About / Insights

Written in blood.

To explain how the name Saints of Winter came to mind, I have to dive into my life a bit. I'm a private person, so I'll only be skimming the surface. Shit makes my stomach hurt.

I'll summarize it to give myself space to dive into particular topics in the future-- if I want to. My childhood was intense and traumatic. I went into the foster system and as the years progressed I had over 100 brothers. I experienced the highest highs and the absolute lowest of the lows. I never had money growing up and it's given me a unique perspective on life. The amount of humiliating experiences and pain I've had due to the absence of it has fueled a different fire in me. I believe the money will come if I stay true to my values and the vision. I'm well aware it's not everything. 

I have the emotional, physical, and psychological scars to show for this beautiful life. They’ve taught me this life will hit hard, and sometimes all I can do is acknowledge the pain and take the next step forward. Thankfully, I've had great role models / friends / and a great father in my life that have shown me that it's possible to end generational traumas / curses. The cycle will end with me. Everything I've faced has given me the determination and grit to take life head on, to boldly be myself, and say, 'This is me. This is who I am.' As terrifying as it may seem, I embrace the possibility of failing in front of everyone because I know it'll lead to success. I've grown and set new systems in place each time I've failed and I'm still here. 

Each season of my life has mentally felt like Winter. Like I can die or starve at any moment. I've looked death in the eye’s multiple times in this life and I've never shied away from it. I know I have angels going to war for me each and every day. My time will come, and I've found peace in knowing where I'll be. This is partially what Saints of Winter means to me. The name SOW means so much to me. So many definitions, and that's why I chose it. Everybody should aim to be a "Saint" in life's Winter seasons. Be kind. Be respectful. Don't be a bitch though. Learn to stand up for yourself. 

While I'm loosely on the topic of religion, I want to make it known that this isn't exactly a "Christian" brand. There's no need for me to blow smoke up anybody's ass and virtue signal from the mountaintops. I do believe in a higher power. I do believe there are "angels" watching over me. I'm also aware that nobody on this planet can really know if Jesus Christ or the Christian God is real. People believe they are and that's what you call faith. I'm very open minded to the possibility that we don't truly know what's going on in the realm of religion. What I do know, is that I'm very human. I’ll be embracing this life with all its virtues and vices, because it’s a gift, and I intend to live it fully. 

Saints of Winter is for open-minded individuals who embrace life’s complexities, value creativity, and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. The brand will evolve and grow over time, as will I. However, these core values will remain the same.

At the moment, I'm broke. I'll be bootstrapping my way to an empire. If I can do it, you can too. Check in this "blog" from time to time to get some BTS insights as to how it's going. I can't promise I'll post often. I have a vision for SOW that I'll see through. I'll never stop. No matter the obstacle, I'll keep going. I'll constantly be reinvesting into the business. I want to create lookbooks, a team, magazines, fashion shows, and eventually have physical locations for people to experience and shop. Most of all though, I want people to feel a sense of pride when they're wearing SOW. It’ll take time, but I’m grateful to have a dream worth chasing.

Saints of Winter isn't just another "brand" to me. I'm not customizing / making clothes for "hypebeasts." This is an extension of my soul and the human experience. I will put everything I have into this. There’s still a part of me, this young kid inside, watching and urging me on. He’s counting on me, and I wanna make him proud.

If you've gotten this far, thank you. Remember: This life is a gift. If you have a dream, chase it. If you don't, put the phone down. Immerse yourself in silence. Be bored. Let your thoughts run wild. It may be deeply uncomfortable, but it gets easier with time. Resist the urge to break the silence. Resist the urge to chase cheap dopamine. That's where dreams are buried. That's where dreams go to die. It takes time.

Godspeed,

Fred