“He’s Back! Chucky’s Back!”
Uptown/Uptown Fashion, Chucky Franklin
as interviewed by bonita lee penn, The Soul Pitt
October 2007

I met up with Chucky Franklin and asked him why it has been a while since we’ve heard from Uptown/Uptown (U/U), and here is Chucky’s story and he’s sticking to it.

I was forced into an involuntary hiatus as I found myself burnt out in my attempt to juggle the responsibilities of fatherhood, my involvement selling apparel to the midget footballs team, my career, and personal situations, and one day they all got the best of me.

I never knew how many people supported Uptown/Uptown until it and I had virtually disappeared.  Once I started to get myself back on track, and was making myself visible again, people from all over Pittsburgh would come up to me as ask about U/U, there were so many inquiries I thought to myself I must had planted a good seed the first time out.

Now I am back in full force and determined to show the naysayer and biters, that hey I’m back and you can’t do this on my level.   There is also a much larger reason, emotionally the longer I stayed away from my calling, the more miserable I became.   Plus the City of Pittsburgh needs an Urban Fashion presence.  Many local designers like me know we have the upper hand with big numbers in what major businesses call a small market.  Our local and national following is large and strong.

To understand my drive let’s go back to the beginning, back in 2001 I was working my 9 to 5, and searching for a way to use my college degree in Business Administration.  At that time I was employed in the insurance business.  During my tenure there on many occasions I attempted to promote myself into the financial department, and I was not successful even with my degree in hand, I was turned down one too many times.  This was when I made up my mind the only way for me to get to where I need to be, is to take control and created my own destiny.

I thought how many times have I sat down and watch the reality shows portraying self-made celebrities on MTV Cribs, the stories of Sean John, Jay-Z and others.  I’d say to myself, “Hey they are no smarter than me, I can do this.”  

I started researching the fashion industry and I informed my co-workers, “One day your children will be wearing my label.”  I was true to my word.