London Reese is an exhilarating underwear designer who’s the founder and CEO of DEBONAIR MEN and Co-Owner of ChiTown 312 Food Truck located in North of Dallas area. Debonair Men is apparel and self-care line that bring you unique and great quality underwear and apparel. London Reese who is a former Probation Officer decided to start the brand in the height of the pandemic and has not looked back. His goal was to create a premium men’s line that provide a debonair experience, which allows the customer to feel comfortable and confident while making self-care their number one priority. I wanted to thank London for taking out the time to discuss his business with me.
Was there a reason you wanted to go directly into undergarments instead of a more typical route like a t-shirt lineup?
Crazy thing is that in undergrad I started a T-shirt line and would do screen printing with catchy quotes, etc. I guess “designer” have always been a part of me. Honestly, I wanted to do underwear for a long time, but it was very hard to find manufactures to produce my ideas. Years later here I am living out my dream.
How difficult is it to maintain quality in a world of fast fashion, where designers will do whatever to keep up margins?
For me it’s difficult because I always want things to be to perfection, though I know that’s impossible. I know what I enjoy and expect when supporting other brands, so I hold Debonair Men to the same standard. I want the consumers to always feel good when they shop with us and not feel “short changed”.
Do you think Calvin Klein & Tommy Hilfiger are becoming aware of the importance for creatives from marginalized communities?
I definitely believe so. I was just talking to a friend the other day about how it took for a mogul like Rihanna to make “Savage Fenty” and include EVERYONE. Now you see brands like Calvin Klein & Victoria Secret along with many others include more black & brown models, plus size models, and even models with disabilities. It’s so amazing to see and I applaud Rihanna for stepping out the box and being innovative. I definitely want my brand to follow her blueprint and be all about inclusion. We all deserve to be represented.
What led to the creation of your new “Heat” Line in October?
Hmmm… So, I decided to bring high temperatures this fall. Ha. Seeing that red is like my favorite color of all time, I felt it should be a part of the new collection. On top of it being the customers top request, and with holidays like Christmas & Valentine’s Day approaching, it just made sense.
Outside of your busy schedule, you’ve been able to operate the Chi Town Food Truck. What are the top dishes from Chicago and has there been any Texas dishes that you’ve enjoyed?
Oh yes, that’s a hard question. I honestly think they all are top dishes, but my favorite may have to be the Italian beef sandwich, on French Turano bread dipped with hot giardiniera peppers and lastly topped with a cheese, oh can’t forget the famous Chicago Mild Sauce on my fries. Yum! It’s like heaven in your mouth. Far as Texas dishes, you can’t go wrong with a famous Tex-Mex or Street taco. For the foodies out there if you are ever in the North of Dallas area come check out Chitown 312 Food Truck. You can visit the website at www.chitown312.com and follow us on Instagram @_chitown312.
