Carl Jones & TJ Walker on How They Launched Cross Colours Independently

Cross Colours founders, Carl and TJ were at two different points in their lives before they came together to create their iconic fashion line. In the mid-eighties, Carl started a company called Surf Fetish, which specialized in beachwear trends when he hired Thomas "TJ" Walker, a budding graphic designer who was unfortunately living in his car. Carl says he was making great money and living comfortably when an associate asked him to take a look at a Senegalese fabric and to create something out of it. "I think I sat the fabric on my desk for a few days, and I thought about it." Carl explained, "I was an officer in the company when TJ and I decided that-in our heads-this is a viable idea."
Despite receiving a check for $750,000, having a beautiful home and a bevy of vehicles, Carl tells DJ Vlad he decided to resign from his lucrative position at Surf Fetish to branch to launch Cross Colours.
Check out the full interview above.

[@Jxo901]

I appreciate Vlad interviewing Black clothing founders. A young guy like me is glad to learn about the clothes I once wore as a kid.

[@vladtv]

Anyone thinking of getting into the fashion industry should watch this.

[@salvonation]

Hell yeah, thank you!! Was hyped to see this and the Karl Kani interview!!..

[@cortion730]

Vlad you're that dude. Your platform has everything from ratchet hoes and porn stars, to rappers, entrepreneurs and social activists. Much respect for your diversity.

[@NoKreativeUsername]

Moar Slim Jesus or foh 😂😂

[@ROBERTMONGER]

wheres the rest vladi

[@qbnj806]

good one

[@blackwolforder23]

bring back Cross colours. I'll support it.

[@salvonation]

They did... It was not supported, I bought some tho...

[@vladtv]

it's back

[@mrcoolj3310]

+djvlad I salute your interviews my brother. I watch them daily

[@NINETEEN808_]

People buyin it . They dont have much as rhey used to. And thats good tbh

[@1lifestyle112]

its been back

[@ClutchFirst]

So inspiring! It's great to see positive and educated people get a little shine on the channel. Another great interview.

[@ray1411]

Hmm? Educated? Okay...

[@ClutchFirst]

+willybobo Either I missed something or you did. Both gentlemen graduated with a degree in Graphic design. So...they are educated.

[@jclokes]

People on here cracking jokes....time to crack jokes, time to learn. This is the time to learn, LISTEN UP.

[@MNVikes]

I was born in 1979, bright colors were what we wore in late 80's- early 90's.....throwback shit.

[@jkdortch2308]

NOT EVERYBODY

[@MNVikes]

joann dortch Haaaaa, ok not everybody, but if you were cool or trying to be cool you did.

[@jkdortch2308]

MNVikings612 naw you got clowned if you wore that in my hood

[@MNVikes]

joann dortch Not when it first came out....but later yeah.

[@jkdortch2308]

MNVikings612 NEVER red blue green yellow jeans and shirts NEVER

[@mierezsaturday6585]

I had two pairs of flea market bought, imitation Cross Colors pants and 1 shirt that I used to rotate HEAVY during the school week. Stretched one outfit for almost two years.

[@sg500]

soon as i saw dudes shirt it reminded me of in living color.

[@tpatt3511]

This is why I respect Dj Vlad . He really cares about the culture. When was the last time you saw an interview with Cross Colours founders, Kurtis Blow, Pee Wee Kirkland, Micki Free, Boston George etc.

[@zacksutt]

Thanks for posting this video, this is inspiration to young graphic designers like myself who are trying to get into the fashion business.

[@delectableprovisions]

zacksutt let's do business

[@kolbyxblack]

i like these fashion/streetwear interviews you've been doing....we need more of them, me being in fashion myself these things are pretty helpful and motivational

[@ChiefMac]

Cross colors was big time. Great Era. miss it

[@ray1411]

What? That shit lasted for half a year. How do I know? I bought some of their first pieces at some of the first Black Expos back in the 90s.

[@ChiefMac]

willybobo it did not. It was several years

[@ray1411]

+Rob Mac Yeah, several years for assholes. That's like saying you wore fubu past 99.

[@PhotoLabMP]

+willybobo Cross Colours was around in the U.S. from 1989 until 2000 and then it moved on to Europe. It was more popular over there because of the bright colors. People in London used to wear Cross Colours with their Dr. Marten's boots.

[@ChiefMac]

willybobo ohhh you must be the big fashion police. Smh

[@STUDYALLAH365]

Get Dapper Dan up there Vlad 👕👖

[@blackstonemediacollective2200]

lmfao ! ! ! !

[@omarthomas1602]

Ha!!!

[@biggerthanhiphop7641]

+Marvin Santana all harlem dudes are sweet .. so u got to accept it

[@DavidCanada-hz9dq]

Cross Colours,Used,Major Damage,Girbaud,Karl Kani and Fubu is all Me and my Homies rocked back then cause We was getting it on the Block!!😂😂👌🏾💵💯

[@buddhaloc4058]

Great interview, can't wait to hear the rest

[@Demsky83]

Looking foward to part 2

[@pierrelabriel9223]

Great First part of the interview! Already waiting on part 2!! Hurry it up Vlad!! Lol

[@ClutchFirst]

This interview really made my day. 👏🏽

[@orlandow1723]

we used to rock the hell outta cross colors!!

