TRENTON, NJ, August 13, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Rodney E. Nichols has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
For more than 40 years, Mr. Nichols has made a mark on the fashion industry as an independent designer and the head of Yendor Sloh'cin, a high-concept label with haute couture and ready-to-wear sportswear and formal lines for men and women. Sometimes known as "Dr. Fashion," he has displayed early creative talents and had already begun drawing and designing at the age of eight. Despite a lack of encouragement from his parents, who were initially puzzled by what they perceived to be a feminine interest, he taught himself fashion illustration, pattern drafting and sewing, leading to apprenticeships with several area formalwear and bridal shops, in which he refined his knowledge of couture techniques. Mr. Nichols would eventually advance to become the head designer for each shop at which he worked, demonstrating an exceptional aptitude not just for design, but for the business of fashion.
In 1984, Mr. Nichols sold his first original dress, marking the official start of the Yendor Sloh'cin label. Marked by avant-garde sensibilities, a confident and playful approach to color and a relaxed interplay between volume and tailoring, his early collections soon expanded to include a full menswear line, sportswear separates and a ready-to-wear capsule that he described as "haute couture denim." Yendor Sloh'cin was notably featured at the Explosion IV event in Trenton, New Jersey, and at New York and Philadelphia Fashion Week events throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, building a regional buzz and word-of-mouth business that kept Mr. Nichols busy crafting custom couture.
During these years, Mr. Nichols began to experiment with fine art sculpture and non-wearable textile pieces, and his work was selected for inclusion in the 2003 Art Philadelphia Consumer Show. Dubbed "Fashion'ters," each piece was a six foot tall, figural panel fully dressed in an original, couture-quality outfit inspired by the 1980s television drama "Dynasty." Bridging the gap between his work for Yendor Sloh'cin and an experimental interior design sensibility, Mr. Nichols created each panel to serve as a backdrop or wall divider, while making each ensemble available for custom order.
Throughout his career, Mr. Nichols has been recruited for design positions for labels including Cross Colours and an established European line, but a combination of circumstances and timing often limited him to working independently. He is renowned as an outspoken advocate for independent and underground fashion designers and other creatives, and is transparent about the challenges of operating a fashion line on what he describes as a "shoestring" budget or without third-party backing. Mr. Nichols credits his financial acumen to his mother, who taught him how to thrive on a limited budget, and has participated in initiatives including a proposal to the mayor of Trenton, New Jersey, to allocate rent-capped arts studio spaces.
Mr. Nichols playfully describes himself as living a professional double life as, in addition to launching a successful fashion line, he has dedicated nearly 40 years of his career as a senior staff representative for the Communications Workers of America Local 1033, proudly protecting the interests of employees of the Lawrence and Mercer County branches of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. In this post, Mr. Nichols monitors agency compliance with union rules and regulations, participates in collective bargaining negotiations and handles member grievances.
Following the sudden loss of his father in 2013, Mr. Nichols has balanced the demands of his dual careers with providing full-time care to his mother, Plesie Nichols. While this arrangement currently leaves little time or energy to devote to fashion, he remains dedicated to returning to his previous level of involvement in the fashion industry in the upcoming years. Though he is not currently producing garments, he continues to create, describing his process as "coming up with strategies every microsecond," even if time allows him just "a sketch, or a button or two each day." A true visionary and an outspoken advocate for independent creators, Mr. Nichols looks forward to returning to practice with a fresh palate of designs, ideas and inspirations.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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