Writer: Elan Ma 

"He’s like Rudolph with some mad boogers," was Jon Li’s cheeky quip when asked about the poor condition of his design partner, Chris Chan's health. Not to be outdone, Chris skips on a chance of heavy sedation and over-the-counter druggy goodness in order to give clear and precise answers about the drive behind their independent clothing label, Prodeuce. The rest of us make do with the germy atmosphere.

"Streetwear is everything we grew up on," says Chris, "the subcultures, our experiences. I wanted to ‘tell’ people-with our designs-that streetwear represents what we live through everyday." Though still a fledgling label, both Chris and Jon are bent on bringing back the heart and soul to fashion. They both note that too many of the major labels that flood stores consist of nothing but money and hype, with designs that constantly fade in and out.

"Design needs purpose; function before form," says Jon when asked about his personal goals with their project, "I have a huge problem with design, actually. Right now, it’s like design is synonymous with disposable. I’d like to make it less disposable, to really try to preserve the longevity of it."

With similar goals and established roles, this sort of partnership sounds like a match made in heaven. "We’re kind of like a factory, Chris churns out these awesome ideas, and then we sit down and weed out the superfluous," Jon explains. But anything beyond their shared ambition (and love for shoes) becomes a mish-mash of differences.

Jon, having majored in packaging design at the Ontario Collegiate of Art and Design, now spends his days in the grind. "After a while, I realized Canadian packaging design is as boring as hell," Jon says thoughtfully. "I needed some creative outlet. [I] tried to start my own [stuff, but I] couldn’t get organized. Then, along came Chris with ‘Produce,’ which evolved into ‘Prodeuce.’"

Chris, a Seneca College graduate in the field of Marketing Administration, was introduced to Jon through a mutual friend who recognized his natural instincts for design.

"Fashion was the only thing that really interested me," says Chris, the apparent "black sheep" of his traditional Chinese family of four, "It’s affected me throughout my entire life, in different phases."

Having been brought together by the shrewd workings of Fate, Heaven, or through the slightly more mundane-but much more sinister-love for drool-worthy sneakers, Chris and Jon now stand together at the beginning of what feels to be a successful project.

"We’re working solely with t-shirts for now," Jon says.

"For now," Chris seconds, in case you’ve missed the point that these guys are bent for bigger things in the near future. "I want to do underwear," he reveals after a thoughtful interlude.

"It would be awesome to do cut and sew," Jon throws in his two cents.

The interview time slot is coming to an end, and both men throw in the last few golden nuggets of explanations.

Jon inputs audaciously, "Everyone should know I’m supposed to be at work right now, as should Chris."

"Prodeuce: We Major," Chris says, ignoring the possible consequences for skimping on a day job, "As in we’ll be bringin’ major heat." He explains with a grin.

In a world where fashion is saturated with too much corporate and financial influence, Prodeuce comes to you with the intent to introduce the organic equivalent for your closet. Fresh and new, these guys will show that the new "cutting-edge" in design comes from the beginning of everything. The old, the familiar, the roots-that’s Prodeuce.