URB1 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JAJUAN MICHAEL

Article written by: Rodrick Rainey
Posted on: March 23, 2004

Denim is the 1 fabric hiphop fashion can’t go without. Look at everyone around you! Who doesn’t have jeans or a denim outfit? What female doesn’t want denim that flows with her every curve? Jajuan Michael has been the high fashion, hiphop clothing line to set & meet these demands for years. After hooking up with Urb1 at the Magic fashion convention in Vegas, JM had much to tell on their history and future!

(URB1) WHAT’S GOING ON? A LOT OF BUZZ HAS BEEN SURROUNDING JAJUAN MICHAEL CLOTHING SINCE THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR. URB1 GOT THE CHANCE TO HANG WITH YOU ALL AT THE MAGIC FASHION CONVENTION AND SEE YOUR CLOTHING 1ST HAND THIS YEAR. IT’S HOT, HIGH QUALITY, AND PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JAJUAN MICHAEL ITSELF. SO LETS LET THE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW, SO JAJUAN MICHAEL IS SET PROPERLY IN HIPHOP FASHION AS ONE OF THE HIGEST DEMANDED LINES OUT!

TO GET PEOPLE ACQUAINTED AND SET IN THIS INTERVIEW, TELL THEM YOUR POSITION IN JAJUAN MICHAEL AND HOW LONG JJM HAS BEEN OUT…

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) Well, first I would like to say hello to everyone at URB1.com. You guys have the best Hip Hop fashion focused site on the net. My position is COO/Designer here at Jajuan Michael Fashion. JJM has been around since 1999 and is still going strong.

(URB1) WHAT LOCATION IS JAJUAN MICHAEL BEING DESIGNED FROM AND DO YOU FEEL THE AREA INFLUENCED YOUR CLOTHING LINE’S DESIGNS?

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) Our location is Detroit, Michigan, and well I guess it is safe to say that we are influenced by a lot of things Detroit being one of them. Our biggest influence I think is the desire to be as different as possible, but remain stylish.

(URB1) THE NAME JAJUAN MICHAEL AND THE CLOTHES DESIGNED BY JAJUAN MICHAEL SEEM MORE ELEGANT THAN MOST HIPHOP LINES AND AS IF IT BELONGED ON SOME HIGH FASHION RUNWAY IN EUROPE, YET YOU STAY IN HIPHOP FASHION. THIS IS HUGE TO ME FOR HIPHOP FASHION BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING THE UNTHINKABLE. SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN STEPPED UP IN THE URBAN COMMUNITY WITH A LINE THAT COULD REPLACE GUCCI, VERSACE, AND ALL THOSE NON-HIPHOP COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS. WHY DO YOU DO THIS?

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) Well, we never really looked at it like that, we really looked at it as being high fashion, period. Our goal is to produce high fashion for our customers. Hip Hop is huge man, it’s almost as big as life itself. Everyone is in Hip Hop and in here you have a low end, moderate end, and a high end. We produce clothes for the moderate to the high end of fashion in Hip Hop and abroad if there is such a place.

(URB1) WOULD YOU AND THE JAJUAN MICHAEL FAMILY EVER CONSIDER MOVING OUT OF THE HIPHOP FASHION CATEGORY?

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) Is there such a place? Hip Hop is consuming everything as we speak she is assimilating everything that was once consider non-hip hop into Hip Hop. IM glad she is not hostile, lol. For the record I love Hip Hop and there is no out. Hip Hop uses everything for her growth and potential.

(URB1) AT THE MAGIC SHOW IN VEGAS I EVEN GOT TO SEE A FEW CELEBS AT YOUR BOOTH AND YOU ALL ALSO MADE REFERENCE TO TALKING WITH A FEW I DIDN’T GET TO SEE MYSELF. WHILE THESE ARTIST HAVE YET TO PUT YOUR NAME OUT VIA THEIR SONGS, VIDEOS, OR WHATEVER, WHO ALL HAVE YOU TALKED WITH?

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) Well, we have been in contact with tons of celebs,but we never really push the issue that the celebs need to influence our customers into wearing Jajuan Michael. What we do with the celebs is this; We tell the Celebs of our choice, hey we have something hot if you like we will send it to you to add to your wardrobe, to wear at your leisure.

We have had some celebrity support, and I would like to give a big shot out to Darrin Henson from Soul Food he is God sent. Before I leave this question I must say that we want our clothes to influence the people, not who’s wearing it, as that is real fashion.

(URB1) WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO CHANGE ABOUT JAJUAN MICHAEL IN COMING TIE AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THIS SUMMER COMING? I KNOW YOU ALL ALREADY HAVE SOME HOT ATHLETIC APPAREL COMING FOR THE URBANITES!

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) You can expect to always see styles changing since we only do limited quantities, we have to produce more styles, and once A style comes and goes that is it we wont make it again. For the summer you can expect some very hot garments, but you have to check you local store or go to www.jajuanmichael.com To find out.

(URB1) ALSO, EVERYBODY ALWAYS ASKS, “WHERE’S THE KIDS CLOTHES AT?”… SO I WANT TO ASK YOU ALL FOR THE PUBLIC. WILL JAJUAN MICHAEL EVER DO CHILDREN’S CLOTHING BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE LOVE TO SHOW OFF THEIR CHILD AND HOW FLY THEY ARE… TRYING TO MAKE THEM DANCE LIKE HIPHOP B-BOY CRAZY LEGS, WITHOUT ALL THE MOVES..LOL…

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) Yes, of course we will do children’s clothes, no doubt! I think that is going to be the most fun out of everything. But that is in the future, right now we are perfecting the women’s line we’ve been working On a blue jean formula that will enhance a woman’s natural curves and look. The men’s jean are perfected we are proud to say.

(URB1) ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE URB1 VISITORS WE DIDN’T COVER?

(JAJUAN MICHAEL) To everyone who visits Urb1 I would like to say keep visiting as it is a wonderful site to come to, as I do so frequently. A special shot out goes to all the fashion trend setters everywhere, you set the tone.

Jajuan Michael, a trend setter for life!

Thank you for having us Urb 1.