From working on Iceland checkouts to fashion role model: The rise of 29-year-old entrepreneur Jay Williams, whose popular streetwear firm Hoodrich went from car boot sales in Birmingham to being sold in more than 1,000 shops in 24 countries

• Jay Williams, 29, founded his label Hoodrich in 2014, selling t-shirts out of his car
• The brand is now a celebrity staple and sold in over 1,000 stores in 24 countries 

A 29-year-old entrepreneur looks set to be made for life after growing his business from selling t-shirts out of the boot of his car into an international brand being sold in over 1,000 shops in 24 countries.

Jay Williams, from Erdington, West Midlands, founded his label Hoodrich in 2014 after working at Iceland supermarket and as apprentice, turning it into a juggernaut of the high street.

It is beloved by rappers including 50 Cent, Giggs and Birmingham rap stars Mist and Jaykae.

Iconix International has now acquired majority ownership of the brand, in a deal thought to be worth tens of millions, while Mr Williams will retain a controlling interest.

‘I knew I wanted to make something of myself, I wanted to prove to myself that my dreams were possible to achieve,’ he told an interviewer last year.

Jay Williams, from Erdington, West Midlands, founded his label Hoodrich in 2014 after working at Iceland supermarket and as apprentice, turning it into a juggernaut of the high street.

Mr Williams said: ‘From a young age, I started to get into clothes and more so, take pride in my appearance. What I was wearing… [it was] all inspired by rappers from America, what I was seeing on MTV Based’

In an interview on his website, Mr Williams said: ‘Life before Hoodrich was pretty chill, I wasn’t taking life too seriously’

The rapper 50 Cent, who is one of many celebrity fans of the Birmingham label Hoodrich

It is a far cry from Hoodrich’s beginnings, when Mr Williams used £200 as a start-up to make 30 shirts, managing all deliveries and orders himself for three and a half years.

Hoodrich gained a huge break when Foot Asylum began stocking the brand in 2018 and it has gone on become one of the fastest-growing streetwear labels in the UK.

‘For the first three years, I did everything on my own,’ said Mr Williams. ‘From the picking up and dropping off of products, promotion, customer complaints, modelling for the brand and photographing the product. It was all me.’

In an interview on his website, Mr Williams said: ‘Life before Hoodrich was pretty chill, I wasn’t taking life too seriously.

‘I was working in Iceland on the tills, I did that for two and a half years. I then went on to do an apprenticeship at an electronic cigarette company. I left there, and I was a play worker.’

It was at this stage of life, unsure of a career and with a burgeoning passion for streetwear, that he stumbled on the idea of creating his own fashion label. 

He said: ‘When I was growing up I used to watch MTV Based and MTV Cribs

‘Watching MTV Based, there was a lot of music videos on there and so i was inspired by 50 Cent and Pharrel. I loved how they were both dressed and just how fly they were.

In March last year, Hoodrich collaborated with the Netflix crime drama Top Boy to launch a capsule collection of hoodies and T-shirts in honour of its second series

Iconix International has now acquired majority ownership of the brand, while Mr Williams will retain a controlling interest. Its business operation will be led by Batra Group, a brand licensing and design company, while JD Sports will continue to act as a retail partner.

‘I said to myself, when I get older I want to be like them. I didn’t know how I was going to be like them or what I was going to do, I just wanted to be fly, man.

‘So from a young age, I started to get into clothes and more so, take pride in my appearance. What I was wearing… [it was] all inspired by rappers from America, what I was seeing on MTV Based.

‘I found myself constantly shopping online, mainly ordering American streetwear. I was 20, and my mum would say, “Jay, all you’re doing is spending money on clothes. You’re not saving any money for the future”.

‘But for me , I was super passionate and I loved streetwear. All I wanted to do was literally order, wait until they came, put fits together, that’s just what I was on.’

It was while building his own wardrobe that Mr Williams became captivated by the thought of starting a business. Filled with enthusiasm, he went to Poundland and bought folders and other stationary.

He then began studying the origins of some of his favourite street brands, and learned many had begun by screen printing on t-shirts. After settling on his logo, Mr Williams commissioned a printer for his first t-shirt design and began selling them himself.

Hoodrich has become a staple of the high street, stocked in Foot Asylum and JD Sports

Hoodrich collaborated with the Netflix crime drama Top Boy to release a capsule collection last year

Mr Williams said: ‘Hoodrich is all about transition. The word “hood” is somewhere you are at in life and “rich” is somewhere you aspire to be. I started out in my bedroom taking orders on WhatsApp and driving up and down the country to sell my shirts, I’ve lived through that transition.’

In March last year, Hoodrich collaborated with the Netflix crime drama Top Boy to launch a capsule collection of hoodies and T-shirts in honour of its second series. 

Hoodrich is already sold in more than 1,000 retail outlets in 24 countries. Under the partnership, the headquarters will remain in Birmingham and Watford.

Iconix International chief executive Bob Galvin said: ‘The brand is extremely well positioned to capitalise on the growing demand for lifestyle streetwear with an authentic brand story. We are committed to bringing this high-quality brand to an even bigger global audience.’

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