The Kings of Kings: A Success Story
By Shantal Der Boghosian
April 25, 2013
ARKA was founded in 2009 by Burag Celikian, Shant Der Ashodian, and
Sevan Aliksanian. A clothing company that designs thought provoking
t-shirts, ARKA embodies the mindset of individuals who are well
rounded and can’t define themselves with a single word or phrase.
Currently ARKA designs are carried in stores across the nation at
high-end stores, such as Nordstrom’s and Fred Segal, and at fashion
boutiques. In a mere five years the trio established their brand in
the fashion industry. But success didn’t come easy.
ARKA was founded in 2009
Celikian and Der Ashodian graduated with a marketing degree from CSUN
and transitioned into real estate; Aliksanian graduated with a degree
in computer science and worked as a lab technician at Chevron.
Embracing the age of entrepreneurship, the three always had a vision
of starting a business together but weren’t really sure in which
industry. They collectively felt they were not living to their full
potential and were tired of working normal jobs and living average
lives. It was Aliksanian who suggested a t-shirt line where every
design graphic had a story and a purpose. Thus in 2009 ARKA was born.
Arka is an Armenian word that means `king of kings,’ and the trio felt
the name would be easily embraced by non-Armenians. They chose the owl
as their logo because owls are vigilant, elusive, and always appear
deep in thought while symbolically representing wisdom.
`As in every business there is certain etiquette to abide by. Due to
the fact that we had no background, sources, or contacts in the
apparel industry, we had to do all our own homework. There was nobody
to guide us whatsoever. We attended trade shows for over a year prior
to launching the company just to give us an idea of what we were
getting into,’ Celikian said during our interview. Immersing
themselves in a new industry was no easy feat but the trio was
motivated to create thought-provoking graphics inspired by various
influences around the globe. They met their first road block while
attending a fashion seminar that included companies that led the
industry, such as American Rag and Fashion Business, Inc. One speaker
in particular caught their attention – a lawyer who represented many
clients in the fashion industry. At the end of the seminar, the ARKA
co-owners approached the lawyer to set up a meeting. Initially, the
lawyer told them they wouldn’t be able to afford his prices, but had a
change of heart when they told him they had a serious business plan
and wanted feedback on legal issues they may possibly face in the
future.
This meeting changed ARKA forever. Celikian remembers how he himself
scoffed at their business plans, saying they would need at least half
a million dollars to create a brand, and that they had no chance. The
lawyer said he had once tried to start a woman’s line, but failed. He
said that if he couldn’t do it, with all the financial backing he had,
then ARKA didn’t stand a chance. The trio left the meeting deflated
and it was in that moment of complete silence that their determination
was set in stone.
When asked what other road blocks they encountered, Celikian said,
`Our entire industry is a roadblock. Gaining acceptance amongst your
peers is not easy in the business. Not only do you need to make
something that people like, but you need to show that you are fully
committed, knowledgeable of other brands, respect the business as an
art form, and you need to show up stronger to every trade show.’ The
ARKA founders always had high expectations for their company and
weren’t discouraged by the initial hardships they encountered. They
set goals for themselves and worked hard to achieve them. They created
the first business account with a store in Canada called Moule’ – a
high-end store with two store locations. `We didn’t take the small
victories for granted,’ Celikian said.
The victories only increased their motivation and they pushed harder
to evolve the company year after year. `Really our only chance is
making designs that don’t look like everyone else. But then you ask
yourself, `Is that a good idea?’ `Do we want to be too different?’
There’s a constant storm in your head that makes you question things,
everything, because our resources and window of opportunity is so
small. Every dollar, every interaction, contact, design, everything
has to count just so you can live another day.’
Looking back to that life-changing moment with the lawyer, Celikian
said, `Honestly, if I saw him today I would thank him and shake his
hand. I learned a lot from that encounter. We didn’t have anyone to
really guide us in this business. But from that day forward, I
promised myself that if I were ever in his shoes and a younger person
approached me for advice, I would encourage them. I hope they will be
just as foolish as us and not know what they are capable of. I will
always pick up my phone when they call, I will answer all e-mails. I
know what it’s like to be in their position: full of doubt, questions,
and fearful of what there is to come.’
What truly motivates ARKA? `If we can get ARKA to be at a level to
where it is on par with Obey, The Hundreds, or Johnny Cupcakes, it
would be amazing to have a brand that the Armenian community could
claim their own. We are sons of the community. We all went to Armenian
schools, had a modest upbringing, we could have simply decided to have
a normal 9-5 job (which there is nothing wrong with), but we wanted to
put ourselves to the test. We wanted to know what we are capable of.’
To read more about ARKA visit