The First KAZARTT Prototype: How We Built a Brand Around One Belt
As KAZARTT prepares for a new chapter, I’ve found myself looking back at some old photos.
Photos of the first designs.
Photos of the first buckle.
Photos of a belt that almost nobody has ever seen.
Because before KAZARTT became a collection, before the website, before the thousands of belts shipped across Europe, there was just… one belt.
It all started on a computer screen
Back in 2018, KAZARTT only existed as an idea.
We spent countless hours designing belt patterns on a computer, testing colors, shapes, and details. At the time, we had no product to photograph, no samples to wear, and no idea whether our concept would even work in real life.
Everything was digital.
Yet somehow, seeing those first designs made the project feel real.
Little by little, KAZARTT was starting to take shape.
The search for the perfect buckle
One detail received far more attention than most people would imagine: the buckle.
A belt buckle is a small component, but it defines the entire personality of a belt.
We explored countless options, shapes, finishes, and materials before finding one that matched the vision we had for KAZARTT.
When we finally found it, it felt like a major victory.
Looking back, it probably sounds ridiculous.
At the time, it felt like a breakthrough.
The colors
And then... the colors.
KAZARTT's ambition was to be different, joyful, colorful, ...
We wanted to break your clothing routine and bring colors and happiness to your wardrobe.
Choosing the colors was not an easy task.
The day the first prototype arrived
Then came the moment we had been waiting for.
The first prototype arrived.
One belt.
That’s it.
No collection.
No inventory.
No backup.
Just a single belt.
For nearly two months, it was the only physical product we had.
And we treated it like gold.
We photographed it everywhere.
On tables.
On chairs.
In parks.
At home.
On the street.
Hundreds of photos.
Probably more.
Whenever we needed content for social media, there was only one option: use the same belt again.
And again.
And again.
Today, it makes me smile.
Back then, it was all we had.
A Trip to Alicante
Two months later, we travelled to Alicante, Spain.
Meeting the manufacturer in person was a huge milestone.
It transformed KAZARTT from an idea into something tangible.
During that trip, we received another prototype.
Suddenly, we had two belts.
That might not sound impressive.
To us, it felt like the collection was growing.
I wore those belts almost every day.
Not because I wanted to promote the brand.
Because I genuinely loved them.
For the first time, KAZARTT felt real.
A few weeks later, we launched
A few weeks after receiving those prototypes, KAZARTT officially launched.
We had no idea what would happen next.
We didn’t know if anyone would buy.
We didn’t know if the concept would resonate.
We didn’t know if KAZARTT would still exist a year later.
What we did know was that we had created something we were proud of.
And sometimes, that’s enough to take the next step.
Looking back
When people discover KAZARTT today, they see a finished product.
What they don’t see are the months spent building everything around a single prototype.
The uncertainty.
The excitement.
The endless photos.
The countless small decisions.
And yet, those early days remain some of my favorite memories.
Because every journey starts somewhere.
Ours started with one belt.
And now, almost eight years later, a new chapter is about to begin.
More on that very soon.
