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Historically, Omar is inspired by our forefathers who rose up against the British, the Indian military, the Civil War; what they wore, as well as, other historical events. "It took a lot of guts to do what they did. When they signed the Declaration of Independence, that was them saying, here's my head basically. I think a lot of people forget that. A lot of people forget not only what that meant when they signed it, but also what kind of character those men had to be able to sign it. I am definitely through this clothing line digging for that. Those guys would not have shown up in a pair of sweats, or a T-shirt, or something their wives picked out. These men knew exactly how to dress, and they know exactly what they were wearing."

"Back in the day, (I will even take it back to the mid-evil times) you wore particular clothing to represent you for that day. When I was younger I always felt like (spiritually too) I should be prepared to go, prepared to do. I reflect that in my clothing line, and it doesn’t hamper the character that I put into my clothing--what represents me."

"Huckleberry is an educational clothing line that pulls people out of their comfort zone and considers it a right to be able to wear a part of the constitution. It’s honoring people for what they did in the past. It’s actually skilled clothing," Omar explained. He also loves looking at old photographs because of the things he sees in them--especially military photographs. He’s intrigued with African-American culture and has an interest in the way different races express themselves in different ways.

Fashion designer Omar Alkalouti from Nashville, TN, is unique and has a unique perspective on fashion, and has been able to take it to a new level with his Huckleberry clothing line. For Omar, fashion is a philosophy; an historical worldview, which sets him apart from other fashion designers........

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Posted: February 18th, 2010

"There’s a jacket idea I want to design from a picture of a federal officer who is a Chinese immigrant. He had on a tunic, which was like a battle dress. I want to make that and put his picture on the tag and tell the story of Chinese immigrants. I have always wanted to be a history teacher; this is the way I am going to teach."

To have someone wearing his clothing and understanding their culture, and be comfortable with who they are, is the goal. "It's not about the clothing; it's about pulling out the individual through the expression of clothing. There's a bigger cause here, and I am just having fun making clothing."

"It takes a dream, to instill a vision, and character to a tempt boldness. A man who does not know why he wears clothing other than law, is meant to follow sheep to the slaughter," (a quote Omar feels strongly). Omar’s desire is to offer his customers clothing that are an expression of who they are. He says his fashion is not just a clothing line. "It's culture, and it's a progressive......."

The perspective from which Omar approaches fashion is not just about every day life and what you happened to be doing, but from the perspective that there is so much more to what life is about, and what the different aspects that make up life are. His aim is for his clothing line to be a physical and visual representation of those perspectives--of self, and a cultural expression of why a person would wear a certain type of clothing. He describes his fashion line as having an North Eastern, European kind of Russian, early American, but definitely a European vibe.

Basically, Omar would like it to be understood that his clothing line is like walking into history class. That people will learn their traditions whether they have experienced them personally or not, and they'll know that they are still apart of them. That it’s a respect for history and telling the story. He understands that there were events that took place in history that were not events not to be proud of. However, having said that, his Huckleberry clothing line is about honoring history, which, he says is a part of our lives. "In our culture and society for example, as time passes on, and grandpa dies, and leaves a gorgeous part of our past, and we just think, that was grandpa's; nope that's mine…. It's tougher, it's meaner, it's more beautiful, it's more romantic, and it’s more poetic than anything this present society has put out."