Corey Gilkey of Leaders 1354 on Community, Culture & Commerce

More than the epicenter of Chicago’s streetwear fashion culture, Leaders 1354 is a black-owned enterprise with a mission to mentor the youth and inspire them to lead their own path. And at the middle of it all is its founder, entrepreneur, and community leader Corey Gilkey.  

“We want to sell clothes, but we want somebody to come in and look at the design and inspire them to put that T-shirt on. That’s what a leader is,” he said. “They can come in and find something that resonates with them and their wardrobe. That’s the whole aspect of Leaders came up for and to be. It’s an individualistic person who has their own idea and their own confidence to do whatever they want to do. And we want to attract that customer. Because back in the day, it was all about name brands. So, you just put name brands on everything, you know… You were just representing the brand; they never really represented you.”  

By “back in the day,” Corey was talking about the year 2002 when Leaders 1354 was first established. Of course, a lot of things have changed since then. “We got kids coming in who never heard of a Tribe Called Quest!” he lamented. But this is why Leaders 1354 exists. “We had to play [the songs] for them. We had to break down the history. Where are those stores at in America or in the world? There are very few that can do that.”  

In his conversation with Globetrotter’s Kennedy Ashinze, Corey also talks about extending his reach beyond the States by marketing high-quality blank T-shirts to African brands to help them compete with companies from other continents.

Watch the full video to hear more about Corey’s efforts in making Leaders 1354 the groundbreaking store it is today, his restaurant Friistyle, the legacy he wishes to leave, and more!