Tell us a little about yourself and why you chose FIDM: I used to think of myself as a special kid that used suppressed anger and lack of money as a motivator to hustle on the streets. I went from being 17 years old working at a taco shop in Temecula, California just to have the back seat of my friends truck to sleep on and a few meals a day to successfully earning a spot on a U.S. Army Special Forces team in Afghanistan making six figures between ages 24 and 27. I traveled to Third World Countries and realized I wasn’t as special as I’d thought. My humble beginnings suddenly seemed fair, especially when comparing the rest of the world. 

 

During my deployment in Afghanistan I started my first business, Black & Gold Apparel, LLC. which was in year 2015. I had swatches of fabric and product samples sent to me in Afghanistan. I even hired a consultant in Chicago for $150 an hour to guide me through product development. I also paid a guy $500 to draft a business plan since I knew nothing about business. In total I spent $50,000 in the first two years of business only to amount to about three commercial products and a website. I actually gained a ton of knowledge, however, I also realized how much I didn’t know. I thought to myself, ‘I could give up or go to school and learn how to really be successful.’ So I looked at the first $50,000 as the beginning of my tuition and applied to FIDM to get a more structured education. I chose FIDM because according to my research it had the best programs for what I was interested in, despite the fact I was denied by FIDM when I applied at 18 years old.

 

Tell us about your brand, Black & Gold Apparel: In late 2015, I started Black & Gold's journey while deployed in Afghanistan on a defense contract supporting military operations. While I was thinking of a way to manifest my vision of a quality apparel business, the name Black & Gold came to mind as I realized how strong these two colors meant to my belief in life (read more on color theory below). My strong desire and will led me to begin working with what I had. 

 

I began contacting vendors in order to ship fabric samples to his remote location in Afghanistan to begin the journey. The brand development was created for the next 14 months during my deployment before I returned to the United States. My products will make you say, ‘Wow this is comfy.’ I like to pick fabrics that people will put on and think, ‘There isn’t anything more comfortable I’d rather wear.’ That’s the main goal for B&G. I plan on expanding with different markets and collaboration with my other brands that I have started. William Louis is my luxury brand where I design pieces for a more expensive market. Private Party Label - Art Regime is my least expensive brand that is geared towards youth, to give back to where I came from. These brands will have a future with my creative direction and standards for quality.

 

Black is the color of the hidden, the secretive and the unknown, creating an air of mystery. It keeps things bottled up inside, hidden from the world. William believes all talent in the world begins as a hidden mystery bottled up awaiting to be revealed.

 

Gold is the color of success, achievement, and triumph. Associated with abundance and prosperity, luxury and quality, prestige and sophistication, value and elegance, the color psychology of gold implies affluence, material wealth and extravagance. William believes in quality, value, and ability to use law of attraction to achieve.

 

Any advice for someone coming from the military considering going to FIDM? FIDM is a diverse institution that holds a ton of value. I like to view it as my home or duty station that looks out for my best interest. You can learn something from everyone just like anywhere else in the world, but if you came here to learn something about the programs they offer, think of everyone as your personal consultant or your coach for your success. Think of the right questions to ask and know when you hear the right answer. Don’t be afraid to apply what you learned while you are learning. The fashion industry is fun because you are constantly challenged to adapt to its high intensity which forces you to create.

 

What are your career goals and how is FIDM helping you get there? My career goals are to run businesses in the fashion industry that promote ethics, equal opportunity, values, and high quality standards. FIDM is teaching me how every component in a operation works and giving me the tools needed to run them.

 

Anything else you’d like to share? I will be sticking around after I graduate. I plan to attend the Menswear Program to further pursue my education.