The Temple of Jawnz is quite possibly the next best thing in men's fashion on the internet. Breaking out in the summer of 2009 with a successful run of the TOJ0 (A lightweight varsity jacket), The Temple of Jawnz (TOJ for short) has developed a cult-like following of devoted forum members from the likes of superfuture, Style Forum, and even Hypebeast.
The TOJ0 in the infamous "Jason Bourne" colorway
The label is currently a three-man operation based in Seoul, South Korea, consisting of Drew Keith, Daniel Han, and Charly Joung. Drew is generally the mastermind behind the operation, with Dan and Charly helping with the day-to-day operations. Throughout it's history, Drew has remained very open to input on current and future projects for TOJ, often taking votes and pre-orders to see what products and designs his customers would like to see next. Drew has expressed his desire to push the limits with TOJ and turn it into a full-fledged collection; and though forum members' fondness of original TOJ designs prevail, he is constantly retiring old models of his products (TOJ is already on the fourth iteration of it's popular varsity jacket) in favor of more season-appropriate wear with improved quality and production methods.
The TOJ Suede Varsity in eggplant suede, black calf, and black and white double stripe ribbing
In the past year, TOJ has experimented and discontinued a reversible varsity/MA-1 jacket, a Harrington jacket, a winter-weight varsity jacket, a peacoat, and a duffle coat. Projects that Drew has stated will be long-standing are the trio of timeless leather jackets; the TOJ 2.1 Moto, TOJ 2.2 Bomber, and TOJ 2.3 Double Rider's. TOJ also recently began producing quality oxford and dress shirts for affordable prices this year, with an incredible variety of cloths and even a made-to-measure option. Along with the shirts, TOJ also began delving into the realm of fine leather goods this year with a few different wallet designs and suede daypacks (slightly oversized backpacks).
Some of the current TOJ offerings mentioned
Future plans underway for TOJ include slim dress trousers (which Drew has already been prototyping), a modern trench coat, Japanese denim, and a few other I can't remember. The official Temple of Jawnz thread on superfuture is almost at 1,000 pages at the time of this posting, making it difficult to keep track of the label's progress without subscribing and reading the thread daily. From reading the thread, one also gets a sense of Drew's personal connection to his customers. In a sense, he's just like us; a man with a yearning for the perfect coat, the perfect pair of trousers... only he's actually taking matters into his own hands and trying to create and share these products with us. Along with the future products currently in development, Drew's expressed his intent to move TOJ into the retail world, putting pre-sized garments on the racks of fashionable shops around the world. Unfortunately such a move would significantly raise the prices of TOJ goods (as business expansion usually does). With this being said, the time to buy is definitely now; TOJ provides you with a personal contact within the label who will correctly size your garments for you if provided measurements, allow you some freedom for custom options, and ensure that each stitch is correctly sewn for you, all for no additional cost.
"Praying at the Temple of Jawnz"
Pricing for the garments is incredibly reasonable when you take the quality of materials and construction into account, though it may still be out of most average people's price range. If you're in the market for some new, high quality clothing with a personal touch, you should definitely check out TOJ. With the ownership of a TOJ product comes a sort of membership to an exclusive club; other followers of the Temple will recognize you on the street and strike up conversation. And since designs are always coming and going, you end up owning a sort of limited edition piece. Also, from what I've read in the thread, TOJ leathers not only attract girls but protect you like armor.
Wanna dress like your favorite pop culture icon? TOJ got you
Interested parties may contact Charly at templeofjawnz@gmail.com to place an order. For more information, check out the latest TOJ updates on superfuture, Style Forum, or the unofficial site. The unofficial site is definitely the most concise source of information; including pictures, sizing, and news. For more photos you can check out the Temple of Jawnz Gallery or SeeThruHead's Photostream. You can also put your 2 cents in on current and future projects in the TOJ Facebook group. Regardless of your opinion on this young label, you have to admire the dedication of the Temple and its followers.
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