ROHAUN Why did you name your clothing line Rohaun Designs? Rohaun is basically the name of the two people who founded the company. My name is Robert, and my business partner’s name is Hasaun. Are you from Tallahassee? I’m originally from New Jersey. I lived in Chicago and Miami, and I went to school up North at U of I for a year. I transferred down here in 2003 to FAMU. Right now I’m studying Psychology, with a Business minor. How long has Rohaun Designs been in existence? About three years. But you could really say it’s been around forever, cause I’ve always been a designer. Ever since I first picked up a brush and pen and drew my first picture, I started turning it into something I could profit from. Are all your shirts custom-made? I’ve never made a single shirt that was exactly the same, in no way, shape, or form. Not even when I paint. It’s always different in some way. I’ve painted over 500 shirts by myself. Where are some places people might have seen your shirts? We’ve done stuff for Roy Jones Jr., Mase, Trick Daddy, and Young Jeezy. I did a shirt that was in XXL and another one that was in URB. Is it difficult being in school and still maintaining a business? It’s very difficult. It takes more focus, and understanding that I have a goal I need to accomplish. I have to make sure I don’t get sidetracked and do things that are a waste of my time. It’s a learning process more than just me trying to make money.
I’m learning a lot and making a lot of contacts, meeting people who will help me in the future. The money’s gonna come, but it’s not the most important thing right now. But being in school, I can’t travel whenever I want. You gotta make priorities. I have all kinds of schedules and bulletin boards and lists and timelines and deadlines to meet every month. What’s your main goal with the clothing line? To try to expose people to art. I’m an artist, not a clothing designer. I feel like by doing these shirts, people will be more inclined to look at canvas and purchase things for their house. I’m trying to expose more young urban people to different styles of living. Honestly, this is just something that’s a hobby or a side job. I have a career that I wanna go into. I wanna take Rohaun Designs into a multimedia-type business, doing all types of contract work from advertising to magazine publishing. I wanna be able to supply every marketing firm with the visual aspects they need to run their campaign. That’s what I wanna do as a career. Art is a passion of mine. I wanna use it to send a message to people; not just to make money. Where do you sell your products? We work with different stores, like ADL Customs in Tallahassee and Hoop Dreams in Houston. You can also go to www.RohaunDesigns.com to purchase or call me at 954-410-4851. Anything else you’d like to say? I wanna thank you for giving me this chance to do the interview. I wanna put a message out to the people – you could do whatever business you want, you just gotta stay focused and put the bullshit aside and look at the bigger picture. - Julia Beverly OZONE
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