The Black Ivy League

Grey Model Agency
Mar 2, 2022
3 min read

An oxymoron it may seem; like Black Elvis.

The Ivy League: Synonymous with the American elite, the privileged; the white fraternity boys (and girls, perhaps). Like many hierarchical structures Ivy League fashion in the 1950’s was utilised as a banner to set apart a recognisable ‘clan’, sporting deck shoes - a nod to the yachting life, Argyle socks and ‘hunting’ attire in winter months of check and tweed sporting coats, slack pleated trousers - formally-informal, blazers and the polo shirt-cardigan twinset adorned later with a Ralph Lauren stamp.

When the Ivy League was formed in 1950’s these 7 colleges only served Caucasians. Even now only 6% of Ivy students are black (or African-American if you will). Billions of dollars are donated to these institutions every year meaning those who can attend enjoy a privileged springboard into politics, business, sports and society.

Fashion and style have no fixed membership club, no apartheid. Fashion at its best is the essence of self-expression, of identity, free-will and often protest, or counter-culture. It may be ridiculed by the next generation, adopted by a different class or morphed into a mixture of two cultures. In the face of adversity to mimic is one thing, but to excel in another’s genre, or fashion, is often the most effective, creative and formative opposition.

There’s a quote from Malcolm X when asked why he dressed Ivy League, he said, to paraphrase, “When your ideas are radical, it helps to dress conservatively.” The Black Ivy League Tumblr

Along with jazz came the sharp-dressing hipsters mixing a cocktail of music festivals, dance and greater integration between black and white revellers creating Ivy Cool. In decades to follow the Mod fraternity e.g. The Small Faces, added a large dose of irony and fusion of cultures in a combination of the Ivy style mixed with Italian tailoring. The result being not only statement-wear, but a fashion cult movement, a revolution.

Enter Black Ivy. A Revolt in Style.

To create an in-depth research and celebration of the Black Ivy fashion, worn and ‘owned’ by the likes of Malcolm X, Miles Davies, John Coltrane and Sydney Poitier, it takes more than an accomplished author to write such a book. It takes a lifestyle. It takes a lifetime of a lifestyle, to understand, appreciate, live and breathe this kind of insight …

Enter Mr Jason Jules.

Jason is himself a fashion icon. His own personal style and demeanour is much sought-after in the modelling world. Brands scramble to use him in their Lookbooks. Fashion and accessory campaigns want to align their collections with his style. Within 7 days of landing in London after a year overseas, Jason’s diary was solid with bookings and our clients on Saville Row clamoured for any free days, or hours, of his time.

A long-time friend of Paul Weller, Sir Paul Smith, Sir John Hegarty and John Simons himself, Jason wrote and co-produced the screenplay for the documentary celebrating the life and times of legendary clothing retailer titled, John Simons: A Modernist and Clothesville, The Ivy Shop and The Squire Shop. John Simons is often referred to as the UK Ivyist.

Just as fluidly as he glides through the fashion world and its cultural undercurrent: screenplay writer, model, commentator, influencer, so does Jason permeate music couture – a jazz and acid jazz club promoter, a Northern Soul club promoter, nominated in The Face 100th issue as “host of hosts” alongside Norman Cook and Jay Kay, founder of the Edge Festival while promoting and running PR for Soul II Soul and Jamiroquai.

The Watchmen Agency was formed where Jason developed his own ‘Black Ivy’ style of PR and promotion; blending the fashion world with the music world – redefining brands within i-D magazine, promoting Carnaby Street tailors through i-D events; to frustrate, disrupt and evolve the marketplace. Brands such as Levi’s, Wrangler and Sony Records saw the forward-thinking benefits too and signed them up.

Jason Jules the fashion blogger and stylist, offers his own über cool London clothing brand too, House Of Garmsville places a twist on ‘smart-casual’ and is distributed in Japan and across Europe. His Garmsville platform explores and deconstructs the old and new fashion with insider tips and tricks, opening up debate on the intricacies of buttoned-down or unbuttoned shirt collars.

Of course where Jason Jules is concerned fashion and music are inextricably linked and Jason provides his own Garmsville playlist – a musical journey from The Rapture, to Ben Folds Five, Jack Jonson to the Beastie Boys, Lamb Chop to Maston.

This playlist pretty much sums Jason up. He is l'entrée du siècle. He is subversive in the most understated modest way. He is the personification of Black Ivy – A Revolt in Style.