Jostens Launches High School Jewelry & Apparel With Urban Attitude
By Tanya Ishikawa
High schoolers in Colorado and around the nation have a fresh way to commemorate their student years, with the launch of Jostens’ new line of “class of” jewelry and apparel. The new hip-hop style of hoodies, shirts, watches and jewelry were put together by Denver entrepreneur Derrick Holmes.
The founder and owner of Denver-based Banneker Inc., a designer watch and clockmaker named after America’s first clockmaker Benjamin Banneker, Holmes joined forces with the top business magnates of hip-hop culture for the unprecedented business venture. Through Jostens, the leading marketer of products celebrating significant milestones, the trend-setting team created a luxurious yet affordable product line that shouts self-esteem and pride in success.
“I created Esteem Enterprises to do the marketing for the school market and develop relevant products that resonate with today’s youth,” Holmes said. “My designs are about presenting a successful image. I like to honor the people I admire, whether it’s in a watch’s name or the image on its face. Banneker, Phat Farm, Baby Phat and Deréon took that concept and applied it to high school memorabilia, giving students products influenced by the people and styles they look up to.”
The new Jostens line is inspired by hip-hop fashion, with a lot of flash and sparkle. While the materials are high quality, the prices are kept affordable through replacing diamonds with crystals and silver with stainless steel.
Banneker had already hooked up with Jostens to pioneer the first-ever, national sports championship watches for the 2006 NBA champions, the Miami Heat, the 2007 World Series-winning Boston Red Sox and the upcoming Super Bowl victors. For the Banneker Jewelry Collection by Jostens, Holmes designed Class of ’08, ’09 and ‘10 rings, watches, pendants and stud and hoop earrings made with genuine wood with burl grain, crystal bezels and glass lenses.
“Some of it is bling, bling. A lot of the influences are from what you see on a lot of music videos, which is what teens are buying. It’s what they see and admire. It matches them,” Holmes said, adding, “This style was clearly not in Jostens catalogs before us. We’ve brought it to the mainstream.”
Though it is labeled urban style, the product line is not so much geared toward a geographic location, but it is more for people with a similar mindset.
“It’s not just in the ‘hood or tenements. It’s in the all-white countryside. It’s even in 90210. It’s everywhere,” he explained.
Jostens and the partners from Baby Phat, Phat Farm and Deréon agree.
“We feel that the hip-hop culture reaches beyond inner city youth. We feel that hip-hop is a youth lifestyle that can be found in rural, suburban and urban schools throughout the U.S.,” said Jack Thornton, senior vice president and general manager of Jostens school division. “To our knowledge, there is not another company currently conducting business within the high schools in the U.S. that offers a line of jewelry, tailored for the specific desires of the hip-hop lifestyle.”
Ruby Azrak, a fashion licensing guru involved in several top hip-hop brands including Apple Bottoms by Nellie, helped broker the deals with Phat Farm, Baby Phat and House of Deréon.
“Hip-hop is a movement. It’s everything and anything. It could be anywhere,” Azrak explained. “It’s a look. It’s a hit.”
Known as a fast-paced, wheeling-and-dealing New York business magnate, he commented that Holmes was tenacious and inspired in pursuing the partnerships.
“It’s an untapped market. Nobody really services that market but Jostens. It’s like a captive audience,” said Azrak, who recalled buying a class ring from the company when he was a kid.
A former executive with Phat Farm and Baby Phat, he still works frequently with Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons, the founders of the fashion powerhouses for men and women. The Jostens line includes a Class of ’08 Baby Phat hoodie for the ladies and Class of 2008 Phat Farm Polo shirt and hoodie for the guys.
Perhaps the most successful products in the urban style line are from Deréon, a subsidiary designing exclusively for the high school market under the House of Deréon. Tina Knowles, music superstar Beyoncé’s mother, founded The House of Deréon contemporary, high-end clothing line, and named it after her mother Agnéz Deréon.
For Jostens, Deréon offers a Class of ’08 hoodie with the parent company’s fleur-de-lis logo, worn by Beyoncé in her No. 1 hit video “Irreplaceable,” and a class ring in a fleur-de-lis pattern with 27 cubic zirconia, a square-cut custom birthstone, and custom engraving of initials, graduation year, and school name. The rings shattered sales records in their first month and a half on the market, Holmes said.
“Sales to date have exceeded expectations,” agreed Heather Schindler, co-creative director of House of Deréon, Deréon and Miss Tina. “We were very optimistic and excited. The rings are unique, dynamic and simply beautiful.”
Schindler, who has also served as a creative director for brands such as Sean John and JLO by Jennifer Lopez, said, “Deréon is not exclusively about urban or hip-hop style. It’s for anyone who’s stylish. We don’t cater to one community. We cater to the full spectrum of women, who are trendsetters and fashion-oriented.”
Admitting she still has her mother’s high school class ring, she said the goal was to create a ring that women were proud to wear forever.
“What we tried to bring to the community is another option, more in synch with their style – a keepsake, a piece of art that is a memorandum of where I am, where I’ve been and where I’m going. It is absolutely mainstream,” she added.
Schindler noted the company’s strong belief in completing education and high school graduation, which she credits for Beyoncé and her younger sister, Solangé, being able to achieve their dreams.
Russell Simmons’ message to his young customers is similar: “What your education gives you is a chance to live up to any dream.”
No wonder these amazing forces have come together in high schools, along with Holmes who is a history buff and lifelong learner, they share the motto that Jostens promotes: "Commit to graduate. Education and dreams will allow you to achieve.”
Editor’s note: To learn more about or order any products in Jostens Urban Style line, call 1-877-475-7027 or go online to www.Jostens.com.
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