Jordan Guth wears his story on his sleeves.
In fact, nearly every detail of the cut-and-sew designer’s new collection, under the brand J E Guth, can be traced back to important moments in his life: rugged jackets fit for a frigid Wisconsin winter; a baseball jersey referencing his time as a pitcher in the minor leagues; durable materials and flexible sewing inspired by his day job in construction. Even his unique path in fashion grew out of a desire five years ago to have more clothes that fit him as a tall man.
Guth says he’s always been creative. As a kid growing up in western Wisconsin, he would draw often, but hockey and baseball took up much of his time. His pitching prowess brought him to Milwaukee, where he earned a scholarship to play for UWM. A few years later in 2012, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies.
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His minor league career spawned unforgettable memories and lasting relationships.
“I got my first professional win on Fourth of July weekend at Coney Island in New York,” he said. He became close friends with teammates from different parts of the world, and one of them introduced Guth to his now-wife. “If you play professional sports, you always have a place to stay all throughout the country.”
When Guth felt his arm giving out, he left baseball to return to Milwaukee – this time, receiving a scholarship at MSOE to play hockey, his first sports love. His second stint in the Cream City opened his eyes to the creative scene. After graduating in 2018, Guth picked up art again, starting with art prints and moving to screenprinting T-shirts.
“I had done a few collections of that, and eventually I felt like I was just repeating the same process,” said Guth. “I wanted more creative freedom, and the silhouettes and the fits in general. I like fashion, and there’s so much that I liked out there that I could never wear because it just would never fit me.”
That’s when he went to “YouTube University,” as he described it – watching online tutorials on fashion and learning from trial and error. “I had to learn how to pattern clothing, have an eye for the fabric and understand the fabric, but also the technical side and sewing aspect of it, too.” After honing his skills for three years, Guth felt ready to present his first collection during Gallery Night MKE in 2024.
Singular pieces, such as a vintage wool hockey jersey with the fictional team “Lakeshore H.C.” in felt lettering and an aged bronze finish to the metal bits, made up the bulk of Guth’s first collection. But now he’s focused on creating full looks, with 13 in his new collection. “That was always the side of fashion I liked – putting outfits together,” he remarked.
Guth’s second collection made its debut during September’s Milwaukee Fashion Week. The experience was his first time working with models and presenting his work on the runway. It drips with the Great Lakes’ influence from his earlier designs while remaining universal. Guth hopes to sell pieces at a pop-up at some point.
“It’s not just made for me,” he added. “The more you wear it, the more it gets broken in, the more comfortable it is and the better it feels.”
