Q&A With Chris Hudson founder of Lifes Clothing

Timeless Q&A, one for the history books.

*Timeless Question* Since many people may not know to much about you or your line could you please introduce them? 

My name is Chris Hudson Founder of Life’s Journey Clothing which is a clothing lifestyle brand. We specialize in positive slogans and creating timeless messages that will make you think about your future.

*Timeless Question* What inspired you to create a clothing line?

GOD. I believe by me having a relationship with him he gave me this vision to help inspire people. I believe that everyone has a story to tell and mines isn’t the only one I want to tell.

*Timeless Question* It looks easy from the outside but can you tell us about your average day?

My average day usually consist of working on new concepts, marketing our products, constantly networking with individuals, and keeping my team motivated.

*Timeless Question* How difficult is it starting a business venture like this?

Nothing in life is easy because if it was everyone would be doing it. It’s very difficult but so is life that’s why you have to learn from every choice you make.

*Timeless Question* Were there any doubts you had in the beginning that made you nervous?

I believe vision is the greatest gift that he has given us as people so I wasn’t nervous. I was more doubtful if anything because I really wanted people to embrace my work.

*Timeless Question* What separates your lines from the others? 

The message, slogans, It’s more of lifestyle in which people can identify with.

*Timeless Question* Everyone needs someone in their corner, who are your supporters?

GOD, few close friends, and everyone that supports Life’s Journey.

*Timeless Question* Where do you see your line in I don't know, let’s say five years?

Household brand name developed more into a clothing line. Also, touring around the world speaking to the young people. Also giving back to the communities and to the youth.

*Timeless Question* Have your goals changed or altered at all since you began your line?

Always, potential never has a retirement plan I’m always striving to do more.

*Timeless Question* It seems to me like you are attempting to convey a positive message, can you talk a little about that? 

Yes well to me it seems no matter where you go the world is often filled with negative thoughts. It could be what you listen to, who you’re around, how you were raised, etc. So my vision is to help change the world

*Timeless Question* Just because you have your own line doesn't mean you don't wear any other brands. What other clothing lines do you wear? 

 LRG, Stussy, and various underground brands

*Timeless Question* Do you have a daily motto that inspires you to push through adversity that may help others to do so?

Believe in myself, Pursue my purpose, and Inspire the world. 

*Remember Im Timeless Here to Bring You The Latest Styles*

Q&A With the Owners of Le Ninja

Timeless (Back Again) with another Q&A



*Timeless Question* To help  the readers better understand you and your line can you tell them a little bit about both? 

Le Ninja is an American Clothing Brand created by two friends who wanted to buy fashionable, quality clothing made in the U.S.A.  After graduating from Valparaiso University in May 2010, each with a JD/MBA, we searched through websites and stores of popular clothing brands and discovered that it was nearly impossible to buy such clothing.  After talking to friends, family and strangers, it seemed that they had all made the same discovery.  So, we decided to start making what they and so many others wanted to buy.  Le Ninja is a blend of East and West, of Haute Couture and the young American movement to develop our own fashion, culture, and ability.

*Timeless Question* How did you come up with a name like Le Ninja?

"Le Ninja" is French for "The Ninja."  We were searching for a name that would truly represent what we were trying to create.  Ninja’s are masters at what they do.  The word “Le” sounds fancier than the word “The.”  Subsequently, our company was born.

*Timeless Question* Did you always want to start a clothing business? 

I am not sure that we ever dreamed of starting a clothing line.  We had a taste for fashion and clothing but having a line of our own was something of a pleasant and unexpected journey.  Our choice to be entrepreneurs has been the best of our lives, thus far.  We have always wanted to make a difference, and this clothing line is also about doing our part to revive American Industry.  Making our clothes in the U.S.A. is paramount to our existence. 

*Timeless Question* What inspired your very first design and has your style changed since then?

