December 9, 2025 By Hingham Anchor Community Editor, Erin Elefante
Walking into the library straight from basketball tryouts in his best-selling blue hoodie, Rex Chen carries himself with an easy confidence. Friendly and poised, he offers a firm handshake before taking a seat. At just 15 years old, Chen is already a standout at Hingham High School — a two-sport athlete, award-winning writer, club leader, bilingual student, and, remarkably, a business owner.
Chen is the founder of Raion Lifestyle, a company that designs and produces activewear and loungewear made with high-quality materials and clean, contemporary style. His growing product line includes men’s hoodies, shorts, hats, shirts, and pants, with plans to introduce a women’s line in the future.
“Athletic gear is the cheapest and simplest to produce and the easiest to sell since the demand is really high,” Chen explains.
Although he initially envisioned Raion as a nonprofit, he quickly learned how challenging it is to obtain 501(c)(3) status. Instead, he pivoted: Raion now donates 50% of all proceeds to charity. Most of that support goes to Play it Forward, a service organization Chen founded that collects gently used sports equipment and distributes it to communities with high poverty rates.
“The idea is to do it for the experience and to try to help some people in the process,” he says. Rather than focusing on profit, Chen wants Raion to be a learning experience where he can also help the community — and he hopes simply to break even.
Chen developed the company at age 14, teaching himself website design, supply-chain logistics, and finance. Among the biggest challenges, he says, were building the website (he learned to code from YouTube tutorials), marketing, and managing inventory. He’s quick to credit the people around him.
“I have family in manufacturing, retail, and wholesale with a lot of connections in China, which are a big help,” he says. His friend Ben Ferguson joined to assist with social media and photography, and suggested bringing in Connor Cease, who—along with his mother, Amanda Cease—has contributed valuable marketing expertise.
When naming the company, Chen wanted something that started with an R, like his own name. He chose Raion, the Japanese word for “lion,” a powerful symbol of pride, strength, and courage in East Asian culture — ideals that match his vision for the brand.
The road to launching wasn’t without setbacks. Chen’s first batch of product samples “weren’t ideal,” but he used his Mandarin skills and family connections to resolve the issues. He then air-freighted the first round of inventory just in time for the Hingham High Holiday Fair in November — where sales exceeded expectations.
Community support has been strong. Classmates regularly ask about the brand, and at the holiday fair, customers included parents, friends, and plenty of unfamiliar faces. Chen has even spotted strangers wearing Raion around town and at school.
“It’s cool. I made that. And someone went out of their way to buy it and wear it. In my opinion, that’s a pretty big accomplishment.”
Chen moved to Hingham from Quincy in third grade and lives with his parents, older brother, and younger sister. Outside of basketball, volleyball, and his business ventures, he is actively involved in multiple clubs and volunteer work. Looking ahead, he hopes to study finance and business in college — ambitions that seem well within reach for this already accomplished young entrepreneur.
Raion Lifestyle can be found at www.raionlifestyle.com and on Instagram @raionlifestyle.