Innovation

The idea of Anomaly was born from its founder, Jye Citizen, and his desire to create a brand that offered unique, stylish clothing. Jye sought an outlet for his creative aspirations, thus embarking on a journey to establish a brand that served a greater purpose. Feeling constrained by his lack of opportunities to express himself, he created a goal to blend fashion with a powerful social message. During those years online, it sparked Anomaly's true purpose and vision, fueled by a desire to create change and express his creativity. Jye, "Our goal isn't just to sell; it's to inspire and empower the next generation of creatives."

"Our team embodies the spirit of Anomaly - diverse talents uniting for a common purpose of driving social impact through fashion," explained Jye. Both Jye and his brother Jalen play interconnected roles. Playing the "social butterfly," Jalen has been pivotal in expanding the brand's outreach. Alex oversees visuals, Bri brings designs to life, Nick handles finances, and Savannah manages social media and sales. The team's innovation is deeply tied to its mission of promoting creativity and individuality, empowering and strengthening the voices of underrepresented people. The aim is to go beyond fashion, allowing aspiring creatives worldwide to express their emotions through arts, aligning with the company goals for a more just and fair society and improved education opportunities.

Inspiration

During our time with Anomaly founder Jye Citizen, we were fortunate enough to gain insight into the inspiration behind his organization’s conception. After graduating from the Management & Marketing program at UC Davis, Citizen was faced with a lack of motivation entering an economic environment that lacked space for individuality and creativity.

As a person of color in America, Citizen stated how personal creativity was a vehicle of self-expression as well as a voice for those suffering from social injustice. Instead of entering a job market lacking the infrastructure to do so professionally, Jye Citizen was inspired to launch his own brand, Anomaly, purposed with “inspir[ing] creativity and individuality among minority youth, period.” Especially during the events that took place during the “COVID-19 Era” in the United States, Citizen realized how many social issues existed in his greater community and how great their magnitude of existence was as well. With how much fine arts had shown him direction during his own journey of growth, he knew it could do as much, if not more for others. Citizen noticed a lack of awareness in minority communities in classifying fine arts as practical, lasting careers. With his brand Anomaly, he hopes to bridge this gap, with products as accessible as clothing, to bring this realization to others.

Overall impact

The profound impact of Anomaly’s innovative approach goes far beyond the realms of fashion and the fashion industry. It portrays a transformative narrative that shapes the trajectory of business and resonates deeply with society. The business provides the ability to carve out a space for creativity, creative empowerment, and individuality amongst minority youth.

Anomaly’s strategy has been able to impact business and society. The introduction of the scholarship funds marked a significant turning point for Anomaly. When looking at their commitment to funding scholarships, it is evident that this not only transforms the lives of individual creative minds but also contributes to the broader societal shift of recognizing and valuing creativity. Anomaly’s ability to provide opportunities for minorities to pursue creative endeavors challenges traditional norms and provides a more inclusive and creative society, which is a cornerstone of their business’ message.

Furthermore, in the short term, the business has experienced growth, being able to successfully navigate challenges and understand where to push. In the long term, the goal of establishing a center for artistic exposures directed towards minorities indicates a commitment to societal impact and the importance of creating a safe and creative space for people to come to over the years. The commitment of 10% of proceeds to the Anomaly funds and the scholarship process provides concrete evidence of the brand's dedication to supporting and empowering aspiring creative minds. Citizen states “We do everything with the purpose of ‘I need to dive into this for myself, the impact isn’t just on the business, it is about transforming societal norms and values regarding creative pursuits.”

Business benefit

Anomaly's innovation is rooted in the meaning and purpose of its clothing, which uniquely provides both direct and indirect to society, education, and much more. When it concerns the organization itself, Anomaly’s meaning-driven direction provides a blueprint for all of its products and releases to have a purpose. For example, Anomaly’s drops are not only concerned with the clothing itself but what they represent. Jye Citizen gave us a sneak peek into the brand’s next launches centering around ”Women & Femininity” and “Art in Athletics.” Anomaly’s purpose allows the organization to never be without direction, consistently focused on what people’s voices to amplify next.

Social and environmental benefit

Anomaly’s innovation, the introduction of scholarship funds, and a commitment to nurturing creative minds have countless societal benefits. This business extends far beyond fashion, instead, it serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity for creative minds and aspiring artists within minority communities. Their message redefines success in the creative realm and contributes to a more inclusive and expressive society. Citizen states “The goal is to have a center where students can come and be exposed to all things art- writing, poetry, music, exposing minorities to other outlets instead of sports.” The goal of establishing a center for students to come and explore various artistic avenues reflects a commitment to broadening society's perspectives.

Interview

Jye Citizen, Founder & CEO