Our first design was inspired by many factors.  First, the design was extraordinarily literal.  It included countless sketches of a Ninja holding a French Baguette, Ninjas with French Mustaches and striped shirts, and some with a beret instead of a headband.  Eventually we had sketched enough and it started to take shape, it had to be a symbol that was all things just like the name.  It was simple and sophisticated, strong, yet inviting.  After coming up with a general idea, we took our design to a professional, MH Dezign, of Chicago.  They polished our rough draft and brought it to life.  So, our design has changed but the idea remained the same.  We searched for the perfect representation of our idea, and we’re confident that we’ve found it!

*Timeless Question* What were your goals before you started your line and have they changed since then?

Our goals before we started Le Ninja were to start a business that makes a positive difference in the world and to be happy working at it.   We believe making high quality fashionable clothing in the U.S.A. is an important purpose. Today, many clothing companies focus their energy on the bottom line at the expense of quality and the American economy.  Our line prides itself on being 100% Made in the U.S.A. without the use of sweatshops or unfair labor practices.  Our goals have remained mostly the same in purpose, but have expanded in breadth.  

*Timeless Question* How is Le Ninja different?

Le Ninja is about a lifestyle not about squeezing profit margins.  It’s about living free, committed to excellence, humility and good times.  Our mantra is simple, "Be Le Ninja."  It means, whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability with the resources you have, be humble, and never give up.  

*Timeless Question* If you could choose one celebrity to wear your clothes who would that person be?

We can’t choose just one! Celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Scarlett Johansson, Matt Damon, Ellen DeGeneres, and Oprah Winfrey who contribute so much of their time, energy, money, and popularity to charities would be our favorites. Choosing one celebrity is a challenge.  To be honest any celebrity that knows who they are and truly finds our clothing line fashionable and feels comfortable wearing it would be great.  Sure there are celebrities out there that we think would look great in the V Neck especially the one with Genuine Swarowski Crystals like Selena Gomez or Lauren Conrad but anyone really who believes in our brand and what we stand for would be a great choice! 

*Timeless Question* Everyone who has money and many who don't shop on Black Friday, how do you draw attention to your brand?

We are a fairly new brand.  Just launched last week, in fact.  In order to drive attention to our brand and site we are using social media like Facebook and Twitter to gain loyal followers and fans of the brand.  In addition, we are conducting a guerilla marketing campaign, hitting the streets of Chicago passing out stickers and wearing the shirts.  We focus the majority of our efforts on making our customers happy and word of mouth advertising.

*Timeless Question* How do you go about hiring employees such as designers? 

Right now our friends at M.H.Dezign help us with design aspect.  As for other employees our Office Ninja, Morgan, does an excellent job running the sales office and customer service.  As the company continues to grow we will be looking for fashion consultants, designers, IT, and accounting help.  We look for people who are reliable, fun, and easy to work with. 

*Timeless Question* What is a regular work day for you?

Let’s just say we do not sleep much right now!  We are constantly working social media networks and spreading the brand and the website.  Before the site launched however, a typical day consisted of talking with vendors and purchasers regarding a number of different things for the clothing line.  In a typical day we probably log close to 14 hours and love every minute of it!

*Timeless Question* Running a business is hard work, what do you to relax?

Turn off the computer, and get out and do something active.  Either working out, going to a movie, or playing the guitar are good stress relievers.  Two weeks ago we went to South Bend, IN and attended a Notre Dame game which was a good time.  Additionally we really love going out in Chicago.  Oh and we also play an acoustic set at bars and coffee shops sometimes which is a nice break from work! 

*Timeless Question* Where can customers find Le Ninja and contact you for any questions?

Customers can find anything they want about Le Ninja at our website www.leninja.com.  They can also see our facebook page at www.facebook.com/leninjaclothing  We pride ourselves on quality and a desire to hear the voices of our customers.  Anyone is free to e-mail us at jon@leninja.com or joel@leninja.com

We would love to hear from anyone so please feel free to share your favorite ninja stories with us or anything in general we love to hear it!

