I want nothing more than to always be true to myself. I’m not trying to follow any trends. I like positivity and I want to keep it fresh. I hope to drive the market and not ever have the market drive me. My goal is to create something with longevity. My brand is my life, and I’ve been lucky enough to work on it and continue growing it with like-minded people around me, believing in the ideas and helping keep it real. I’m just taking it all as it comes. I’m just being me. And that’s what I want for everyone else, too. What else could I ask for, you know?
What are your personal philosophies when it comes to the fashion industry as a whole?
What I hope for is people respect my work. I’m not trying to be out front but if people want to recognize me for what I’ve been able to accomplish. That’s cool but that’s not what I’m looking for. I want my work to stand on its own and whatever recognition comes with that I’ll accept graciously. I want my work to be in the front and me behind, putting in the hours to continue building my vision.
We’re living in the age of streetwear designers almost becoming celebrities themselves (i.e.Virgil Abloh, Heron Preston, Jerry Lorenzo). Do you see yourself as having this potential as a creative?
I’ve never had trouble getting into the boys club. Growing up so close to my dad and older brother, I spent a lot of time with the boys. Being a woman makes me a bit of an outsider to some extent but people are gravitating towards it, and that’s what’s up. I have a different perspective on what looks good on a man. A lot of men don’t have confidence when it comes to their clothes so it puts me in a unique position because I can crystalize a moment because I’m outside of it. I wear menswear, I wear my entire collections and I have an ability to really understand men. Now, as a woman, I’m designing for what I’m attracted to and think what looks dope on a dude.
What are some obstacles you face as a female designer who is creating clothes for men?
I’m just getting started. There is this visual language and world that I am building. It’s going to take time for it to evolve and the story to unfold. I want a brand that outlasts me.
On the business side of things, what are your long-term goals for BILLY? What are your long-term goals personally as a designer?
I love LA. Growing up in the middle of nowhere, LA really introduced me to what’s being called streetwear. Here I am able to be closer to my manufactures and experiment more. I can be really hands-on with every step of the process, constantly perfecting and evolving. There has always been this really special energy here, but now the city is getting more attention. The creative fields are what is moving the city forward, not just fashion, but art, music and obviously entertainment. There is a youth culture here that is risky and relatable to how I felt breaking a lot of rules growing up in the country. We have the appetite for the new, and we have the infrastructure that allows me to create exactly what I want. BILLY can develop and flourish without the traditional confines. I feel pretty blessed to be able to be here. People want to fuck with what I’m doing and to me, that’s what makes BILLY fresh to a city that helped birth streetwear in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.
L.A. is such a hotbed for new fashion brands at the moment. What does Billy bring to streetwear that’s totally fresh? How does being in L.A. affect all this?
100% of BILLY is based on each place. There is no BILLY without PA and no BILLY without LA. It’s the juxtaposition that is familiar to so many people but no one really talks about it. Some people move, leave their past behind and try to form themselves into something new. I’m the opposite… I’m the same farm girl who just evolved by being in one of the biggest cities in the world for over ten years. I’m bridging the gap by trying to put something out that is relatable to the country and the city because it doesn’t need to be mutually exclusive. That is the language that BILLY speaks. All I can do is go off of my own experiences and that I can exist in both places and be authentic to my creative process and vision.
You grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania then moved to L.A. to pursue your design dreams. How much of these two places influence your work?
My dad is the man. Watching him is how I learned to work and how to conduct myself. Being a girl on the ranch didn’t mean anything at all, we all had to work equally as hard and if we wanted something, we had to work even harder for it. I looked up to him, how he handled himself and his team and the people he came in contact with. I learned to carry myself in different environments. I’m a mini him. My dad is BILLY and I cannot thank him enough so why not name my brand after him. I design and direct from a very intimate place by bringing in really personal references, creating an aesthetic for the modern man in tune with his past but mentally ahead of his time. It’s a little street, a little sportswear and a little Americana. It’s comfortable, utilitarian, enigmatically cool and always a little bit risky. I’m developing a style type all it’s own, so, as the brand grows new facets of it will emerge.
What or who is BILLY? What’s the origin of the name? For those who haven’t heard of the label, what’s the overall aesthetic of the brand?
