Duke Christian George III wouldn’t claim to know fashion. He didn’t study in New York or intern with some tyrannical designer in Milan. His stock in trade isn’t his impeccable seams or salvaged fabric. Duke’s expertise is simpler than all that: He knows what’s cool. And — as the fledgling designer has quickly discovered — knowing what’s cool can be the best skill of all.
“I like to make dope stuff,” George says, sitting i n his converted garage, which has become the headquarters of his streetwear brand, Cloney. “I can’t predict if you’ll like it. There’s no way to do that. But even if you don’t, I still think it’s dope.”
That philosophy is exactly how George launched his company. He came up with an idea, found a printer, made a shirt he liked, and sent it around to a few famous people. The next thing he knew Alessandra Ambrosio had been photographed in the shirt and his vague idea for a clothing line rocketed into the stratosphere.
“It’s just kinda snowballed instantly,” George says with a laugh. “I’d been taking this hobby approach and suddenly it was a full-fledged business.”
That original pattern has become Cloney’s business model. Celebrities get fresh gear, they wear it, people obsess, they seek out Cloney, sales are made. No advertising. Just a guy making cool stuff, sending it for free to cool people, and hoping they think it’s cool too.
Without the trappings of a traditional line, Cloney’s main driver is Instagram. But not his Instagram, the Instagram of his celebrity fans — Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Hailey Baldwin, O’Shea Jackson… It’s a long list.
“I don’t have a huge following,” he says. “But Bieber putting something up on his Instagram, that’s a big deal.”
When a fan wants to dress like a celeb, it’s not exactly easy to find Cloney clothes. Famous people and influencers rarely tag the company — they reserve that for branded content. Instead, would-be customers have to do some sleuthing.
“That’s the experience of wearing Cloney,” George says with a laugh. “People Google ‘Gangster Jacket’ or ‘Beverly Hills Hotel’ and somehow they find me. If people like something enough, they’ll put in the legwork to try to find it.”
As it stands, George has visions of expanding Cloney — but he’s also got to send shipments and dream up new designs. It’s style at the speed of social media, meaning you’re only as good as your last big splash on Instagram. Still, for the rapper-turned-actor-turned-streetwear-maven, it’s the only way to go.
“This was purely a passion project,” he says. “But when you lead with passion, great things ultimately happen. I’m evidence of that.”
