April 24, 2024
Traditionally, college is a time for people to discover themselves and get prepared for the world after graduation. However, Justin Wright, the creator of Just Wright Fashion, isn’t waiting until after college to start his career.
The 21-year-old entrepreneur has been working on his fashion brand since high school, however, since he has been enrolled at High Point University, he has put on three shows.
His schedule keeps him busy to a point where he must manage his time wisely and at times make sacrifices.
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“Having a brand while in college is kind of difficult, you have to decide between going out sometimes or staying in and doing work. You have to balance both school and your brand but also balance having a social life as well,” said Wright.
Though Wright runs the brand, he does now with a team of students around him. For all his shows, he has had his creative director Sara Lafontaine by his side, who helps him manage everything.
“It takes months of planning to get everything right and the way it’s supposed to go. We try to meet every week when planning a show to talk things over,” said Lafontaine.
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Each time Wright has a show he goes through a casting process for models, and he enlists the help of other students for things such as lighting, videography and music. This allows students the opportunity to exercise their talents and have a platform to show the things they are capable of as well.
At his most recent show, where he collaborated with High Point University’s Black Student Association, they had live and pre-recorded singing performances from students.
One of his usual models Abby Hyatt spoke about her experience working with JWF on a few shows. “My favorite shoot was ‘Primal,’ the clothes embodied what the line was trying to accomplish. We all got together, and each model got to show off the different athletic strengths that they had,” said Hyatt.
The work that Wright puts into his shows was also noted by Hyatt. “I have seen just how much behind the scenes work that Justin does and how much he has to push himself and challenge himself. I have learned that it takes a great deal of grit,” said Hyatt.
It’s that “grit” that helps Wright accomplish more and more each year. “Without the grit to buckle down and do what needs to be done JWF wouldn’t be where Justin has brought it to today,” Hyatt said.
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Though running a business while being in college brings stress, Wright explained how the shows make it worth it for him.
“Stress, you don’t really have time to feel during a live show specifically but honestly any show, even when you’re pre-recording them,” Wright said. “You don’t get to breathe until after everything and that’s when you get to feel all the emotions.”
Wright’s inspiration to keep going and make his brand everything that it is today comes from the support of his friends and family. He wants his story to be an inspiration to any other students wanting to pursue their dreams.
To learn more about Just Wright Fashion you can check out the Instagram page at JWF_19.