It was 2015 on the island of Guam. I just started learning more about fashion and the styles that really got me excited. After a brief discussion with my oldest brother I learned more about street fashion and techwear. I loved the bold and free feeling of streetwear plus the futuristic utilitarian approach from techwear. I always thought it would be cool to start my own clothing brand so that I can make the visions and sketches I had into reality. I never went to school for fashion, but I did get an associates in visual communications at Guam Community College.
Footage to fashion
During the years where this idea took a backseat, I was discovering my passion for video production. I had no idea that this would play such a big role in the designs for Ghostn. My years spent making short films, video content, and working as a videographer, editor, graphic designer, etc, helped me learn about my love for the visuals that are associated with videos and movies( specifically horror ). This ranged from the viewfinders on cameras that I’d see while working ( or in found footage horror ), the noise and grain on films, to the static and glitches that came with damaged footage. What was usually seen as an error was something I saw as dope, except for when it was on footage I needed.
For years this idea just stayed as a passing interest, but thanks to all the free time the pandemic gave me I was finally able to start taking action and learning about all the things that needed to be done to turn this idea into a brand. After an unknown amount of late nights, money saved from my media production gigs and a lot of help from my girlfriend, we were able to turn ideas into rough sketches, rough sketches to samples, and samples into a brand.
Our release schedule
As Ghostn grows we'll be able to release more drops without delay caused by funding. We release new drops as we get inspired so nothing is ever forced. Not releasing new collections seasonally will hurt our potential to profit, but we prefer to release things and profit off of what we’re passionate about rather than just releasing things for the sake of profit. Thankfully we have that luxury since we aren’t using Ghostn as our main source of income yet. This way of releasing things also lines up with two main ideas we have with our collections. No restocks (unless stated otherwise) and less waste made for the environment.
For AAPI and Mental Health
In the future we’ll be working to help causes that relate to mental health and helping AAPI organizations. There’s a lot of good causes out there to contribute to these days but these two specifically hit home for us. My girlfriend and I are both Filipino and we just want to help the people in the Philippines and also the AAPI communities in general. I think we can be more than a beacon of what’s possible and change lives with contributions that we’ll be making as we grow.
Mental health has only been recently been getting the much needed attention it deserves. People who have mental illnesses should be treated as humans and given the care they deserve. It’s wild how only a bit over 50 years ago lobotomies were still being performed. Although the world is progressing to better understand the importance and intricacies of mental health there’s still more to be done.
A little over a year ago, I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. This was especially tough growing up in a first generation immigrant family from the Philippines. For so many years, I battled with thinking what was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I do things that were normally easy for others? Why do I fall into depression in what feels like a seasonal rate? The thought of getting help for the things I was experiencing never occured to me because of the way I was raised. If I had gotten the treatment and care I needed growing up I would have been much further along in life instead of just being dismissed as a problem child with self-sabotaging tendencies. It would’ve meant the world to feel seen or understood. I want to help create the future where a kid like me wouldn’t have had to deal with all of that in the first place. Will you join us and be part of that change too?
To all our ghosts
I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all my friends, family, supporters, and especially Raechelle, my girlfriend and my partner. It's thanks to all of you that Ghostn can exist and create badass designs and eventually badass change. Take care of yourselves!
- Justin
