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It’s not every day that a high school senior from South Jersey is making his debut at Philly Fashion Week.
Then again, it’s not every day that a local teen is behind a seven-figure brand before even earning a diploma — unless you’re Gavin Pennington.
Pennington, a Voorhees native in his senior year at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, started his brand, The Illest Club, in August 2023.
Since then, he’s been promoting his work in between school and basketball, sitting in on local panels and participating in speaking engagements such as the one at Camden Arts School that placed him in front of Philly Fashion Week CEO Kevin Parker.
Flash forward, and the teen’s designs are walking the runway.
“I was mind blown,” Pennington said about the opportunity.
The son of two entrepreneurs, hustling has always been in Pennington’s nature.
“I was always around that,” he said. “… I was always trying to find a way to make money.”
The streetwear brand’s designs were inspired largely by the ’80s and ’90s hip-hop scene — baggier clothing items, and the brands and pieces that Pennington couldn’t necessarily afford growing up, all with his own twist.
Now, Pennington said, he never goes a day without seeing his brand. He’s spotted it on rapper Lil Baby, Philly’s DJ Aktive and Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood.
The entrepreneur dedicated a lot of his success to the support of his family, especially his younger brother, Gabriel, who is the brand’s “angel investor.”
Pennington said that when he decided to start The Illest Club, his little brother, around 12 years old at the time, loaned him his savings.
“I believe in Gavin, always have, so I didn’t think twice about investing my savings in him,” the younger Pennington brother said in a statement provided to this publication. “… I admire him for having big dreams and I believe in him. He trusts me and really listens to my advice.”
“I have my own dreams of going into private equity and this was my first step towards that goal. It’s pretty funny to be called his Angel Investor … if your brother doesn’t believe in you, who will?”
Looking to the future, the young designer said that he is working on drops for the spring and summer season, “focusing on leveling up” his brand and hoping to be accepted to Howard University to study business.
For anybody looking to start in the design or fashion industry, Pennington gave a classic adage of advice: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.
