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Being a Blogger one of the most exciting and at the same time nerve-wracking perks of the job is interviewing brands. From making first contact to researching the brand and deciding what questions to ask.
This particular interview really felt different though. As one of Jocarde slogans state ‘Past, Present and Future’ This interview took me through a past journey right up to the present. And of course no one knows the future but you can prepare for it still.
Best Blog About took some time out to interview a man of many, many titles Founder/Owner/Designer/Artist Dean Williams of West London fashion streetwear brand Jocarde A brand that that represents urban music, hip hop, culture, youth and community and much more beyond that.
Tell us about your background and the story behind the creation of your brand?
I was born and bred in West London My Mother was a singer-songwriter and my father was a tailor. Spent many of my younger days travelling to the U.S. and was lucky to experience the Hiphop explosion that took place in New York during the 80s.
The music, fashion and the graffiti blew me away completely, It was literally the best vibe ever coming from the UK I had never seen such a potent vibe. Everywhere you looked at advertising boards,TV and Radio etc It was Hip-hop.
Tacchini and Fila Bjorn Borg tracksuits. Nike Air waffles and Nike Air Bruin were the footwear not forgetting the curly perms and wetlooks. The Hip-hop lifestyle was a major influence.
Once Beat Street and Breakdance hit the screens Hiphop propelled into a worldwide phenomenon and everyone was hypnotised and encaptured by this new exciting musical trend that had risen from the N.Y streets.
“Little did i know that this great experience was building blocks for future and foundations for future creativity.”
The first Hip Hop rave I actually went to in the UK was via London Bridge, Tooley Street in 1988 to be exact. UK legends Cookie Crew, Beatboxer Seepo, Mc Duke and London Posse doing their thing whilst Westwood played the latest joints, it was and still is some of my greatest teenage memories as I was still younger then rolling with my older Brother and friends, out after midnight getting home in the early hours.
Once we hit the 90s the scene was on fire! Back then we used to go to Tudor Rose, Brixton Fridge, Brixton Academy and the infamous Hammersmith Palais. North, South, East and West were one, maybe a few conflicts but the majority of us all moved and raved as one, It was different back then.
Many of my friends were and still are the best Graffiti artists in Europe. State of Art was one to mention for sure at the time I used to tag “Rome” and “Cel” skip a summer or two and The running man.
The Steve Martin and a few other dance step was all we knew touching down at clubs and literally owning the dance floor with circles forming when ever we’d buss a move. Back then truthfully, fashion and style wise we was the shit. Dance connection and construction was the algorithm.
Luckily my dance partner and I started getting bookings supporting US acts on tour via the UK the significant life changing performance was KRS-One at Kentish Town. We killed it that night and it was at the height of our street popularity
I remember us getting a call next day about featuring in a music video which at that time was a dream and an indication of making it as a dancer.
Another dance crew had been offered the job but said the wages where too low and to be honest we jumped at the opportunity. Little did we know that song “I got the power” by Snap would go number one worldwide and took two London boys around the world for almost 2 years.
My dance partner and his Girlfriend at the time were expecting a child so naturally we swayed our own ways, I got into rap and started writing and ended up with a publishing deal and released a few singles and an album on the Mute/EMI label.
In this time the producer who I was working with had to go on tour with another artist and I was still a few songs short so the publishing company brought me equipment and I taught myself how to make beats in order to finish the project.
The first track I produced and wrote ended up getting air play on kiss fm, radio one and Pirate radio but the timing of the UK hip hop project collided with the Industry’s labels opted for Garage , Jungle and house, at a time where the media and label execs labelled garage artist as Hiphop in order to gain instant respect.
The status quo of artistry, lyricism and musical production was deducted to the minimum and eventually more negative images and violent interpretations where the back drop for the UK underground music scene which was then strategically renamed “Urban”.
A whole generation of artists and creatives got skipped in order for the industry to have control and manipulation they needed to continue making money without any input from those that had made the scene flourish in the first place which in effect created a divide between the two generations.
One had built the vibe and the next has continued but with less authentic substance a formula led by label execs in order to have more artist control.
What inspired you to start this venture? The Jocarde brand was created during the lockdown pandemic. My eldest son Carlito (22 years old)Ex-Professional footballer for Watford, Aston Villa and Bury FC, and Jocarde CEO.
My youngest child Joshua (8 years old) who is a creative and also brand CEO was at home bored like the rest of the world was during that period. One day we started distressing and cutting jeans and hoodies and adding artwork with acrylic paints.
