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Wearing his heart on his sleeve photo by Bob Pennell Phoenix High School juniors Travis Frey, left, and Chad Kane model Will Young's Black One logo designs at the Talent Boys and Girls Club. Young hopes his clothing will be a symbol of social change and his business an avenue for young people to get involved in something positive. Youth advisor designs clothing with a positive statement BY DAVID PRESZLER TALENT -- A few months back, Will Young made a decision: He was tired of wearing other people's clothes. So he designed a logo and had some clothes made. "I wanted to do something for myself," he says. "Not as a business but to wear my own stuff." Intended or not, his desire for an individual statement has blossomed into a business, and his line of clothes, Black One Apparel, is gaining popularity with Rogue Valley teens. Shirts, shorts and other casual wear bearing the logo have been made and more is on the way. Young plans to hold a fashion show unveiling new designs on May 6 at VIBES, the teen dance club in downtown Medford. But Young, the 38-year-old director of the Talent chapter of the Boys and Girls Club, says Black One Apparel is about more than clothes. The new gear will be emblazoned with a slogan: "Creating Social Change." "Black One Apparel is one man, one vision, one love, one person trying to create social change," he says. To help spread the message, Young has teamed up with a pair of Phoenix High School juniors, Travis Frey and Chad Kane. The two 17-year-olds saw the clothes and encouraged Young to make more. And they've spread the word among teens, in part just by wearing the gear. "Everything I have out, Chad probably has," jokes Young. Young has worked with Phoenix High teacher Ralph Frey's class, helping teach students about the ins and outs of starting a business. He hopes to start a similar program -- inviting other business people to join in -- at VIBES to teach young people about business. For their part, the boys say helping out and watching the clothes gain popularity has been fun. Frey says it's been a good experience that will help him down the road. "I've always wanted to be in marketing," he says, adding that he plans to study the subject in college. The trio says the clothes have taken hold, particularly at Phoenix High. So far, the sales have been informal, coming mainly through word-of-mouth orders. Eventually, Young plans to sell them at VIBES and other places. He says it's been tough to keep the clothes in stock, so they've stopped selling them until the May 6 show. Frey and Kane think the clothes are popular because many students there know Young and that the clothes are new and fresh. "Everywhere you look you see the other stuff, on TV, in magazines," says Kane. But Young says he's not simply out to create the next teen fad. He says his idea was to involve young people in something positive, not necessarily to create a money-making venture. Though Young is African-American, he says the name of the clothing line has more to do with him than race. "Black" is his nickname. He wants the clothes to be a symbol of the commitment to positive social change. "I want young people to get involved and do some creative things on their own," he says, noting that juggling the clothing line and his work at the Boys and Girls Club has been tough at times. "What I'm doing with these young people is more important than Black One Apparel." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA