We Are Who We Are

The First Start Up

Where it all began

Naive View started shortly after Josey graduated from high school. What began as a small T-shirt brand was something he wanted to build into more over time. It was an idea he wanted to bring to life, even though he was still figuring out what that would look like.

At the time, the brand was still in its early stages. There was a lot to learn, and not everything was going to work out the way he imagined. But the idea was there, and he wanted to see where it could go.

The Meaning Behind the Name

The original idea behind Naive View

The name Naive View came from the idea that everyone sees the world differently. The way we think is shaped by our experiences, our surroundings, and the things we've been through. Because of that, it's easy to look at someone else's actions or decisions without fully understanding where they're coming from.

Sometimes, we can be so caught up in our own perspective that we forget there's another side to the story. We might think we understand someone, when in reality, we only know what we've seen or experienced ourselves.

That idea was at the heart of Naive View. It was about recognizing that there's always more to a person or a situation than what we can see from the outside.

The Initial Thought Process

Turning an idea into a brand

Having an idea was one thing. Figuring out how to bring it to life was another.

Josey began thinking about how Naive View could grow beyond being a small T-shirt brand. How could the clothing communicate an idea? How could the brand reach people and give them something to connect with?

These were early attempts to figure out what the company could become. The vision was still developing, and learning how to turn it into a real business would take time, experience, and plenty of trial and error.

A Friend Joins the Vision

Josey and DMARC

As Josey continued exploring the idea, his friend and fellow graduate DMARC became a partner in Naive View.

Their partnership marked an important stage in the brand's development. They could exchange ideas, consider different possibilities, and work toward something they wanted to see grow. Neither had all the answers, but they had the opportunity to learn through the process together.

DMARC became part of the foundation of Naive View, contributing to the chapter of the story that came before Niev.

Finding Our Direction

Trying to figure out what came next

With both Josey and DMARC involved, the next challenge was figuring out how to branch out and grow the company.

Creating clothing was only one part of building a brand. They also had to think about how to reach more people, develop their products, and establish a direction that could last. There were plenty of ideas, but turning those ideas into a clear plan wasn't always easy.

This period was about exploring possibilities and learning that having a vision doesn't necessarily mean knowing how to reach it.

The Fresh Face of Naive View

Edgar and the early visuals

Edgar was more than just a model for Naive View. He was our friend and the first main face of the brand during its early days. He helped bring the clothing to life and gave Naive View a face that people could connect with.

Through those early modeling photos, Naive View began to exist as more than an idea or a collection of T-shirts. The clothing could be seen, photographed, and shared with others. Edgar was part of those first steps, helping us turn something we had imagined into something real.

Sadly, Edgar is no longer with us, but his place in our story remains. As we look back on where Naive View began and how far the journey has brought us, we want to acknowledge the role he played and the memories that remain.

Edgar will always be part of the history behind Niev. His contribution belongs to the story of where we came from, and we want to make sure that part of our beginning is never forgotten.

The First Real Steps

Putting the idea out into the world

Naive View began making sales and participating in pop-up events. These were opportunities to introduce the clothing to people, learn from their reactions, and experience what it meant to put a brand out into the world.

The progress might have seemed small compared with what they hoped to achieve, but it mattered. The idea was no longer just something they discussed or planned. People could see it, wear it, and become part of its early history.

Those first steps helped make the possibility of growing the brand feel real.

More Than Just T-Shirts

Imagining something bigger

As the brand developed, the vision began reaching beyond the original T-shirt idea. There were more products to explore, different ways to express the concept, and questions about what Naive View could become over time.

The challenge was figuring out how to expand without losing the idea that had started it all. The goal wasn't simply to make more clothing. It was to build something with an identity of its own.

The possibilities were there, even if the resources to pursue them were not always available.

When Money Became an Obstacle

Wanting more than the resources allowed

One of the biggest challenges was money. There were things we wanted to do with Naive View, but bringing those ideas to life wasn't always affordable.