BE LE NINJA!!! 

*Remember Im Timeless Here to Bring You The Latest Styles*

Q&A With Robert Preston, sole owner of Bobby Fresh Clothing

Timeless strikes with a FRESH new Q&A!  


*Timeless Question* Thank  you for taking the time out of your day to do this Q&A with me. For the readers benefit can you please introduce yourself and your line?


My name is Robert Preston , sole owner of Bobby Fresh ..... Started the clothing line in the late spring/summer of 2007. 

*Timeless Question* When did your line become official, meaning website and all?

We started selling tees in a boutique I owned for 10 years called livin n hip hop in tempe az. Got on karmaloops kazbah and from there it took off.

*Timeless Question* How did the line come about and get its name?

The name stems from my first name robert and bobby being a nick name I had as a kid . The fresh part needs no explanation, its what we all want to be when we step out the house everyday.

*Timeless Question* How has owning a clothing line changed your life?

My clothing line has changed my life in many ways. Traveling all over the country meeting people, marketing and learning the business. We opened our in house manufacturing earlier this year and now print over 60 brands from all over.

*Timeless Question* Where does your inspiration for designing come from and is it you designing? 

My inspiration comes from doing something I love and giving the customers something they love and continuing to grow as a brand. 

*Timeless Question* How do you go about hiring employees or people interested in working with your line?

Employees have always come to us with the desire to be apart of the team. We look for people who believe in the brand and want to learn and be a asset to our company. A lot of the guys want to someday have their own line and that's what I am here for to grow new brands and help them in that process.

*Timeless Question* How would a new clothing line approach a local store to see if there interested in selling their line?

If you want to get your clothing in stores you got to make a strong line that the buyers see themselves taking a chance on. Create a look book line sheet and contact as many stores as you can. Based off the responses you should be able to know what to change or keep for your next seasons.

*Timeless Question* Can you describe some of the unexpected obstacles you have faced since you started Bobby Fresh?

There are tons of obstacles we face everyday in this company . I would say the hardest is building a strong team with a common goal . Another that sticks out is continuing to drop products that are unique and that your customer base gravitate too . You got to have great work ethic and have a vision for where you want to be before you get there.

*Timeless Question* Did you go to school for fashion or was this line built off your love for fashion?

I didn't go to any fashion school but my knowledge came from opening a urban/streetwear boutique that I owned for 10 years. I was a buyer so I learned the retail end, the buying end and watched others success and decided to start a line when I felt the time was right . 

*Timeless Question* A business venture like this can be costly, how much did it take to finance the start of your line?

All the start up capital was from my pre existing business fortunately. We started small wit 4 t shirt designs and built it up from there.

*Timeless Question* Where do you see Bobby Fresh in five years? 

In 5 years I see us as a house hold name, opening a lot of bigger doors and branching into denims, accessories, and more. I feel we appeal to a lot of different people. Everyone wants to be fresh. 

*Timeless Question* Where can customers find Bobby Fresh and how can they contact you if need be? 

People can find bobby fresh in street wear boutiques all across the us and in most international countries. Online check us out at bobbyfresh.com , karmaloop.com , pickyourshoes.com and more . If you are ever in Arizona check out our flagship store stocked with all bobby fresh . If you have any questions or want to carry our line email direct @ bobby@bobbyfresh.com 

*Timeless Question* Is there anything else you would like to add? 

Thank you so much for your time and the opportunity . Robert

*Remember Im Timeless Here to Bring You The Latest Styles*

Q&A With Brad and Rudy Co Owners of Live A Lie

*Timeless Question* To help the everyone connect with you and Live A Lie Clothing can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about the brand?

Brad

Brad - Well I’m co owner of Live A Lie.  I used to work on another line called Civility a few years back.  That’s where I found my partner Rudy.  We wanted to create a DIY image that looks great and doesn’t drain your bank account.  We also have a sales manager (Brenden) who plays a big part and wasn’t able to be with us today for the interview..

