Photo Credit: JA KA RI
Flint, Mi - On Saturday September 7th I had the pleasure of getting to meet with high end streetwear brand "DISTVNT", owner Jock Giles. He graciously allowed me into his store for a sneak peek before the Grand Opening and took a few minutes of his time to discuss himself, the DISTVNT brand, and his goals for the future.
Interview
Rob: So how long you been doing this for man?
Jock: I've been doing this, DISTVNT, for three years, but I've been designing clothes, always.
Second Life back in the day was like a free online platform, man, when I said design clothes, back then I would design clothes in the game and then sell them there. Been doing this forever.
Rob: That's awesome, man. What made you flip the switch from, this is what I like doing, to, I'm doing this for real?
Jock: When I first started, the feedback man... people was like, rocking me so heavily, and I seen that I have potential. Seeing the way people was, gravitating... I'm like... wait a minute. People are liking it! It was like, WOW! I wasn't expecting any of this. I tell people this all the time, I knew I was gonna go heavy with it because I seen the way people were reacting. But getting this far? No way man, I wasn't expecting this at all.
Rob: The pictures in Japan are the first pictures that I saw, and I was like, oh shit! I really need to pay attention to this guy. Does that just come about naturally?
Jock: It's just crazy, how it works out. I don't know if I got a great luck or what, but it just be like that a lot of times. They come to me directly. Morgan was just like, I'm gonna be going to Tokyo, man. Only I need some DISTVNT. I'm like yes bro let's talk! I'm gonna tell you right now, every time you've ever seen a huge moment for us, it was real, man.
Like when I got light skinned Monte to wear my stuff, I just shipped it to him and hoped he wore it. And it was like that started getting into my mind. I can understand if you send somebody something and they wear it once, cool, but when they throw it on their second and third? I gotta be doing something right.
Rob: We got online ordering, brick and mortar, what's next for DISTVNT?
Jock: We gonna see how this store does, and then as soon as we get to the next level on this, we gonna go straight to New York. I'm trying to get New York. I'm on Chicago. I'm on LA. Once I secure those then we honestly might, even open up in Tokyo. If I can make it here? I can make it there.
Closing Thoughts
Jock and I had never spoken before I reached out to do this interview, but I have had my eye on him for a while. I saw how he treated people and knew this was a person worth talking to. Plus, it didn't hurt that I needed to get my hands on some DISTVNT for myself the second I saw it. From the moment we started talking Jock was courteous, kind, and excited to get me in his store.
The man is a true professional. He may be kind and welcoming, but don't let that distract from the fact that he does have an actual high-end product, knows how to market it, and obviously has taste.
Do you wish you got in on something before it got extremely popular? What about supporting a local business and an owner that's doing things the right way?
... Don't sleep on DISTVNT!
-Rob
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