In Focus | Jeff Duke

Meet Jeff Duke! He is the proud owner of L/L Supply!

Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
My incredible girl, Chanelle. No else can motivate me, inspire me, get me laughing and make me stoked about the future - all so effortlessly.

What is your favourite local store in Victoria and why?
Uh… ours!? Of course - despite the lack of bricks and mortar. Close seconds are ANIAN, Patagonia & Sitka. All for their environmental initiatives.

Describe yourself in one word.
Passionate.

If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
Hawaii. Warm water and consistent waves.

What is your favourite activity in Victoria?
Surfing.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
I mixed up a time change and was woken up by a call 30 seconds before going live on Radio Europe. I ended up doing the interview in my underwear, half asleep - trying to load my notes. They never loaded. I said um 100 times and kooked the whole thing.

What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Since I started L/L Supply people have contributed their time, energy and talents long before we can afford to pay them, simply because they believe in our mission. It’s humbling and incredibly inspiring to see a team building itself around an idea. Entrepreneurs all doubt themselves through the difficulties of their startups, these people who have now become great friends, keep me going.

Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
Sitting on my grandparents' basement stairs Christmas Eve when everyone was asleep, peering under the door with my sister, trying to spot Santa.

Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
With every purchase, L/L works with our partners Living Oceans to clean up a bag of plastic debris off B.C beaches. I coordinate, help fund and participate in the volunteer efforts on the North Coast beach clean-ups. I’ve also started speaking at school to kids about the impacts of fast fashion and the alternatives.

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
The backwards mindset of our society that more stuff means more happiness.

Where would you sneak away to in Victoria to spend some time alone?
Early mornings at the Vic West skate park.

Where would you like to see positive change in Victoria and why?
I think we’re already seeing it with the movement away from single-use plastics and all the slow/sustainable fashion brands here.

What do you think makes Victoria great?
The people here.

What are 3 things on your bucket list?
Dive with a great white, get an arms spread stand-up barrel and heli-ski.

Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I used to have such a fear of dark water I couldn’t even swim in lakes.

How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
@jeffduke_ on Instagram and Jeff Duke on LinkedIn.

What is the name of your business/organization?
L/L Supply.

Why did you get into/start this business?
I started L/L to create a specific lifestyle for myself. Since then it’s priorities have transitioned to something much bigger than that.

What is the goal of your business?
The goal of L/L is to change the consumer mindset around purchasing apparel and redefine how the retail/apparel industry functions - from production through to sales.

What has been your biggest struggle either at work or in life?
Finding somewhere that feels like home.

If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
YES! I’d definitely avoid all the expensive mistakes I’ve made.

What do you always find yourself saying?
Stay focused, keep going.

Tell us your best piece of life advice.
You’re going to die one day, be acutely aware of that - don’t ignore it until it’s suddenly a reality. If that day is tomorrow, make sure you’re happy with how you lived today.

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
Day in Yosemite with Yvon Chouinard.

Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
The shorter the supply chain the more likely the product was made ethically.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
We saved the planet over two million litres of water since we launched our up-cycled collection six months ago.

Give someone you think that deserves it a shout out and explain why!
Amy from Goldilocks. This Victoria boss babe is killing it creating alternatives to plastic packaging for your food.

My choice for the VictoriaNow In Focus spotlight is:
Amy Luells, Goldilocks.

Some general comments I would like to share are:
Thanks for the feature legends!

We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE.

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition of the people, businesses, and organization that help make our city great. Thank you, Victoria!