We pulled Joshua designs alongside Carlito’s and we combined ideas together as one from the start until the end of process, till we has an actual psychical item. It’s a surreal and rewarding feeling on completion especially being that it was my son’s and also my creation.
How would you describe the aesthetic of your streetwear label? What influences your design choices? The whole style and brand wave is from a mixture of influences mainly from previous fashion eras, especially from the past with added inspiration from the present and where ever the creative imagination travels, We try to create authentic unique pieces as well as your signature big logo branded designs. Most days we don’t know what the end product will be and that’s the fun part!
How do you ensure your brand’s aesthetic aligns with its identity?
Everyday experiences also stimulate Our designs and what we are surrounded by plays a major part in what is developed colour schemes, Patterns and concepts included.
How has your streetwear brand leveraged different social media platforms to connect with your target audience? Instagram has helped the brand visually and being able to post daily and interact with consumers and general fashion lovers has helped a lot with important feedback, Sales and general modifications needed to reach a larger audience.
Facebook has also be a major part promoting Jocarde essentially Facebook messenger where I would share Instagram posts too in order to generate more views and Interest. We have started concentrating on Snapchat and TikTok also to gain more potential customers. There are so many great platforms but I must say Instagram has helped the most.
What strategies have you found to be most effective in engaging with your followers and driving brand awareness across various platforms?
Whilst building this brand (Jocarde) we have found that we needed a lot of money to create and experiment new creative methods. Hence why we cut out the manufacturers and started designing and creating everything in house, which gave us the freedom to create small mods and help save costs on experimental designs. For e.g. buying 500 hoodies
made up with the latest 3D HTV tech. We make 10 in house to get a reaction and that feedback would reflect how many more we’d need to make instead of being lumbered with 3-400 hoodies. I still create small runs at home or within the work space. I create small numbers this will definitely assure no money is wasted. And spare money can be put towards equipment, blank hoodies or advertising etc.
Jocarde World
What role does collaboration play in your streetwear brand’s identity? Collaboration plays a major role wether it be an artist or another brand. If your style of design aligns with particular artists reach out to them and have them wear exclusive designs or create exclusive designs for projects. This will help your brand reach out to different audiences for sure.
Collaborating with other clothing brands wether re-work or double branded designs is always going to be a win as long as both style and artistic.
Would like to collab and design for UK based fashion brand Maniere De Voir the moves they’ve been making from day one business wise, are phenomenal and the growth is inspiring and a real indication greatness can be achieved within the fashion sector as a brand.
I don’t think Reece Wabara gets enough credit for the the greatness he’s achieved, its truly remarkable and the numbers don’t lie. The direction compliment each other! It has to.
Be right and sit well with you the creator, There’s literally no point collaborating if it degraded work, that has been previously created. Whoever you collab with have to also be active and make things happen, otherwise its pointless and takes up time and energy that you need for your own brand.
How do you stay informed about industry trends, and how does your brand adapt to changing market demands? I’ve noticed fashion and music is a continuous cycle and trends tend to come and go yearly. Magazines and online blogs and the high street will let you know what’s the latest current trends are, but I will say always attempt to create the trend rather than follow as it will make things a lot easier during the creative process.
What impact does streetwear have on society and culture? What are your aspirations for the future of your streetwear label?
Streetwear is literally a language, Back in the days many of us youth where looked down on and ridiculed for our dress sense Air max 90’s , pin tucked jeans, puffer coats and baggy clothing. Loud shirts and now it’s the commercial norm everyone is wearing those same styles and trends.
Fashion and music go hand in hand and for me are extremely influential within modern day society, bringing people from all cultures and backgrounds together as one.
Future aspirations for the brand are my everyday thoughts, As well as dropping fresh designs for 2024 We are about to launch gym wear under the “Jocarde+” guise and health and wellness along side supplements which is very exciting.
There are a few things in the pipeline we will be introducing in the near future and cannot wait to share. We aim to build and continue to grow on all possible fronts as a family brand!
What advice would you give to aspiring streetwear designers or entrepreneurs?
The best advice I could give to any new brands, designers or entrepreneurs is to firstly do it for the love as there will be testing times and literally no one in your corner. The hardest thing is believing when no one else does!
You have to have the right people around you and a strong sense of belief in what you are attempting to achieve with focus and no distractions everything is possible.
Do not waste time procrastinating about what you want to do, if you can visualise it that you can make or create it into the physical! Don’t be scared to make mistakes.
Tell us your thoughts on the interview with the owner of Jocarde. Please comment below.
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Was a great privilege interview Dean. He provides in depth knowledge and experiences. Which I am sure the youth and elders can learn from.