METCHA | JAMES 113 DESIGN BY MISTAKE

Can u believe this guy stumbled upon the design world by mistake when he was young?

It all started when he n a friend sold six pieces of tartan pants to a store they knew and the stock ran out in just like, three days. 👀 Well, ofc the store-guys wanted more.

“I said to my friend ‘This is not what we do’, but we did six more. And they called me back saying ‘Can you do 12? I would like to see everything else that you have’. I thought ‘How do I do that? ’Cause I don’t have anything’. My friend said ‘Oh, f*ck, We are gonna do anything’ and I told him ‘This is maybe a way to get out of the sh*t’.”

Born in Chicago and living at the time in Venezuela, he got into the design world in 1983. As a young rebel, it was almost a rule to keep bringing up his inspirations. A mix of Deconstruction Fashion & Oi!Punk (give us all that punk rock vbz please🤘) were good ones and led him through his professional pathway. Do you know where he’s still walking towards? Obvs to the opposite side of normal.

When it comes to a person who inspires Diego, it wouldn’t be different: Kansai Yamamoto is the designer who would dress up David Bowie. “I took Kansai as an image of understanding, as an inspiration, you know? I wish i could meet this guy.” And who wouldn’t?

Oh, and of course, Bowie👨‍🎤 is not out of the list.

“I would love to put a piece in David Bowie. Unfortunately he’s gonna have to wait for me in the other side.”

With these strong refs we can already catch what kinda guy he is, right? But let’s talk real, some of the aspects that make him this f*cking cool legend can definitely NOT GO unseen. Yess, we are talking about his kickass leather goods.

The relationship between Diego and lxthr has its boundaries in the leather jackets he started to produce in 1987. From then on it has developed into a love story, still going and counting.

Now, after lots of adventure in his life, he’s grounded in Miami running James 113. But there was A Way before that:

“I moved to New York, designed and had my store there. And then I became homeless in 1991. I lost everything and I ended up on the streets. So I didn’t do any fashion after that. Three and a half years ago I retired and my wife asked me “What are u gonna do now, with your life?” and I answered “I’m not gonna do anything, just fashion” and she said “Well, give it a try”. So we moved to Miami, I gave it a try and I am still trying.”

Do you feel the modesty? He’s now focusing just in women fashion and it’s surrounded by leather in pretty much all its pieces. We are sure James 113 is massive and completely not normal, just as he likes it. He tells us his clients are aware of it and actually looking for something out of the mainstream.

Well, as we could notice, not everything in life is under control and maybe that’s the secret of success, be risky and give it try. We sure Diego agrees w/ us:

“Listen to the voice in your brain and don’t follow the mainstream. Be creative, rebel to the normal. Just visualize, imagine, dream.”

More from James 113 on their website * here *.