Justin Escalona

Almost 15 years ago was when YouTube graced the interwebs. This was the era of Fred, Jenna Marbles, Shane Dawson, and many other OG YouTubers. This was also the time where 10-year-old Justin Escalona was creating and uploading 10-second goofy clips with meme-like edits he finessed on After Effects. All of these creators formed a community with each other, one before brand deals and the thought of anyone ever having a million subscribers. Everyone was just working on growing their channel. "The biggest reward was just getting views," said Escalona. "It was all about growing the channel."

Escalona continued on to create short films and music videos during his time in middle school and high school. He won several film festivals which may have contributed to his acceptance into USC's film school that only accepts 50 students. It was here that Escalona began his Daily Docs series since freshmen weren't allowed to make movies yet. These videos ranged anywhere from surprise visiting his parents to an insight of what it's like to be at a party in Hollywood Hills.

His time at USC has also taught him that the film world is very fashion forward, and so is he. His passion for fashion began to outrun his desire to make movies, and he wanted to build a clothing brand that reflected his beginnings. Escalona was really inspired by the streetwear community, specifically brands such as Supreme, Diamond Supply, and Obey. He wanted to show the story of his crazy life at film school where he and his roommate constantly left their door unlocked for friends to hang out in, under an unspoken policy that everyone would respect their personal belongings. They've received a stack of write-ups, but never anything to kick them out.

This is the time where 1340 Collective Co. began, named after Escalona's dorm room number. He used a strategy that is now called dropshipping to begin his clothing line. With this, he would essentially order one product, shoot all of the promos in that one product, and collect orders online. He would then use that money to actually fill the orders and send them out. Pretty genius, right?

These days, Escalona doesn't have to do that anymore on the count of how massive 1340 Collective Co. has become and how unique the brand's business model is. Escalona keeps every collection exclusive, meaning that there is a limited amount of merchandise in each collection and once it's gone, it's gone forever. Each collection drops for a week, and you must DM either Justin himself or the brand on Instagram in order to get an access code that only lasts 24 hours to purchase items.

I'm a big advocate of the idea that it's about selling a story that people relate to. It's 50 times more effective than just trying to sell a cool design."

Another thing that is special about 1340 Collective Co. is that it's based solely on storytelling. Escalona has gained over 305k subscribers on YouTube, meaning that he already had a base of supporters that have been watching his story and life from the beginning. He honed in on the fact that when his company began, he was literally making merchandise out of a dorm room. His followers saw that and were drawn to the story because they could relate. "This isn't just merch. There's a story behind the company and true character. I'm a big advocate of the idea that it's about selling a story that people relate to. It's 50 times more effective than just trying to sell a cool design," said Escalona.

The most admirable part about Escalona's business strategy is that it is genuinely based off of wholesome relationships he's made throughout his career. Every day he wakes up seeing that a new celebrity or professional athlete has organically purchased his merchandise and worn it in their everyday life. He also makes sure that he is constantly working with his friends. To Escalona, success doesn't mean a thing if you aren't able to share it with the people that you love and care for the most. His roommates and best friends help him with everything from taking photographs of the collections to assisting with production for their promotional videos.

This is just the beginning. Escalona and his crew will be embarking on a tour starting at the end of the month to screen an exclusive short film about the story of 1340 Collective Co. He will also continue to have random pop up shops and other exciting endeavors to include supporters in immersive experiences. Escalona is truly an incredible example of what it takes to be a hard worker and someone who doesn't let age define a single thing. Be sure to grab tickets to the 1340 Tour at www.1340tour.com and keep an eye on social media to see when new collections will be dropping.sters.

Photos + Story by Acacia Evans