ABOUT THE AUTHORJ. Alexander Martin was born in Hollis Queens New York. Hollis is a residential neighborhood located in the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. It’s a predominantly African American community with small minority populations of Hispanics and South Asians. For those who are not familiar with locating Hollis, its sandwiched between Jamaica to the west and Queens Village to the east. J. Alexander as we call him, developed a desire for fashion at a young age. In those days, young people in New York defined their urban culture through fashion. Not only did he develop a knack for looking great, but pursued fashion as an entrepreneur. Armed with an evoked confidence, motivated for survival and with a clear sense of direction, he navigated the streets of New York, resisted peer pressure and enticement of pleasurable lifestyles to stay the course and made something for himself; business. J. Alexander served in the United States Navy during Desert Storm. Later attended Fashion Institute of Technology.J. Alexander co-founded an empire built on originality, urban influence, and the changing tapestry of the music industry. He soared to the upper stratum when his business empire grew into iconic brand; FUBU For Us by Us serving as the co-founder and Vice President. Also founded a non-profit organization and a consulting firm. J. Alexander is talented with innate ability to predict future trends in fashion. He has been credited as an Icon and influencer responsible for the inclusion of urban culture and fashion expressions in the mainstream clothing industry. Armed with industry’s creative knowledge and fashion influence, J. Alexander and his business partners, Daymond John, Keith Perrin and Carlton Brown, propelled FUBU into a fusion of music, urban lifestyle and a cultural expression company. FUBU garnered endorsements, admiration and support of notable figures like LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, TLC, and P. Diddy making FUBU a phenomenon. The company’s focus expanded to include a multitude of fashionable sportswear and other related casual apparel. Upcoming clothing lines include, luxury menswear, accessories, suits, tuxedos, dress shirts, and outerwear. FUBU’s niche urban-based products became a global success reporting more than $6B in sales throughout the life of the brand.J. Alexander Martin serves as the President of the New York State Black Chamber of Commerce. An organization designed to empower, educate and promote social responsibility & economic development. He is also the CEO of FUBU Television Network featuring fashion, beauty, and sporting lifestyles. FUBU TV Network can be seen on Dish Network, Verizon & Frontier, Apple TV & Amazon Prime. J Alexander is an honorary member of the historical Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, has been honored with prestigious awards for his contributions to the fashion industry and business management. Ernst & Young named J. Alexander, Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003. He was awarded the Crain’s Business of 40 Under 40 in 2002. J. Alexander was awarded the recipient of the Essence Achievement by FUBU Collection in 2004. And in 2016, he was awarded, Fashion Icon of the Year Award by Rev. Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow Push Coalition. FUBU business partners were awarded the Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship from Brandeis University.
