Meet Key PhantaCee | Fashion Designer, Motivator & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Key PhantaCee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Key, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
When it comes to the idea of giving up, you have to ask yourself two questions. The first question being “can I see my life without this”? When it comes to my business VLVP, I thought about giving up plenty of times. The thought of “is it even worth it?” is natural to have as a business owner. There are moments when it feels like all odds are against you. No matter how much money you pump into your business or the amount of hours you dedicate, it seems like it’s going nowhere. So you decide to drop the ball and take that break. Yet, once doing that your life now feels empty, and you feel like you’re letting yourself down. Your business has now become a part of you and unless you’ve done all that you could do to make it a success, giving up on it should not be an option. You will not be able to let it go because you believe in your dream. That brings me to the next question to ask yourself which is “am I dedicated to this business”? Let’s be honest, some people jump into business for the sake of making quick money. So they start up a bunch of businesses and stick to none of them. If you’re not dedicated to the business you created, any set back will leave you wanting to give up. When you want to keep going you’ll have a drive and ambition like none other. Your passion for your business will radiate even through the storm. Don’t get me wrong, if something reached its peak and there’s no room left to grow then moving on is not a bad thing. Make sure the next business you decide to step into is one you’re passionate about. That way the thought of giving up doesn’t have to linger for too long.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Vivre La Vie Pleinement (VLVP) is the French translation of Live Life Fully and I like to consider it a Motivation streetwear brand, I’ll get back to why in a moment. VLVP provides high quality unisex streetwear at affordable prices. Some of our pieces include graphic tees, hoodies, joggers, socks, beanies, and much more. I love to name my pieces after affirmations. Like the Renewed Jogger set, The Revived T-shirt, The Transformed Jogger shorts and The Uniquely Made Bucket Hat. We are different from a lot of brands because the moment people wear our garments they begin to take on the trait of the garment for which they are wearing. When I first created the brand I was a sophomore in college almost six years ago and I was tired of not allowing myself to grow in certain areas of my life. I was always scared to step out of my comfort zone and truth be told I feared growth. Around this time I was involved in professional dancing and modeling. I used to be scared to go to auditions because I feared someone there would be better than me or I just wouldn’t be good enough. It was bad, the amount of self doubt I had made me sad and worried about myself and my future. I was afraid because I was content with doing the bare minimum. I did just enough to get by in life and that became a huge problem for me. I was at a place in my life where I wanted to experience more and break free from the things that were holding me back such as fear, people’s validations and self doubt.

The phrase “live life fully” was not created to be a clothing brand at first, it was simply created as a motto I began to live by in my everyday life. I then translated it to French not only because it looks and sounds fancy but when I used the phrase or said it, it was something I could only understand. Also every time someone saw me post Vivre La Vie Pleinement as a hashtag they would question what it meant and I would always happily share my story, which would eventually inspire them as well. Granted there are many people fluent in French but not many in the community I am from.

I went on to really push forward with the goals I had set for myself, I grew more confident in myself, began tackling more obstacles. I put peace and happiness first, practiced compassion for others and I learned the importance of unity. These are all the qualities my brand embodies. I knew I wasn’t the only one on this journey of rediscovering my life’s purpose and other people dealt with or are dealing with the same issues.

When you wear VLVP we want you to feel alive, purposeful, and undefeated! Life is not about perfection but more so growth and learning to love the space that you are in even if it’s rocky. Most people hear purpose and equate it to financial gain or career success. Not knowing that a purpose can be something as simple as being someone who people can confide in. Zone in on what you’re truly passionate about and you’ll see that you’ve probably been living in your purpose all along. Even if financial gain does not come from it! That thing is what makes you happy and that’s what matters most!

