Gathered in their living room, siblings senior Kate Nagareda and junior Tyler Nagareda show off the final draft of a new clothing design on their iPad, featuring a turtle with flowers and the word “KALIBAY” forming patterns on its shell. The rest of the team, including juniors Aiden Levit and Kevin Zhang, excitedly point at the design and decide to name it “Kame,” meaning “turtle” in Japanese.
Harboring a love for fashion and design, Kate Nagareda began sketching her work for what would become KALIBAY, their student-run apparel business. Eventually, she formed a team with her brother, Levit and Zhang. The Nagaredas are in charge of the design, Levit manages the website, marketing and advertising, and Zhang works with manufacturers to produce their clothing. KALIBAY creates T-shirts with a fusion of Japanese and West Coast styles, encapsulating a uniquely personal approach to their business.
“I kept seeing the same recycled styles and brands that didn’t speak to me,” Levit said. “I wanted something that represented me and my friends, not just trends.”
Their first design, “Kousai,” set the blueprint for KALIBAY’s signature style: a combination of plain pastel colors with Japanese graphics such as Mount Fuji and a samurai, titled with a Japanese name. In a nod to West Coast artistic style, their logo features a graffiti-style font. With most of the team being half-Japanese, they have a great appreciation for Japanese culture and wish to help fellow Asian Americans embrace their heritage.
“There are not a lot of clothing brands that express Asian culture,” Kate Nagareda said. “We’re hoping KALIBAY connects with people in the Lynbrook community.”
Starting a business with a small group of friends wasn’t easy. Before Zhang found their current manufacturer, they faced many problems. Companies required them to buy shirts in bulk for a high price, and their previous manufacturer stopped communicating with the team, delaying production plans by a few months. Federal tariffs on imported products also slowed the process of creating and shipping their apparel overseas.
“It’s a heavily complicated process,” Zhang said. “The placement and size of the design on the back might change depending on the manufacturer, so it’s very confusing.”
Through KALIBAY, the team has developed and refined their entrepreneurial skills and perspectives toward clothing. Levit’s experiences working on KALIBAY’s professional packaging and advertising has allowed him to see modern clothing in a different light.
“When I go shopping, I’ll notice new things about every brand, like the packaging looking sleek,” Levit said. “I appreciate things that businesses do that I didn’t appreciate before.”
Since KALIBAY is still in its early stages, the team is focusing on building a stronger online presence and customer base. Kate Nagareda plans to continue helping the business even after she graduates, entrusting the team to continue what they worked hard to create. Furthermore, Levit is currently interning for Bay Area- based entrepreneur Keezy, whose own clothing brand, Havencourt, has inspired Levit and the team to keep pushing through their struggles.
The KALIBAY team wishes to pursue business and continue their work in the future. One day, all four of them hope to establish their unique styles, expand their presence and begin competing with bigger brands.
“It’s not just a yearlong project,” Levit said. “We’re going to keep growing throughout high school, and even though we’re extremely busy, we’re always figuring out ways we can improve.”
