You can catch Jackson Ray, founder of Fashion Moves Forward, sitting at a table with some of the most urban street-style men in NYC, eating at a trendy restaurant sharing ideas and creativity. This is becoming a recurrence for this 19-year-old Texan native. As he walks up to me in the St. John’s dining hall in head to toe black, his chic style blows a lot of others out of the away. With his black leather jacket, paired with Asos Chelsea boots, you can tell without even talking to him, that Jackson Ray has a niche and love for fashion.
Coming up soon is Fashion Moves Forward’s second anniversary since Jackson has started the website back in April 2014. It is already gaining lots of attention including his Instagram @fashionmovesfoward which has around 8,270 followers. Something Jackson Ray would like to do in order to celebrate the big two years is to put his logo on sweaters to sell for both men and women.
“I knew I wanted to go to New York,” said Ray explaining to me how very different it is compared to Texas, which is very casual and laid back. “My friends would wear basketball shorts, and I wanted out.” You could see the passion in Jackson’s eyes as he gives me his whole run down on his creative ideas that are in progress currently.
What really opened the door for this young entrepreneurial to fashion is basketball, which Ray played back in high school. One industry that is very big in the sport is…the sneaker culture. And that is how Jackson Ray turns into an inspiration to many in the urban street environment. He would collect vintage hats and other forms of clothing at the age of 16 and 17. And next thing you know one thing evolves into the next as his life gets turned around and he lands himself in the heart of one of the biggest fashion cities, NYC.
Jackson Ray first started his website based on Instagram first because he wanted to show his outfits to other’s that would appreciate it more outside of Texas. Then as his following went up, he started up his own website. Now he has writers and editors that help work under him. If you could describe Jackson Ray’s style, it would most definitely be urban and street style. Which in men’s fashion is becoming very popular with celebrities such as Kanye West being a perfect example. West is one of Ray’s inspirations and he has even the pleasure of meeting both of West’s best friends.
One thing that Jackson Ray isn’t a fan of is fast fashion such as Zara, Forever 21, and H&M since the companies pollute the world and steal designs. So if you ever want to sit down a talk about real men’s fashion, then Jackson Ray is the guy for you. One designer he is very fond of is Rick Owens.
As for Fashionmovesfoward.com, Jackson interviews people in person and email if he really needs to connect with someone in another state. One person he had the opportunity to connecting with is Daniel Patrick, designer from Australia, whose collection is very urban chic. It only takes connections and collaborations to make it big in this industry now really. Jackson Ray now has a shoot coming up soon for Daniel Patrick which is one of his many projects along with men’s New York fashion week that just past. “Best skill to have is reaching out.”
As for Jackson’s very promising future, he hopes to build up his fashion empire along with opening up studios and having his own modeling agency. With Ray it’s all about visual and the way he explains his ideas with what he has in mind for editorial shoots such as the one for Daniel Patrick, Jackson has a very good eye.
When Jackson Ray is not reading into Complex magazine, working on his article’s for his website and looking up inspiration from Nickelson Wooster, street style icon, he is thinking of ideas to help others who are looking to get into the fashion industry.
“I’m trying to be creative as possible and bring people just as creative in.”