About Us
Ja De'van, founded in August 2010, is a family owned fashion design and alterations company, based in Ellenwood, GA. The founders, Evelyn Cason, Takiyah Thomas, Deyzha Price, and Calyn Thomas, are a sassy grandmother-mother-daughter(s) quad that all share a 'Passion for Fashion' and consider their craft a family legacy (well, Calyn is almost there). What does Ja De'van mean? It represents a little piece of each of the original founders, "Ja" for Takiyah's middle name (Jamia), "De" for Deyzha, and "Van" for Evelyn and Calyn’s middle name (Yvonne and Evon respectively) We thought that "Van" looked better than “Von” :-)
Founder, Takiyah Thomas was inspired to begin Ja De'van, LLC during a long hiatus of employment. She was raised on the old school principle, 'If you can do something with your hands, you should never be broke!' So one day, it hit her! "I'll produce a Fashion Show!" That show led to the birth of "Ja De'van". She joined forces with her mother, Evelyn Cason, and her daughter, Deyzha Price (Calyn joined the ranks when she got a little older), to form a fashion design company that would provide quality, trendy, custom made garments, with an affordable price tag, as well as alterations, accessories, and handbags.
Evelyn Cason, is a self-taught seamstress with over 50 years experience in garment making. She was the baby of the family, and her older sisters didn't have time to 'teach her how to sew'. At the age of 12, genetics kicked in, and she taught herself! Her mother, Maggie Taylor, was a seamstress as well, that could look at a picture of a garment, and size you up, WITHOUT measuring, and create a custom made garment that fit like a glove.
Takiyah Thomas, followed in her mother's footsteps, and also began sewing at the young age of 12. Exposed to garment making her whole life, she began making clothes for herself to wear to school. In high school, although she already could sew, she took Home Economics classes to enhance her skills. She participated in sewing competitions on the local and state levels, as well as produced 2 fashion shows, before she graduated from high school.
Design Assistant, Deyzha Price, had the innate ability, at the tender age of 13, to create designs, and draw them very well, with no training in sketching designs.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Although Design Assistant, Calyn Thomas, does not share the passion for sewing that her mother and grandmother does, she has proven herself to be invaluable in day-to-day operations of Ja De'van, LLC. From cutting patterns and pattern pieces to ironing, to installing zippers, and quite a bit of straight stitching, Calyn has earned a footprint in this journey.
The quad proudly recognizes that their talent was bestowed upon them from the family matriarch, the late Maggie Taylor, mother of Evelyn, grandmother of Takiyah, and great grandmother of Deyzha and Calyn. We are so proud, and excited to share our designs with you, and hope that you enjoy experiencing them as much as we enjoy creating them.