John Paul Thomas
Founder of Jacob & John
Bachelor of Arts: Merchandising & Design '17
Concentration: Merchandise Marketing
Associate of Arts: Merchandising & Design '16
Concentration: Fashion Design
What do you enjoy most about your field?
Designing is my passion. I enjoy the process of creating a piece from scratch, to picking the fabric and making the finished garment. I find joy in the satisfaction customers get with buying my pieces.
How did education at Wade College help prepare you for what you are doing today?
Wade College provided me the information I need to understand how to communicate with manufacturers, with creating tech-packs, call-out sheets for the garment specifications and the knowledge of learning about different fabrics.
What advice do you have for students interested in your field?
Learn as much as possible while you're in school, because it'll be beneficial later down the line as you pursue your career in the fashion industry.
What has your career path been like so far? How did you get to where you are at now?
It has been a up and down roller coaster of me feeling like I'm all over the place until I made the decision to put together my first menswear collection and seeing the success I had with it.
What opportunities, decisions, or events shaped your professional life?
The best decision that helped my professional life was to go back to school to get my Master's Degree in Finance, it helped me make a great living to take care of my two kids and self-fund my career as a fashion designer.
What are some of your proudest accomplishments?
A few of my proudest moments up to this point are: having pieces from my first collection featured in December 2021 Vogue Magazine, opening up my first store for Jacob & John in 2022, and most recently having my sneakers featured in the September issue of British GQ Magazine.
Tell us more about Jacob & John.
Jacob & John is a contemporary menswear brand that been around since 2018. It's currently sold online and in specialty boutiques. We are about to open up a new location.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Write down your short-term and long-term goals and check them off as you pursue your dreams. You'll find out early that it is not easy, but you'll start enjoying the process with the more you achieve along your journey.
Where can we find you online?
Jacob & John business website: www.jacob-john.com
Instagram: @officialjohnpaulthomas
Business Instagram: @jacob_johnofficial_
Facebook: Jacob & John
TikTok: @jacobendjohn
LinkedIn: John Paul Thomas
