If you hadn’t already heard of McConuaghey’s conglomerate, it goes by the name of JKL (for Just Keep Living) and consists of an admirable youth-centered charity and line of apparel. Inspired by McConaughey’s signature laid-back style (and penchant for outdoor adventure), JKL sportswear features technically-advanced fabrics, performance details and a relaxed, casual aesthetic. Dubbed All-Journey Gear, the collection delivers versatile, active-inspired looks with functional performance fabrics that merge into good-looking, but hard-wearing apparel.
Sears will begin offering JKL apparel in store and online at sears.ca for the Fall 2013 season. Here’s what McConaughey himself stated in a press release about the brand’s development:
“JKL stands for just keep livin’. In 1992, my father moved on, and just keep livin’ came to be. It was about keeping his spirit alive and continuing to get incentive from the things he taught me. The tag line is a compass for me and serves as an approach to life: No matter where we’re headed, where the road takes us, what’s up ahead or what’s behind us, we’ve got to just keep livin’. That’s the philosophy. It’s a big part of what we try to show the kids through our foundation and it’s the DNA of the JKL brand.”
A noble cause to say the least and, even better, is the fact that a portion of every sale from JKL goes to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, Sears’ community partner for almost half a century. The funds will provide after-school fitness and wellness programs for youth in Canada based on the curriculum of the just keep livin Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Matthew McConaughey, that supports after-school programs in areas that need them most.
Having dropped major weight for his role as an AIDS sufferer in new movie Dallas Buyers Club, I’m not sure how McConaughey is able to sustain the momentum of juggling so many ventures, but that aside, I really hope his clothing line doesn’t go the way of Justin Timberlake‘s William Rast. It would also serve Sears well if the line were to be a success, not least because of their past failures to recruit a certain rapper and his YOLO motto. Hey, maybe MM should also add retail rescuer to his resume come next season.
