Although his love of fashion started at an early age, Micah Ford came to the realization that he wanted to start a clothing brand in late 2017. Ford wanted to motivate and inspire the people in his community with fashion and style.
He is originally from Talladega, Alabama, and moved to Atlanta with his mother in 2015 when he was 15 years old. Ford was quickly amazed and inspired by the big city fashion but also wanted to stay true to his small-town roots.
In May of this year, he graduated from the Clarkston campus with an associate degree in media entrepreneurship and will attend the Atlanta campus this fall.
In 2018, Ford started the clothing brand “NVERBEENStandard.”
“NVRBEENStandard means that you have never been standard and that you were born to be an outstanding individual,” he said.
Ford came up with this concept one day while he was in deep thought as he questioned life’s standard way of living. He felt that some people were truly not living up to their true potential and were too busy conforming to societal expectations.
Ford’s signature logo features the word “standard” crossed out with a horizontal line, and it quickly became popular among Georgia State students at the Clarkston campus. It soon traveled to other campuses, including Decatur, Dunwoody, Alpharetta and eventually the Atlanta campus. The brand also gained popularity among people who do not attend Georgia State.
Georgia State students like Daris Bethea, Aniya Morris and Jasmine Crawford are among those who wear NVERBEENStandard.
“It always feels good to see someone wearing something from my brand no matter who they are,” Ford said.
NVERBEENStandard is a brand that aims to appeal to everyone, no matter their race, nationality, age or gender.
In the beginning, Ford fully self-funded his business. In early January, he received a grant from Georgia State’s Main Street Entrepreneurship fund for $5,000. Ford openly expressed how grateful he was for the grant and how much it has aided his business.
When he first launched his business, he started off with only 44 shirts in black and white. He has now expanded his inventory to over 100 items, including shirts, hoodies, jogging pants, sweatshirts, crop tops, basketball shorts, biker shorts and headbands. His newest addition to his line following the COVID-19 pandemic is NVRBEENStandard face masks.
Ford has gained nearly $5,000 in revenue from “NVERBEENStandard” and has big plans for the future of the brand.
“I see NVERBEENStandard in a couple of big-name stores such as Macy’s, Footlocker, Bloomingdales and more,” he said.
Ford urges anyone who wants to start a business to always do their research and enjoy themselves throughout the process.
