Today we’d like to introduce you to Roderick Austin.
Roderick, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Well, it all started in elementary school. My brother was great at drawing and I always did whatever he did. Of course, I wasn’t as good as him so I started sketching things for fun.
Back then, FUBU, SouthPole and the baggy clothes trend were in. I couldn’t afford certain brands like Red Monkey and Evisu Jeans so I used to sketch my own styles. That’s when my interest began to grow. My interest started to fade away once I began playing sports and focusing on school but it never got that far away because it was something that I was passionate about. In high school, I began to start setting trends and that’s when people started recognizing me for my sense of style. I always wanted to design but I didn’t know where to start.
Being a self-motivated individual I was realized it was up to me to make my passion a reality. While I was deployed overseas I bought this Sony tablet for music and movies. I realized that it had sketching software on there and that’s when my interest resurfaced. Once I returned to the US in 2013 I started James Lee Cloths with the designs I created.
Has it been a smooth road?
There is no straight path to success. Over the years I have embraced that concept.
Starting out I knew it was all about branding and introducing consumers to my new products. It wasn’t as simple as I thought. The pricing for screen printed shirts was ridiculous because of set up and color fees. Also, I was ordering in bulk so I was left with more inventory than I projected.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
James Lee Cloths is an online clothing brand that designs menswear /womenswear. I offer ready to wear designs and specialize in custom items. I am known for having some of the best custom jackets and jerseys with unique fabric prints out right now. What separates my brand from others is that my designs say something rather than me having to hype it up. Once people see my logo and designs they are usually impressed by how different it is.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta is a great place to display my brand and creativity. This city has opened up so many doors for me and has allowed me to work with dope individuals such as Bmars Photography (@bmars_shotya), Q Maurice (@superdopeclosetq), Joe Customs (@escomoe.joe), Chad Coleman (@collegelifethebrand) and many more.
I would definitely recommend someone to start here in Atlanta. It is known for producing the biggest music artist and fashion goes hand to hand with it.
Pricing:
- T-Shirts – $20-40
- Custom Jackets – $70-150
- Custom Jerseys – $65-120
Contact Info:
- Phone: 404-977-7407
- Email: roderickaustin25@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jamesleecloths
Image Credit:
Bmars Photography, 91 Entertainment Group, Ryan Woodall, Kimberly Boyd, Bianca Brochu, Ciara Austin, Johnell Young, Khalia Malindi, Tyler Brown, Richy Savage
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
