The Omar Jermaine Story
Omar Jermaine arrived at Dunning in November 2022 with deep and broad experience in apparel. Over a 30+ year career, Jermaine has held design and creative roles with multiple emerging and established brands, as well as launched his own lines spanning streetwear, luxury sportswear, and tailored menswear.
In 2020, during the pandemic, his designer kids line, MØØN/5UN, was one of 11 selections in a field of nearly 400 designers for the beResonant Accelerator Class, hosted by Resonance Companies.
Beyond apparel design, Jermaine also has formal training in theater and acting, with two years of experience as on-air talent for the Home Shopping Network (HSN).
Through his unique and varied background, he brings a fresh perspective to the golf apparel space, and the ability to authentically balance the core tenets of the Dunning brand: technical performance and sophisticated style.
Since his first collection in Fall 2024, Jermaine and his team have consistently pushed the limits of innovation and design aesthetic, crafting new styles, silhouettes, and product technologies that have further established Dunning’s position as a premium, Player-focused brand.
My Journey
On my 13th birthday, I was given $100 and told I could buy whatever I wanted. So we went to Lynnhaven Mall. In a store called Merry-Go-Round, I saw it—the jacket. White, quilted, covered in straps and buckles. It was the ’80s, and it was perfect. The price tag — $80.
“That’s a lot to spend on one thing,” my mother said. “Why don’t you look around first?”
So we did. Every store. Every floor. And just like I knew we would, we came back.
The jacket was gone.
I was crushed. Full-on, no-shame tears in the mall. But when I got home and calmed down, I remembered something my mother had told me years earlier: “If you want something, draw it. If you draw it, you own it.”
So I took out my sketchpad and pencil and started drawing the jacket from memory. And as I drew it, I began thinking, It would be better if it were like this… and even better if it were like that. Before I knew it, I wasn’t just recreating the jacket—I was redesigning it.
I took the sketch to a local seamstress. Her quote: $300.
“Three hundred dollars? But it was only $80 in the store.”
That was my first lesson in what things actually cost—and the moment a hobby quietly turned into a career path. Convincing my parents, and eventually the industry, came later.
That jacket was the beginning.
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You wake up in the morning — what’s the driving passion?
I wake up every day grateful to be alive and even more grateful for the privilege of being a father.
I love what I do, but I’m most proud of raising two young men and showing them, by example, what hard work, commitment, and integrity look like in practice.
Golf apparel has to be both fashionable and functional. How do you deal with the pressures from both sides?
I don’t really see it as pressure—it’s more like a chess match. It takes strategy, focus, and constant refinement. Our brand is built on the idea that fashion and function aren’t opposites—they’re partners.
We always start with fabrics and fibers that are performance-driven, then apply a sophisticated design lens. Performance is the foundation; style is how we express it.
What separates Dunning from other competitors in the apparel category?
We lead with performance and finish with style. The first question we ask is, “How does this enhance the player’s performance?”
The second is, “How do we do that with sophistication?” A lot of brands do lifestyle well but sacrifice performance.
Others do technical well but miss elevated style. We’re very intentional about living in the space where both truly coexist.
Dunning produces men’s and women’s golf apparel. What’s the major difference between the two and which of the two genders provides the greater challenge?
The foundation of our design process is the same for both. The real difference is ergonomics—how different bodies move and function. Because we’re so performance-focused, we obsess over fit, movement, and construction details to make sure every piece performs as it should.
The women’s space, in particular, is crowded and fragmented. Our approach isn’t to chase trends for the sake of it, but to deliver the clearest expression of our brand positioning—performance-driven, refined, and purposeful.
Form and function still have to work seamlessly together across everything we make.
What’s the biggest mistake men and women make when selecting apparel items – both for golf and off-course wear?
They sacrifice comfort and performance for looks. We believe that’s a false trade-off. You shouldn’t have to choose between feeling good, performing well, and looking great—especially in a sport like golf.
So many of the apparel companies went full speed ahead in embracing polyester. There now seems to be a movement in a different direction now. What’s your take on this and is such a move a plus or not?
Everything moves in cycles. Synthetics versus naturals is a lot like night and day—the real answer is balance. Ironically, many synthetic fibers were created to mimic the best qualities of natural ones.
We believe in blending for optimal performance. For example, we use COOLMAX® fibers in all our polos, and in some cases blend them with cotton or silk to get the best of both worlds.
As someone adept on the power of quality apparel – what’s the single most important recommendation you can make for men and women when making choices on what to wear and not wear?
Don’t compromise. Find pieces that feel great, perform at a high level, and look great. Just like golfers curate their bags and get fitted for clubs, we see clothing as part of your equipment.
It should serve your game, support your comfort, and elevate your experience—on and off the course.
What role does customer feedback play in fashion? And how does that intersect with aspirational elements promoted by experts in the fashion world like yourself?
Customer feedback is incredibly important to us, especially around fit and performance. Our style foundation is classic and timeless, but our team stays deeply connected to the broader fashion world.
That allows us to bring in subtle, aspirational details while staying true to who we are.
That balance—listening to the customer while still leading with vision—is part of what keeps us distinct.
How has Dunning evolved and what do you see taking place going forward in 2026 and beyond?
Over the past few years, we’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes to sharpen our brand identity and strategy.
We’ve doubled down on performance while refining an aesthetic that’s uniquely ours.
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, you’ll see even more innovation in fabrics and construction—always grounded in a consistent, timeless point of view.
Best advice you’ve ever received — what was it and who was it from?
As mentioned in my story earlier, my mother told me when I was young, “If you want something and you can draw it, you can own it.” That belief in creation as a path to ownership has shaped how I approach both design and life.
Later on, the Chairman of Menswear at FIT once told me: “If someone asks whether you can do something, say yes. Then find someone who knows how to do it—either have them teach you or pay them to do it for you.” That mindset has stayed with me ever since.
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