Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilliard Jones.
Hi Hilliard, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m originally from Jackson, Mississippi and moved to Atlanta in 2014 to attend the center of Black Male Excellence, Morehouse College and graduated in 2018.
I started my brand, JR. Hill in 2019 while living in the oil-rich country of Kuwait as an English teacher. Out of my own personal desperation of never being able to find nice and affordable plus-size clothing that also fits my age demographic, I wanted to create clothing for plus-size men like myself who have style and don’t want to look like they are wearing a sewn-together bed sheet for clothing.
In May of 2022, I founded The Birthright: An Ode To Queer Culture and Fashion and in June produced our first annual fashion show. The show is my way of providing a platform for young, black, queer creatives here in Atlanta and ultimately across the globe.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Though I started JR Hill Co. in 2019, I’ve got to go back a few years to my Sophomore year in college. I started working with a friend who was a student at SCAD and when we got down to the very last stages, the funding that I was promised fell through. As a college student, I didn’t have the funds to support my dream at that time so I had to put it on pause. I couldn’t let go of my dream and vision so in 2019, after graduating, I personally funded the launching of the collection. As luck would have it, I lost my job soon after and had to put production and marketing on pause once again.
Fast forward, I returned back to Atlanta and landed a job with Google. All was going well. I had a nice salary and was able to put money aside to save up for another launch attempt. This time, I was not only launching my clothing line but also The Birthright. And as life would have it, Google went through a downsizing in my department and I was laid off once again, just a week after the Birthright show!
Most people would have given up and thrown in the towel but the level of adversity I’ve had to overcome to make it happen has only made me want it more. This journey is definitely not for the faint of heart.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Professionally I am a technical recruiter but my passion is JR Hill, my plus size menswear collection and of course The Birthright.
I’m known for my eclectic style. Generally plus size men stray away from prints but my clothes are print heavy and my style is a reflection of my travels around the world. I’ve collected fabrics from Thailand, Egypt, Africa, Dubai and Bahrain and have had garments made for myself. Now I’m sharing that style with the world through JR Hill.
I’m most proud of the fact that through adversity and being told no, being let go from my jobs and losing my finances on several different occasions I have still been able to see my vision come to life. I have to say that personally financing and producing The Birthright and seeing my collection adorning the models down the runway and receiving all the love and feedback from guests, fellow designers and buyers has been beyond rewarding for me. I did it! It happened! I was fortunate to bring on an amazing caliber of sponsors such as Maison Marcel and Nordstrom. Ultimately I was able to use that platform to help promote some amazingly talented designers and put Black Queer Joy on full display!
I believe the thing that sets me apart from others is my work ethic. I go HARD! When I see something or have a vision, I don’t stop until it manifests. To put it frankly…I’m a visionary.
How do you define success?
Success is not only completion but also the elevation of the people around me. If I’m the only person elevated, that’s not a success for me, I’m not doing my job. My goal in life is to elevate people, especially those who are marginalized and that is also the sole purpose of The Birthright.
Contact Info:
- Website: JRHILL.co
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jrhillco?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Image Credits
Photography/Creative Direction: Billie Hilliard IG: @billie_hilliard Website: BillieHilliardConsultants.com
