Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Edwards Jr.
Richard, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in the Josephine Allen community, also known as HappyHill projects of Mobile, Alabama.
As a child growing up in my community, you were expected to engage in sports. Making it to the professional level was every child’s/parent’s personal and financial dream. However, I knew that this was not the path for me because I found no purpose within sports. Instead, when I became a young teen, my goal was to find a niche within the fashion industry.
I focused on upcoming sneaker releases, clothing brands and social events. There were days I would just study the style of particular artists such as: Pharrell, The Hot Boyz, Kanye West or Camron because each of them have their own twist; my obsession, then, became my hustle.
While wrapping up my sophomore year of high school, four of my close friends and I thought it would be a good idea to start our own clothing line. The brand was named “Peniaphobia,” which meant the “fear of poverty.” In February of 2012, we began selling only one sweatshirt design, but in an array of colors. For the first release, we ordered around two hundred fifty sweatshirts and they sold out completely within a few days. It was an eye-opener for me because I never knew that our ideas/designs were that influential. After a few months, different problems arose within the group and we decided to go our separate ways. I was not disappointed because venture itself taught me a lot of lessons, both good and bad.
In 2013, I graduated high school and started college at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The funny thing is that I never wanted to attend college because I felt it was a complete waste of time. I knew that before entering the real world, I needed a strategy. During my time spent in college, I would often practice by styling my close friends and family. The events that we would attend were minor, but it helped shape my ultimate vision. Just months before my college graduation, I was offered a financial advisor position at Regions Bank. I immediately accepted the offer and moved to Houston, Texas to start my career. While attending work each day, I grew tired of the repetitive cycle that my job duty entailed. I was grateful for the many relationships I formed while working as a financial advisor, but I longed to be in the fashion industry. I decided to put in my two weeks notice, coincidentally, that very same day I received a call from Saks Fifth Avenue, they hired me as a men’s style advisor.
Saks became a major stepping stone for me, while working there I formed relationships with an array of influential people. While at Saks, I was able to hone in on my craft and take my passion to the next level. I organized looks that caught the attention of some household names within the entertainment industry such as: Rylo Rodriguez, Gervonta Davis, Coca Vango, LightSkinKeisha, Ari Fletcher and Moneybagg Yo just to name a few.
Has it been a smooth road?
Certainly not, the road was not an easy one! I’ve struggled in a few areas just as any entrepreneur would. The biggest problem I faced was underestimating my worth. For example, reconsidering my entry-level styling costs due to potential client’s opinions. Also, I’ve experienced wardrobe malfunctions along the way. In today’s entertainment industry, there are a lot of events that arise sporadically, which leaves room for errors. Furthermore, my clients’ expectations of me are always extremely high because of my previous work. Accepting rush styling jobs is one of my bad habits. Oddly, I work best while under pressure. I would not be where or who I am today without experiencing the bumps, it helped mold me.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Rich Ex/ Cr’m story. Tell us more about the business.
While working in the fashion industry, I was inspired to go back to my original idea of creating my own clothing brand. “Cr’m” is my personal take on fashion. My brand specializes in bringing classy but yet urban pieces to the fashion world. I am most proud of this company because it is my baby, basically my dreams manifesting right in front of my eyes as an open canvas. I think the things that set Cr’m apart from other brands is the passion and effort I put forth into my clothing. Cr’m is walking art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.crmclothing.com
- Email: therichx1@gmail.con
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/therichex_?igshid=628mi2c7ksdc
Image Credit:
Stevie Murrell, Nick McDonald
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