Trevor Gorji: A Timeline
9/12/23 | 6-7 mins | Fashion History
He is Enigmatic
While many in the fashion industry struggle to forecast trends and figure out what the next adidas Samba will be, Member of the National Honor Society, Trevor Gorji has long been responsible for taste-making in the scene, particularly the LA and skate-centric fashion niches, for close to the greater part of his life. While for some it takes the dedication of decades of life to even scratch the surface of understanding trends, it appears to be an innate skill for Trevor with the now 24-year-old beginning his journey in 2012. A keystone name in the LA scene and founder of the rapidly evolving FUGAZI, Trevor Gorji has managed to maintain a persona just as aloof as the production schedule his brand follows. As someone who has very little media coverage, we decided to collate what is known about Trevor into a succinct timeline.
Before meeting Jacob and Fernando, before FUGAZI, and even before high school, Trevor began his adventure into the world of fashion production. As a proponent of the LA skate community, with heavy inspiration from supreme and the Odd-Future-esque aesthetics, and his (presumed) love for fashion and garment construction, Trevor launched Paradox Supply Co. With 18 likes nearly 10 years ago, the earliest accessible record of Trevor’s fashion production is a Paradox 5 panel, eerily similar to the supreme bogo 5 panel.
While he would definitely look back and cringe at the product, it was the early signs of his ability to find the pulse of the fashion world. Beginning with these caps, and simple screen-printed tees, he progressively introduced more complex pieces including bags, jackets, and polos into the lineup. Amassing 430 followers and posting last nearly 7 years ago, what was most impressive was his ability to integrate community into his brand, featuring his friends and even run fully fledged events pertaining to the product. While somewhat generic, you wouldn’t be able to tell it was run by a teenager. Ending at the same time as his high schooling, it was almost poetic timing for his progression into a new chapter of his life.
Almost immediately after the last post of the paradox Instagram, web scrapers would find a page going by fugazi.la made on Squarespace. While the page was found in early 2017, the first drop wouldn’t be until late 2019, which we will discuss later. Around 2017, Trevor would go on to start his study at the University of Southern California completing a Bachelor of Business Administration over 5 years (finishing in 2021). Being a highly intelligent individual, and part of the Cum Laude Society out of High school, it is hardly surprising he is college educated, however his ability to manage such a prolific image at the same time is astonishing and admirable.
During this period, Trevor would meet Fernando Rangel and Jacob Wallace, and start appearing in Jacob’s videos. To this day these three stay connected, each managing their own businesses. For Fernando, it is Unsound Rags, a vintage and archive curation brand, which is venturing into their own product production, and Jacov for Jacob, his long-term namesake label. Jacob’s Youtube is almost a video diary of the life of their friendship group and how they have grown and matured as people both holistically and in fashion. It is also worth noting that this likely group started when Fernando recruited Trevor to work at Silver League in LA, where he managed to hold down a job for 6 months.
If you were around in 2019, you would remember the one in the chamber release, which played a major role in kickstarting the bootleg Jordan 1 and dunk era (e.g. Vandy the Pink, Warren Lotus etc.). With the shoe playfully reinterpreting the Air Jordan 1 High Chicago, with an inverted pistol as the swoosh. Coming out with two colours, followed by the Dunk bootleg – called The Slugs, these gained notoriety for both good and bad reasons. However, one thing was certain, Trevor knew how to produce virality, but he made sure to make it sustainable.
This sustainability was fostered by integrating product collections around the sneaker drop including easy to wear, high-street garments following the tongue-in-cheek energy of the sneakers, while channelling it into a place of genuine artistry. This combo of viral drop backed up with well-thought-out clothing collection kickstarted a sustainable name recognition within the fashion industry for FUGAZI and Trevor Gorji. You could tell that this wasn’t his first rodeo, with high quality product imaging and campaign planning/photography from the drop, especially when comparing to Paradox Supply Company, these two were worlds apart.
As time has passed, Trevor has continued to evolve and transition the once tongue-in-cheek outfit into a completely legitimate fashion house, with fleshed out campaigns, collection motifs and a clear- cut design language. What’s most impressive is that he has managed all of this without any wholesale accounts and under the age of 25. As he has iterated on his collections, and honed his craft he has slowly turned those who first questioned the brand into followers and fans through his work alone, without once outwardly using standard “influencer brand” tactics.
This is all topped off with concrete proof of the brands stature through successfully running a semi-permanent location in LA for FUGAZI. He continues to use his innate ability to forecast and understand the fashion world to produce garments and footwear which both forge a distinct design language and pre-empt trends, like the Tibet (Diemme inspired), the Fats (Margiela/Osiris inspired) and the Boostraps (ROA inspired). With each collection selling out, and anticipation for the brand at an all time high, it will be extremely interesting to see where he heads next.
Featured in the LA store, Trevor’s home and countless of Jacob’s videos, Trevor managed to gain virality once again for one of his design projects. Pierre Paulin Dune sofas are well known for their unique design and being impossible to get. Trevor wanted one, so instead of paying exorbitant amounts or being placed on an unending waitlist, he decided to make it himself. Revealing it in a Youtube video, it is covered in a fake Gucci monogram to ensure people know it is a bootleg. While it isn’t a genuine Dune, it is just as, if not more iconic in the current internet landscape than the original. Many people don’t know the inspiration, thinking it is an original piece of furniture. This speaks to Trevor’s taste, design ability and displays his wealth of design knowledge, not just limited to fashion.
Having run two clothing labels, gotten a college degree from a prestigious university, and managed to maintain a healthy and wholesome circle of friends without being infiltrated by the notorious LA environment, all by his early-mid 20s, Trevor is the envy of many. However, this envy is quickly dissipated for respect when you see how down-to-earth and out of the spotlight he is. It is obvious he would have had the chance to commercialise his name and brand for years at this point, however he has kept it independent, completely within his control, showing a true passion for his craft and brand. As someone who has witnessed his personal growth through Jacob’s channel, it is hard not to root for FUGAZI.
A Young Trevor via @trevorgorji
Paradox Supply 5 Panel Caps via @paradoxsupplyco
Trevor & Jacob Q&A via Youtube
FUGAZI One in the Chamber via FUGAZI
FUGAZI ICARUS Campaign via @fugazi
FUGAZI LA Store via @fugazi
The Couch via Youtube
The Couch via Youtube