Rudy- I’ve always had an interest in working with clothing lines so when Brad hit me up on this project I jumped on the opportunity to get involved.  Live A Lie has a big meaning to it.  We are not really ones to follow the trends and really want to stick to doing our own weird thing so just being ourselves and not living a lie is real important to a lifestyle we want to support.

*Timeless Question* How difficult is it to start a clothing line and could you sum up the process?

Rudy

Brad-  Like any business its hard work and time consuming. I’m not the most patient person so having to wait for weeks just to see how your shirts will come out drives me crazy.  If you want to grow you have to live your line rather than just keep it a hobby.  It takes a lot of time but worth it to achieve a dream.

Rudy-  Hell yea its hard to start.  You basically have to know what you are doing with your money and not assume it will blow up big over night. What takes the most time developing the right formula on when to order, how much, and how you will market them.

*Timeless Question* What methods do you use to promote your line, and does that cost addition money? 

Brad-  We take full advantage of all free social networking (twitter, facebook, etc..) The cost effective methods we use are mainly stickers and free shirts that we give to bums downtown. 

Rudy-  My personal choice of promotion is just the basics like passing out flyers at parties and events, having hot girls wear our shirts, and using subliminal messages to get our name out there.

*Timeless Question* Live A Lie Clothing is a very strong name, how did you come up with it and the logo?

Brad-  The name just came up as sarcasm at first but it started to stick around.  As for the logo we honestly just thought it looked bad ass at the time to rock on a shirt but we never claimed it as an official logo..

Rudy-  I just went along with it.

*Timeless Question* As a designer do you ever have creation block, if so how do you overcome it?

Brad-  Yea I think everyone does.  I like to just store up on deigns that way you always have something new to come out with the next month.  To overcome the block I recommend just getting drunk or watching the Grinch..

Rudy-  To overcome creation block I usually just get drunk and go get a Thai massage or something..

*Timeless Question* When people who aren't familiar with your brand look at your clothes what do they notice immediately?

Brad- My friends tell me all the time that people comment positively on the shirts they get from me.  I think our bold designs and full use of the shirt draws instant attention.

Rudy-  They notice the quality of our shirts.  We have them made with extra love and care.

*Timeless Question* How do you find employees to higher such as designers etc?

Brad-  We are never happy with designs from other people because we want it to strictly be our thoughts and ideas creating our brand.  So everything from our website design to our shirts is done by us.

*Timeless Question* Although Black Friday was yesterday, there still are sales throughout the weekend,  how do you prepare for the madness and is it as crazy for you as it is for the shoppers? 

Brad-  We just made sure we were stocked up on everything and once word got around town that we have 12 dollar shirts yesterday shit went pretty good..

Rudy-  I spent yesterday at a few black Friday sales.  It was as crazy as I thought.

*Timeless Question* If you had to settle on one word to define your brand what would it be and why? 

Brad-  Inspiring because we are coming from nothing in the world and making ourselves something to be proud of.

Rudy-  Orgasmic..  Explains itself..

*Timeless Question* What can we expect from Live A Lie Clothing in 2011?

Brad-  New designs of hoodies in January along with crewnecks.

Rudy-  Beer cozy’s and tank tops for summer time.

*Timeless Question* Are there any mistakes you made that you would caution others not to repeat? 

Brad- Sounds cliché but don’t over print on certain designs because it will take out your budget.

Rudy- If your outsourcing with screen printers be sure to shop around because your gona regret getting a bad batch of shirts.

*Timeless Question* Lastly where can Live A Lie Clothing be found and how can customers get in touch with you for any questions or concerns? 

