( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Film and Television Actor on His Design Process and Inspiration
ENSPIRE Contributor: Daniel Garritson
Jax Malcolm is a young actor and multi-talent from West Covina, California. He is best known for his appearances in Kroll Show, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. He also provided the voice for Oliver in The Other Side of the Door (2016). In addition to acting, he has worked as both a director and producer on Jammin’ Across the USA, which made rounds at the LA Live Film Festival in 2022, winning the award for Best Comedy Short. Jax is also a competitive swimmer and philanthropist, but he has also recently begun a career in fashion design.
As seen on his website, Jax debuted his signature Trident fashion line at the 2019 Gen Z Social Summit in LA. Under the Trident line, Jax unveiled the Sand and Sea collection earlier this year at LA Fashion Week. His designs tend to feature bright colors, oceanic themes, and flowing fabrics. The Trident line is aimed at young people, and the Sand and Sea collection is more specifically designed with girls and young women in mind. The designs blend comfort and style with impressive ease.
At ENSPIRE, we interview Jax and discuss his fashion design career, as well as his upcoming projects as an actor.
What was the spark for your interest in designing clothes?
I get a lot of opportunities to wear many different designer’s clothing whether it’s on set or the red carpet. It’s great and I love the pieces but there’s always something that I would change if I would have designed it myself. So, I decided to try my hand at sewing and designing pieces for myself and my friends. I had the opportunity to debut my line #TRIDENT by Jax Malcolm in Atlanta in 2019. I’m excited to share that I had success at LA Kidz Fashion Week. This was the first show since the COVID-19 pandemic and I can’t wait to share my new designs.
Could you describe the design process behind Trident?
My first collection for Trident the Sand and Sea collection was inspired by Pirates, Mermaids, and the ocean. From there, I create mood boards and start the design process by creating the patterns, and then sewing each garment individually.
Throughout your career, you have participated in multiple fundraisers for children’s hospitals and environmental efforts. Do you intend on supporting any other efforts?
Absolutely, my work as a philanthropist is very important to me. Most recently, I continued my support of the Los Angeles Zoo at their Beastly Ball celebration. I have been supporting the LA Zoo my entire life and I am proud to raise awareness for their conservation efforts and much-needed funds to support them.
Despite all your accomplishments as an actor and producer, you transitioned into the fashion industry. Do you have anything to say to those who are hesitant to step outside of their comfort zones?
I wouldn’t say I transitioned, I would say I added fashion design to my repertoire. I would highly encourage anyone to step out of their comfort zone and pursue their dreams.
Which industry will you be shifting your attention towards?
As I said, I added fashion to the things I do. I have no intention of shifting my focus away from my acting/producing career. I am currently in the final stages of securing funding to shoot my horror feature film The Listening, the script of which I completed during quarantine here in Los Angeles. Among other recognition, “The Listening” script has been selected as a semi-finalist at both the New York Cinematography Awards (NYCA) and the Fantastic Indie Festival of Los Angeles. I won a Young Entertainer Award for Best Young Writer.
As this was my first try at writing a script, the positive reception I received has pleasantly surprised me. In the past few months, we could shoot the trailer with a phenomenal cast including Kash Hovey (On Air with Ka$h), Emmy Award Winner Kira Reed Lorsch (The Bay Series), Samantha Bailey (The Young and the Restless), Lance Alexander (Netflix’s Family Reunion), Gloria Garayua (How to Get Away with Murder), and me bringing a small piece of the story to life. Gary Robinson directed the trailer that we screened at the Kash Hovey And Friends block At Film Fest LA At LA Live. It was an honor to win Best Trailer for a project I feel so passionate about bringing to the screen.
You mentioned you will be resuming fashion shows this year. Do you have any plans for the near future that your supporters could look forward to?
I recently showed my work during LAFW at the Fashion Life Tour. I showed the Trident by Jax Malcolm Sand to Land Collection which is inspired by the ocean, pirates, and mermaids. I am hard at work on the new collection and look forward to showing it later this year.
Fans of Jax Malcolm’s work have much to look forward to. His debut feature film The Listening is also his debut as a screenwriter, as well as his most anticipated acting role in some time. He has a new fashion collection that he is working on, for those who are eager to see more of what he is capable of. Regardless of your preference for film or fashion, Jax Malcolm is taking on both and has shown a lot of promise and many projects to be excited for.
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