[@LaCheleWallace]

Oooh, I used to love _Cross Colours_! I had my one lil' outfit and you couldn't tell me nothin'. Pair that with some Jodeci boots (specifically the lil' shiny black patent leather ones).....baby please. Oooh, I was just too cute. Thank you so much for this interview, fellas. I really enjoyed this, Vladimir.

[@Alexz_Archivz]

When I was a kids in the early/mid 90s, I used to envy other kids who wore CxC jeans/outfits... because my parents were too cheap to buy me any!

[@aliaswizard6963]

90 style made a comeback these guys are in their second Hustle because they seem to be smart I'm pretty sure they still own cross colours

[@SixTenVisuals]

Was never a fan of their gear back then, but Carl's jacket is pretty fresh.

[@agthaog1986]

this is dope, people always say funny shut to Vlad including myself but at this point there's toouch respect for it 2 come from a negative place. u can tell Vlad knows his hip hop and probably more then a lot of dudes who actually visit his forums

[@vernellthomas6644]

This is good!!! More interviews like this! How about a Clark Wallabees interview? With Ghostface and Raekwon rocked them shyts

[@scarecrow2811]

My family couldn't afford Cross Colours. I was able to get one pair one pants in my whole life. And got hand me downs until I got older.

[@ray1411]

What kind of backwards family did you have that passed down cross colours? Lol

[@MichaelCobbs]

Fantastic interview.

[@kendrick23lamar]

they should bring it back out... my son 99 baby and love cross color and windbreakers and very into the eighties type of vintage look alikes

[@PhotoLabMP]

It is back in a few stores. I bought a t-shirt from Sheihk Shoes.

[@megatronsean9987]

Lots of Legends lately. Good look Vlad

[@bamnjphoto]

Good information for entrepreneur's

[@GamerGee]

Great interview

[@usernameaz602]

Haaaa T&C Surf...haven’t thought of that in forever

[@moddestmodd6880]

used & damaged clothes were the shit

[@WillyWill76]

skidz

[@d.felixphoto2260]

you sir was with back then. lol. Starter or Jeff Hamilton jacket and some Pumps or Jordans and you was a King!

[@MustafaAhmadahmadmawia]

That's really inspiring

[@anatolianINVASION]

Damn. This was the first really decent open honest interview without the usual vlad fuckery. Some real gems dropped. Where's the rest tho? Shit's inspiring.

[@TrueyLewis]

damn! Who's old ass like me didn't have at least one bright ass shirt or something from these dudes? They originated the Long jean shorts.

[@STUDYALLAH365]

Facts! Lmao couldn't tell me a damn thang wit my long red denims 😳

[@81tystacks]

They shit was hot !

[@donpeak9820]

Man i remember cross colors!

[@Battleganz]

See? These guys need to be in your postviews, instead of people calling people crazy and shooting people's mothers in the face!

[@kingplaya]

Chris brown clothing line, resembles their work with cross colors. Greet interview...do Damon from Fubu next.👍🏾

[@Riotboy1]

Better than Kanye's WEAK clothing line.

[@mrcanntell]

Kool View...Piece of the American Pie...Making Things Happen...

[@obatron1]

It's funny how things go in cycles. Surf and skate gear was the quintessential urban wear especially on the west coast then urban brands really took over, only to have skate gear make a strong come back years later.

[@junkfoodvegan]

Finally, Vlad answered my request!

[@brandalecarter9354]

I remember carl jones had his own line..... Timberland rocked his tee in Memphis bleek "is that your chick" video

[@jirt87]

Legendary!

[@triscuitface]

It's been out again. Shout out to da homie Pep Williams ✌🏽️

[@vfromthaburg]

vLAAD...Wheres the full???/ whaat???

[@ColaJames]

yes vlad your on a role

[@lorenzoburton3974]

Calling them “family” huh? 30 years later and “they” never paid their debt.

[@WillyWill76]

INSPIRING

[@Discipleofyeshuahamaschiach]

I was big on Cross Colors lolol !

[@edavis2715]

That jacket raw

[@fungi42021]

I used to beg my mom for cc clothing in elementary school in the early 90s

[@dollylove3430]

💚

[@dwightatisme8007]

yo vlad! can you try and get smoothe da hustler and trigga?

[@alistent21]

please dont vlad

[@alistent21]

just drive thought Brownsville u will find them

[@myaudiobookschannel3625]

TJ walker from 'Good Times' started Cross Colours?

[@v8trax]

Key and Peele... I know that's you guys in disguise.

[@TheMmiguelito]

Bwhahahahahaha lolololololololol

[@viralbuthow000]

I want that jacket.

[@bizarrowxrld2089]

does the jacket want you?

