Explicit content
In the vibrant streets of Atlanta, a fresh voice in streetwear is redefining the culture with
strikingly bold designs of her brand, Explicit Content. Jay DaVinci, originally from Georgia but
with roots in Chicago and Orlando, has made her mark in the fashion industry with a unique
blend of hip-hop culture, rebellious spirit, and individualism. Her brand challenges conventional
norms while celebrating diversity and empowerment through fashion. This is her story.
By Zuza Gaboush
Jay’s fashion journey started during her high school years in East Orlando. The transition from Georgia to Florida was a “real culture shock.” As she navigated through a sea of high-end brands, Jay felt a disconnect between her style and the affluent fashion world of her peers. “Kids were driving stolen Benzes and wearing the newest shoes. I felt behind,” she recalls. Yet, it was within this diverse fashion landscape that Jay found her inspiration. While Orlando's youth embraced a more homogenous sense of style, highlighting primarily name brands, Jay was drawn to what she didn’t see represented: streetwear—a scene that, at that time and place, wasn’t appreciated. Jay also noticed how people who dressed differently from the trending norm were outcast and mistreated by the majority. The hostility she was met with when trying to set out her own path in fashion made her even more determined to rebel against the norms. Reminiscing on her experience in those high school hallways, Jay retorts,
“Yall gonna say something about what I wear regardless? Say less, I’m finna come to school in a hoodie with spikes all over it. You’re gonna have to say something now.”
Her peers' refusal to accept anything different or diverse would light the fire that led her to start her own clothing brand. Utilizing her own voice, a connection to hip-hop culture and its ever-evolving fashion influence, she set out to merge these worlds, her unique perspective acting as a guide on her pursuit to create something new.
Jay's path into fashion wasn’t through traditional schooling but through experimentation and a hunger to create.
“My introduction to fashion came from scarcity,”
she explains. “I didn’t have much, so I started making clothes from what I could find, from fabric scraps to thrift store jeans. I had to take something that no one wanted and make it something desirable.” With no formal training, she dove into customizing shoes and eventually started sewing her own clothes; finally launching her brand, Explicit Content, in 2023.
The name itself encapsulates the brand's essence—freedom, unfiltered expression, and a rejection of societal norms. Jay’s aim was to create a brand that would allow her to evolve creatively, free from the constraints of conventional branding. “I wanted a name that would let me operate in any direction I want,” she says.
“As a designer, your passion changes over time, and I didn’t want to be limited by a brand name.”
And her brand’s catch-phrase, Be as Explicit as You Can, as Long as You’re Content, is not only a clever play on the words in her brand name, but also illuminates Jay’s conviction that individuals should be who they are, regardless of any outside judgement.
As for her approach towards creating pieces, her creative process is anything but typical. “I’m working backwards,” Jay reveals. “Instead of following trends, I look for what’s not being done and try to create something that’s different. Like oh, that’s not being done? Cool, let me go do it.” Jay’s design process is as much about artistry as it is about emotion. She believes in catching people’s attention by engaging all their senses. “We digest so much content every day, so I want my pieces to make you stop and look again.” For Explicit Content, the devil is in the details. From customized leather hoodies to innovative pieces like double-hooded sweatshirts, Jay’s creations draw you in and make you feel something.
At the heart of Explicit Content is Jay's ethos of authenticity. She’s not afraid to confront uncomfortable truths, drawing on themes like sexuality and societal judgment. “Everyone you encounter is on their own journey. What I found is that no one was taking the time to try and understand anyone that was different.” she explains. In a world that often commodifies and stigmatizes sex, Jay flips the script. By embracing “explicit content,” she’s empowering herself and others to take ownership of what society deems taboo. Her messaging is about challenging the status quo—questioning why women are punished for owning their sexuality while men are often rewarded for the same actions.
Working in a male-dominated industry, Jay has faced her own set of challenges. Men often approach her with skepticism, questioning whether her clothes are “for females.” But Jay isn't fazed. “It’s me versus that man’s ego,” she says, unapologetic about her place in the industry. Her confidence and refusal to conform have earned her respect, though not without a struggle. “They assume that because the brand owner is female, the clothes must be too. What they don’t wanna say and be honest about, is that they like the clothes. They won’t say they like it until I confirm that the clothes are unisex. Then, they wanna know how much it is. But at first, when they assume the clothes are for females, they don’t wanna say they like it.” Jay reflects on her experiences with men in the context of her brand, but also through the broader lens of the fashion industry. “The fear of not being accepted paralyzes men. And they fear what they can’t understand. A lot of times, they don’t understand how I got in the room, and I find that a lot of the men that are in that room are there because they know other men in the room. I’m not in the room cos I’m one of the homies, I’m in the room because of what I bring to it. And that intimidates them.”
Jay’s experience in the fashion world has taught her that a lot of fashion is directly intertwined with psychology. Reflecting on her experience interacting with mostly men in this field of business, she realized,
“When I first got into this industry, I would feel a lot of things I couldn’t describe. So when I first got into this, I took things really personally. Then, once I stepped outside of myself and tried to pull from other things, I realized that it’s not me, because we don't know each other enough for it to be personal. It’s something bigger than you and me. That’s when I understood the psychology of fashion and business.”
For Jay, fashion isn’t just about looking good—it’s about making a lasting impression. “More detailed pieces tend to last longer in people’s closets. You build an emotional connection with the clothing,” she notes. This longevity, both in style and sentiment, is a core value for Explicit Content. And her advice for anyone wanting to break into the fashion world is simple: “Just start. It doesn’t matter where you’re at or what you have—progress is progress.” Her own journey is proof that slow growth is still growth. "Know your voice, and don’t be afraid to differentiate yourself,” she says. Her success wasn’t about following trends—it was about creating something that felt true to her.
Looking ahead, Jay dreams of a brick-and-mortar store—a flagship location that becomes a hub for creativity and expression. “I want people to walk into a space that feels quirky, weird, and unlike any other store,” she shares. For Jay, the space would be more than a retail location; it would be a creative zone where the community can connect with the brand and each other. This is her ultimate goal for Explicit Content: to leave a lasting impact. “Our society can be selfish. People forget this isn’t just your world. And I believe it’s everyone’s responsibility to leave something behind,” Jay says. And she’s already making her mark, unapologetically pushing boundaries, challenging perceptions, and reminding us all to embrace our truth.
Through Explicit Content, Jay DaVinci is not just creating clothes; she’s crafting a movement that celebrates individuality, defies norms, and challenges us to think beyond the surface. With her fire, vision, and unyielding commitment to self-expression, she’s poised to take the streetwear scene by storm.
The future of streetwear is here, and it’s explicit.