Brad- Our shirts are mainly sold at hardcore and pop shows in the southern California area but will hopefully be in stores by January.  I’ll give a heads up on twitter and facebook!  For concerns or info on wholesale contact livealieclothing@gmail.com

Rudy- Check our new website www.livealie.storenvy.com , twitter that we update constantly!  www.twitter.com/livealieapparel and even facebook.com/livealieclothing

*Timeless Question* Is there anything else you would like to add? 

Brad-  Be cool and stay in school.  Feel free to email me if you need advice on starting your own clothing lines or interested in sponsorships by us.  livealieclothing@gmail.com

Rudy-  Keep on truckin and keep an eye out for our rad designs coming out in December!  Ps. Sorry for our bad grammar we aren’t the best at proper typing etiquette..

Q&A With B.J. Tinsley, CEO and Founder of Ben Rich Clothing

I wont stop bringing you Q&A's readers check this one out.  

*Timeless Question* Could you please introduce Ben Rich Clothing? 

Ben Rich Clothing Company: “For the man that knows where he has been and knows where he is going.”

*Timeless Question* The first thing i noticed what that your logo is a martini glass, in what way does it represent your line? 

We developed our logo from a standpoint of class. In the upper echelon of elites, the martini represents a higher standard of living. 

*Timeless Question* When you first started this business venture what was your mindset and has it changed since then? 

When I first started this business, my mindset was multiple fold. I have always had an interest in fashion because fashion is exciting and new and I saw a void for those that are outside of the “dragon and skulls” box. I wanted to provide a more mature apparel for the active man. The only way it has changed since then is that I initially aimed the line to golfers but noticed a large percentage of my support has been with a more diverse group of people such as rappers and entertainers. In a sense, I have started to cater to other groups in order to meet my customers’ demand. You will see this in the 2011 line which launches soon.

*Timeless Question* How has owning a clothing line affected your day to day life? 

It has become my day to day life. In saying that, I devote the majority of my time to running my business and increasing its success.

*Timeless Question* What are some challenges you have faced that were unexpected, and how did overcome those obstacles? 

Negativity from my friends. The way that I am overcoming this obstacle is I decided to use it as a stepping stone. I work harder for, and I am more devoted to this company and its success.

*Timeless Question* In what ways does Ben Rich Clothing reinvent the fashion world? 

It is not about reinventing the fashion world, I think Lady Gaga handles this well. It is about finding the genre that fits you best and accommodates your customer base. The reinvention will come with customer feedback and the applying the feedback as necessary for the advancement of Ben Rich Clothing Company. 

*Timeless Question* Can you tell everyone what is the most difficult part about owning a clothing line? 

As hard as you try to please everyone, you can’t. 

*Timeless Question* When you were young did running a clothing ever cross your mind, if not what did you imagine doing as a kid, and please don't say fireman? 

Of course it was a fireman. Just kidding. I always knew I wanted to be successful in life but I just had to find the right venue. I have tried different things in the past and this by far, has been my most successful venture.

*Timeless Question* Ben Rich Clothing is pretty successful, what insight can you share to help others do the same? 

Step out on faith and stick to it! Stay true to your dreams and aspirations and they will stay true to you.

*Timeless Question* How do you go about picking stores to sell your clothes or are you solely based online? 

We let stores pick us. We are primarily online at http://benrichclothing.com but are also available in a few stores in the Austin, Texas area. 

*Timeless Question* Whats next for Ben Rich Clothing? 

We are soon launching our 2011 line and also opening a Ben Rich Clothing Company store front of our own.

*Timeless Question* Where can customers find Ben Rich Clothing and how can they contact you for any further questions? 

We can be found everywhere on the so-nets so find us on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. We are always available at http://benrichclothing.com. Customers can also call us at (512)745-7089.

*Timeless Question* Is there anything else you would like to add? 

I would just like to say thanks to Justin Burns and http://www.timelesstyles.blogspot.com for a great Q&A session and featuring Ben Rich Clothing Company.

*Remember Im Timeless Here to Bring You The Latest Styles*