Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabe DeJesus.
Hi Gabe, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in the Stockyards neighborhood on the west side of Cleveland. I always had an affinity for sports (played basketball at St. Edward High School (Class of 99) and Baldwin Wallace College Class of 06), Arts, and Fashion. I was really looking to play basketball professionally overseas somewhere, but when that didn’t quite pan out, I had to change course. I started cutting hair around 2001 with the intention of teaching myself how to cut my own hair. People (my friends mainly) started to take notice and asked for haircuts, and it started to grow from there. Never really thought about being a barber because I saw myself as a creative and wanted to do graphics and make streetwear. The recession of 2008-09 sent things into motion as I was laid off from the job I had at that time and was forced to embrace the reality that barbering may be the avenue I needed to take to get my aspirations off the ground. I looked into getting into barber college in Ohio but found that it was too expensive. However, a friend of mine told me that I should look into NYC because barber college was surprisingly much cheaper than in Ohio. I looked into it, found out it was true, bought a one-way bus ticket, and moved. That was in 2010. In the past 13 years here, I’ve been able to build clientele to the point where I was able to leave the shop I was at and have my own studio in Brooklyn to work out of. In the same year (2010), I also began Moment Clothing Co. Over that same period of time, I’ve put out things here and there, but it’s only been in the past 3 years where I’ve been able to dedicate ample time to developing Moment Clothing Co. to where I’d like it to be aesthetically, largely in part due to my success in barbering.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not. At. All. Gaining your footing in New York isn’t an easy task. Luckily, 2 years in I met my future wife, who has been my foundation throughout this whole process. But in the beginning, it was a struggle to stay afloat. Compounded by the fact that in 2015 we welcomed our first child, I really had to grind. I had to work several different jobs on the road to finding my place in the right barbershop while finding time to dedicate to my clothing line and help raise a family. Even today, it’s still a challenge
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a creative first and foremost. Most people know me for being a skilled barber who combines a love for his craft with a passion for art, fashion, streetwear, and music. Others know me for having good taste and an attention to quality and detail that can be seen in the pieces I put out for my clothing brand, Moment Clothing Co. What I’m most proud of? My journey. Every experience I’ve had, both back in Cleveland and here in New York, has culminated into the unique personality and perspective that I have today, and that’s what I believe sets me apart from others.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
IG: @momentclo_ @kidicarus_bk
