Hard Lessons. Real Growth. A Decade of Doing It and What I've Learned Along the Way. When I started Status Apparel DC, I had a vision and a name. That was it. I had an idea, but no real blueprint—just passion, hustle, and a few designs I believed in. But over time, I realized: belief in your vision doesn’t cancel out the need for better systems, deeper listening, and real trial and error. In my journey experience has been my greatest teacher.

In 2015, I started Status Apparel DC with a vision: to build a brand rooted in culture, creativity, and purpose. I didn’t have a roadmap,...

In 2015, I came back home to Washington, DC after graduating from Temple University. I was fresh out of school—creative, hungry, and looking for ways to express myself while also trying to make some money. I had already been making tees and experimenting with designs while at Temple University but returning to DC pushed me to think bigger. That’s when Status Apparel DC really started. I knew I was a designer at heart. I’ve always been creative. But I couldn’t have imagined that a few sketc