In an attempt to broaden the demographic of urban clothing buyers, Russell Simmons announced yesterday plans to launch a new men and women’s line of clothing, Def Jam University, which will feature more affordable prices and be marketed in more mainstream publications.
“Phat Farm is growing in volume and more polished every year, however Def jam will be more affordable and rugged,” Simmons told AllHipHop.com. “We’re opening it up to the whole population.”
Simmons, who has had previous success in clothing with his Phat Farm line, is partnering with Kellwood—a billion dollar clothing manufacturer and marketer—who Simmons teamed with for Run Athletics which debuted in stores last week.
The rap mogul said he took his time in finding a partner, particularly because he was looking for a manufacturer that would produce quality clothing that Simmons could price reasonably. Simmons then referred to a shirt a model was wearing and stated, “If anybody else was making it, it would be $55,” subsequently he revealed the actual price of the shirt was $32.
Phat Farm, launched 11 years ago, has trail blazed the path for urban clothing and the likes of Sean John and Rocawear, grossing close to $300 million in sales the past year. Simmons has said Def Jam University, a division of Phat Farm, will expect sales of $100 million according to estimates by Simmons and Hal J. Upbin, the chief executive of Kellwood.