Return of Brklyn and Heart of The City: Brand Identity, The Return, and The Future

Three years ago, I stepped away from my pursuits with Brklyn and Heart of The City, to focus on my own personal development and do what I felt I needed to do to grow personally, and use that growth to grow both brands as well. I think I also needed that time to really understand what it is I'm trying to do here, and to be able to tell you what I'm trying to do here as well.

When I first started making clothes, it was just graphic designs on hoodies, the same humble beginnings as plenty of other streetwear brands. I wasn't trying to re-invent the wheel, I just wanted to contribute what I had to say, and that was that authenticity matters, not just in determining what's real or fake, but in remaining true to what streetwear brands represented to me. For me, streetwear isn't just a lane of fashion to be used to make money, it's the uniform of the working class, our way to express ourselves in a world that often makes it expensive to do so. I don't chase the pedigree or acclaim of luxury brands, that was never my goal. I just want to make clothes I want to wear and put out the ideas I come up with. I don't think they'll always resonate with everyone, but that's fine. I think that finding and building a community of people who like what I do is what matters most. That is what Brklyn represents. As much as I want it to speak to my relationship to Brooklyn and New York City as a whole, I want it to connect myself and others who share some of the real experiences I've had. Brklyn is a streetwear brand for the people, real people who live everyday lives, and it's my mission to make sure that it stays a brand for the people. 

Now when I start talking about Heart of The City is where things get complicated for me. HOTC isn't so much a clothing brand, its more of a "creative incubator." HOTC is what represents everything I create, even beyond clothing. I want to do so much more, and HOTC is going to be the vessel for any and every creative endeavor I pursue. Now while everything going forward will be released under the HOTC banner, to clarify, Brklyn will be focused on providing streetwear essentials like hoodies, t-shirts, and various accessories, and maintaining prices that allow the brand to be accessible. HOTC, however, will be where I release more ambitious projects, and possibly things completely unrelated to clothing. I can't say what the near future holds for HOTC, but the endgame is to run a studio/retail store that will allow myself and future generations of creators to learn, collaborate and create, fostering the next generation of creatives who might not come from the best circumstances. 

I've covered what Brklyn and HOTC mean, so now onto the return and how that will look. For this return drop in 2025, I'm reintroducing the Brklyn hoodie. It's a nearly 1:1 recreation of the original, still being made with the same blanks, the only significant change is the graphic on the back, which now reads "From New York With Love," a phrase that I think better aligns with the brand, as I seek to move forward in love, love for my city, my friends, and my family. I'm also reintroducing some pieces from the Brklyn Transit Authority collection, which was a look at what the MTA might be if Brooklyn had its own branch, and paid homage to the trains and stations that were a part of my childhood. I'm sorry to say that the Purple Brklyn hoodie won't be returning as a part of this drop, that color way requires different production methods that aren't presently available to me, but I am working on bringing it back in the future and making it more available than before. Other pieces may be added back to the site in the future. 

Finally, I want to thank you all for following me on this journey and supporting me every step of the way. Every contribution matters, and I appreciate everyone that has been there, whether you've purchased or not. It's not about the money for me, but the love of the city and wanting to share what I make with you all. Thank you.