I could have gone on a public speaking tour to spread this message but what better way to spread this message than through the thing I love most which is fashion. Fashion has always been a part of my life being that my dad is a fashion designer himself. I used to love when he would show me photos from his fashion shows in the 90’s and 80’s. I once redesigned one of his custom pieces to fit me. He was so proud to see one of his children following in his fashion designing footsteps. His goal is to see me take fashion to a whole new level. He made sacrifices with his career to raise his family and I will always appreciate that.
Now do you see why I call VLVP a motivational streetwear brand? Yes it’s about the clothes but clothes have a deeper meaning for me. Clothes shape how the world sees us, it makes the first impressions for us. I figured what better way to spread this message than through fashion and thus VLVP was born!

“The Brand Designed to Inspire ” is our tagline and we stamp it on everything because we want our brand, mission, and clothing to inspire people like how it inspires me everyday to keep going. Business is not an easy road but who will I be if I’m preaching motivation but not staying motivated myself. I am still actively on my journey to living life fully and that’s what’s special about VLVP. I can speak on the journey because I am living the journey and I am very open about the struggles I encounter but overcome in life! I hope this summary gives you a good idea of what VLVP is all about. Simply sharing my story with you makes me feel like I’m right where I am supposed to be so thank you for this opportunity.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a good yet hard question because there’s so much to do in Philly. First, if a friend was to visit I would take her over to Spruce Street Harbor Park and Penn’s Landing. During the winter they have the ice skating rink and fun little amusement rides, nothing to major but enough to give you a little rush. There’s different food trucks to eat from so the food choices are far from limited. I can not forget the arcade for which I shot a photoshoot and got kicked out. Good times. To pass the time we can head downtown to the Fashion District, which most people my age know as or still call The Gallery. The Fashion District is like Philly’s little mall. I don’t know why they don’t call it a mall. It offers everything a mall offers, but it’s not considered a mall. At the Fashion District we can shop, eat some good flat bread at City Winery and even grab a few glasses of their in-house wine collection. There’s a bowling alley and a movie theater on the top floor of the Fashion District, so the fun is endless. For some late night fun we can head over to South Street. If you’re looking for an area where people are always outside, South street is one of those places. They have nothing but bars, small shops, and lounges along the whole strip. You will not be bored out there! Lastly, my favorite hidden gem spots are the Cira Green rooftop park and Hook & Reel seafood restaurant. Cira Green has a beautiful view and in the summer they offer good refreshing drinks! Drinks with a view of the city, you can’t go wrong with that. Hook & Reel is in Cheltenham, right outside of Philly but they have tasty bag seafood boils, great drinks and a dope atmosphere. This list is just a small glimpse of what Philly has to offer. One thing for sure, you will find something to do in Philly. We are the city of Bars and Restaurants so rest assured we’ll be eating good!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to a few people in my life, my parents being first on the list. When I say I have the most supportive mom and dad, I mean that! They’ve given me room to grow and explore my talents. They’ve supported my dance career and always cheered me on, even when joining the cheer team and they purchased my uniform with no hesitation. As of today as a fashion designer they buy from and support my brand like any other customer. They’ve helped me believe I can do anything I set my mind to and because of that I would forever be grateful. Secondly, I would like to shoutout my four brothers and two sisters! Having siblings is like having your own blood related entourage. My younger siblings help me be a better person because I know the young ones are watching me and I have to set a good example. Meanwhile, my older siblings helped me by showing me how to stay focused and how to be a leader in my family and amongst my peers. My siblings keep me grounded and are not afraid to tell me what I need to hear. That’s what I love about them. There’s nothing like knowing you have a group of friends set for life.

Now who would I be without those who support me? From my man who is always in my corner listening to my cries, my struggles and witnessing my growth to my sister-friends who always show up one way or the other. Let me not forget to mention my customers aka the Clubbers who buy from my brand whenever something drops. I appreciate you for believing in my product and being spreaders of the brand! To those who follow my brand and simply share or like a post. All of your support lets me know that I am walking in my purpose and God is just getting started with my story!

Website: https://www.vlvp.store/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vlvp_club/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VLVP_CLUB

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vlvpclub

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-I-uRdpLy4ElITmhlMncJw

Image Credits
Article image by: Brian Buzz Bowens of Flash Werkz Model images by: Thomas J Woods Photography| Beyyond You Photography