XXL Sits Down With Pink Dolphin Creative Director & Co-Founder Cena Barhaghi

LA based street-wear brand Pink Dolphin founded in 2008 has been impacting the street-wear scene in a major way. The brand starting from the grass-roots to now being a globally recognized elite brand with-in the industry. Pink Dolphin is most notablly known for their vibrant color-ways, high quality deliveries, creative direction and fearless challenges in pushing the status quo. Take a peak behind the brand as we sit down with the brands Creative Director & Co-Founder Cena Barhaghi.

XXL: Where did the Pink Dolphin journey beginning?
Cena B: My friend Young L and I started the line when I was 17 in high school. It started as a hobby and we would release small collections every season that were kept to limited numbers mainly because we didn't have the money to fund bigger production runs. The clothes would always sell out since we didn't have much stock and since then we have always released certain limited runs of clothing to keep from saturation. Neima Khaila, one of my childhood friends came on a few years later to help with logistics, marketing and brand expansion. We now have a staff of over 20 people, 2 Flagship stores (San Francisco store is opening in mid October) and the best supporters out there.

XXL: Where is your creative space?
Cena B: Our creative space is located in Los Angeles, CA. We have our distribution warehouse, sales department and customer service all connected, as well, which helps us centralize everything and have excellent communication between departments.

XXL: Three words to describe your craft?
Cena B: Legendary, rare, positive.

XXL: Whats the main ingredient in doing what you do?
Cena B: Always being hungry for more and keeping a positive outlook on everything. Too many people get comfortable in their situations and slow up on their work ethic.

XXL: What is personal quote you live by?
Cena B: Always hungry, never comfortable.

XXL: How do you start your day?
Cena B: My apartment has a great panoramic view of Hollywood so waking up to the view of cars moving and people walking outside automatically jump starts my day to get up, get out, and get it. I sleep with all the blinds up on purpose.

XXL: Hometown inspirations?
Cena B: Being from The Bay, its hard for locals to really break out on a national or global level. Too Short & E-40 as musicians and for being able to break out on a global level like that. Also, alot of streetwear brands that I grew up on are from The Bay and they were all big inspirations for me.

XXL: Five people that may have inspired you? (dead or alive)
Cena B:

Kanye West

Karl Lagerfeld

Jay-Z

Pharell

Nigo

XXL: What would you've done different in developing the Pink Dolphin Brand?
Cena B: I would have opened a flagship store sooner than we did because ever since we opened our first store on Fairfax in Los Angeles we have gotten has tremendous brand exposure.

XXL: What do you feel has been the biggest impact of the Pink Dolphin Brand?
Cena B: The biggest impact is being able to push our positive message to others and show them that they can become young entrepreneurs and start their own businesses with their friends. To be a legend at your craft, whatever it may be.

Be sure to checkout the Pink Dolphin brand as they continue to innovate and create a lane in fashion. The definition of starting from the bottom and rising to success. Log onto their website: Pinkdolphinonline.com