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Rajagopal Making a Fashion Statement with the Launch of NAAL

Barbara Campbell
When Kunaal Rajagopal ’16 was a student at Falmouth Academy, he was known for his carefully curated wardrobe, especially his large sneaker collection. His closet wasn’t a shrine to labels however, it was an expression of learning how to fit in. “I tried to contemplate my style and what I felt comfortable in. I didn’t really have an identity. But I learned no matter what you wear, if you feel confident in it, you’re going to look good because at the end of the day you can just own it.” Today he does own it, literally; his label, NAAL Apparel, launched in August.
 
The fifth year Northeastern University student always knew he wanted to start a clothing brand but didn’t understand how until two years ago when a fellow student taught him to silkscreen and use Adobe Illustrator. “I realized I was better at making designs than actually making the product and that’s when I knew that if I really wanted to do this I needed to take it to another level.”
 
Kunaal partnered with a producer in California, and has come up with a line that includes ten pieces influenced in part by the Streetwear culture and targeted to the 15-29 age group. The August launch has men’s and women’s tee shirts, a unisex long-sleeve shirt, socks, men’s and women’s hoodies, men’s basketball shorts, women’s athletic shorts, strap back hats and a beanie.
 
“I see fashion as a spectrum. Either you’re casual urban, or you’re super preppy or a put-together business type. I want to bridge the gap. I want everybody to find products there that they can feel confident and comfortable in. NAAL is something you wear because it looks good with whatever else you’re wearing. That’s my ultimate goal.”
 
Kunaal did two co-ops at TJX that helped fulfill his plan. One of them was working as a buyer. “Not only did I get put on an all-female team, I was in a department for women’s footwear. I was completely caught off guard, but I absolutely loved it.”
 
As Kunaal began to understand the business and grow into his role, which included several buying trips in New York City, he said, “I realized it doesn’t really matter what you’re working with, you learn to understand it. You become a student of the industry. And that’s almost more essential than just loving the product.”
 
By the time his co-op was done, he could tell you anything about a women’s shoe. “I also realized what I need to look for as a designer. What are the things that jump out to me? What’s the shirt made out of? What’s the price? What’s the cost to make it? I understand where sourcing plays a role, how negotiations work, how pricing works, how customer perception works. This experience definitely gave me a whole new literacy in fashion marketing.”
 
To Kunaal, his favorite clothes are those with a story or a special meaning. “I love certain pieces because they have an added meaning. Sometimes it is the background of the product, whether it’s a certain pair of shoes that have a story behind them or a shirt that reminds me of a good memory.” That’s why telling the story of NAAL is important to him.
 
Posting on Instagram initially to tell the social media world about his brand was terrifying, he said. “Putting out my logo that was based off my name, that was serious. I’m basing this brand on how I found my own style. Fashion is confidence and that’s something I truly live by.”
 
Immersed in learning about the fashion industry, Kunaal realized that awareness, recognition and appreciation are three of the biggest things you need to develop as a clothing brand. “You need to differentiate yourself. I could put out the perfect product, but if it’s just to fill a hole in the market, it won’t succeed. Holes fill up.”
 
Right now Kunaal is asking his network to wear his products and ask anyone who has a big following to talk them up. Social media, he says, is an overwhelming gift. “At the end of the day, I’m not going to get a Lebron James to wear my clothing brand, but there are influencers out there with decent followings and I am finding people outside my network to officially rep my brand.”
 
And what about adding shoes to the mix? “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t think about it, but there are so many dominant players now. Someday I’d definitely like to put out a NAAL shoe. Who knows?”
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