College Times

Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Ryan Ruiz

Size doesn't matter.

That's the philosophy that drives the Valley's Black Cherry Clothing Company: that every person, regardless of body size and shape, should be able to find clothes that look good and fit perfectly.

Founders Jennifer Davis and Cory Hazlett took that novel idea and brought it to the internet, where waves of young people - college students, recent graduates and others - have begun successful businesses in the previously exclusive world of couture.

Davis and Hazlett, who live in the northwest Valley, are among a solid crop of businesses like these based in the Phoenix area, where a fledgling fashion scene continues to ride a wave of ups and downs, yet appears to be slowly moving forward.

In just its two year history, Black Cherry, which specializes in pin-up and rockabilly style clothing, has filled orders from all over the country and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

If it wasn't for Myspace, though, Davis and Hazlett would have never met at all.

Myspace or Yours?

What began as a mutual love for design and originality quickly turned into a partnership and budding business venture. It's been nearly three years since Hazlett first came across Davis's Myspace profile. After noticing they shared many of the same interests, Hazlett contacted her and the two spoke on the phone hours each day for several weeks before ever meeting in person.

"Everybody laughs because we met online," Davis said. "But that's how we met."

In addition to their mutual love of animals, cars and design, the two also shared the dream of starting their own business.

"Before we even met she brought up the idea of starting a clothing company and calling it Black Cherry Clothing," Hazlett said. Once the two met in person, they became an inseparable couple and now live together in their home-turned-office in Surprise. As natives to the area, Arizona seemed like the natural place to base their company.

Online ventures

Starting a business is no easy task.

The obstacles are numerous:

Just ask fellow fashionista Angela Johnson, who has also experienced the Arizona clothing industry firsthand. After working in LA for years in the fashion industry, Johnson moved back to her hometown of Scottsdale, and soon after realized that Arizona is a little less than accommodating for those just getting started.

"I had worked for X-Large and X-Girl in LA and also had my own line called Monkeywench, which I mass produced in LA. I handled the design, production and sales and had two business partners and one assistant. When I moved back here, I closed Monkeywench, because there were no wholesale resources or manufacturing resources in Arizona for me to use to continue producing my line," Johnson said. Unlike LA, she explains, it's more difficult here to find materials and stylists.

According to Johnson, as a designer you can design as many things as you want, but when production comes in that's where there seems to be a hold up in this state.

"The solution to this is to have a large investment. It takes a minimum of about $100,000 to really get a mass produced clothing line off the ground in a city where there are manufacturing resources," Johnson said. "A bit more in a city where there isn't (manufacturing resources) because you will have to travel a lot more."

As newcomers to the business, Davis and Hazlett knew they would have a lot to overcome if they wanted to make a name for themselves, in spite of a certain amount of doubt, they decided to jump in, knowing the full risk they would be taking.

Throw in the shaky economy as of late, and the odds of success can make any start-up business venture daunting.

"When we actually got around to starting it we were doing everything with our own money, and that's kind of hard when you're trying to pay your bills and your rent and put money into a clothing company," Hazlett says.

To help finance the startup, Hazlett had to sell his prized '49 Shoebox Ford.

"He sold the car and we paid off some bills and bought a camera, bought a computer and bought a bunch of materials and stuff for the company," Davis explains. "That's how we started it," adds Hazlett, who admittedly misses the car, but now sees the payoffs of his sacrifice.

For Davis, naming the company Black Cherry seemed only natural. "I just came up with it. I wanted it to be something catchy, but something unique that was original," she explains. "I had a couple of other names but I can't even think of what they were because that one just stuck. Everyone said, 'That sounds awesome. That's what you should call it.'"

Though the company has built a solid customer base since its start in 2005, the couple has kept their fulltime jobs. Davis works as the office manager for a local security alarm company, while Hazlett works for Honeywell in the supply department.

