- Curtis Hinton
2020 celebrates 5 years of De'Jon Pier'e
London based fashion brand De'Jon Pier'e will be celebrating 5 years since it's launch this year and we got the opportunity to sit down with the man behind the brand De'Jon Pier'e Baldwin. From starting the brand with just selling Polo shirts, to now launching his new collection January 2020, he has brought his brand a long way. So, we caught up with him to see how he build this rapidly growing brand and the secrets behind his success.
What made you launch a fashion brand?
Basically, it started when my mum was 35, she got made redundant and then she started her own business. She used to go to charity shops or boot sales and buy designer clothes and if they were torn she would fix them and then resell them at a higher price. Plus, I had always been into fashion anyway, so when she passed, it was something I pursued. When I started doing it, it was a bit of a joke, I thought I would release some polo shirts and didn't think anyone would care but within 6 months I had completely sold out which made me think about doing more. I would say mainly the inspiration came from my mum.
If you go back to the beginning, before you even designed anything for the brand, what were the steps you took?
I met with 3 or 4 clothing manufactures, a few were abroad. Luckily the first set I did with the Polo shirts were a London manufacturer. There was only one manufacturer I actually went to meet as he was interested in the name so he said I could come down and have a look. I knew my logo and my name would work so I wanted to focus on the quality, so when he said about going I wanted to because it gave me a chance to feel and see it.
So how do you come to choosing what should be in your range?
Polo's I liked, I think t-shirts are easy, I think anyone can make a t-shirt so when I came to designing the polo I put the double lined tip on it to make it something a bit different. The thing is, I dont even like polos, its not necessarily my style, but what I realised quickly though a friend of mine Simon Carter (Who is also a designer), "Aways release stuff that the people would want", so every time I am thinking of a new range I think what do the people want, which isn't always what I want.
When launching a brand you need to give it an identity, a huge part is the name and Logo but you chose to name the brand after yourself which is bold, was this always going to be the plan?
I had a chat with one of my friends once and he said to me one of the things I can get away with was the name because it sounds like a designer, so in the beginning stage I thought Oh my god this is my brand, this is exciting. Then I had to think, I can't look at it like that when I looked at the business perspective and I looked at the product in a way questioning, would someone buy this? Forgetting about the name. If they would buy it enough to wear them I am doing something good. As long as I think the product is doing well I will keep going.
It's interesting with the logo it took around 3 months to get to where it is. Sometimes I have to image I am not the brand and look from a consumer perspective.
We've seen your new collection, it's very winter themed. Is it seasonal themed? Is there another range in 6 months for the summer? What is the plan?
People have been asking me to do tracksuits and hoodies since I started so I will see how that goes. Obviously the big coat in the new collection is winter focused. This is going to be in terms of the range until spring. I will start thinking of the spring collection from January 2020. I may keep some of the winter collection in the spring but may change colours just to see how they do.
So your brand launched just over 4 years ago, it has come along way. Early 2020 will see your new collection and then a 2nd release in 2020 in the spring. What is next for your brand?
I think im going to do children's wear, I get a lot of mums messaging me asking for little tops and baby grows. I am also intrigued to do ladies, but with ladies I believe it's more complicated as I think there is a lot more to it than mens clothing. For me by the end of next year I would like to have some form of children's wear.
Your brand is a social media launched brand, when you launched it 4 years ago it wasn't a mainstream way to start a brand but now in 2020 is a huge thing with new social media store popping up every day. How do you stay ahead of the new comers?
I don't release things every 5 minutes, I do think my name holds ground, which may sounds cheeky. I look at other brands and think other brands are really nice but I dont see it as competition I am always just thinking of my brand, I think would people be interested in wearing something with me on it. I do check as I believe you should stay in line with your competitors.
My goal originally was to have a shop but my friend Simon Carter said to me, "If you have no overheads without a shop then keep it that way", Which is some good advice that I have stuck to.
In business there are many stages of success and everyone defines success in different ways, would you say right now, your business is a success? If not at what stage do you see it as a success?
I feel successful because people know of my brand, I feel like I have public awareness but I would like more of this. I like the fact that I don't rush things. I look at other brands and I see them releasing things all the time and being honest I don't think people will be buying it all the time, that's why I like to be strict with season. Regarding successful, I feel I am successful in myself. To be more successful I would like to go down the sponsorship route. I put a post out on twitter the other day saying 'I would love to be interested in sponsoring clubs' , I then had 20 odd clubs messaging me, because I feel there is a fall-back in clubs now regarding sponsors.
Someone else has asked me that recently and it's something I would definitely want to do, I have seen the way some other brands have made it work really well. Im open and i'm creative, So if the business situation is on point then I would be open to it.
Lets go back to talk about your designs, there very clean, simplistic. Is there a reason for this?
Yes, I do think less is more. I'm not interested in the whole patterns designs. Even with the t-shirts just the logo and the name. I think it stands our more when it's less busy. It's just the promotion you need really. If I knew the patterned side of things would sell I would consider it. If a few people want it then I dont see why I wouldn't try it out.
What I have found interesting is a few people have asked me about personalised clothing which I am always happy to talk about. Some one asked me about a snapback, they wanted my logo and then one of there slogans. I would be looking to do more custom designs for people.
If we go right back to the start when you came up with the idea to launch a brand but you knew where you would be today if you do pursue it, is there anything you'd change?
Well it was all done by accident. Maybe I started it as a joke. I just wanted my own business, my own brand. In wasn't nervous because I didn't think it would do well so I didn't put pressure on myself. I would want to be more comfortable than I am now in regards to the profit of the brand, but from my opinion I don't think I need it. I don't need to be as big as Nike or Adidas. I see other stores not as big but doing very well for themselves.
If you were to give up your brand today, and you would invest in another brand, what brand would you invest into?
You know what, I would invest into Women's Lingerie. I think I would invest my money into Ann Summers, as I feel ladies shop more than men and their fashion is more rapid then mens things. I've had people message me asking for a lingerie collection. That's the business I would invest in.
If someone was thinking about starting there own fashion brand, is it something you'd advise?
Make the product right and the name has to be on point. Anyone can get he product the quality has to be important. You need a name people can remember. I would advise them to do it, as if you want to do something you need to do it, I did. I'm at the point now where i'm collecting ideas from other people to push my brand forward. I know that kids clothing and sponsorship is the next thing for the brand and the lingerie is not to far after.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
You can check out the brand new collection from De'Jon Pier'e now over at dejonpiere.com
