Former Toledoan Ed Davis, a 1983 Rogers High School graduate, says he is living his boyhood dream of working in the fashion industry.
As a southeast account executive for designer Karl Kani (pronounced kuh-NYE) for eight years, the Atlanta resident coordinates advertising for the urban-apparel label and participates in industry trade shows, model searches, music-video shoots, and campaign concepts.
Davis, whose mother and stepfather, Ann Shorter and Bob Spintler, live in Toledo, along with his siblings Nima and James Shorter, said as a youth, he wanted a career that combined his interests in business and fashion.
After taking business courses at Owens Community College and serving in the military, he trekked around the country helping with promotions for former R&B music groups such as the Rude Boys and Men At Large. Eventually, he tried his hand at running a clothing store in Atlanta, which led him to a four-year stint as an account executive for Mauri, an Italian manufacturer of upscale footwear.
"I'm still friends with many of the guys at Mauri, and I often think back to when I worked with Mauri and visited Milan, Italy. All I could say to myself was, 'Man, I'm from the Brand Whitlocks,' " Davis said during a recent visit to his hometown. Davis said growing up in the Toledo low-income housing project fueled his desire to escape his surroundings and work in the industry that he loved. Before graduating from Rogers, he took fashion merchandising courses in Start High School's skill center. Earlier, Davis attended Keyser Elementary School and McTigue Junior High.
"When I was coming up, there weren't any role models for young black male teens who wanted to get into design or the industry," he says, adding that he is thankful for joining Kani and being part of a business run by an influential black designer.
Davis met Kani through his work with Mauri. Kani is credited with being a driving force in the urban-apparel market in the 1980s. The Los Angeles-based designer plans to launch a women's line, Live, this year.
First Published January 15, 2004, 10:59 a.m.
