Inspired by Rihanna’s personal stylist, unique in her own right, and a person with an intense passion for denim – Jasmine White is a force to be reckoned with in the up and coming fashion realm. I was introduced to her through a mutual friend and I was struck by her denim designs. I was able to snag her during the infamous Redskins vs. Cowboys game this past Sunday for a quick chat.

Check out our interview below . . .

Astu: “Thank you so much for taking the time to do this I am really excited to learn more about NormaJeans! So tell me a little about yourself?”

Jasmine: “I am 24 years old, I took a couple of courses at the Art Institute of Atlanta, and I have a diverse background in retail – so I am very familiar with different trends and fashion in general.”

Astu: “So what exactly do you do to get your custom jeans? And where did this idea come from for NormaJeans?”

Jasmine: “It started out as a summer thing. I started making them for me and it caught on quickly. It was not anything serious but I have gotten so many compliments that everyone was telling me ‘girl you really need to start a business’ or just flat-out asking me can you make a pair for me.  I basically use a cut and bleach method – sounds simple but it is tedious and I can guarantee that it is different and you will never get the same pair so that makes them right away custom-made. And, surprisingly, it was not only the girls a lot of the guys I know were hitting me up, too, asking for a pair of custom jeans.”

Astu: “Wait? Guys too?”

Jasmine: “Yes! Everyone! I am even doing pants for children. “

Astu: “That’s amazing! Now I want to go back to a point you mentioned. You mentioned the season: summer. Now that it is getting colder – is business still booming? Also the name, very creative, where did that even come from?”

Jasmine: “Of course! Everyone still wants a pair especially since you can throw on tights/leggings with a pair of boats. It is very easy to put something together. Ha ha now as for the name, believe it or not it came to me with the recent wave of interest in Marilyn Monroe that came about. Everyone loves her. I did not go along with the hype, right away, and I am one to really research something before I jump on a bandwagon. So one day, at work, I looked her up and found out that her real name is Norma Jean.  I do admire her, especially, after learning more about Ms. Monroe – so that is basically how the name came about. Haha the funny thing is that there is also a strip club in Baltimore, Maryland called NormaJean but do not get confused ha ha.”

Astu: “Ha ha! I would have never known that her name was that – I can see why she went with Marilyn.  Now, Jasmine, where do you see this going for you? Where is NormaJeans going?”

Jasmine: “Well, I would like to open an online boutique where I can sale wholesale items along with my things. To me, an online boutique is cost-effective and just smarter than opening up a physical location because you’ll have to factor in all these other things such as rent and anything else that comes along with a place’s upkeep.”

Astu: “That is very smart and makes sense! More flexibility for sure and you can reach more people. Now is there anything else you would like for our readers to know?”

Jasmine: “Yes, I will be purchasing more jeans and customizing them very soon so that they will be up for sale. I also want people to know that with everything I will provide above and beyond customer service, I have big plans for how items will be delivered to people, and I am really looking to invest in myself and make this business become an even bigger reality.”

Astu: “Thank you so much Jasmine for taking the time to speak with me and take care!”

All in all, I was really impressed with this young woman. She was able to take something that a lot of people can and are able to do and turned into something profiting. I asked her what sets her apart from any one person cutting and bleaching their own jeans and she simply replied “I am doing the tedious work…no one wants to take the time to, constantly, rip and rip these items and that is exactly where I come in.”

Once the interview concluded I, of course, continued to probe and I found out more about her passion for denim. It started early on in her fashion career back in high school.  Motivation came from a school teacher who saw potential in her with her first creation of a “jean purse” made solely from a pair of Levi’s. Her desire as an entrepreneur is unmatched and quite interesting. Please support NormaJeans by placing orders via email at:besdress.jw@gmail.com and follow Jasmine on her instagram: Besdress, I promise you will not be disappointed by her hard work.

CONTACT: besdress.jw@gmail.com and IG: Besdress

Astu Mengesha – Stay Down Blaze Up