Bespoke Designs

I hope you led with love today. Let's get into it. It takes a kaleidoscope of a mind to... experience failures, allow space to grieve, and remain relentlessly optimistic for the future. The fine line between hope and delusion is the moment of success. For those unaware, I have been "cursed" with a passion to create and perform art - Homo sapiens' kryptonite. With the power to build and destroy, the value of any given art form is determined by the scale of public approval. This means the ability to attach wealth to the manifestation of an individual's imagination is beholden to the volume and/or status of those appraising it. This applies to every industry. While this may seem like a beacon with a world population of over 8 billion people, there are over 8 billion people trying to make a living on their imaginations. Needless to say, it's rough in these streets... Two blessings that have come from getting laid off are more time and higher stakes. I have always been one to pursue what I want with fervor. The grind is in my DNA, but the 9-5 brought comfort I couldn't resist. The universe didn't have to jolt me awake in such a disrespectful manner, but I'll have that mediation after my final breath. With the utter chaos that is the current job market, I decided to place a few eggs in my own basket and bet on myself again.  I have spent the last 4 months consuming and creating art on a scale I have never done thus far in life. I've gone to countless museums, art galleries, live performances, and scenic experiences. I continued creating music/singing/rapping with 33-(3+22)-33 EP (next EP coming August 2026), learned how to sew my own clothes, dabbled in painting, began this blog, designed more ArkHouse products and content for a digital billboard ad (a financial leap I look to invest in myself), and returned to screenwriting (Pseudo G). I thoroughly enjoy a calm life, but this era is called "Lock TF in!" With all of this, I am not too proud to admit the glass ceiling will not break. I am in the stage of the artist's journey where I, frankly, feel unseen and undervalued. It is increasingly discouraging, but here comes the kaleidoscope of multiple truths: Do I get compliments on myself and my work? Yes Have those compliments materialized into a sustainable career? No Does that feel discouraging? Yes Do I second guess my vision and talent? Yes Will I give up? No In reality, the volume of rejections and failures have increased over the past few years. It has been difficult to navigate. However, I feel no shame in being delusional. I know everything will work out one day. I know my dreams will come true. When I see something I want, I go for it full speed. While that often leads to increased rejection, it also breeds pleasant outcomes (some that honestly come as a surprise).  Do I believe in myself? Yes Do I know what I'm doing? Yes and no Do I fail more than I succeed? Yes Do I believe my fortified hope/faith will make my delusions reality? Yes  I want us all to win. And we will, too! Thank you for reading and please decide to lead with love. See you next time! 😉

I hope you led with love today. Let's get into it.  This will be a long read. Let me cook... I promise there will be a full circle. Time is subjective to each individual reality. I feel time different than you do. We both feel time different than the next person. It's the one thing that will forever be elusive, but as a collective we treat it as calculated and linear.  Example: Time zones are constructs we use to calculate the rotation of Earth on its axis, in relation to its orbit around the sun. It's a way for us all to feel we are operating within the same agreed upon constraints about time, even though around the world we are experiencing the same events at varying moments. Sunrise/sunset... An eclipse... New Years... Special relativity and time dilation show that speed and gravity affect how time is perceived to the observer. So, someone moving at light speed would experience time much slower than someone on Earth. Likewise, someone on Jupiter would experience time slower than someone on any other planet in our solar system... except the sun, of course. Given these parameters, albeit the minute difference, someone on Mount Everest with lower gravity would technically experience time faster than someone at sea level. Hypothetically, someone who "feels" their day went by fast is experiencing time different than the next person who has been counting the minutes. It's all subjective. Over the past 7 years, I have experienced a tumultuous relationship with time... Pleasant and challenging. Just under one month ago, I was laid off from my job of six years. Three months ago, I started sewing clothing for the first time in my life; and have since designed and created ten garments from scratch. Four months ago, I initiated a successful event at work and was able to secure my first live interview promoting the event at one of the top new stations in the region. Two years ago, I started creating music again after a three-year lapse due to a consecutive-heartbreak related depression. Healing is beautiful... I wish them all love and blessings... Five/six years ago, I started Sophron Entertainment for my music and video production work, as well as The ArkHouse for my e-commerce, drop-shipping apparel... Of which I also disbanded until the encounter I mentioned in my first blog post, New Beginnings. Seven years ago, I moved back home from California and landed a position right before the pandemic... Time and I are formidable frenemies, but I have nothing but admiration, respect, and curiosity.  Starting this garment, which was the first since my lay off, allowed me to contemplate time with every stitch. It helped me realize how far I have come from the wide-eyed little dreamer in Brooklyn, living in a one-bedroom apartment with my grandmother and mother. It revealed the moments in my life when time seemed to crawl by while exposing the moments time moved a little too fast. Upon the completion of this suit, I was in shock I created so many garments within the first three months of me learning how to sew. How did I have the time? ... Well, what is now clear to me is that you can and will make the time for what you genuinely want to experience. While constructing this suit, which I am as equally obsessed with as the rest of my creations, I decided to rewind time by moving forward. I redesigned The ArkHouse website, I started the ArkHaus blog, I reminisced about the Raven's logo/apparel I created and applied for jobs in that vein, I continued creating new music (which has been refreshing), and re-released two old songs I pulled off of DSPs during my depression (I'm That Nigga and Eye of the Storm). While time has always been a turbulent topic of conversation, and it seems to move faster for me as I grow older, I have grown an immense respect for its ambiguity. I don't think we are supposed to understand it, per se. I think we are just supposed to ride its waves and ensure we feel fulfilled when our respective hour-glasses run out.  How are you going to spend your time?  Thank you for reading and please decide to lead with love. See you next time! 😉

