St. Joseph’s Prep senior Gavin Pennington is following his dreams of becoming a fashion designer. At only 18, he is about to debut his unique clothing line, “The Illest Club,” at Philly Fashion Week.
“I get it from my parents. I used to be around it. Listening to their music, listening to hip-hop. So I used that to make it into my own type of thing, being the best, being excellent,” Pennington said. “It’s more than being a brand. It’s a lifestyle. I want people to feel a type of way when they wear it. Make it a movement.”
Pennington started his clothing brand just over a year ago, and many of his pieces are sold out.
He says his entrepreneurial mind and hustle comes from his parents, who are also business owners. He combines his artistry with graphic design and his love for ’80s and ’90s hip-hop music.
“Everybody used to say illest,’ and ‘I’m the illest,'” Pennington said.
Pennington says his following on TikTok has boosted sales.
“My biggest drop was back to school,” Pennington said. “I had 1,200 orders over three days.”
Pennington says he’s been accepted to a couple of colleges already but is hoping to attend Howard University.
