We recently connected with Jazmyn Ervins and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Jazmyn with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I get my work ethic from my dad. He put in years of work and was able to make it to the NFL through so many obstacles. Growing up, he was my coach and trainer for several sports and always knew how to give the best motivational speeches. He preached that if you want to be the best, you have to put in the work; not everything is given to you. I have a competitive spirit that has carried over from sports into my everyday life. My dad would repetitively say “in order to be extraordinary, you have to be that EXTRA effort.”
With the fashion industry being so saturated, it’s important for me to stand out in a crowd. That’s why I always try to exceed people’s expectations and go above and beyond with my work.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer. It was something I always loved and was naturally talented at. I first went to Virginia Tech to study the business side of fashion and the Italian language. I knew down the line I wanted to study in Italy, so I started preparing. After graduating, I moved to New York and attended FIT’s one year associates program. While finishing out the program, I applied and got accepted to their study abroad program in Milan, Italy! I spent the next two years breathing in the Italian culture, loving every minute of it. After my time in Italy, I moved to LA to work as an assistant designer for a women’s brand. In my free time, I’m always trying to improve my skills or learn something new.
When the pandemic started, I began teaching myself how to work with latex. It was a material I had constantly been drawn to but never had the chance to work with in school. I combined my draping skills with latex to create one-of-a-kind pieces. I still work with latex on the side but my main focus is my brand J.Dené with its debut dress line coming this fall! It’s been my life long dream to have my own line and be a well-known name brand. I know with my continuous hard work and passion, I’ll exceed my goals, even through the ups and downs.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
It’s important to be well-rounded in your career and always be willing to learn new things. Design has consistently been my number one love, but I wanted to make sure I had the skills to set me apart from others. An example would be learning adobe photoshop and illustrator on my own. In school, I only had the basics for these programs but knew I wanted to master them, or get close to that. I used online resources to practice and improve my skills which helped me get me first design job in LA after college.
Working within the details in an important skill to learn – One of my Italian teachers gave our class this advice that still sticks with me to this day. A lot of silhouettes have already been done, but it’s the detail that makes them different. This has helped me at my design job when I didn’t have full creative control to now when I’m designing my own line.
I think it’s important for new designers to stay true to their aesthetic but also know how to design garments that are sellable. It’s great to create a conceptual one-of-a-kind design but can you translate that idea or style into something sellable to a larger market that can continue funding your business.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who is confident, ambitious, and fashion-conscious. They value individuality, quality, and the power of clothes leaving a lasting impression. My client notices the finer things in life and appreciates the little details that make a big impact, extending to their fashion choices, where they value unique designs and thoughtful touches.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jdene.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.dene_/
Image Credits
Photographers: Sequoia Emanuelle, Mitch Santos, Jerrin Strenge, Ian Santos, Devin Dygert
