About the Author Cedric S. King
It has been said that a person should look as if they bought their clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forget all about them. With this intricacy and intent, Cedric S. King has mastered the art of being a well-dressed man, who dresses others with the same intent.
After establishing adoration for all things fashionable from lifestyle to wardrobe and engaging in a fulfilling retail career, King took a three-year sabbatical in Italy. During this extended jaunt, the fashion expert set up shop in Northern Italy and indulged himself in the art of male fashion with an emphasis on men’s suiting and dress shirts and accessories including neckties, bowties, ascots and scarves. From this studying, he realized that introducing a concept of combining two polar opposites in the fashion spectrum – “Preppy” and “Rugged” would make a strong impact on the burgeoning American hip-hop culture. Instantaneously, King successfully combined dapper elements of quality, style and comfort with the strong flavor of the streets, giving birth to the Dap-Rugget brand.
Spreading the gospel of a second coming of gingham, plaid and paisley from 1999 to 2009, Cedric established his name in the fashion industry by shipping to over 500 specialty boutiques and establishing a loyal customer base. Because he understood the connection between fashion and music, King utilized his relationships with well-known industry professionals, artists and personalities including Jay-Z, Outkast, T.I., Jagged Edge, A Tribe Called Quest, Goodie Mob, Usher, Rockmond Dunbar and Musiq Soulchild to create brand awareness.
With the high regard he garnered as a force in fashion, Cedric decided to broaden the scope of his business dealings and opened DR Design Studios, a full-service product development and design company. Because of the precedence of his reputation, some major clients included: Nordstrom (private label), Macys (Private Label), JCPenny (Private label), Russell Athletics, Discus Brand, Hobie, Goody’s Family Clothing, AKOO, Rocawear, RyanKenny, Sean John and Oxford Industries. As a strategic alliance, Cedric accepted a position as Vice President of Product Development and Design with The Romar Group Inc., the nation's largest minority owned and operated clothing manufacturer, #38 in Black Enterprise in 2004 with reported annual sells of 90 million dollars. King states, “As a designer, I have always understood that if I delivered a quality product and designed it from the inside out, it could always be worn no matter how much time passes or what trends emerge.”
Now, after giving a pulse to over 100 fashion brands, King bides his time between philanthropy and education in the name of all things stylish. Cedric currently resides in Atlanta where he wears many hats as an author , designer, and fashion entrepreneur. "Today I think people are designing based on what they think people want, and I think it is my job as a great designer/innovator to give people what they don't know they want yet, “he declares. The best is yet to come.
