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Ex-hip-hop entrepreneur Damon Dash is Boxing promoter to Haitian Boxer Andre Berto

Damon's mad dash

Ex-hip-hop entrepreneur fast-forwards into upscale women's line, men's suits, more

Meet Damon Dash. But make it quick.

As the head of a company that does everything from make movies to promote Haitian boxer Andre Berto, the appropriately named Dash talks fast and hustles hard.

Maybe you've heard of him before.

He was the marketing mastermind behind hip-hop acts including Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Kanye West back in his days at Roc-A-Fella Records. Then music bled into fashion and Dash and Carter founded the hip-hop apparel house Rocawear. Dash and the old crew parted ways a little more than a year ago. These days, he's plotting the spring debut of his CEO clothing line, and learning how it feels to be on his own.

"Rocawear was a brand I built for years and, all of a sudden, it got taken away from me," said Dash by phone. "I was basically starting from scratch."

He has spent much of the past year structuring Damon Dash Enterprises and the host of brands that fall under its umbrella, including streetwear line State Property, sneaker label PRO-Keds and the upscale women's line Rachel Roy Collection, designed by his wife and sold at finer boutiques and retailers like Neiman Marcus. All the while, Dash has known that many perceive him to be the "underdog."

"There isn't much room for mistakes because you are so closely scrutinized," he said.

Dash decided to focus on building fashion brands that extend beyond the boundaries of urban customers.

"In the urban marketplace, as in hip-hop culture, things tend to evolve," said Dash. Rocawear was stuck on street, he added, and the hip-hop, brand-driven-by-rapper approach is no longer advantageous. "Now, I'm happy to say, I'm behind a high-end, ready-to-wear fashion house ... it validates me in fashion."

Dash will soon be introducing a line of suits called the Damon Dash Collection. He is, however, particularly proud of his wife's success in the industry. "There aren't many American designers at all," he said, "There is Zac Posen and Rachel Roy. She is being recognized in Vogue and Women's Wear Daily ... it's real."

Demand for Roy's feminine, style- conscious designs has resulted in plans for a retail store in New York City.

But for all his upward mobility, Dash acknowledges that he's an old-school kind of guy, one who might still rock sweats with a cap cocked to the side. PRO-Keds, a brand he controls in conjunction with Stride Rite, has allowed him to have fun with shoes he wore when he was younger. Next will be a line of PRO-Keds that is exclusive to Jeffrey stores, according to Dash representatives.

"I'm really trying to have the coolest brand in every form of distribution," Dash said.

To bring these plans to fruition, Dash is hiring people who can manage the disparate product areas better than he can. "It was important to me to get people in the room who are smarter than me," said Dash, "I wanted a boss."

But that doesn't mean he's ready to give up control, or that he'll be influenced by anyone other than himself. "The thing about following trends is you really never know when it started and you might be late," Dash said. "I'm not going to follow a trend unless I start it."

DAMON DASH'S GIFT IDEAS

?Vodka: It makes a great gift for holiday parties. Of course, Dash recommends his own company's suede-wrapped Armadale Vodka.

?An overnight bag: Every guy needs a getaway plan, and a leather weekender lets him do it in style. Dash is a fan of leather goods from London retailer Bill Amberg. For information, visit www.billamberg.com.

?A high-tech cellphone: Be the first on the block with the $1,275 Serene phone. A holiday collaboration between Samsung and Bang & Olufsen, this sleek ergonomic black phone has an old-school rotary dial and features voice recognition along with enhanced sound quality. Available this month, preorders are being accepted at local Bang & Olufsen stores. For information, visit www.bang-olufsen.com.