Jimmy Winkelmann is just like any other freshman at Missouri (Mizzou). He enjoys hanging out with his roommates, playing Playstation 3, attending house parties, and studying for his Biomedical Engineering exams. He’s even a little bit awkward talking to older girls on the phone (no offense, Jimmy). To his close friends, he’s the kid with the curly hair. But to the rest of us, he’s the kid who has gotten swamped with media attention. After creating a company called South Butt, a parody of the well-known North Face, he is facing lawsuit charges. A-Line had the opportunity to talk to Winkelmann.

How did you come up with the idea of South Butt?

Honestly, it’s a parody of North Face. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been against popular, logo brands. It all started back in high school. I saw a bunch of people (including my sister) with their North Face jackets on. It really started to bug me that people were wearing products (like Polo), who have such large profit margins. So I started a parody company mocking this whole idea. My dad happened to have a connection to get all of the paperwork and marketing done. We set up the website. In the beginning, it was a pretty small company. But, when North Face decided to sue us, it gained much more media attention and it got more well known.

The South Butt logo...?

So how about that lawsuit…

Yeah, I was pretty shocked when I got the letter in the mail. We had no idea what we were going to do! But, my dad’s friend is a lawyer and told me that it was a great case so we decided to take it on. It’s definitely helped The South Butt gain attention. I don’t know much about the whole situation, but it will be a federal court case. We’ll see what happens!

How old is the business?

It’s about three years old.  I came up with the idea my sophomore year in high school and it has really grown since then.

What kind of products do you sell?

We sell a lot of products! We sell a lot of hoodies. The black beanies are also really popular and so are the fleece jackets.

One of the many South Butt fleece jackets.

So, you’re in college! How is it running The South Butt and going to school?

Yes, I’m a freshman at Mizzou. Honestly, it’s a lot of answering emails and a lot of talking to people. It’s also a lot of driving to and from St. Louis. It can get annoying but I’m making it by. It’s really all about learning how to organize my time.

Do kids at school know about your company?

Yeah, a lot of people at school know about it. I don’t know if you heard, but a school in St. Louis actually banned it.

I heard about that! What are your thoughts on it?

Honestly, I think if the school wants to ban it they can because it shows that there is a difference between the South Butt and North Face.

Has South Butt helped you out with the ladies at school?

Yeah, girls like it. Everybody likes it!

What do your parents say about it?

My mom really likes it. She never stops talking about it. She’s so proud of her son she’s always like… “My son invented The South Butt!”

Favorite holiday gift?

I got the new Play Station 3, so my roommates and I have been playing with that quite a bit.

Okay, so, you’re obviously not huge on popular brands. Describe your own sense of style.

I don’t know. I own like one Polo shirt but I don’t wear it all the time. Really, I just have the typical look. Jeans and a t-shirt. Khaki pants and a t-shirt. I’m a big snowboarder so I wear a lot of hoodies.

If you’re interested in purchasing any South Butt apparel, check out Ladue Pharmacy in St. Louis or, conveniently, shop online through their website.

Alexandra Foster