Longitude + Latitude is a streetwear brand influenced by its founder’s strong sense of purpose and love of math and fashion. One year into her business, Founder and Owner Ashveen Gill spoke with SBBC about her creative journey, starting her business, and her vision for the future.
Meet Ashveen Gill, aka A$VPXGILL
“If you know me, you’ll know I’m genuinely myself,” said Ashveen. Born and raised in Surrey, Ashveen is a passionate Vancouver Canucks fan who grew up playing soccer in a sports-loving family.
“I pride myself in being open, honest, and speaking my mind for what’s true to me. I’d rather be authentic and have people love me for who I am than be someone who’s just trying to fit in,” she said.
Growing up, Ashveen had a creative side and found a form of therapy in her high school art classes. Ashveen’s sense of style became a form of her artistic expression. Japanese and UK street style influenced her aesthetic. Among her style icons are Rihanna, Ye, Chris Brown, Virgil Abloh, Tupac, A$AP Rocky, Aaliyah, Pharrell, Kaws, Jerry Lorenzo and many more.
On United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)
Ashveen uses Longitude + Latitude to show the intersection of math, advocacy, and fashion. “I haven’t seen any streetwear brand mesh the world of analytics and art together in the way that I have,” said Ashveen.
While at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, working on her bachelor of arts degree in mathematics and criminology, a professor introduced her to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs.)
The 17 goals are a theoretical framework for bringing peace and prosperity for humans and the planet. The idea that every individual should have two to three UNSDGs they want to work towards resonated with Ashveen.
“This is where my purpose comes into play and what I want to leave my mark as,” she said. Her top goals are quality education, climate action, peace, justice, and strong institutions. “Through Longitude + Latitude, I hope to donate, advocate, and help do my part in fulfilling my purpose to a more habitable and peaceful world,” she said.
On Starting her Business
Ashveen’s partner asked her, “If you were about to start a business, what would it be?”
Her mind immediately went to streetwear, coordinates, airport locations, representing different cities, and “airport fits”.
“My subconscious mind already knew what I wanted to do. I just needed a nudge to spark and initiate the process,” said Ashveen. When she had the idea, she was a third-year university student.
“I had no clue on how to begin the journey of making my vision come to life,” said Ashveen. “But I would think about the “what if’s” of starting my own brand often.” She joined an e-commerce mentorship program and has been going strong ever since.
“Not only did my art become a form of expression, but it became an outlet to speak on the importance of UNSDGs as well,” she said. “Bringing a nerdy outlook on streetwear helps distinguish the uniqueness I bring to the industry.”
On the Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur
For Ashveen, the biggest challenge to starting her business was consistency. “Trying to build something from nothing is not a simple task to stay consistent for. Especially when you don’t see the immediate results of the effort you put in,” she said.
“Enjoying the process and celebrating small wins is what makes the next step that much more exciting to accomplish.”
Staying consistent was challenging as responsibilities and obligations from school, work, family, and friends increased. “It was nowhere near “easy” trying to juggle school and commit to the consistency my brand start-up needed,” said Ashveen.
Her “me time” became working on her business because it didn’t feel like work. “This is more of a passion project for me, and I’m grateful to have people around the world who appreciate the art I’m showcasing,” she said.
On Advice for Entrepreneurs
For Ashveen, if she could pass on any learnings to her past self, she would tell herself not to be so frantic to meet a self-paced deadline. “Art is meant to be done with patience,” she said. “And even though I don’t strive for perfection, I do want to make sure it is representative of the vision I’m trying to display.”
“There have been a lot of moments I’ve learned from, and I know what I can do better next time,” said Ashveen. “I’m so glad I got to experience the mistakes I made early on so I could be more cautious in the future,” she said. “But in the great words inked on Rihanna – “Never a failure, always a lesson,” she said.
Photo credits: JP VISIONS and DAVE AGUILA.
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