Los Angeles, California, United States
"The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” -Malcolm X UCLA graduate raised in Atlanta, Georgia and Los Angeles, California, dedicated to make a positive impact within fashion, footwear, and sportswear and also provide an insightful, knowledgeable, and creative experience for consumers that allows them to use product as a vehicle towards maximizing creativity, ingenuity, and human achievement. I have been heavily involved in the arena of clothing and sneakers, becoming a problem solver/innovator, understanding the cyclical trends of fashion, discovering how to become a tastemaker through longevity, and developing the awareness on how to become a revolutionary icon within the mediums of fashion and footwear. Working with reputable brands such as Adidas, Puma, Old Navy, Banana Republic, GAP, Converse, TOPSHOP, Helmut Lang, and Express, I have managed to have an extensive background in the fields of Merchandising, Product Management, Production, and Marketing.
Founded a fashion apparel and accessories brand entitled, Joh-lihn, dedicated to honoring and acknowledging Black American history. As CEO and Creative Director, I oversee and spearhead all aspects of the brand, from designing full collections and directing marketing campaigns to managing e-commerce sales, data analytics, marketing, shipping, and product development. Joh-lihn uses fashion as an educational and cultural tool, telling stories that celebrate Black American history and the historical influence sprouted from black communities beginning in the American South. As CEO and Creative Director, I lead the brand’s overall creative direction and analyze Direct-To-Consumer sales data and social media analytics to identify business opportunities. In addition, I direct photoshoots, spearhead marketing campaigns, curate pop-up events in cities like Atlanta and Los Angeles, and manage all social media and influencer seeding initiatives on various platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, and Partiful. Since the start of the brand, I have produced and designed over 15+ product drops with 100% sell-through rates online and curated pop-up events during Black History Month and Juneteenth in Atlanta and Los Angeles, generating over $5,000 in sales. I also led seeding campaigns that placed Joh-lihn products on NBA and NFL athletes and prominent artists including James Johnson, D.J. Wonnum, Larry June, Jay Worthy, Smino, Cozz, and Trinidad James
Led/spearheaded the product strategy and seasonal direction for the $123M Men's Training and $21M Core Basketball businesses, including legacy icons such as Nike Monarch and GT Cut Academy. Created and delivered consumer-driven concepts through trend forecasting and curating focus groups across global markets, influencing product storytelling and seasonal expression. Partnered/collaborated with James Whitner/The Whitaker Group (A Ma Maniére, Social Status, APB) to execute high-heat lifestyle capsules, aligning Nike’s Core Footwear business with cultural relevancy. Managed end-to-end product timelines, from seasonal briefing to sample handoff and data accuracy within Product Management systems. Collaborated cross-functionally with Design, Development, Merchandising, and Sports Marketing to ensure seasonal goals, margin targets, and GTM success.
Led and owned product line businesses for NBA athlete footwear Scoot Henderson and other NBA athletes including R.J. Barrett and Dennis Schröder, as well as lifestyle streetwear collaborations. Drove and spearheaded creation of PUMA's first NXT Pro Circuit footwear collection and Venice Beach League product range, blending performance and lifestyle narratives for new consumer verticals, growing category sell-in by +66% compared to last year. Partnered with global collaborators (NBA 2K, Polar Express, Slam Magazine, God Shammgod, Flau'jae, Pokémon, E.T., and Cheetos) to deliver high-heat product launches aligned with seasonal storytelling. Presented line plans and strategy to merchandising and sales leadership; influencing global buy-in through clear, data-backed storytelling. Owned product briefs and GTM presentations, influencing alignment across Global Merchandising, Design, Sports Marketing, Development, Product Testing, and the Sales teams. Collaborations: Cheetos, Pokemon, E.T., Slam Magazine, NBA 2K, & Venice Beach League Player Exclusive(s): God Shammgod, RJ Barrett, Chris Brickley, & Flau'jae Grassroots Projects: The NXTPRO Circuit FTW
Grew Retro Lifestyle Basketball Business (Kobe, TMAC, Gil, etc.) buying volume from LY +11% on same sku count to LY with a 51.9% Margin in one season (FW23) Led concept briefing/direction of the first HBCU Retro Basketball collection, achieving 100% sell-through in two weeks, featured in critically acclaimed media outlets including Nice Kicks, Sports Illustrated, and Complex. Created adidas IIINFINITY Business, establishing the IIINFINITY naming series beginning with managing the CRAZY IIINFINITY model , which would be featured in Adidas' 2023 “Remember The Why” campaign and be honored as the 2023 Nice Kicks New Silhouette of The Year Winner. Collaborations: ESPN X adidas Top Ten 2000 45th Anniversary, featured on ESPN NCAA FW23 – Adidas Forum & Rivalry (HBCU) Anthony Edwards, Trae Young, and Jalen Green Collab "Family Ties" Footlocker Rivalry Low Collection adidas Crazy 8 Low "HBCU" Collection