Why it belongs in ORBIS
Memphis-founded streetwear-denim label built by A. Ibrahim, known for stacked-flare, distressed jeans; the brand name blends 'V' for the founder's five brothers with the Arabic word for clothing.
Valabasas is a denim and streetwear brand whose own account credits its founding to A. Ibrahim in Memphis, Tennessee. Per that account, Ibrahim left school to help support his family's business before finding his way into fashion through retail work, then launched Valabasas. The brand's origin story describes real early setbacks: an initial $32,000 investment with a Los Angeles manufacturer that was lost entirely, followed by repeated trips to China to find a workable manufacturing partner. The Valabasas name is a portmanteau - 'V' for the founder's five brothers, and 'Alabasas,' said to mean clothing in Arabic. The brand is known for stacked, distressed denim silhouettes alongside streetwear staples.