxury and convenience. Searching for a brand that appeases the Black, multi-faceted, global minded millennial, Vandyke looked no further & sought to create the solution, fitting for a stylish nomad,
Vandyke aims to create a brand that reflects black millennials whose lifestyle embodies luxury, style, culture, adventure, and quality galore. With deep roots in his motherland of Ghana, creating an opportunity to employ artisans & creatives that would become family is a dream come true. The goal was to encompass all of he is into all of what Mayhem will be and beyond.
During the summer of 2020 Vandyke took a trip to London to connect with black designers and stylists then went to Ghana to be aided in the designs and vision for the future of the company, as a result of his endeavors, the Mayhem Collection was born! .
Vandykes Inspiration:
“I wanted to create a brand that reflected the black millennial whose lifestyle embodies luxury style, culture, adventure, and quality galore. I’m a frequent traveler and recognized there wasn’t a brand that fit all aspects of my life. I wanted to solve a solution that I felt like I didn’t necessarily see luxury brands that were designed to appease Black, multi-faceted, and global-thinking millennials. It was hard for me to find luxury brands that were intentionally for Black men. I thought it was time I start creating a brand that filled in the gap!”
Awards and features:
- Black Ambition Semifinalist
- Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator Awardee
- COMCAST RISE Awardee