Mr. Rogers Does

Roger Rodriguez, the co-owner of JUGRNAUT, a famous streetwear boutique, is of Mexican descent. His parents came from Mexico to the United States as immigrants several years ago for a better lifestyle. Over time, Rodriguez became known as "Mr. Rogers" and continues to live in Chicago, where his store is also located on Dearborn street.

As he was growing up, Roger became highly influenced by the hip-hop scene of his time. He went on to join Nacrobats, a group that originated in Chicago.

Nacrobats was among some of the best Chicago crews that came even before collectives like Pivot Gang and SaveMoney. Roger Rodrigues found the energy and zest of life in Chicago unlike any other city, which motivated him to be who he is today.

Through his venture JUGRNAUT that he started in 2007, Rodriguez showcased the same energy by portraying modern hip hop culture in outfits he designed. He hoped for the brand to be a go-to spot for streetwear fashion in Chicago, and only 12 years later, he was able to achieve it to a great extent locally.

Today, JUGRNAUT is among some of the best streetwear brands that cater to people in tune with popular culture. In Roger Rodriguez's words,

"We're launching bigger numbers, and that's because we're blessed enough to have a bigger audience."   

One of his recent hobbies is making unique cut and sew pieces for his collection called "Panels," which happens to be a part of his project, "Mr. Rogers Does."

According to Roger Rodriguez, the first-ever time he stitched clothes was a week before his birthday when he got a sewing machine from his mother. She also taught him how to use it, following which Roger made his first pair of shorts he still owns.

Roger may be a fashion designer during the day, and even though he enjoys his work immensely, his heart is all about being an emcee. He loves engineering and creating new beats in his studio, where he brings all his creative juices to work.

One of the greatest moments of his life was when JUGRNAUT sold a collection of clothing customized especially for ComplexCon. Alongside clothes, his cut and sew shorts also grabbed the audience's attention, and the pieces were sold out instantly.

Aside from his success with JUGRNAUT, Roger Rodriguez is also a firm believer in growing internally and finding new endeavors now and then. As he says:

"Most people are too afraid to try new things on their own, but it gets easier when the responsibility and failure are shared. So even if it hurts you when you fall, getting back up and winning later is all that matters."

After successfully engraving his brand in Chicago culture, Roger strives to make JUGRNAUT reach even bigger heights as he hopes to make it a hit nationwide.