What is fashion? According to Southern University student and CEO Gabriel McCurtis from Franklin, La., “Fashion is an art similar to painting.” He stated that, “We are a blank canvas and the clothes we put on are like the paint on the canvas, so when we leave the house we are art that people look at and admire throughout the day.”

Through fashion, McCurtis found a love of fashion and “dressing his canvas”, so he decided to create his own clothing company that was initially released on his birthday, February 11. The name of his brand is GDM which stands for Greatly Devoted Millionaires.

McCurtis explained the meaning behind his brand is that greatly in the title refers to one’s thought process and mindset. “Devoted” is connected to the trials and tribulations one may face while trying to achieve their goals, and their level of devotion in whatever they are doing. Lastly, “Millionaires” means the worth in assets of the work one put into their goals and how that itself is worth millions. He has also pictured these words with a brain, crown, and skeleton holding money to symbolize the meaning behind GDM.

The way McCurtis goes about life is by putting God first, and constantly practicing his faith. By using his faith and the Bible to stabilize him, he is able to balance his school, personal life, and business.

McCurtis mentioned that when he gets anxious he is able to turn to God and ask for clarity within his life and that everything that he goes through is a part of his journey. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “ For we walk by faith, not by sight” is one of Gabriel’s favorite Bible verses and life mantras because it reminds him to let the Lord guide him and his life rather than him trying to do that on his own.

When the future for GDM seems uncertain McCurtis said that “You don’t want to be that person who grows overnight like an overnight sensation, you want to be the person that actually went through the process.” He believes you should want to learn and grow to love what you do rather than just have it happen to you without going through the journey to get there; he says, “it will make you show more gratitude to what you actually accomplish.”

To get his brand out there, McCurtis makes connections with older people because of the wisdom and knowledge they give him. He says that the key is to hustle, advocate for yourself, and build those necessary connections. McCurtis puts a lot of effort into his brand and everything he does because he’s a firm believer that whatever you put into something you get back. He also feels that, “It’s important to lay down good fruits so that when people see your good fruits they pick it up and drop another fruit for the people behind them.” Good fruits are characteristics of a good person, who puts light and positivity into the world.

When people put on GDM clothing, McCurtis wants them to feel motivated and engrossed in the mindset of the brand. He designed these clothes to be something of substance that will not change even as the brand grows and evolves. Before McCurtis decided to start his brand, the did an extensive amount of research to learn and develop his craft and has been hustling hard ever since. Ultimately, the future for GDM is to work its way up the clothing chain. As of right now, comfortable clothes such as hoodies, shirts, and shorts are available to purchase. The end goal is for GDM to have suits, business clothes, and other items that embody what it means to be a Greatly Devoted Millionaire.

To any aspiring CEO, from the words of McCurtis, “keep God first, and whenever someone tells you that you can’t do it, that’s when you really get up and do it for real. Keep pushing through the trials and tribulations, and turn the negative situations that you find yourself in into a positive outcome. They say good and evil work out to be good at the end of the day, so keep going no matter what.”

If you’re feeling inspired by McCurtis’ story and want to stay connected with him and his brand GDM, make sure to follow him @gdm211, and support his business when you see him around campus.