GustoNYC Brand
Founder, Brand Building, Creative Direction, Art + ProductBUILDING A BRAND FROM THE STREETS UP.
GustoNYC started as a personal art project and became something much bigger.
I created the brand as a way to turn the visual language, memories and culture that shaped me growing up in New York into physical objects people could wear, collect and connect with.
What began with my graffiti handstyle has grown into an independent brand spanning apparel, accessories, art, storytelling, community and culture. Every piece starts with something personal, but the goal is always bigger: create objects that make people feel connected to the city, their upbringing and each other.
The Idea.
A HANDWRITTEN LOVE LETTER TO NEW YORK.
GustoNYC lives at the intersection of graffiti, design, hip hop, tattoos, Latino culture and New York.
At its center is my signature calligraffiti handstyle, taking a visual language traditionally treated as temporary, rebellious or disposable and transforming it into something refined, collectible and permanent.
The brand is not about nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. It is about taking the culture that raised us and finding new ways to carry it forward.
FROM A TAG TO A BRAND.
I approached GustoNYC the same way I approach any large creative system. Build a strong idea at the center, then create enough flexibility around it for the idea to live across different forms.
A graffiti mark can become a logo. A childhood memory can become a garment. A New York object can become a collectible. A cultural tradition can become a story someone wears on their chest.
CULTURE HAS BECOME THE BRIEF.
I rarely begin with a product.
I begin with a story, memory, phrase, symbol or piece of culture that means something to me. The product becomes the canvas.
4 Anchors Have Become Our True North
NEW YORK
Our hometown logo, borough pieces, subway references, public school pieces, and Unisphere work pays homage to NYC.
Our hometown logo, borough pieces, subway references, public school pieces, and Unisphere work pays homage to NYC.
CULTURA LATINA
Bendición, Latino references and pieces rooted in family and heritage and inspired by our personal experiences.
Bendición, Latino references and pieces rooted in family and heritage and inspired by our personal experiences.
GRAFFITI
Anchored on my unique handstyle, we’ve transformed graffiti language into premium tangible objects.
Anchored on my unique handstyle, we’ve transformed graffiti language into premium tangible objects.
HIP HOP
Across many of our collections, we tap into the way music functions as both inspiration and storytelling.
Across many of our collections, we tap into the way music functions as both inspiration and storytelling.
DESIGNING OBJECTS WITH STORIES.
I think of every drop as a small creative world.
The garment might be the centerpiece, but typography, materials, packaging, photography, objects, music, digital experiences and small hidden details all contribute to the story.
The goal is to make every interaction feel considered, from seeing a piece for the first time to opening the box at home.
BUILDING THE BRAND.
My Role.
Founder
Vision, positioning and business direction
Creative Director
Brand identity, campaigns, photography, content and collaborations
Artist
Original artwork, handstyle and product concepts
Product
Apparel, accessories, objects, packaging and experience
Storytelling
Editorial, social, product narratives and cultural research
Community
Organic audience development, partnerships and real world activations
Building GustoNYC has given me the opportunity to experience creativity from every side of the table. I am not only responsible for the idea. I am responsible for whether the idea becomes something people actually want to bring into their lives.
PRODUCT OF NEW YORK.
Queens raised me. Graffiti gave me a visual language. Hip hop gave me a soundtrack. My Latino heritage gave me stories and traditions worth preserving.
GustoNYC is where all of those things meet.
MADE PERSONAL. WORN COLLECTIVELY.
GustoNYC started as an outlet for ideas I could not stop thinking about.
Today, it is an evolving independent brand and creative platform built around art, product, culture and community.
I am still drawing every line with the same intention I had at the beginning: make something personal enough to be honest and universal enough that someone else can see themselves in it.
The Impact.
2023
Founded
Founded
1300+
Verified customer reviews
Verified customer reviews
4.8 / 5
Customer rating
Customer rating
NYC + WORLDWIDE
Real Community
Real Community
WORN + SUPPORTED BY.
We’ve had the honor to have been featured alongside 50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, Common, Mecc, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Eif Rivera, Xolo Maridueña, The Kid Mero, MRG, Tony Yayo and more.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ARTIST.
Visit www.gusto.nyc