Jean-Claude Martin
Jean-Claude Martin introduced another immigrant success story when he debuted his two denim lines in February at MAGIC International in Las Vegas. Making a full denim collection was one of his goals when he began his career managing stores and designing clothes in his native England.
“The English market is like this,” said Martin, spacing his thumb and forefinger 1 inch apart. “The American market is like that,” he said, spreading his hands a couple of feet apart.
In 1998, Martin moved to Los Angeles, where he worked for a number of companies as an assistant designer and design manager before starting his company, JC-US, three years ago. Today, Martin is based out of an office in the California Market Center.
JC-US, a division of Los Angeles–based apparel manufacturer ISP West Inc., has worked with private-label accounts and has grown 20 percent annually, earning more than $4 million in 2004, according to Martin.
JC-US is also the name of his men’s line, and D.V.U.S. is the moniker for his women’s line. His debut collections feature 35 pieces for men and 25 pieces for women. Items include leather blazers, wool military-style jackets, woven shirts and T-shirts.
Both lines separate themselves from the denim pack by doing away with the elements that grace most denim pants.
Wholesale price points for D.V.U.S. range from $36 for denim pants to $48 for denim jackets. Wholesale prices for JC-US range from $36 for pants to $58 for jackets. —Andrew Asch
