Jason Demaci on His Plans to Build America’s Next Great L…

Jason Demaci didn’t graduate from fashion school or cut his teeth at a legacy house. Hailing from Riverside, California, his interest in design was sparked by local skate culture and Kanye West fit pics. Fast forward a decade, Demaci’s namesake label has gained real momentum, with his XGG boots becoming a quiet obsession among artists like Yeat and J Balvin.

Now, the 25-year-old is bringing that momentum to Complex, dropping two exclusive boot colorways on Jan. 2. Limited to just 25 pairs each, the release marks a new chapter for the designer as he continues to build a namesake American luxury label on his own terms.

Ahead of the drop, we sat down with Demaci to discuss his unconventional path into fashion, why footwear became his focus, and what it really takes to build a brand from scratch.

Jason Demaci didn’t graduate from fashion school or cut his teeth at a legacy house.. Hailing from Riverside, California, his interest in design was sparked by local skate culture and Kanye West fit pics. Fast forward a decade, Demaci’s namesake label has gained real momentum, with his XGG boots becoming a quiet obsession among artists like Yeat and J Balvin.

How did you get into fashion?
I got into fashion because I saw Kanye wearing the Givenchy Rottweiler tee when I was 14. I asked my mom for it and she was like, “Jason, what? Hell no. I’m not buying you a $1,500 shirt.”

We weren’t well off. One pair of shoes every few years. I had the same JanSport backpack from fifth grade to senior year. That should tell you where we were at.

So I thought to myself, “I’m just going to make my own.” I started drawing. I didn’t have money to produce anything, so when I was 16, I got a job washing dishes at a diner. I started buying blank hoodies on Amazon, embroidered my birth year (2000), and sold them at school for $30.

How did you learn to design clothes and launch your own brand without formal training?
I learned how to design on my phone, using random apps from the App Store. I got really good at editing. I’d take photos of random things, edit them, and mock designs up. I’d take a jacket from Givenchy, take a shirt from Rick, and make it my own.

I never went to design school. I just figured it out.

How did growing up in California and skateboarding shape your taste and interest in fashion?
I skated growing up. I used to watch Bam Margera and Rob Dyrdek. Those are my two biggest inspirations to this day.

Around the same time, Skate 2 came out on Xbox 360, and I was playing that nonstop. Ripped, baggy pants, beat-up shoes. That whole era shaped my taste.

How did you get to where you are now—building a luxury brand from scratch?
My mom kicked me out when I was 18. I lived with my cousin for a bit, then bounced house to house from 18 to 21.

I dropped a knit set that was being made in Ukraine and made about $4,000. It was the most money I’d ever made from a drop. Then the manufacturer stopped responding. This was when the war started. I had all these orders and knew the chargebacks were coming.

My lease was about to be up. I had $300. I bought a one-way ticket to Miami because my manager was based there at the time. On the plane, I met Carl Larsson, a multimillionaire art dealer. He was supposed to be in first class but ended up sitting next to me. We talked the whole flight.

When we landed, my manager wasn’t answering me. It’s 4 a.m. I had nowhere to stay. Carl let me stay with him. The next morning, he dropped me at Starbucks, gave me $100 cash, and wrote me a handwritten letter about how much I inspired him. I still have it framed. That $100 got me the dirtiest motel you can imagine. Cockroaches. $8 a night. I stretched it until my manager finally called me and clowned me for coming to Miami over one phone call.

I met Frankie Quiroz soon after. He wanted to start a new brand with me. We flew to China. Three days in, he got sick and left me there with $10,000 and belief. I designed two full collections and made the company $300,000 in two months.

In January 2024, Frankie told me to focus on my own brand. That’s when Jason Demaci really started.

Why footwear?
I’ve always loved shoes. Shoes were always the thing because I grew up skating.

Everyone was making clothes. Nobody wanted to make footwear because it’s hard. That’s why I wanted to do it. I went to Paris, saw boots I didn’t love, and I was like, “I can make something better than this.” And I did.

What inspired the XGG Boots, and how did that vision evolve?
I dropped the Lynx boot first, knowing people would look but not buy. Then, months later, I dropped the XGG.

How do you balance bold design with wearability?
I believe in comfort. I want people to feel cool but also feel like they’re wearing something distinct. A lot of runway pieces look insane but never get worn again. I don’t want that. I want people to live in my shit.

Do you consider yourself a streetwear brand or a luxury house?
There’s a difference. Streetwear is for kids in the streets—skating, going to parties, just living life. Luxury is about quality, feel, longevity.

Right now the line is blurred because Instagram brands are making products faster than fast fashion brands. Jason Demaci is a luxury brand. There’s streetwear influence because of how I grew up, but the goal is luxury. That’s the standard I hold myself to.

Who is one person you would like to see your designs on?
Drake. He’s my G.O.A.T.

Do you see the brand expanding into other categories?
I want it all. Paris Fashion Week. Stores in New York, Tokyo, Rodeo Drive. Furniture. Fragrance. Soaps. Hotels. Everything. I want Jason Demaci to be a household name.

What would you like to tell people who are trying to start a luxury fashion house?
If you want to chase a dream, chase it fully. Believe in yourself so the world can believe in you. It takes ten years to be great at something. If you’re not willing to walk through that tunnel, don’t do it.