LAUREN
HAEUN
KIM

Q: HOW DID HOME INVASION COME ABOUT?

UDY: It was during the very first lockdown in 2020 when I realized how much my room sucked in terms of its presentation. I recall seeing TikToks of album covers displayed as canvases and asked Hayden if he wanted to make some to sell locally. We didn’t take action to the thought at the time, but that’s what initiated our partnership. 

Weeks pass, and I'm scrolling on Instagram and come across a story highlighting the Virgil Abloh x IKEA MARKERAD "Receipt" Rug and another of a digital receipt of the Travis Scott Astroworld album. I thought it would be sick if the two concepts merged to curate rugs in the shape of receipts showcasing music albums. I thought someone had already executed the idea, but to my surprise I looked online to no existence of any form of product. I hit up Hayden with the idea to design album receipt rugs and the rest is history.

Hayden is a seasoned clothing and sneaker reseller, while I learned the ins and outs of how to initiate a brand during my last year of high school. We didn’t have too much experience in making our own products, however one thing we did have was passion. We spent hours figuring out how to make this vision happen. We stayed up every night of lockdown discussing each department in order to make our goals come true. 

We received our first sample after weeks of brainstorm and loved it. "HOME INVASION" comes from the concept of invading people’s homes with innovative design. Our logo derives inspiration from Monsters, Inc. as an analogy to us delivering products just like how the monsters delivered laughter to different households. We started to post on TikTok and received incredible turnout. We haven't looked back since.

Q: WHAT KIND OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS? BIGGEST LESSON YOU'VE LEARNED?

UDY: Have a clear vision of what you want and how you want it. Once you understand what that vision is, then begin to work backwards and fill in the actions you need to achieve the dream. This isn't something that happens overnight. It takes copious amounts of time, research, and learning. Refine your content and learn as much as you can about someone in a position you want to be in and apply the same practices to your own life. With discipline, the right attitude, and a bit luck, anyone can achieve amazing things. 

DRUCE: Believe in what you’re doing. If you go into a vision half heartedly, how are others going to respond? Keeping a close tab on creatives in your industry can inspire and drive your motivation. What are they doing that makes them unique? What kind of content do they post? Do they interact with their followers? Paying keen attention to the little things can amount to massive measures over time.

Q: HOME INVASION HAS A UNIQUE CONCEPT AND BRANDING. WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THE BUSINESS WAS MAKING STRIDES IN THE INDUSTRY?

UDY: We utilized TikTok as a way to showcase the products we were making. The first TikTok that received immense traction was one I filmed across my house at a small basketball court. I remember posting that TikTok around 5 times before it got any reach. It was a Saturday morning. I woke up to our first 100k and had an adrenaline rush I've never experienced before. The business idea I created had a chance to grow bigger and I was elated for its potential. 

There was another time I posted a TikTok that topped all levels of engagement I've ever had. A day before the Travis Scott McDonalds collab dropped, I grabbed a Happy Meal box and drew the Cactus Jack logo on it while placing our brand's sticker into the toy plastic bag. The video ended up getting over 6M views which left us in shock, and tricked millions into thinking that was the real collab. We utilized the hype we received to build an audience. It’s only been a year and half since HOME INVASION launched, which is surreal because it has felt like a lifetime. We're improving content, and ensuring our platform can become an engaging place with a wider array of products. We can't wait to step into the clothing industry too.

DRUCE: The first time our TikTok content blew up, I woke up to my phone going absolutely mental. I was so confused to what was going on. After realizing we hit our first 100k, I knew our ideas had potential. 

Q: WHICH ARTIST WOULD YOU WANT TO COLLABORATE WITH?

UDY: I would love to work with the Kid LAROI. I’ve been a fan of his music for a very long time and he’s from Australia which is close to where we're based in New Zealand. It'd be a dream to meet and work with him.

DRUCE: Cole Bennett. What he does with his videos is what I consider art. I know if Zudy didn’t pick Kid LAROI, it would be Cole. The noise he has made in the music/rap industry is truly insane.

Q: AN ALBUM THAT BEST DESCRIBES YOU.

UDY: Legends Never Die by Juice WRLD, as it came out around the same time we were setting up HOME INVASION. The song "Come & Go" is one of my favorites from that album. I perceive music as the closest thing we have to time travel. Every time I revisit an album or song that I constantly listened to in the past, I'm brought back to the exact moment I was living in. It's a vulnerable emotional experience for sure.

DRUCE: I got to go with Aminé and his album Limbo. The album came out during a rough time in my life and certain songs on there hit home. My idol Kobe Bryant passed that same year and Aminé had a song on that album dedicated to him. When I listen to the album, it brings me back to those times and I reflect on how much my life has positively changed since then.

Q: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR HOME INVASION?

UDY: We’re working on diversifying our rugs as well as onboarding new products. We want to push out the clothing side of our brand that we’ve put a lot of time and thought into. We're aiming to have our first pop up store towards the end of the year. Our long term goal is to travel around the world while meeting new creatives. It'd be a dream to share what we make with various cultures and communities.

DRUCE: We're looking to branch out, rather than stay one dimensional with our rugs. Even though they've become the base of our brand, we want to create diverse clothing and accessories. Having a pop up at the end of the year will be an amazing milestone to execute, especially with it being in person. I'm excited for what's to come.