Houston Entrepreneur Bends the Rules of Streetwear — Why A Herd of Bison is a Local Brand to Know

Looking to spice up your fall closet with something different? A Herd of Bison (HOB) is an up-and-coming Houston fashion brand to know. It first opened as an online store in 2018, specializing in streetwear, including custom garments and footwear for both men and women. 

Herd of Bison creator Kareem Day started sketching at just 4 years old and sold personalized clothes to his peers in high school. After pursuing an engineering technology degree at Texas Southern University for awhile, Day decided to go after his dreams of being a fashion designer. 

Day designs garments with the intention of highlighting his past failures and successes.

“I like to look at myself as a student of the world,” Day says. “I love understanding the many voids of the world and then embedding those ideas in my designs for HOB.”

 This Houston entrepreneur idolizes fashion designers Kim Jones, Scott Sasso, Ronnie Fieg and Virgil Abloh for their ability to bend the rules of streetwear. 

A Herd of Bison does not target one specific customer. The idea being that you can rock this brand at any age whether you are about to start your first job or about to go into retirement. 

HOB’s map collection tends to sell out every time a new shipment comes in. Its first item is an eye-popping electric blue and red satin jacket, lined with the Houston city map with a quote on the back that reads: “We’re at war but we’re peaceful.”

The Bison City Split windbreaker is designed to protect from Houston’s crazy weather. The jacket’s Full Zip Away technology enables you to completely split the jacket in half and swap in other fun colors. You can even make it a complete outfit with the matching windbreaker trunks and snapback hat that shows off Houston’s roots.

If you really want to make a fashion statement this year, HOB’s premium leather moccasin trainers may be just for you. These handmade shoes come in a variety of colors, including Ox blood red, Tiffany blue and jet black.  

“Just like the map collection, most of our products have an underlying meaning beyond the physical garment,” Day says. “Design details have substance embedded inside of it giving our customers something more than just an item to wear — but rather a timeless piece of art.”

Herd of Bison’s Designer Reach

Day has also collaborated locally with Reebok to add the bison logo on the shoe brand’s classic style sneaker. In July, he worked with the Reebok team at Katy Mills Mall to present his bespoke shoe design. This event was an opportunity for people to come in and customize a shoe with a creator and personalize it to their liking.

“My favorite aspect of designing is watching an idea in my head turn into a tangible thing and watch people actually appreciate the art in person,” Day says.  

Beyond designing one-of-a-kind pieces, Day enjoys giving back to his community. He hands out nutritional lunches and toiletries to the homeless with his kids regularly.

Day has an upcoming event at Social Status, a store located in CITYCENTRE that helps shed a spotlight on the emerging youth culture and diversity in Houston. A Herd of Bison also does other pop-up events around Houston every now and then. In the past, Day did flash retailing at A Ma Maniere and Nounn.

When you’re a creator, you need to get yourself out there.