I hope you led with love today. Let's get into it.  When I think fashion, while couture can be beautifully avant garde, I envision prestige and grace. When I think Mother Earth, though breathtakingly beautiful, I see rugged and chaotic. One is beauty that can go ajar. The other is chaos that births beauty. The juxtaposition of placing my first version of a dandy-esque suit on a mountain top blurs the lines of danger and dapper.  For as long as I can remember, I have loved Mother Earth. The mountains. The water. The volcanos. The animals (with four or less legs lol). Growing up one of my favorite things to do was sit and watch animal planet. I also have a deep fascination with the cosmos and have probably seen every documentary that exists 😅. I was fortunate enough to experience both while attending Frostburg State University for college. I had such a raw connection with nature that I unofficially coined the term "Mearth" (Mother Earth). It ended up being my first tattoo.  Subsequently, second only to couture, Dandyism is one of my favorite types of fashion. My first time wearing a tuxedo was for a wedding when I was a child. My mom loves to reminisce about me walking into the chapel, head high, and saying "I make this look good." 😂 Credit to Will Smith in The Men in Black. There's just something about putting on a suit that evokes the confidence to conquer the world with utmost elegance. When I decided to dive into making my own suit, in my Leo fashion, I could not just make it traditional. I always planned to have the paisley lining, pocket flaps, and top collar. The white polkadot was a result of me not having enough of the blue fabric to complete the jacket. Once I started constructing it, I was obsessed.  I am a complex oxymoron of a person who loves paradoxical phrases, like "The only constant in life is change." I have grown to embrace my uniqueness and accept the occasional misinterpretation, rejection, and isolation that come with it. I do not fit in any particular box. So, it only felt natural to explore that with the construction and presentation of this piece of art.  Beauty in Chaos is an oxymoron designed to highlight the ability to find beauty in the ugly, calm in the chaos, light in the dark, and new in the old. It is a call to find joy whenever and wherever you can, especially when faced with melancholy. Never judge a book by its cover, but instead, browse the pages with curiosity. Choose to discover, rather than remaining in the mundane flow of normalcy. Make the decision to truly live.  Thank you for reading and please decide to lead with love. See you next time. 😉

I hope you led with love today. Let's get into it.  Historically, I am one for New Year's resolutions. I love the idea of, much like Lent or Ramadan (I'm not religious, but spiritual), giving up your vices. However, as I have grown older, I find it superficial to "all of a sudden decide" to purge your life of a negative reinforcer that you are in the habit of reinforcing. It's difficult to maintain. That is precisely why I decided to be honest with myself in 2026. While I am no Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle... I understand the beauty of introspective discovery, and the domino effect of being adventurous for others to observe.  The only thing I held myself accountable for this New Years was to continue this path of self-discovery I stumbled upon. Keep living. Keep learning. Keep experimenting. Keep adapting. I believe this ideology is present in the sewing project I am highlighting in this post. I will preface this pride speech by saying I did wear this out to a holiday party, but I was still, notably to me, so insecure about the flamboyance of my creation that I kept my coat on the entire time and spent most of my time sitting on the lounge couch... hoping I would get drunk enough to say "fuck it." ... I did not... As I become more comfortable with sewing (I am still a novice... mind your huffs and puffs... I can and will show you my fashion designer icons...), I wanted to start experimenting with new ideas and methods. I decided to use the patterns I had for a polo and pants to create a stylish onesie. Despite some logistical hiccups I encountered with the finished product... I came, I saw, I adapted, and I conquered.  My old neighbors, great people, invited me to their holiday party to celebrate in December 2025. I knew immediately... I needed to show up and show out. I had this whole vision of a one-piece that would turn heads... I literally created this outfit for this event, and not a soul truly saw it.. It was an intimate and sensational experience. I met great people, had great drinks, and even got to Kiki with them and their friends afterwards. It was a sensational evening. However, I was in my own head and never revealed the show-stopping outfit I created... I honestly regret not opening up in that way. It wasn't about them, it was about me. I'll unpack that on my next stargazing journey... Maybe not all of my designs are for ME to wear. 🤔 For New Years, I went to an event with family at my mom's abode and wore the polo I made. I truly wasn't even thinking about it, but while getting ready.. I looked.. I pondered.. And, I said fuck it. It was an amazing night, and I had no intention of even bringing up my shirt... but, once again, my mother made it clear why I have been a mother's boy my entire life and broadcasted that I created the shirt I was wearing. It took me by surprise, but also sparked conversations I couldn't have imagined. I valued that in ways I'm sure I should be used to, but probably never will. I enjoy spotlight (I'm a Leo🦁♌️), but feel seen while living a humbled life. This 2026 transition has brought me realities I saw coming, and realities I am honestly still processing. One thing I know is I feel closer to myself than I have in a long time. I even started composing music again, which is one of my true passions, along with acting and designing. Honestly, I come from very humble beginnings. I have expressed some of my experiences on social media... you'll know when/if you find it... but, I am way more focused on spreading acceptance, grace, and love.  That is why, this year, I have decided to discover even more of myself to help others discover more of themselves... it's a life-long process.  Thank you for reading and please decide to lead with love.  See you next time. 😉

