After being involved in the fashion industry and struggling with the cost and MOQ to develop a brand, the Uni-ke co-founders became aware of an issue that goes beyond brands: It affects the environment and everyone on the supply chain, especially manufacturers that rely on trade shows and noisy marketplaces like Alibaba, leading to over $500 billion yearly losses.
Officially starting in 2021, as “The Fashion Universe,” Uni-ke strives to be the most authentic, valuable, and cutting edge label host in the industry. Uni-ke hosts industry players and offers built-in tools and resources to scale operations globally by connecting emerging brands to data-matched manufacturers: from the digital to the physical. From exclusive collections, pre-orders, up-cycling, services, and even digital assets, Uni-ke is the one-stop-shop for the fashion universe.
Starting as CEO in 2021, Zino has helped expand the company from New York to global cities including Los Angeles, Puerto Escondido, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Seoul. The company has since received multiple awards and recognitions, including:
Work from a Uni-ke designer during September 2021 NYFW
30 Under 30: Zino Haro - Hispanic Executive
2023 Awardees - WE Empower UN SDG Challenge
Uni-ke | Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Reframing The Borders Of Fashion At NYFW With Uni-ke - Bwog
Who What Wearables: A Guide to Digital Fashion and the Metaverse
In early 2017, co-founders Christian and Zino weren’t really on each other’s radar. Zino had just started as a student at the engineering school after nearly a year of homelessness and uncertainty, and the 2016 election results had caused a strong concern in the immigrant and DACA community, leading Christian to become the leader of a movement at Columbia University. The events of the year seemed to act as a trigger for both to go back to their roots as creatives, and the summer of 2017 became a summer of growth.
For Zino, this meant creating an entire 24 piece collection from scratch with the help of the late musician Madison Park. For Christian, it meant coming up with an idea that would allow other creatives from underprivileged backgrounds to enter a field with high socio-economic barriers. Zino’s collection joined New York Fashion Week that September, and it was then that the two began collaborating on the Uni-ke project, which launched an initial concept MVP in late 2018 and went on to grab the attention of a number of accelerators including Y Combinator and Japan’s Open Network Lab.
But what is Uni-ke?
Uni-ke is the brainchild of Christian Cruz Godoy, who singlehandedly coded the entire platform. It is a product of passion, drive, and necessity. It is a company for creatives but also for the supply chain. While Uni-ke’s Instagram can initially be mistaken for another grouping of brands, the project runs far deeper than that.
In a 2018 interview, Christian revealed some goals:
Godoy eventually wants to expand the reach of his company into Latin-American countries. He hopes to provide jobs in clothing production to disadvantaged Latin-American communities and continue to expand the diversity of his designers to an international level as well.
“I was really involved in activism for undocumented youth, and that made me realize the beauty of a collective, people coming together for one purpose and wanting to produce and carry a vision forward … I essentially took everything I learned from that, and wanted to give people an economic opportunity. This is all about low-income youth, undocumented youth that really don’t have that gateway.”
Designers are scouted for their backstories, creative potential, and drive with no regards to existing “clout” or financial situation.
Uni-ke has been represented at New York and Seoul fashion weeks and has had pop-up events in the United States, often using the proceeds for charitable causes. By May 2020, both Christian and Zino had graduated from Columbia University, and increased focus on the company has expedited its path despite the pandemic.
Starting late 2021, members of Uni-ke have experimented with Web3 and digital fashion, participating in Digital Fashion Week New York for the first time in Spring 2022. The company is currently working towards digital fashion integration in its operations through a beta test group of 10 digital-native designers and digital manufacturers.
The company has been listed under the phygitals section of the Web3 Fashion Landscape.
Although its main focus remains in the fashion industry, the team is exploring growth in other industries, considering the team’s diverse and exemplary expertise — team members have had success in areas such as music, academia, and cybersecurity and have even called the attention of Forbes and international militaries.
Uni-ke may well become an international beacon for those who have experienced a creative drive and lack of opportunity.