A celebrity wearing one of its designs can give a major boost to a young clothing brand. For David Minor’s NYRVA, those co-signs happened to come from two of the most stylish rappers on the planet. Over the past year, we have seen Lil Yachty hit the stage in various custom sets and Travis Scott pull up to an event in a pair of its cowhide shorts. The looks are well deserved. It’s a testament to the high quality that Minor pours into all of NYRVA’s designs. And the brand is just getting started.
“When people look at my brand, I want them to see wearable museum pieces,” says Minor. “My goal is to create affordable items that are crafted like luxury pieces.”
Minor is a self-taught designer from Richmond, Virginia. The brand began after he started to experiment with a sewing machine during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its first releases were pairs of stacked denim that he learned to make by watching YouTube tutorials. Its offerings have been steadily improving ever since. Now, NYRVA is one of the most exciting emerging brands in streetwear.
NYRVA’s collections fuse luxury craftsmanship with raw authenticity. They take an elevated approach to classic shorts through elements like intricate belt detailing and cowhide textures. Minor has carved out a unique lane by creating premium staple pieces that are accessible to the masses.
With co-signs from stars like NBA Youngboy, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty, and more, NYRVA has built its own momentum in a space often saturated with repetitive designs. What started as an idea during a global lockdown has grown into an elevated streetwear brand with worldwide influence.
Ahead of ComplexCon 2025, we spoke to Minor to learn more about NYRVA, his influences and dream collaborators, the exclusives he is planning to bring to Las Vegas, and more.
Check out the rest of the ComplexCon 2025 Brands to Watch here.
How did growing up in Richmond, Virginia influence your style and approach to fashion?
Richmond is considered part of the DMV. Visiting D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, I noticed that each area had its own unique vibe and fashion. You’d see people rocking everything from New Balances and Nike boots to Clarks and moccasins. Everyone had their own wave and wasn’t afraid to try different things. That inspired me to experiment too. I started mixing different elements together to create my own look and see what I could make out of it.
When did you decide you wanted to start a brand?
I was sewing. During COVID, stacked denim pants were popular and I was like, “How are people making these pants to stack together and sit that way?” I went on YouTube and researched. I would go on Amazon, find pants with no brand on them, and sew one leg to the other one. I just started painting on 'em, spray painting, tie dying them, and everything like that. That became popular. That's when I was like, “Alright, I want to take this seriously.”
What was the biggest challenge you faced teaching yourself how to build a brand?
I would say the biggest challenge I faced in the beginning was learning to remember that it’s a business, not just art or something you’re doing for fun. You have to think about the backend stuff like customer service, taxes, inventory, and all of that. In the beginning, I didn’t take any of that seriously. I had to learn that you can’t just have cash flow and go out buying Chrome Hearts and things like that.You have to invest back into your brand. That’s the most important part.If you really want to grow, especially in the beginning, make sure everything you earn goes back into your brand until it starts growing.
Who has influenced your style and creative approach?
I would say ASAP Rocky and Virgil Abloh. I just love how Virgil was involved with everything. No matter how big or small he was, he would help people out, give them a chance, and respond to DMs no matter how busy he was.
For someone who’s never seen your work, how would you describe NYRVA?
When people look at my brand, I want them to look at it as wearable museum pieces. When you come from nothing, seeing people in Margiela jackets and stuff like that, you can't afford that. You can really just look at it from a distance. So, my goal is to create affordable pieces that are made like luxury items.
What’s been your favorite piece you’ve made so far?
My belt jacket and my belt pants.
What are your goals for NYRVA’s future?
My future goals are to continue to build an actual brand. I want people to understand the world of NYRVA. I want them to understand my world and understand I'm trying to build something that just lasts forever. It’s not just cowhide, leather, or colors.
What are you bringing to ComplexCon this year?
I’m bringing camo shorts, cowhide shorts, hats, wallet chains, belts, wallets, pants, and a few jackets. I’m also doing a Complex-exclusive colorway of my cowhide shorts.
What’s been your most rewarding moment with the brand so far?
Being able to do things for my daughter that I wasn't able to have myself as a child.
What’s your dream collab?
My dream collab would be with 424. I feel like Guillermo [Andrade] created his own lane and everything he does is special. Every time he creates something, I want it. It is his own world and I feel like that's what we’re missing right now. Everybody's so fast to make a brand, but they don't create a world with it. So all the new brands, I feel like they're trying to establish what they want to do, but I feel like he's at the point where he knows what he is doing. With every single piece he's showing who he is, what he would create, what he would wear, and who he would want to have it on.
Lil Yachty and Travis Scott have both been seen wearing NYRVA. What’s it like getting that kind of love from some of the biggest artists in the game?
Honestly, it's a surreal feeling, but I'm still humble. I just treat it like a regular person. It feels amazing, but I don't feel like I'm there yet or accomplished enough to be like, “Alright, this is good, we made it, we did it.” No, there’s still so much more to do and so much work to get done. It's a great step forward, but I'm not satisfied with where I'm at yet.