Originally from Enfield, Connecticut, Jay went to art school at CCAD – the Columbus College of Art & Design – in Columbus, Ohio where he majored in illustration. Fletcher wanted to make my way to Charleston, but Florence, SC was as close as he could get right out of school, so he took a job as a staff illustrator at their daily newspaper. A little less than a year later he got a job doing illustration & design work for Charleston’s daily, The Post and Courier, where Jay stayed for almost eight years, with his own freelance work steadily building on the side. Eventually the economy got the better of him and Fletcher was laid off, but fortunately he was more or less working two full-time jobs at that point – his 9-to-5, and his late-night freelance life. Jay went straight home and got to work, and thankfully things have only gotten busier and busier, and better and better, ever since.
For the past 14 years Jay Fletcher has been living & working in Charleston, South Carolina as a graphic designer, illustrator, and art director. In 2004, as a means of burning off unused creativity, a budding freelance career took root as a late-night side gig. Kegs of coffee were brewed, momentum built, and now J Fletcher Design has a stable of clients ranging from Nickelodeon to his niece, work featured in international industry publications, and shelves of recognition from some of the design world’s most prominent voices.
Jay’s personal style:
I don’t necessarily consider myself to be a stylish guy, but fortunately I think being a designer gives you an appreciation for well-crafted things, so hopefully a little bit of style has infiltrated my closet as a result. I’m also my own boss, so luckily I get to place a premium on comfort above all else. Not sure how I’d describe my look, if I even have one. “Little Boy Grows Up?”
Jeans: I basically have one pair of jeans at this point – Imogene + Willie Bartons.
Shirts: Gitman Vintage and J. Crew. In the summer I mostly wear blank American Apparel 50/50 tees.
Pants: I’ve been wearing the hell out of a pair of Engineered Garments Fatigue Pants, along with a pair of Overhang Shorts from Battenwear.
Suits: J. Crew Ludlow, though I live a life where I rarely put on a suit. I don’t know if that’s cool or sad.
Shoes: The rotation includes Quoddy Kennebec Chukkas, Alden 403 Indy Boots, Oak Street Bootmakers Trail Oxfords, and a pair of New Balance 998s from J. Crew.
Accessories :I’ve firmly jumped on the Ebbets Field bandwagon and have three or four of ‘em, along with a couple Patagonia trucker hats and a red Best Made Co. “Cap of Courage” for the colder months.
My watch is a Seiko 5 Sports Automatic Diver Watch on a Maratac nato strap, which actually gets a ton of compliments for something relatively inexpensive.
Depending on where I’m going and what I need to carry, I’ve got either a Filson Original Briefcase or a Topo Klettersack slung over my shoulders.
Outerwear: Engineered Garments CPO Shirt, Battenwear Warm-Up Fleece, Post O’Alls wool jacket, and a Raleigh Denim CPO shirt.
Your favorite App: Instagram, all day every day.
Favorite piece of technology: I’m sure this is unoriginal, but I can’t imagine life without my iPhone.
Next tech purchase: The iPhone 6 when it comes out. My trusty 5 is on its last leg.
Photo Courtesy of Sully Sullivan.
