Today we’d like to introduce you to Dwayne Ellis.
Hi Dwayne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, I admired entrepreneurs and athletes alike from the intercity. Those individuals put a lot into their fashion, wearing name brand clothing and shoes. I also worked at Walters clothing, which influenced me more and gave me access to items that were heavily sought after. I then decided to make a tee-shirt brand to go with popular sneakers. I did my 1st t-shirt in 2011 to match the Jordan 3 white cement. Afterwards, I came up with a brand name titled Gray Season Apparel, Gray being my mother’s maiden name, so I created an acronym for it Git Right All Year. It was incorporated 2/2/2012.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Over the last decade since doing the very first t-shirt, I’ve created several collections annually, some selling well and some not that I eventually would give away. The entire decade I’ve been the sole owner of the brand, so I funded and took losses alone. I always got props either directly from peers or through other brands telling me personally they were influenced by Gray Season. That encouraged me to continue till this day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work experiences range from employee, entrepreneur and coach. Started working at age 14. I worked at midway recreation center, which I did most summers breaks from school. My senior year of high school, I worked at Walters clothing in downtown Atlanta learning the ins and outs of retail. After graduation, I returned to working in recreation, where I started coaching basketball after I concluded my own basketball career. I’ve worked several odd jobs throughout the years but I’ve been working at being my own boss.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up a shy, quiet kid. I aspired to be a professional athlete since I can remember with my parents and grandparents being big sports fans. I never played organized football but I played baseball, basketball & bowled. When I was 13, I decided to focus solely on basketball, playing year-round for aau (Mark Trail & Team Georgia) and school (Mays High School).
Contact Info:
- Email: Grayseasonapparel@gmail.com
- Website: Grayseasonapparel.bigcartel.com
Image Credits
@urbangeekphotos
