Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamil Pratt.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jamil. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a 34 year old from Rocky Mount North Carolina always been into fashion. And the small town I’m from Fashion is Everything we went to school to show off our clothes lol. With that being said, the way our school was set up in your 12th grade year you have a chance to run for school Superlatives and Yes I won Best Dress that’s like winning a Grammy for putting in four years of Fashion lol. After high school, I went to one of the Best HBCU’s in the country North Carolina A&T University where I took up Fashion Merchandising & Design. Where I wanted to become a Designer and design Men’s & Women’s clothing. After taking a trip to Miami I went to the Shops at Bal Harbour and Saw Neiman Marcus & Saks, now a guy from the country had no idea what these two stores were but the name was catchy so I go into the shop. Now I’ve always heard of Gucci & Prada but the array of designers just blew my mind, it was like a whole new world I knew nothing about. I had to buy something… So I called my Granny, buy the way I’m the only child so she sends me money, I’ll never forget I bought my first designer piece it was a Dolce & Gabbana Polo from Saks it was $650 I’ll never forget.
After buying that I felt Empowered, I felt like this is what the good life feels like. And wearing this for the first time is when my soul was Sold to Fashion… After returning from Miami I started to research these big Fashion Houses and Became in love with the designs, my pallet for fashion had outgrown my current institution. I know If I wanted to get into the fashion industry I have to get out of North Carolina. I begin to research Fashion institutions Like the FIT, remember I told you I was the only child my family was not having me moving to New York lol even though I got accepted, I had to decline the offer. So I said let me compromise with my family maybe I should go down south to a fashion school, that way I can visit. So I applied to AIU Buckhead they had a very great fashion program and I heard the professors there were Amazing. So I applied and got accepted. Now the hard part was breaking the news to my family that I would be leaving NC to finish the studies I’m Atlanta.
My mother shot it down but I told her that deep down in my heart I know if I move to ATL I can make my dreams come true. She gave me her blessing and within two months my mother packed up all my things in a Uhaul and she drove me up to Atlanta. This is like New York for me, big building beautiful homes foreign cars. I’m in Heaven lol My first apartment was in Buckhead close to my school so since I left NC my parents didn’t get me a car that was my punishment for leaving so I had to take public transportation. I was excited too I’m from the county I was happy to ride the Bus and the train because this is something I’ve never done before. So School was amazing made lots of connections graduated with a 3.25 got my degree In Fashion Merchandising. The college was great. While At AIU Buckhead I got my first retail job working for Nordstrom’s in Perimeter Mall in Ladies shoes. Now how I ended up at Nordstrom’s was because I applied to Neiman Marcus and they turned me down they said I needed retail experience.
That broke my heart I’m thinking I could just jump into this retail game without putting in work. I had to start at the bottom and that’s exactly what I did. I intern For jay z clothing line Rocawear for a year where I was an assistant. This job opened so many doors for me. While working at Rocawear I got the phone call that would change my life, Neiman Marcus offered me a position. And of course, I took it. Young African American man from Rocky Mount North Carolina working in Neiman Marcus styling celebrities and athletes was a complete dream come true. The economy crashed and I left Neimans I went on to work at Saks Fifth Ave. After Saks, I managed Gisuppe Zanotti in Phipps Plaza. After managing zanotti I ended up at my dream job Salvatore Ferragamo. Only being here a full year I am the first person to have a Million Dollar Book and the first African American to achieve this at this location. It’s very fulfilling because of my story I want to be an example to anyone from a small town that if you put in the hard work, your dreams too can come true.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This journey has not been smooth at all. Working in retail you have lots of smoked mirrors. You think people are your friends but your coworkers will steal your sales and do any little thing to get you fired so they can take your spot. My advice to anyone that wants to get into retail is to trust no one to do anything for you if you want something is done the right way do it yourself.
Please tell us about your business.
I work For Salvatore Ferragamo and Italian Shoe Brand we sell Men’s & Women’s clothing & shoes. I’m a sales specialist here and my clientele range from Athletes to Entertainers to your regular everyday people. I treat Then all the same and by the grace of God, I’ve been able to be the top producer and achieve over a Million Dollar Book within a year’s time something I’m very proud of and one of my biggest achievements in my career. What sets me aside from others is because I’m doing something that I love and have a passion for sometimes when I’m asleep I’m dreaming of things I can send my clients or something I can bring in for my clients it just never stops and I love it. People Navigate towards me because I have a welcoming spirit and I’m gonna give you the best customer service there is I treat everyone the same and that’s my biggest attribute because regular people want to feel special when they shop too. So I will treat Tom the same as I would opera if she came in.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define Success as actually making it, fulfilling your dreams, I call that Success. Now no one said the road to success is easy, it clearly isn’t but you just have to have faith in God and hope that he leads you to the finish line. There so many obstacles within retail you have to dodge, and the biggest one of them all is discounts lol everybody wants a discount friend’s family people you just met. No that’s the fastest way to end your career and the #1 leading thing that’s eliminating associates today. Just be mindful of your surroundings and do everything by the book. You can’t loose.
Pricing:
- Men shoes range from $595 and up
- Ladies shoes range from $595 and up
Contact Info:
- Address: 3393 Peachtree Road
Suite 3012
ATLANTA Ga 30326 - Website: SalvatoreFerragamo.com
- Phone: 404-467-0986
- Email: jamil.pratt@ferragamo.com
- Instagram: Ferragamojamatl
Image Credit:
Jamil Pratt
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