Coldwater Streetwear Boutique, the headquarters for Jubo Clothing, is one of those places where you immediately want to touch everything because there’s so much cool stuff to look at: albums, hats, collectible items, branded merch—not to mention the awesome clothing on the rack. Located in San Jose’s Japantown, Coldwater is a place to chill and chat with some really creative people and a shopping experience that’s bound to end up on your Instagram story. The shop and its original designs offer shoppers an infectious sense of heart and positivity. A quote on one of Jubo’s
It all started when Jason Nemedez, the man behind Jubo Clothing, saw his middle school classmate wearing the same shirt as him. He recalled feeling so embarrassed that he never again wanted to run into someone who had the same outfit—so much so that he was motivated to design his own shirts. His brother had coined the name Jubo and would call Jason by that name, so it naturally became his art name. After first painting his art on walls, which was leading him down a path he didn’t feel aligned with, he switched to learning how to screenprint his work onto T-shirts. He then took a graphic design class at Evergreen Valley College, where he found a lot of support and learned how to translate his ideas into wearable garments. One of his teachers encouraged him to have an art show to display his work, and the shirts he designed for the show ultimately led to the birth of Jubo Clothing.
Growing up with an immigrant mother and witnessing his parents’ hard work to provide for their children inspired Jason to work on something that was bigger than himself. He’d learned that anything was possible, and he wanted to create something that was tangible to his experiences. He drew upon these ideas when implementing his designs—like a Nike shoebox inspired by his mom who sold Nike shoes when she moved here from the Philippines. That shoebox was like a doorway that Jason walked through and felt proud of. Like this box, the designs at Jubo Clothing are full of meaningful background stories and represent real lived experiences.
Clothing is very intimate. Art is very intimate. When you visit Coldwater, the storefront that houses Jubo Clothing, you can sense this intimacy in the careful attention to every corner of the place. Jason’s brothers, Averill and Brian Nemedez, are pillars of the Jubo brand; they create art for Jubo, as well as for their own brands: Big Ave Get Paid and MadeByRila. Together, the three brothers have nurtured Coldwater into a creative space for people to freely express themselves and create inspiring artworks that are part of San Jose’s fashion history. When you’re there, you may run into other creatives also working on their brands—making videos and doing photoshoots. This moment is a glimpse into the world Jubo Clothing has created: a profound community aimed at boosting one another up and supporting others’ creative eyes and visual rhythms. There is nothing greater than the beautiful magnetism of coming together to form a shared understanding of defining San Jose culture. When you wear a Jubo piece, you know that you are carrying deeply rooted stories that are part of the Jubo legacy—part of San Jose’s legacy. “I just want to be written in history books in San Jose. Just be known that we made a mark here,” Jason says. Jubo Clothing takes pride in being part of the San Jose fashion scene, pulling inspiration from San Jose’s very own fashion houses like Headliners, Breezy Excursion, and Cukui. Jason makes it a point to maintain a connection with local South Bay artists and include them in his inner community so that he, too, can support others who aspire to create clothes professionally. He mentions that looking at cities like New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco makes him think about how San Jose doesn’t get the recognition he believes we deserve since the city has many talented, creative people who are constantly inventing new ways to make art.
“It’s something to be told,” he says. “There is too much talent here for just us to see it, the world has to see it…I know it’s a different kind of style, but I feel like we have our own type of taste here.”
Jubo Clothing could easily be categorized as a mover and shaker in the South Bay. The creativity and effort they bring to their work is inspiring and allows nity to thrive and expand beyond Japantown. This is the beauty of fashion. This is what makes fashion a cultural reflection of traditions, beliefs, and trends prevalent today—a mirror of what it means to be a South Bay Area resident. It encapsulates our values and attitudes as individuals, giving us a sense of belonging. After all, fashion is not merely about buying clothes. It is a complex and dynamic cultural phenomenon that influences and reflects community and individual identity. Jubo Clothing is one of these hubs.
205 Jackson St.
San Jose, Ca 95