Growing a clothing brand takes more than having designs and wanting people to wear them. There are costs behind the scenes, and without enough funding, some plans have to wait.

It was frustrating knowing what we wanted to work toward but not always having the means to get there. Still, those challenges became part of the experience and taught us more about what it takes to build something from the ground up.

The Trial and Error Years

Learning as we went

The journey wasn't straightforward. Ideas changed, plans were reconsidered, and there were times when it felt like the brand was taking steps forward only to have to rethink its direction again.

Without much experience to draw from, a lot of the process came down to trying things, seeing what happened, and learning from the results. Not everything worked, and not every decision led where they expected.

But those experiences became part of what shaped the brand's history. They revealed the challenges of building something from the ground up and the importance of understanding not just the vision, but the people and decisions behind it.

The End of a Partnership

A decision Josey made for himself

Eventually, Josey made the decision to end the partnership with DMARC and continue on his own.

This wasn't because DMARC had abandoned the brand, done something wrong, or failed to support the vision. The decision came from Josey's own experience of the pressure he associated with running a business in a partnership.

Even though that pressure came from Josey's mindset rather than DMARC's actions, Josey felt that continuing independently might help relieve it. He chose to take responsibility for what he was feeling and make a change in how he wanted to move forward.

DMARC was an important part of Naive View's beginnings, and the work they did together remains part of the story. Their partnership ending doesn't take away from that history.

Starting Over

Finding a way forward independently

Continuing alone gave Josey the chance to reconsider how he wanted to build the brand. It didn't erase the financial challenges, the lack of experience, or the uncertainty that had been there from the beginning. Those things still had to be worked through.

But starting over also meant having room to reassess the direction of the company, learn from what had happened, and decide what he wanted to carry forward.

It wasn't about pretending the earlier years hadn't happened. It was about taking what they had taught him and using those lessons to approach the future differently.

Looking at the Idea Differently

A broader understanding of being naive

As Josey reflected on the original meaning of Naive View, the idea began to evolve.

At first, the concept focused on how people can be unaware of perspectives beyond their own. Over time, it became clear that this wasn't something that applied only to certain people. Every person has a limited view of the world because every person experiences it differently.

We can learn from one another, listen, and try to understand, but we can never experience another person's life exactly as they have. In that sense, any of us can be naive to someone else's perspective.

This doesn't mean every action is acceptable or that accountability no longer matters. It means recognizing that we may not know the whole story before we decide who someone is.

The idea was no longer simply about asking whether other people had a naive view. It became an invitation to recognize the limits of our own perspectives, too.

The Rebirth of Niev

The idea continues under a new name

Niev is the next chapter of that journey. The name comes from the way “naive” is pronounced in English, carrying the original idea forward while giving it room to grow.

The focus has shifted from questioning other people's perspectives to recognizing that everyone has their own. Niev is being built around individuality, openness, respect, and the willingness to recognize our shared humanity despite our differences.

The brand begins with everyday clothing, drawing from streetwear and minimal design. But the intention extends beyond the clothes themselves. Niev is a space for people to express themselves without having to fit into one particular culture, ideology, or way of thinking.

Like we've said before we do not subscribe to any one religion, ideology, or culture. Niev stands for one thing only: Being Human.

To us, that means recognizing the person before the assumptions we might make about them. It means making room for differences without pretending that every action is beyond criticism. We can acknowledge someone's humanity while still being honest about the choices they make.

The Story Isn't Over

Where we go from here

Niev is still growing. We don't claim to have everything figured out, and the journey that brought us here is a reminder that growth rarely happens in a straight line.

What began as a small T-shirt idea has become something with a broader meaning. The clothing is the starting point, but the perspective behind it is what we want to continue carrying forward.

We want to create pieces people can wear in their everyday lives while leaving room for them to be whoever they are. We want the brand to grow, to keep learning, and to make space for different people and experiences without asking everyone to see the world the same way.

This is Niev. The story is still being written, and we're still figuring things out, just like everyone else.