Today we’d like to introduce you to John Henry Richardson Jr.
Thanks for sharing your story with us John Henry. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am from a small city called Moss Point, Mississippi. As a little kid, design was always fun and came easily to me. I started off by drawing inside my bible at church. When I was in junior high school, I was chosen to design the cover for our yearbook. I also created murals for my high school that are still there today. As I became older, it was a no brainer to live out my gift of design. I transferred to University of Houston in 2003. There, I studied architecture and minored in interior design. While at UH, I interned at the Interfield Group and then switched firms and worked at R.T.B Architects. A few years later I began my own company called Innovative Designs-ID. Businesses were impressed with my knowledge of design, personality, creativity, and how fast I could finish projects. Everything began to snowball from there and word of mouth helped me to become successful and known around Houston. I’ve designed several restaurants in Houston such as Mia Bella, Coco Coffee and Crepes, Ambriza, and Ruggle’s Green. I’ve also designed Holiday Day Inn Express, mansions, townhouses, apartments, shipping container homes, to Robert Horry Sports Med. Center, Sugarland Surgical and U.S. Imaging MRI labs. It all gave me a presence in the Texas area.
My love of design doesn’t stop at architecture, I also like designing clothing. In 2008, I founded FLY-BY motorcycle club. We are a team that lifts each other up and encourages each member to try and attain personal success goals. That is why the acronym for FLY-BY is first love yourself-be yourself. The F is always backwards because we always deviate from the normal way of getting things done. As the president of FLY-BY, I had a bright idea to create a t-shirt design for the members and give it to them as a gift. I kept creating shirts only for the members, so a friend of mine in the group asked me, “Why not make this a collection”? That is when the firecrackers took off to the sky. After a lot of research and trials and errors, I decided to do just that. I used the logo from the M.C. that was trademarked to lead the brand. The bird ”goshawk” became the signature look. Once I started posting pictures on social media, people began flooding my timeline and messaging me. The demand for the brand was out of this world. I noticed that women were becoming my main consumer, which forced me to change my way of thinking. I originally only sold graphic t-shirts, caps, hoodies, etc.. Those days were soon over and I had to figure things out fast. I began receiving request to create active wear and bikinis. That’s when I started to break ground on women’s apparel.
To expand my knowledge, I began learning how to make patterns, sewing and packaging. Getting a look book together and selling to buyers was a tall glass of water to drink. The active wear was first sold at Yoga One Studios, which I have ties with the owner and yogi master because I did the architectural designs for her studio. That helped the name spread as well. The brand is now sold worldwide from Montreal to Madrid, Panama to L.A. and Miami. Designing, cut and sewing is really what takes a lot of the heart and soul of design to levels that I wouldn’t think would challenge me as much. The balance is between my wife and daughter, architecture, and clothing brand. Life could not be better. I will continue to design from the heart. People that know me, always tell me I have a lot going on. How do you handle it John? I tell them one design at a time…
Has it been a smooth road?
My struggle was me not wanting to really design women gear. Women ask for so much, this color that color, this size that size, can you make this tighter, can this be looser, etc. Also not being from Houston, breaking into popular circle was pretty much just keep going to support people even if the people weren’t coming to support you. I learned that I sell way more products out of state, so it didn’t really matter anymore.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Innovative Design-I.D. and Fly-By Clothing story. Tell us more about the business.
Architecture wise, more of my projects are commercial design, such as restaurants and strip centers. I am known for speed, accuracy, and clients say they love my energy. I’m proud that Innovative Designs has done designs nationwide. My relationship with the city of Houston, San Antonio and Austin make getting my design approval much easier and faster than normal. Time is money and the clients appreciate that. Also I provide the client with different custom looks. I’m not that cookie cutter guy.
Clothing brand wise, I keep the brand fresh, comfy, and everyday wearable. I’m known for the reflective logo and work out apparel, and that I still come with my own designs and actually make my own gear. Some of my pieces are one of one or limited to a few.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think architecture wise, houses will continue to get smaller, have extreme sustainability, and become more efficient. I think you will see more food trucks and people downsizing. I think the architecture industry, will consolidate their firms to include building a team of full-service designers, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and general contractors. I think the clothing industry will have more out of the box designs and use materials we haven’t seen before.
Pricing:
- MOST ITEMS ARE AFFORDABLE, 25.00 IS TYPICAL OUR PRICE POINT
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.SHOPFLYBY.COM
- Instagram: @FLYBY_CLOTHING @INNOVATIVEDESIGNSID
- Facebook: FLYBYCLOTHING
Image Credit:
Register, Treydotshot, Kelian brooks, Iful
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