THE STORY SO FAR

2014 – Founded

Hoodrich was founded by Jay Williams in Birmingham with £200 in savings, using it to make the first 30 tees. Jay started the brand by travelling around and selling from the boot of his own car.

2015 - One-man operation

Just one year after launching Hoodrich, Jay was running the business single-handedly, managing everything from designing new collections and fulfilling orders to picking and packing every shipment himself.

2016 - First trade expo

Hoodrich exhibited at its first designer expo, giving Jay the opportunity to showcase the collection in person for the first time and introduce the brand to a wider audience.

2017 - Website relaunch & London event

Jay relaunched the Hoodrich website and hosted a brand event in Central London, attracting UK rap stars MoStack, Steel Banglez and Mist. The event marked an early chapter in the brand's deep-rooted connection to music and culture.

2018 - Footasylum

As demand for Hoodrich continued to grow, Footasylum approached founder Jay Williams, leading to the brand's first major retail partnership. Hoodrich initially launched in 14 Footasylum stores, marking a significant step in its growth journey.

2019 - JD Sports

Building on the momentum of its Footasylum success, Hoodrich secured its first launch with JD Sports in Summer 2019, marking a major step in the brand's growth and reach.

2020 – Supporting UK Street Culture

Proud of its organic growth through word of mouth and community, Hoodrich launched Hood Heat; a platform dedicated to spotlighting emerging talent from the UK's rap, grime and drill scenes. The series debuted with Novelist in Episode 1, setting the tone for a new generation of rising voices.

2021 - First brand ambassador

Hoodrich strengthened its presence in UK music culture by signing Fumez The Engineer as its first official ambassador and becoming the official sponsor of Plugged In, one of the UK's most influential rap platforms.

2022 - Top Boy Season 2 collaboration

Netflix approached Hoodrich to create an exclusive Top Boy collaboration celebrating the launch of Season 2. Released alongside the new season, the capsule collection featured three graphic T-shirts, a tracksuit, and a monochrome hoodie inspired by the show's iconic aesthetic.

The same year, Hoodrich launched its womenswear line in response to growing demand from female consumers.

2023 – Going Global

A transformative year for Hoodrich, the brand opened its new headquarters in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter and accelerated its global expansion, becoming available in over 1,000 retail outlets across 24 countries.

International activations such as Hood Hoops further elevated the brand's presence across Europe, while the launch of the FNTS series brought together an impressive roster of music talent, including Chip, Krept & Konan, Potter Payper, Ard Adz, and more.

2024 – 10 Years Deep

Hoodrich celebrated its 10-year anniversary with Ten Years Deep, an unforgettable event held in Birmingham in partnership with music powerhouse CALM. The night brought together some of the UK's most influential names, including D Double E, T-Roadz, M1llionz, Fumez The Engineer and Jaykae, while also premiering From Nothing To Something; a powerful documentary charting Jay's journey and the rise of Hoodrich.

2025 – Brum To London to New York

Hoodrich made its retail debut in the capital with its first-ever pop-up store in Central London, kicking off with a packed launch event on Greek Street featuring performances from LeoStayTrill, Makten, Snoochie Shy, Novelist, Killa P and more.

Expanding its reach beyond the UK, the brand then partnered with Laams.nyc for a second pop-up activation in New York, taking Hoodrich from Birmingham to one of the world's most influential cultural hubs.

Staying true to its roots in music and street culture, Hoodrich also teamed up with Pen Game to launch a series of raw, unfiltered UK rap battles, showcasing talents including Trappy, Drizz, Che3kz, F Don and Char B.