Chez Jacqua

A Gentleman, these days is hard to find!

Today's man can be easily distracted with his car, the latest video game, his cell phone and all the lovely apps available to him, his laptop, his stereo, and the good ole TV!  Dating is hard, but try sustaining a marriage of 5 to 10 years and beyond...it takes dedication, attention and work!

The Gentleman of Twenty23 have created a brand for the New Age Man!  Anthony Andrews and Jawansa Hall dedicate their creativity to the image of a man who's sure of himself, who's confident in who he is and what he does, the man who appreciates all that life has to offer, appreciates who and what he has in life and never takes it for granted.  This man carries himself in such a way that he is noticed and admired wherever he goes, he dresses nicely, treats himself and all that he meets with respect, dignity and kindness and never wavers in his core beliefs.
He is true to Himself!



Anthony Andrews, the mastermind behind the brand has been into fashion for as long as he can remember!  When kids in High School wore the latest trends and sported the expensive sneakers of the day, Anthony dressed for class in slacks and dress shoes, always sporting a tie.  It paid off too, he was recognized as Best Dressed his senior year!
Anthony, a Lynchburg native, stayed local after High School, he attended CVCC and worked  full-time while supporting his family.  In 2001 he completed EMT courses and landed a position with a private ambulance company in Charlottesville, VA which lead to a Firefighter/EMT position at the Lynchburg Fire Department in 2003.
Anthony is truly a jack of all trades!  He began teaching First Aid and CPR classes while continuing to pursue his Bachelor's Degree at CVCC, he also runs a young entrepreneurs program in the area!  In fact, it was his young entrepreneurs that challenged him to "walk the line" and put his teachings to good use in his own life, which is how he began Twenty 23llc:)  Pretty cute, huh!?!
Anthony came up with Twenty23 in tribute to his beloved Grandmother's address, where he currently resides today; and decided to start with bow ties, after he nailed that he wanted to move on to other fashion accessories for men and in Twenty 23's future, he hopes to introduce neck ties, pockets squares and even partner with local woodworkers to create artisanal wooden ties!



Anthony was not gifted in the art of sewing at first, he had to learn, and so his mother taught him!  He also began researching sewing, reading up on it, studying different fabrics, patterns and techniques and after producing prototype after prototype began to get a real feel for the art of creating these luxury pieces of fashion!  He had friends put them on, try them out and report back with what they liked, didn't like, what they'd like to see change and he reveled in the feedback, putting it into creating the next bow tie, even better than the last!



Anthony is not a standard guy!  He loves color, he loves art!  He gets his inspiration from everywhere, from the current trends, from movies like The Great Gatsby, from television shows like Downton Abbey, from visiting local shops and being drawn to a plaid shirt or gingham gloves.  He loves using geometric blacks, grays and chocolates for photo shoots and loves using floral and paisley patterns with pinks, lime greens and blues in the spring and summer.  Inspiration comes in many forms, and he embraces them all!



Jawansa Hall, the Creative Director of Twenty 23 offers up precision and skill in the creative and technical arts!  Growing up with the love and guidance of his grandmother as well, just a couple of blocks away from Anthony, Jay too, has sought out inspiration in all aspects of life!  He is deeply intrigued by those that are able to leave a footprint of their passions behind for the benefit of others.  Some of his hero's include Steve Jobs, John Singleton, John Coltrane and The Roots.
"What made me fall in love with logos and branding was the ability to sum up an entire ideal with a simple symbol.  To me that's a powerful gift"- Jawansa Hall.
A man who is focused on forging a brand of style and grace does not simply wait for it in front of a computer, rather he seeks it out in the colorful world around him!
When he and Anthony get together their work is a whirlwind of ideas, prototypes, sketches and laughs!  They have been able to mix a good sense of humor with hard work and dedication and it has truly paid off!
Jay sketches ideas for packaging, logos and brand looks while constantly building the website!  Anthony researches fabrics, cuts and sews with a keen eye for detail and produces bow ties of the highest quality from the fabric to the creation!
Ultimately, a dream team for the New Age Man!

 

Twenty 23 is a brand designed to Re-Establish the Gentleman.  It is a brand for the man that desires to be dapper.  The clothes a man chooses to wear show who he is, his confidence!  His personal style shows what he thinks of himself, his family, and his social status.  Twenty 23 offers a touch of luxury to your wardrobe, a piece of handmade, local, wearable art.
"Twenty23 is in the business of adding value to your life.  As you explore in search of that perfect bow tie or accessory for that special gentleman in your life, remember that whatever you may choose, it could potentially be the start of adding value"- Anthony Andrews.
They may have not invented the bow tie, but they have definitely given it an upgrade;)  So competition beware, these guys are here to stay, to leave a legacy, to build a brand that withstands themselves, a brand that will continue on for new generations to come!  



Visit their website to view and purchase a bow tie for yourself or someone special to kick start the new year at http://www.twenty23llc.com/ .  After all, everyone's new years resolution should be to dress better in 2016! ;)



I remember the first time I laid eyes on a Twenty23 bow tie.  I had just moved to Lynchburg, VA from DC and I was in search of a cool place to shop!  Coming from the hip boroughs of the District I was spoiled with shops big and small boasting everything I wanted and more.
The day I walked into Pastiche at Main I knew I had met my match in the Historic Downtown District of Lynchburg, VA!  Owner Haley Pavao built her beautiful small business from the ground up and created an intriguing space filled with vintage treasures paired with a mixture of work by local creatives!  Walking the shop full of vintage threads and other goodies I spotted a large handmade steamer trunk filled with beautifully boxed bow ties.  The bow ties called out to me in every color of the rainbow.  Some ties were navy blue with white polka dots, some were swirling colors of paisley, others were bright bold geometrics, I wanted one of each!
I may not be a man wanting Re-Establish himself, but I am a woman of confidence, who takes pride in her fashion sense.  I take pride in what I do and who I am!  I am a woman that absolutely loves both men and women's fashion accessories!
I purchased my first of many Twenty 23 bow ties that very day and my collection has grown over the years!  I show them off on my Instagram page as Twiggyjacqua and I've introduced family and friends to this extraordinary company!
This is Anthony and me at The Vintage Lynchburg Holiday Market in November 2015, Jawansa in the background keying another sale at the same time!  We created quite the crowd that day and I sported my newest bow tie proudly through the marketplace!
Get yours today!