[@axiomsice8309]

i got the bag

[@phatphat6560]

fuck yea bring that ish bck

[@goddy357]

sweet

[@salvonation]

I have a Cross Colours shirt from the recent collection...

[@ray1411]

Did you just get out of jail?

[@NoKreativeUsername]

+willybobo W

[@salvonation]

+willybobo Nope... Just love and respect the culture...

[@ray1411]

+salvonation What culture? All they do was appropriate hip hop and Afrocentric fashion to their own end. Do you really think they can recite a legendary hip hop verse or cite several black historians?

[@jonj402]

I still wear my cross colors! Am I wrong?

[@bigdogbee]

They sure did a lot of thinking and talking about stuff

[@gerardcomeau5568]

John Connor - Siriusxm Satellite Radio - 8-38-39-43-100-101-113-114-115-125 - VladTV: I told you I wanted my MTV Classic. You are welcome.

[@Bigdawgsbessemer]

Where can you get that jacket to nasty

[@kawannbrown6295]

It's from cross color

[@NoKreativeUsername]

+Kawann Brown you dont say??!!

[@wmurray003]

Obviously.

[@OVERSEEROFRAP]

I only had two pair of CC to write I'm 40

[@OVERSEEROFRAP]

wear*

[@TALLXXL]

Old school clothes

[@michaels.8244]

That's it??? Where the hell is the rest Vlad..

[@bizarrowxrld2089]

ay Vlad do a Craig Mack interview

[@fuzzardframes5275]

BIZARRO WXRLD And mack dies a year later...dag

[@wmurray003]

I remember Cross Colours being cool.. but expensive.

[@sonofapollo5892]

It was very expensive as a kid I knew my parents would laugh in my face if I asked them to buy it.

[@bigpokedogg]

Dude tryin' real tough like to hold that fairy back.

[@michaels.8244]

Why I was always on some other shit!!! I didn't own any cross colors back in the day.. I had hugu boss... Well boss America was the cheap version of boss. Chaps & some regular polo shit.. Fucking gap jeans like if I had some white labels on I was fucking lucky to have them..

[@terikathomas2131]

318!!

[@whayes8084]

I used to wear the shit out of those clothes

[@15nicklaus15]

Dude on the left looks like David Banners brother

[@mikedillingham462]

When you said Beachwear was Streetwear , you fucked up and dropped the ball ! Also, cats were buying Lee Jean get ups and rockin' Kangols , British Walkers, Spaldings, Cazals, etc, before Guess Jeans, that was a terrible analogy ! There was a Streetwear look long before what you spoke on. In 1989 CONART came out, which is probably the first legit Streetwear Brand. Stussy came out in 1980, but all his shit was Beachwear, and that ain't Streetwear. Stussy was sold in store like " Life's a Beach " , that aint Streetwear. Those cats have managed to get these rich kids of this generation to believe that somehow he was a Streetwear guy LOL. We used to laugh at his attempts to get in the same lane as Conart and Tribal. He did some watered down shit in the early 90s trying to be like those real Streetwear brands, just like Mossimo, but they aint from the streets, they from the beach. This interview is misleading in a lot of ways and I think you were in the manufacturing spot more than you were out in the streets LOL.

[@hiphopmovieprime7800]

Look at David Allen Grier Father lol

[@alistent21]

hated it

[@ray1411]

I wonder if Vlad has the balls to ask if their sexual preference played role in their clothing lines downfall. Hmmmm

[@LOCULTURETV]

Melinated people aren't the minority

[@DannyTruthMagnified]

Absolutely. One of the greatest lies ever told. Eumelanin has always been dominate amongst the human popluation.

[@LOCULTURETV]

true indeed

[@LOCULTURETV]

Azzury Street nice try

[@messiahblack2295]

+Azzury Street Exactly,only one problem with that tho buddy. There are two primary types Eumelanin which Us Blacks have predominantly and then there's phaeomelanin which them pale folks have(not much at that) The difference between the two is Eumelanin is carbon based while phaeomelanin is sulfer based. This would in fact make us two different beings regardless of having the same physiology.

[@LOCULTURETV]

Xacrias Uhdheen true indeed

[@marcusgarvey5876]

I respect their hustle but I never appreciated how cross colours mixed black power and gay rights symbolism

[@firebug1892]

marcus garvey what do you expect they are gay man

[@ashleyayres6147]

Funny Carl how you never mention how you trashed the company using funds from the Black Muslims or the role my father James Ayres played in both this company and surf fetish. I was there in the factory when TJ was designing the logo . Just sad really how you ruined it all taking it to places like Dee Jays .

[@tgether2011]

its MEN ON FASHION!! LOLLLL

[@fatsog123]

Hated Cross Colors!

[@Theonyxconservative]

why is dude trying to look like David Banner? he's whack for that

[@hiphopmovieprime7800]

What????????

[@Curling_Rack]

L

[@Theonyxconservative]

+DaddySmokeYams irony noun the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

[@buddhaloc4058]

Great interview, can't wait to hear the rest

[@NoKreativeUsername]

Get ready for 50 different vids cut from one session