One for the underdogs – Jared Howell proved even the most inexperienced designers and entrepreneurs can succeed in the fashion industry. Building a thriving brand from the ground up, Jared demonstrated great tenacity and talent inspiring others to also take their leaps of faith.
Jared is a 27-year-old rising entrepreneur from Seattle, Washington. Formerly one of the underdogs, Jared now proudly stands as one of the most promising, thriving entrepreneurs of his generation with his rapidly-growing streetwear brand called Left Coast Cartel Streetwear. Jared built his company to prove that everyone has a fair chance at success, and the challenges one faces along the way make the journey even more meaningful.
Jared started his journey a little over two years ago for fun. He shared that he was making designs at one of the most detrimental times of his life, and building his streetwear brand was what pushed him to continually strive for better days. Jared eventually developed a passion for his new venture, and he has not turned back from fashion and design ever since.
Left Coast Cartel Streetwear is one of the most unique and empowering streetwear brands in the market today. Established at the height of the pandemic, the brand showcased the photoshop skills Jared worked so hard to learn. Spending countless hours to produce stunning designs, the founder successfully captured his target market. Eventually, he met a talented illustrator from Serbia named Dragan Lukovik, who shared the same passion for design but had no resources to start his own brand.
“I believe that what you wear is a representation of who you are,” Jared shared. Hence, he made designs that could radiate the unique personalities of the people wearing them every day. The entrepreneur aims for his clothes to be symbolic of where people currently are in their lives and where they wish to be, allowing the fashionable pieces to speak for themselves and give the world a hint as to who is wearing them.
Asked why he wanted to take a more personal approach to streetwear, Jared said that he wanted to revolutionize streetwear by producing clothes that are not only captivating and comfortable but strong enough to scream authenticity and narratives. “What you put out in the world, whether you believe it or not, matters,” he said.
Launching a brand in the fashion industry is not an easy pursuit. Still, Jared came out victorious because of his unrivaled work ethic and dedication to become a household name. He had his fair share of roadblocks but shares that it is always that fighting spirit and positive attitude that could make or break one’s journey.
“Things that are great always start with just one person’s idea and just spread from there. If I had a message to give to the world, it would be, ‘there are no limits to life. You’re able to obtain whatever it is in life. But you must put away all the excuses and really invest in yourself. Invest in being a lifelong student. Every day you must work towards your vision. When you do, you start gaining momentum and confidence. You will catch breaks; you will get those unexpected gigs you’d hope for,” said Jared.
Jared shared one note he wants to share with other aspiring entrepreneurs: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
