Where is the line between workwear and streetwear? It’s Jackson F—— Flint.
Born and raised in Missoula, Montana, Flint came to Oregon State University looking for a traditional, big-school setting with big sports, close enough to drive home but far enough to not go home whenever he wanted. He wasn’t necessarily focused on fashion when deciding where to go but the Pacific Northwest has a lot of big companies. “You got Colombia here, you got Nike, you got all these big names,” Flint said. He knew he was in good hands coming to Oregon.
JFF clothing, started in 2021, is the epitome of the fashion scene here at OSU. On campus we see aesthetics like “gorpcore” and “blue-collar core” combined with Portland street style. “You just get a little bit of everything (here),” Flint said.
And JFF is just that; made for everyone and anything. Focusing on durability and comfort, Flint is attempting to eliminate the excessiveness of layering in cold climates by replacing it with high-quality, long-lasting pieces. “You can do it all in it, while still looking good,” Flint said.
Workwear is something Flint says can be dressed up or down. “It’s not gonna replace a tuxedo by any means, but you can take someone out on a date and wear straight-legged pants with a Detroit Carhartt jacket and put some loafers on there … It’s not going to meet the opera house’s expectations but it’ll meet a date’s expectations,” Flint said.
Flint focuses on oversized and boxy silhouettes so anyone can feel relaxed in their own body. Flint started wearing this style of clothing in high school and continues to today. He is a self–proclaimed outfit repeater, who doesn’t even have a mirror in his own room. He’s not afraid to say that the excessively-oversized aesthetic might go out of style soon, but will be rediscovered by future generations. “Like us finding JNCO jeans right now. You know, that was cool in the ‘90s, and then it fell out of fashion and we were all wearing (skinny jeans),” Flint said.
Flint is currently working on his fourth collection. “I’ve had a bunch of ideas ever since coming here and I’m finally getting to implement those,” Flint said.
This will be an extension of his previous collections, continuing to work with denim but experimenting with new materials as well. Focusing a bit more on a streetwear style we will get to see leather, fur, wool, and yes, denim, in this collection which will be complete and showcased at the OSU 2025 Fashion Show and Design Exhibition on May 18th.
Nate Olsen, senior apparel design student, is the director of this fashion show and Flint’s friend. “(Flint’s collections) all speak to his identity … the stuff he authentically likes, and the places he finds reference (from),” Olsen said.
These places refer to Flint’s childhood in Montana and his time here in Oregon. “It’s a capsule collection,” Flint said, “a capsule of my time at Oregon State.”
Whether it’s skinny jeans or Flint’s previous collection, “Hard like Denim,” which featured two denim matching sets — one jacket and jeans, one skirt and tight-fitting top — and a custom bag made out of his roommate’s old jeans, denim will always be in style and JFF will be there. “Everything is something you’ve never seen before, in the best way possible, but it really only could’ve been made by Jackson,” Olsen said.
“I just love denim,” Flint said. “I’m the double D double G … I’m the drain gang denim god. Gave myself that nickname so I don’t know if it’s gonna stick.”
The Drain Gang Denim God will be graduating this spring and starting an internship in Milwaukee with Kohl’s this summer. He hopes to maybe move to Paris and one day own his own business. To learn more and stay updated on Jackson and JFF, visit his website https://www.jff.clothing/.
