About us
Where it all started
From international touring drummer to celebrity fashion designer, creating his own clothes from his bedroom moving swiftly to the front cover of magazines.
eli james grew up in the pacific northwest in an extremely abusive home with a mother in and out of prisons, manufacturing major drugs, body trafficking (and so much more), and with an artist / musician father trying to save his 3 children from their mother. Having to legally kidnap them back threw the king county court systems. There was an intense custody battle to save the three boys, where the boy’s grandma (mother’s mother) stood strong with Eli’s father against her own daughter for the boy’s survival. A miracle happened and Eli’s father gratefully got custody. So from a very young age Eli chose to not only survive but to thrive through life with a grossly contagious positive attitude towards life, always dreaming bigger than his dreams can dream!
eli james is an artist with an entrepreneur mindset, turning a random idea, an intuition to do something different, into a multi million dollar enterprise. When most of the people around him said “don’t do that, the fashion world will eat you alive”, and through all odds, just by his pure drive to help others make their visions come to reality, he made it happen!
eli james has been lucky enough to hand make custom clothing for Ellen Degenerus, the Marylin Manson camp, SUM41, Twenty One Pilots, No Doubt, Papa Roach, Escape The Fate, Sleeping With Sirens, Black Veil Brides, Lifehouse and countless others.
Within 3 months of starting to make his own clothes, he was faced with a choice to create a brand, and with that, had to come up with a brand name. Eli was always into ghosts when he was a kid and at the time of creating his clothing brand his life was a circus so he took the two words and coined “GhostCircus” then just added Apparel to the backend of GhostCircus.
As all this was happening word spread fast in the fashion industry about what he was doing, making cutting edge wearable art from scratch unlike any other. Different brands started to reach out to him asking for his help to elevate their brands and to also be head of manufacturing domestically, in Los Angeles. He said yes to an amazing opportunity and with each design he made sold out thousands of pieces, and then he realized he had a knack for helping other brands stand out, be unique with just the right amount of edge to keep the buyers attention on the next releases.
eli james took GhostCircus Apparel to the next level and created GhostCircus Merch in 2016, purely helping other brands expand their businesses. This brought eli james to a point of no turning back. “I love seeing others thrive and win big, and if I can be a little part of that then I can rest with a big smile on my face”.
In 2020 when the unforeseen Covid-19 Pandemic happened eli james decided to make a mask. His wife, Tara Conner, said to put those up online because it’ll help a lot of people and it’ll also give eli something to do for a few weeks (not knowing what was about to come).. eli james put his first mask online and just like his clothing brand took off at the beginning of 2015, so did this mask idea. Helping over 300,000 people in a 6 month period, donating to local institutions, police departments, fire departments, vets and so much more. GhostCircus Apparel became a household name overnight.
When the Pandemic was calming down GhostCircus Merch started to rise again and the world started to open back up. In this he was connected with Nikko who Eli James grew close with almost immediately. There was a tight bond and friendship between Eli and Nikko which grew in a short 3 years.
Eli James decided to expand GhostCircus Merch in June of 2024 and invite very like minded individuals to join him in his journey, he immediately reached out to Nikko. Asked Nikko to take a leap of faith and come onboard in this new GhostCircus Merch expansion. Nikko was at a point in his life where he wanted something new, exciting and something he can call his own, but knew we needed 1 more person to make this vision come to life and he said, “Okay, but this can’t happen without Greg”. So in comes Greg and the offer was on the table for him to also believe and have faith in this new expansion. Pretty quickly we all got onboard and BAM an upgraded identity for GhostCircus Merch was born and now has 2 new Co-Founders alongside Eli James!
“We are here for our clients and anyone in need of making their merchandising dreams a reality”. – eli james
Taking a chance
Nikko is a blend of compassion and bravery, navigating life with an unwavering commitment to face his fears head-on. He embraces the discomfort of challenges because he recognizes that these trials are the stepping stones to personal growth. For Nikko, growth isn’t just a goal—it’s a path to building genuine strength and resilience. His dedication and disciplined approach are evident in his meticulous nature, which allows him to focus on the smallest details with precision and care. Nikko holds a firm belief that with enough determination and effort, anything is possible, and he exemplifies this by never wavering until his goals are accomplished.
In addition to his steadfast drive, Nikko’s sociable and approachable demeanor makes him a natural connector. He effortlessly forges strong relationships wherever he goes, nurturing a vibrant community of like-minded individuals. Nikko thrives on collaboration and collective success, always aiming to elevate ideas and expand horizons. He understands that by lifting those around him, he, too, rises. For Nikko, success is not a solitary achievement but a shared journey, and he is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in his circle prospers together.
“I am excited to see where this journey takes the three of us. Each of us brings a unique set of skills to the table, and the energy among us is electric. I am eager to see how the rest of our story unfolds.” – Nikko Ortega.
The glue
Who is Gregory Ginovic?
Simple, a compassionate guy with a ton of drive. Or is he that simple? When you meet Greg for the first time it doesn’t feel that way. He leaves you feeling like you have been friends for years and that you can put your trust in him. As you get to know him more you will see how creative and logical his mind works which explains how he became a sales manager with a team of 50 sales reps by the age of 25 here in Los Angeles.
Have you heard of ‘the one call close’? It is one of the most challenging sales carriers with one of the highest turnover rates. To say he was a sales manager at 25 speaks volumes. On top of that, he was one of the three reps in the office who was cross-trained and certified to sell any project. Kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, roofs, windows, hvac, and more!
But what about fashion you ask? If you look back further he had 3 jobs before graduating high school and went into teaching 10 hip hop and breaking classes a week at 4 different studios all around Colorado. After being a featured extra dancer in High School Musical 3 moving to LA in 2013 he knew he wanted to pursue dance and music hoping to get out of the home improvement industry. A few years later, everything started to fall into place.
An opportunity to make and sell merch for artists and music festivals. With all the skills he learned in the home improvement industry, he was able to become a powerhouse in the high fashion world in no time. Working with some of the biggest worldwide artists, global music festivals, nationwide brands, and even web3 giants. At the same time, growing his department into multiple 7 figures annually. What drives him is his passion for the arts and helping people grow their brands! You will find he is always focusing on the long-term goal of his clients and reverse engineering how to get there.
The Future is Bright
Together, the three of us form a powerful team, united by a shared passion for creativity and a desire to help others succeed. We’re not just building a company; we’re crafting a community where innovation thrives, and dreams are realized.
As we move forward, we invite you to join us on this exciting journey. Whether you’re an artist looking to bring your merchandise to life, a brand seeking to stand out in a crowded market, or someone with a vision that needs a little push to become reality, we are here to make it happen.
At GhostCircus Merch, we don’t just create products; we create experiences, connections, and a lasting impact. The future is bright, and we’re excited to see where it takes us. Together, we can turn your ideas into something extraordinary. Let’s make your vision a reality, and let’s do it with passion, creativity, and a commitment to excellence.
The best is yet to come, and we’re thrilled to have you with us every step of the way!
