Jay Allen - Hiatus

[jay allen]

Hi Guys,

It's been a while since I posted and thought I should bring you up to date. I've decided to take a break from the fashion business for a while. After spending the better part of 2 years learning everything from scratch, developing my techniques, struggling with the business stuff......I'm broke. About a month ago a job offer came out of the blue, and after a couple weeks of sleepless nights, I decided to take the job. The job requires me to be away from home a significant part of the week and will not allow me to continue this venture as a full time thing. I'm tearing down my shop and moving it back to my home (garage)....we'll see what happens from there. I hope to continue exploring the many ideas I have but for the time being I need to focus on the job I have accepted.

This project has been a pretty wild ride. I went from not knowing anything to hanging in some of the best boutiques in the world. Unfortunately....I wasn't hanging in enough of them. At the end of the day you need to make a living.....at least I do. Unfortunately I have not been able to do enough business to sustain this project any longer as a full time thing. I've learned many hard lessons, had a few major dissapointments, but ultimately wouldn't change a freakin' thing. I wanted to do this.....and I did it to the absolute best of my ability. I didn't "give it a shot", or nibble around the edges......I completely immersed myself in the business without regard to what might happen.

I'd like to say a special thanks to Fok for all of the effort he put into this. The truth is....without his help it never would have got off the ground. I'll always be grateful for the many phone conversations we had over the last year. He kept me from making a complete mess of this....as well as being a great sounding board. My office is in MA so you can be sure we'll be hooking up from time to time to talk about the business. Thanks again Fok....

As for the rest of you guys......I really appreciate all of the support. I've received hundreds of encouraging emails from the guys on SF. Not to mention all of the shirts and hoodies you've bought. I can't thank you enough for telling me the truth about my product, and offering constuctive criticism alonng the way. Jeremy.....thanks for bringing together such a diverse and intersting community. If I'm ever in your part of the world dinner is on me.

Anyway.....I'll be lurking, you can't get rid of me that easily. If things change, or I work out a way to continue producing my line.......you guys will be the first to know.

Thanks for everything.....

Best,
Jay

 

[Goblin]

A sincere "best of luck," man. Shoulda got a hoodie when I had the chance.

 

[PG2G]

Sorry to hear, my Jay Allen tee's are still my favorite. Hope everything works out well for you.

Wouldn't happen to have any left over stock would ya? There were a couple of things I was interested in but never got around to ordering.

 

[minya]

Wow, Jay. That's too bad. Your t-shirts are still my all-time favorites. Let me know if you have any smalls left over

Hope you decide to come back to the fashion biz in some way shape or form in the future.

 

[gza]

Most importantly, Jay, congratulations on your job offer and I wish you the best with your new line of work. But it's a shame we won't see your designing and dyeing skills at work anymore. Your product was better than 95% of its competition, easily. When you factor in the price point, I think you blew everyone out of the water. But I guess success in that biz doesn't really correlate with actual value - witness all the overpriced garbage that fills the racks in stores.

I consider myself lucky that I got 4 shirts of yours, but like Goblin I regret not buying a hoodie earlier.

 

[The Grapist]

I wish you the best of luck. I never got to get one of your x-smalls that you had posted about, and now I never will.

 

[Ahaz]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that Jay. I'm sure it was an awesome ride, and I know it's an experience I envy. You're new designs looked phenomenal (I especially like the 'Cyborg' tee) and it's a shame they won't see production.

Good luck, buddy.

 

[DNW]

Best of luck Jay. I'm glad I got some of your cool shirts. If you ever get back in the business, you know where to break the news.

 

[Manny Calavera]

Wow. Good luck on your new venture.

 

[Wade M]

It must have been a very hard decision. Congradulations on doing what many would not be game to try (own biz, then double the 'wish but not do' for the fashion world).

Then to take a serious look and accept it's time to move on.

I don't like to throw the word around a lot, but Respect!

--Wade

 

[Joe E Taleo]

Jay,

Good luck on your future endeavors. I love the tees and hoodie I got from you. You know, I thought your silence actually meant you were working feverishly on new designs! Well, if you decide to make tees in your spare time, I'd like to get a couple more.

 

[Arethusa]

Jay, good luck wherever you find yourself next. I still appreciate your advice.

 

[Saucemaster]

Frowns. We'll miss your stuff, man. You have to let us know if you start it back up, and if you decide to just do very limited runs once in a while for old times' sake, I'm pretty sure you have plenty of people interested in helping you recoup your costs here.

 

[cheapmutha]

and i thought it was the name of a new shirt...

good luck in the future jay... i wasnt fortunate enough to get one of your shirts, but i was always a fan.

 

[montecristo#4]

Sorry to hear it Jay -- I really like your work. Best of luck in your new opportunity!