James Whitner is a streetwear entrepreneur whose inspirational story is rooted in hard work and the hustler’s mentality. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, James grew up in the projects during the crack epidemic, where he saw  drugs tear families and communities apart including his own. A victim of homelessness while taking care of his younger brother, found himself in constant survival mode. Standing 6’4 at 13 years old, he found basketball which would be his focus and sanctuary until a career injury put his hoop dreams on hold. 

James went to the streets and started hustling, until his mid 20s. Deciding to move to North Carolina for an opportunity and putting the street life behind him. James then went to college where he applied his street knowledge to getting a degree in Business Administration. He opened his first store and it was a diamond in the rough so to speak. But as a black man who understood business, street culture, and how to grind, James had no choice but to make it work. The streetwear scene was starting to grow and James wanted to be a part of it inspired by his legal past, having to call his probation officer to even attend trade shows. But not even a week after he got off probation, James went straight to Japan

With the idea of selling jeans. Once he figured out how that worked, he came up with the idea for Social Status. With 5 store locations, he made sure that people understood the importance of the south in the streetwear community when many didn’t believe in him. He moved to Atlanta and opened A Man Maniere, luxury for the street kids. Which leads us to the amazing A Man Maniere Jordan 3, a love letter to black women.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

 Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

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