WORTHINGTON -- Originally from Chicago, Azeem Muhammed is familiar with what's popular in the urban fashion scene for young people, particularly those of Latino and African-American heritage. His Sioux Falls, S.D., store, Chicago Gear, has done a good business in marketing such goods, and now he's brought the concept to Worthington.
"I had a lot of people from here coming over there to shop," Muhammed explained. "They kept bugging me, telling me to open up something over here, so I just decided to give it a chance. I see a lot of opportunities here."
Urban Fashion is located in the former Curves for Women building at 924 Third Ave., a location, Muhammed noted, that is actually bigger than his Sioux Falls store. He has stocked it full of the latest trendy fashions and accessories.
"A lot of young kids like this style of clothes," he said. "That's who I'm catering to. This is what they like to get down with."
Popular labels include Baby Phat, Apple Bottoms, Nike, Ed Hardy, Girbaud and Ecko. The current inventory includes jeans, T-shirts, dressier shirts and even a suit or two.
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"Next week, I have Playboy Bunny jeans coming in," Muhammed said.
Accessories run the gamut from hats to shoes and shoelaces. Among the most popular items currently are the Nike Obama Air Force One shoes, featuring a likeness of the president, and matching T-shirts.
"I've been finding that a lot of women like the purses I've been bringing in," added Muhammed about the accessory lines.
Inside display cases is a wide array of jewelry items, many studded with rhinestones.
"I've got jewelry, watches, earrings, belt buckles, dogtags," Muhammed detailed. "They call it bling-bling. Basically it's costume jewelry. If they can't afford the real stuff, at least they can look like they can."
Shoelaces in just about every color imaginable hang on the wall next to similarly brightly hued bandanas.
"The shoelaces, you got to have 'em," Muhammed said. "A lot of the kids don't like the laces that come with the shoes. They like to flip 'em with their wardrobe, to match whatever they're wearing."
In the near future, Muhammed hopes to also offer barbering at Urban Fashion. It's a service that he's found to be popular at the Sioux Falls location.
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"We're waiting on the State of Minnesota to give us the license for the barber," he explained. "There aren't too many people around here who know how to cut African folks' hair."
Looking to the start of classes, Muhammed plans a "back-to-school blow-out sale," with prices up to 40 percent off from Aug 24-30.
Urban Fashion is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
