We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Marvin Dupiton and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Dr. Marvin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought process initially behind creating Sharp Crisp Clean was how can I create a style that caters to individuals that look like me as well as those who like to dress professional or causal or just like to look good yet expresses their personality to the utmost. Often times when shopping for ties and bow ties I felt they were extremely boring in regards to color, pattern, and even fabric. So as I began brainstorming, I began to see a greater purpose in what creating a business such as this would do for others as well as myself.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The journey to my professional career so far been a long one indeed. Initially coming to college I was set on being a dentist similar to my pops or a doctor. Growing up in a Haitian household it was always encouraged to be a doctor, go to school and get an education, of course for the right reasons. When I arrived to Florida State University I was set on accomplishing that goal. As I challenged myself every semester with courses such as chemistry, biology, organic chemistry etc I thought to myself at times when will we ever used what was learn in class in real life. But when you are enjoying college life and simply following a plan that was laid out, you seem to focus more on the end goal rather than the obstacles to overcome that goal. As the course work got heavy I began realizing that as a science major it’s very difficult to try and cram for test like other majors because everything you learn builds upon each other and is necessary to even pass each science class. That’s when I really began to pay attention to the small details, making sure I do things that built a foundation for the long term rather than looking for the instant gratification, which ultimately provided no substance. Upon graduation from undergrad I was able to experience once in a lifetime opportunities that really began to shape me in a new direction. Interning at a dental office really gave me a new perspective and I realized that it wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my last, so instead I decided to pursue one of my favorite passions, sports! It was then I enrolled into FAMU to get my masters degree in Sport Administration as well as working at Menswarehouse which allowed me to further my love for fashion & sports. It was during this time I began envisioning sewing and creating a luxury brand that focused on exclusive bow ties. ( As time progressed I began also designing ties but initially I was all about being the Michael Jordan of bow ties) The road of course to this day isn’t an easy one but in order to master anything you must invest time, learn from your mistakes and the most important thing that you must do is start. A motto that really stuck with me was to dream big and dare to fail! So as I intertwined two of my passions I focused on being and Administrator at a university which lead me to working towards my PhD in higher education at Louisiana State University (LSU) and creating luxury accessories that will bring confidence to all those that wear it. The question was how can I impact College athletics or athletics in general and fashion.. and so here we are today!
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Things to check out in no order but a must do… 1. Wynwood
2. South Beach
3. G5… KOD.. Office… Tootsies (For the Wings)
4. Ft. lauderdale Beach Las Olas
5. Sawgrass Mills Mall (Just to walk and say damn this mall big )
6. Little Haiti 🇭🇹 Get some Haitian food
7. Antonio’s Pizzeria
8. Jamaican food ( Jamaican Beef patty with coco bread a must)
9. Wet Willies
10. Hard rock
11. A high school football game (good teams with a good band)
12. Brunch too many spots to name so gotta attend a few.
13. Finger licking, Sunday’s Eatery etc
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost I would like to thank God for allowing me to harness a vision in order to create Sharp Crisp Clean. Also by placing me in certain situations throughout my life that provided me opportunities, exposed me to my talents as well as pushed me to become better in everything that I decided to partake in. Next I would like to shoutout my mommy & pops for helping me become the man that I am today. (I’m Haitian so I still call my mom mommy) Also my big brother Ravel for keeping me tight and having my back at all times even if he didn’t agree. Being that it’s so many of my fraternity brothers that provided me with the much needed support it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t acknowledge my chapter the Infamous Iota Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc and all the other bruhs that showed love. My friends as well continued to show me a lot of love and I couldn’t ask for a better support system.
Website: Www.SharpCrispClean.com
Instagram: @SharpCrispClean
Linkedin: Marvin Dupiton
Twitter: @sharp_crisp
Facebook: Sharpcrispclean
Youtube: sharpcrispclean