It’s super gratifying that a lot of these people wear my clothes, get their photos taken in them and come back for more. It’s all been organic –something I couldn’t ask for. JB was my first client 5 min into launching the [found] collections (which is the vintage part of the brand). But BILLY comes from a place and is inspired by dressing real people. To me, we are all the same so I’m designing for anyone from a farm town to a major city. If you’re cool, you’re cool. These guys that are insanely talented and we have a similar work ethic. Following a creative path to success is what inspires me most. They’ve helped me build the community –they care about BILLY. But that’s not the only thing that matters, I want to create a movement, a family, and relay a message that is bigger. I’m all about inclusivity, not exclusivity, ya know. So with them, the brand is stronger and more organic because of my guys — Justin Bieber, G Eazy, Diplo, Brandon Boyd, Ty Dolla and Wiz Khalifa.
What was your initial reaction when you found out Justin Bieber wears BILLY? With the brand now being worn by the likes of Wiz Khalifa, PartyNextDoor, Diplo and more, how important is it for BILLY to have this celebrity cred?
If I thought there would be no struggle, I would have never signed up, but there is no textbook on how to be an entrepreneur in menswear. I have a lot of drive and perseverance and that’s what’s gotten me through the ups and downs of this process. My focus is running a business and creating something special. Real recognize real, so those are the only people I fuck with when it comes to business and my bullshit detector has improved over time. Through everything, I’ve learned some irreplaceable lessons. No one was here to tell me what to do and it’s made me that much stronger.
What were your initial struggles early on when the brand started? How did you overcome these struggles?
I never necessarily said I wanted to start a men’s fashion line. I just knew I belonged in menswear. There was this look I had been building my entire life without even knowing it and the moment I realized, I knew I wanted to make it. Prior to BILLY, I styled women and consulted on visuals and product for a handful of high-end stores. I didn’t want to do it anymore – I wasn’t feeling challenged. Creatively I needed something that felt more true to my personal aesthetic, something risky, something that made me feel alive. I had a profound thing happen in my life and it made me questions where I was going. I went back to my roots. I built this brand based on what I grew up on. I wore men’s clothes because I was surrounded by boys. I liked my stuff oversized and to me, I was just always attracted to that unstated sex appeal. I felt this major need for something new in the men’s market. I studied design and it’s where I am supposed to be and now I feel, at home.
What was your background prior to BILLY? Why did you eventually want to start a men’s fashion line?
LA-based fashion label BILLY was one of our Top 10 Emerging Brands in 2017. Since then, designer Holly Jovenall has quietly catapulted her designs to become the go-to staples amongst the celebrity elite. Buzz around BILLY started when pop star Justin Bieber was photographed multiple times wearing the brand’s tees, sweats and trousers. Now, the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign, G-Easy, Diplo and more have followed suit as they too have been spotted rocking BILLY gear.
However, it’s more than just the celebrity co-signs that has made BILLY an up-and-coming brand to watch out for. There’s a subtle cool in the way Jovenall presents the imprint’s laid-back designs and aesthetic. BILLY’s dark and earthy color palettes can effortlessly work with any outfit and the vintage workwear-meets-street vibe is a refreshing contrast to the uber “luxury” identity streetwear has recently become. It’s also all in the details and anyone who’s seen or worn BILLY garments can tell how much time and care is used to create these ultra-comfortable, ultra-stylish basics.
Hand-distressing, stonewashing, and hand-dyeing are just some of the lengthy processes applied to BILLY products. Now add these elements to the oversized cuts and rebellious Americana styling, then you have yourself a winning formula for a brand that truly understands the way “cool guys” should dress now.
In this installment of our Designer Spotlight, we had the chance to ask BILLY designer Holly Jovenall some questions about her design methods, how she feels as a woman designing men’s clothing and the brand’s fast-growth. With that said, you can be sure to see BILLY appearing at more stockists soon. SSENSE has just picked up the label as well as MR. PORTER.
The label has also become a wardrobe
staple for Diplo, Wiz Khalifa & more.
BILLY Designer Holly Jovenall Explains the Brand's Bieber Co-Sign & Future Growth
