Simon Parchment was born in 1977 in Lewisham, South East London, to his English mother and Rastafarian Jamaican father.
As a youth, he was brought up in an area surrounded by drug dealers, drug addicts and gun crime, having being involved in gang activities and crime at a young age he soon realised that this type of life wasn't for him as it would only lead to being in prison becoming a drug addict or being killed.
But this wasn't going to stop him from going forward and fulfilling he's dream.
He remembers his first fashion spark came when he was about 9 years old and had to sew up the holes in his trainers as his mother struggled to make ends meet being a single mother and having to bring a mixed raced child up by herself which was hard as racism will still a factor in the early 80's.
At 13 he was known in school as the joker, the boy that didn't listen and didn't care he was always in trouble with his teachers, the only thing that stole his heart and inspired him was his Textiles lesson, needing to focus on something positive, he decided from then that he wanted to have a career in fashion and become a Fashion Designer.
At 16, was a turning point in his life when he became a member of the Holy Tabernacle Ministries, a religious Organization where he learnt African history and spiritual knowledge. His teacher at the time, Dr Rev Malachi Z. York helped him understand how the mind worked and how it can be used as a powerful tool to gain knowledge and to gain control of his life.
In 1999 he started a promotional incentives business with help from The Princes Trust where his colleague Darren Shakespeare and himself worked together to create branded garments for corporate company JP Morgan to celebrate the year 2000 which was a major success as it helped him buy his own equipment and become independent.
By 2002 he was able to set up a customizing label called Apparelize using a CAD print process which was a new revolutionary way to customize as he developed ways to produce Customers own designs but with a fashion edge.
2003 saw him work in conjunction with Kangol and Deal Real to customize and to exhibit a piece of his artwork which was a custom hooded sweatshirt called "The Sacrificial Hoody" at The Brixton Graffix Show which was held at the Fridge Gallery in Brixton that got him recognized with well-known UK artists and photographers.
He then started designing for up and coming music artists, applying his custom techniques to clothes as well as hats and trainers.
2004 he was asked to appear at The Black British Style event at the Victoria and Albert museum where he was customizing Kangol caps in conjunction with Blacktronica live on the spot with the public watching, the caps that were produced were raffled and given to the winners.
He then worked with New Era Caps and was invited to customize at the Urban Music Festival at Earls Court and was asked to appear again in 2005 where he was able to show case his talent to the public on a bigger scale and also to have his customs on well know music celebrities such as Will Smith, Xzibit, Maseo (De La Soul), Jon B, Mos Def, Lady Sovereign, Estelle and also TV presenter June Sarpone.
He was then later commissioned by New Era Caps to produce 5 exclusive custom New Era Caps for Will Smith with sponsorship from internationally renowned crystal makers Swarovski.
It was then he doing customs for well know UK and Jamaican music artists such as Dizzee Rascal, VYBZ Kartel, DJ Semtex, Singer J, SAS, Bigz, Shade One who were all loving the customs and style he was producing for them, he also had one of his hoodies exposed on Dizzee Rascal's video 'Graftin' worn by DJ Semtex and had some exposure on ITV and also had up-coming music artist wearing his customs on satellite station Channel U.
2006 he became Brand Manager for Hip-Hop Generation UK designing the logo and branding for the radical non for profit organisation which was set up in 2005 by Anthony Thomas to liberate the youths effected by drugs and crime in London and inspiring them to become successful citizens by using hip hop culture and economic/political studies.
He has also had some of this work advertised in magazines and Newspapers such as Vogue, GQ online, ID Magazine, Pride, RWD, NX Generation, Sloane Square, The Prince's Trust Magazine, Evening Standard, New Nation and Caribbean newspaper Gleaner.
2007 He was running an Exclusive Custom Bespoke services in Chelsea, Kings Road at a Rock N’ Roll boutique store called Fifteen Minutes where he designed and customize live on the premises.
Customers walked in and got something special off the rail or they sat down with him and constructed an idea from scratch.
Since working at Fifteen Minutes he has been able to do customs for the Saudi Arabian Royal family, Princess Beatrice, celebrity actress Minnie Driver and footballers Nickolas Bendtner (Arsenal FC), Collins John (Fulham FC) and Stephen Appiah (Fenerbahce FC/Ghana FC). Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan
FC/Ghana FC), and also had one of his t-shirts worn by Lily Donaldson in the January 08 issue of Vogue Magazine.
2008 He then moves his exclusive custom service to Boudi on New Bond St which is the official Ed Hardy and Christian Audigier store in London where he works 3 days a week producing one - off customs and working closely with customers to produce the right product for them.
Simon has since produced products for Kelly Rowland, Wiley and DJ Cheeky and is in the process of producing products for Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, Juelez Santana and Kano.
Simon Parchment has also been in talks with New Era caps in producing one off custom for their Flagship stores in Berlin, London, and Birmingham...keep your eyes peeled!!! real editor best profile tools JFX Designs Click Here
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