Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Diez.
Jessie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been influenced by fashion through my parents, my father mainly. He idolized dressing similar to his favorite bands/artist like Earth Wind & Fire, The Eagles, Journey, Air Supply, Michael Jackson, the list goes on. Not only music played a big part but also basketball culture. Michael Jordan was someone he looked up to as well and rubbed off on me from the attitude, the swagger on and off the court, and the mindset. I mean who doesn’t want to be like Mike right? Throughout my life I was always a creator in just about anything but the main purpose was telling it through clothing. The birth of Fifty2hundred happened during the summer of 2019. With various brands back when I was 18 years old, this one changed my life. Seeing the pieces being worn by some of my favorite NBA players, NFL, and in the music industry was surreal. Having the opportunity to collaborate with SLAM Magazine for the NBA 75th anniversary was a humbling experience because who would’ve thought a kid reading these magazines back then now get published in one. The brand has now sponsored their first school this year in my hometown and I’m excited to see what the future holds because our story isn’t finished.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Dealing with several manufacturers in the beginning was stressful because our purpose was delivering the best quality and cost-efficient. I’ve probably faced going through 5 different manufacturers and just imagine how much money was loss during the process. During the end of 2019 to 2020 when we were on lockdown it was hard meeting deadlines to receiving our product on time because of COVID. I know we weren’t the only ones struggling in the manner but even the shortages from suppliers put us in tough position during that time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Fifty2hundred?
I’m the creative designer for Fifty2hundred. It’s a yin and yang for life that signifies good vs. evil throughout our journey in life. Everyone has a story and we express it in different ways. For myself, it’s through clothing going back to my roots of how I was influenced. Mesh shorts is our signature staple and known for our iconic design “Heaven or Hell.” There are so many things to be proud of with this brand whether the accolades we reached in a short period of time to having the best supporters in the world because we are nothing without them. Wearing F2H is meaning to be comfortable in your own skin and to be unapologetic. Being yourself even when that means being misunderstood. . We are challenging ourselves creating more unique pieces to our consumers and we cannot wait to share what we have in store for the world to see.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’ve been reading a lot this year and my favorite books I go back to is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear and “Worried About Everything Because I Pray About Nothing” by Chad Veach. On my morning routines I listen to Jay Shetty podcasts or I even meditate for 15 minutes before my workouts. There’s many more things I can name but these actually helped me have a better structure and not to stress on this journey as a creator.
Contact Info:
- Website: fifty2hundred.shop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fifty2hundred/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/fifty2hundred_
Image Credits:
Photographer: Byron Riggs