"I would love to do it (Black Cherry) fulltime and maybe open a store. That would be awesome, but I would definitely have to have more people working with me," Davis explains. "If we could do this for life, even if we are not making millions and millions of dollars from it, to be able to do it, it's worth it. When the customers write and they say, 'it fits perfectly … it's custom and it's affordable.'" For now, Davis and Hazlett remain the only two steadfast employees.

Her Style

Davis finds satisfaction in being able to accommodate any person's fashion style, whether they are large or small.

This is what sets Black Cherry apart from the other millions of clothing companies in existence. Unlike many similar companies that call themselves "custom," as the actual manufacturer of all the clothing, Davis doesn't use a basic size chart and also does not pre-make clothing to be sent out when someone orders it. Instead, she receives dimensions from the customer and tailors the outfit to fit that person's body exactly.

"I cut out a basic size and then I'll have to customize it and take it in until I get the right size," Davis explains. It's this attention to detail that keeps customers coming back for more, she explains. Often times after receiving an order, people will send her e-mails thanking her and that, as she explains, makes it all worthwhile. Although order times generally vary based on volume, shipments are usually received in three to four weeks.

The style of the dresses and shirts Davis designs could best be described as rockabilly or pin-up girl style and are meant to allow girls and guys of any size to feel comfortable as well as fashionable.

His Style

The tattoos Hazlett displays on his arms pay homage to his love for original artwork and allow him to display his own designs. It's this side of the clothing company that particularly appeals to him. While he admittedly says he's no seamstress, Hazlett still plays a huge role in the company's success. "I do a lot of the painting and cutting. I've always had an artistic side," Hazlett explains.

Black Cherry's t-shirt and tank top designs are all original, and while some are just aesthetically pleasing to him, most of the motifs carry Hazlett's personal messages, which range from ideas of originality to patriotism.

Hazlett's love for music and his dream of starting a band as a youngster also play into his vision as co-founder of the company. Civil Disobedience is a line of Black Cherry Clothing that shares the name of a band he always hoped to form.

Unfortunately, the band never materialized, but the name is now immortalized as the company's old-school music and skater-inspired customized t-shirt line.

Networking and the Internet

For Davis and Hazlett, without the internet and the networking opportunities it provides, life would be entirely different. If not for Myspace, the couple would likely never have met and the birth of Black Cherry Clothing would have never even happened. Both agree that if they didn't met, neither of them would have taken the leap of faith it took to form the company.

The majority of advertising has come from Myspace and similar sites, which makes networking affordable and far reaching. Davis explains that lately Black Cherry has received several orders from Australia and New Zealand, including a request for bridesmaid dresses.

The couple agrees that as the internet is growing at a dizzying rate, so are the amount of clothing companies run by young people. "I think there are so many talented kids online right now," says Davis. Magazine advertising is expensive and not as feasible for young companies as it is for more established businesses.

As two people who have been through the grueling process of starting a brand new company, the couple has valuable advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs. "Make sure it's something that you love to do and it's fun, because if it's not fun then it's a job," Hazlett says.

"When you're putting a lot of money into it and you don't know if it's going to work or not, it's cool when people appreciate that you're doing something different," Davis adds. "Be true to yourself, don't sell out for anybody," she says. "Definitely research first. Make sure you have a game plan and try to get investors. Get your money together first."

The company continues to blossom as word of mouth and return customers help the company's clientele base grow daily. The couple shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Items may be purchased on Myspace at www.myspace.com/theblackcherryclothing.

"I'm not going to lie," Davis says, "there have been days where I'm like what did we get ourselves into, but we can always fix it and then a half hour later I'm fine. But it's difficult; I wish I would have done it when I was younger, but I probably wouldn't have done it if I hadn't met him."

"This is fun for us," Hazlett says, "because we design our own clothes; I don't have to wear other people's clothes anymore."

Click here for a slideshow of College Times' photo shoot with Black Cherry Clothing. Photos by Ryan A. Ruiz.

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