I hope you led with love today. Let's get into it.  I have always loved to travel. Growing up, I would go with my mom to Los Angeles, CA to visit my uncle for two weeks every summer. In 2001, shortly before my grandfather passed, I went with my mom to one of my homelands, Panama, and spent time with our family. I've been all over the USA and even had the opportunity to sing in cathedrals throughout Italy with my collegiate Chamber Choir... Speaking of Chamber Choir, I went to Frostburg State University which hosts stunning views in the Appalachian Mountains. Every year, I also purchase an annual pass to visit Shenandoah National Park to gaze at the views and stars. I will be sharing a post about a photoshoot I had at Shenandoah in the next few days... It's about time to renew my membership... I say all of this to convey another passion for nature and traveling.  Given the preface, it's only fitting I find a scenic environment for my first "photoshoot." When I think photoshoot, I think Vogue... Models... Crew... Photographers... Chic... Cameras... Action... Well... A brotha's on a tight budget...  In my previous post, I noted my determination and ability to show up despite the odds and dismal expectations from others. In this post, I will note my independence, fetish for stunning scenery, and spontaneous nature.  After the successful completion of my button-down origin story, I was on a high... of the best kind. I went on to create a ski mask, polo shirt, and stylish jacket in the following weeks using fabric I found for free at the @BmoreFabricSwap (Thank you again to my old colleague for the hookup). I purchased my own "I'm That Nigga" duffle bag, and my mom gifted me a mannequin. At this point, it became clear to me... It's time to shift this creative engine to the next gear.  I damn near got jumped by three creative ideas at once and made an impromptu decision... I wanted a photoshoot playing around with mirror work, comfort in nature, and... while I am earnestly a humble person... I wanted to talk my shit. So, I ordering "I'm That Nigga" pins from GS-JJ (which turned out great!), asked my mom to put stylish cornrows in my hair, and stuffed my car with my accent chair (thanks Wayfair), mirror, duffle, and bespoke apparel into my car. Destination... the beach. While I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and am undoubtedly a city boy... I have learned art and nature recharge my battery, individually and collectively. This photoshoot solidified that. Thank you for reading, and please decide to lead with love. See you next time. 😉

I hope you led with love today. Let's get into it. I am an extremely creative person, who has always had an affinity for fashion and a knack for bringing things to life. I founded Sophron Entertainment in 2020 and The ArkHouse in 2021. Subsequently, life started lifing and I went into a creative and mental block. It wasn't until 2024 when I had a brief encounter with someone in my neighborhood and on instagram, who turned out to be a Raven's football player at the time, that I started to feel inspired to start creating again. Thank you. ✊🏿 I began my journey with sewing on October 31, 2025 with a button-down shirt. One of my old colleagues makes her own clothing and told me she would love to see what I could do, based on my style. Coming out of a long creator's block episode, this felt like a nice way to get my feet wet. I mentioned this to my mom and wanted to get our aunt's old sewing machine from storage. What did she do? Like the amazing mother she is, she handed me a brand new sewing machine the next time I saw her... Suddenly, it was time to stop procrastinating.  I remember when I went to the sewing shop for the first time and mentioned to them I was just starting to sew and wanted to make a button-down shirt. They literally looked at me and laughed, saying I should probably start with something simpler. They handed me a sewing book, recommended I start with a pillow case, and suggested classes I could take. I still purchased the fabric for the shirt, but I also bought the book and looked at the steps to make a pillow case... After all, I'm a novice and should probably heed their warning, right? ... Nah, I went home put that book to the side, and started constructing my shirt. LOL Two things you should note about me are my relentless determination to achieve my dreams, and my uncanny ability to disappoint those who underestimate me. Not only was my first sewing project a button-down shirt, but I completed it within 48 hours. I actually surprised myself and felt a lot of pride. I think I did a pretty good job. I am truly excited to continue this journey of doing the only thing I know how to do. Create. Thank you for reading, and please decide to lead with love.  See you next time. 😉