QUEENS, NEW YORK

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR NAME, WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S THE NAME OF YOUR BRAND?

TRUST NO ONE: MY NAME IS RAH MONEY, I'M FROM QUEENS , NEW YORK. THE NAME OF MY BRAND IS TRUST NO ONE / TNONYC

VALIDATED: DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST BECAME AWARE OF FASHION?

TRUST NO ONE: I ALWAYS HAD AN EYE FOR FASHION. HAD TO START WHEN I WAS MAYBE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I USE TO LOOK AT THE OLDER KIDS AND HOW THEY DRESSED. THE WAY THEY ROCKED THEIR CLOTHES AND THE BRANDS THEY WORE. I GREW UP IN THE KARL KANI, TOMMY HILFIGER AND FILA ERA.

VALIDATED: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR BRAND?

TRUST NO ONE: MY CREW THAT STARTED IN BROOKLYN IS CALLED "TRUST NO ONE". I BEEN REPPING AND JACKING THAT FOR YEARS. EVERYONE THAT KNOWS RAH, THEY KNOW TRUST NO ONE EVERYWHERE I WENT IN THE 5 BOROUGHS. AS A TEEN I WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. DEALING, BANGING AND JUST CATCHING 1 TO 2 CASES LITERALLY EVERY YEAR. IN THE WINTER OF 2015 BAD NEWS HIT HOME AND REALITY HIT. MY PARTNER STARR MONEY ( REST IN PEACE ) PASSED AWAY FROM AN OVER DOSE. SHE WAS DEAD IN HER HOUSE FOR A WEEK BEFORE ANYONE FOUND OUT OR EVEN I FOUND OUT. THE TERM REAP WHAT YOU SOW IS THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK ABOUT IT. HER DEATH ROCKED MY WORLD AND I STEPPED BACKED FROM LIFE ITSELF TO SEE WHAT AND WHERE I NEEDED TO BE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT I DECIDED TO USE MY HUSTLE AND DO SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH IT AND THAT'S WHERE MY PASSION AND MOTIVATION COME FROM.

VALIDATED: WHAT MOTIVATES YOU AS A FASHION DESIGNER?

TRUST NO ONE: I'M A CREATIVE PERSON. EVERYTIME I PUT PIECES TOGETHER AND I GET THE FEEDBACK THE FEELING FROM IT MOTIVATES ME. ITS A GREAT FEELING TO KNOW PEOPLE APPRECIATE YOUR CREATIVITY AND HARDWORK. IT PUSHES ME TO DO SOMETHING BIGGER AND BETTER FROM THE LAST PIECE I'VE DONE. I WOULDN'T SAY I'M EVEN A FASHION DESIGNER, I'D JUST SAY I'M A DESIGNER. ITS AN ART TO ME.

VALIDATED: What is your target audience, and how do you relate to it?

tRUST NO ONE: I really have no target audience. Its for everyone. I'VE had people OF all ages, race and aspects of life say my hats and t-shirts are dope. Its affordable and its good quality ..So the people that cant really afford to look fly can cop it and the people that want good quality and affordable in their budget can also get it too.

VALIDATED: Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?

TRUST NO ONE: I'm self taught AND self made. All my ideas are thingS that I'VE seen or put together on my own.

VALIDATED: How has your work evolved since you began your own label?

TRUST NO ONE: My work evolved DRASTICALLY. I first came in the game not knowing anything really. Just a couple dollars and a Idea. As in everything in life you live and you learn from your mistakes.. i'm not going to tell you I never made mistakes or took loses because I have. One thing I learned is Quality Or Quantity you have to tell yourself. would you wear this? You have to make something that people are going to feel comfortable in. looks good and affordable. I've evolved as a Designer and it shows in my work. Good quality t-shirts and hats with a good New York feel

VALIDATED: What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?

VALIDATED: If you could choose one person in the world to wear your brand, who would it be?

TRUST NO ONE: Fabolous, I THINK HES THE FLYEST OUT... A TRENDSETTER. IN ONE OF HIS VIDEOS HE HAD THE NIKE AIRS WITH THE NAME RING. THE OTHER KIDS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

TRUST NO ONE: Main and Important one... Always business, Never Personal. There IS no real love out here and I mean here... I mean in Life. If you do find genuine love from someone cherish it and embrace it because it will be the closest one to you to turn from friend to foe. Everyone wants to see you do good but never better then them.

VALIDATED: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START?

TRUST NO ONE: I OFFICIALLY STARTED IN THE SUMMER OF 2016. THE MONEY I SAVED UP I USED SOME OF IT AND INVESTED IN MYSELF. NO HAND OUTS JUST A LOT OF PASSION.

VALIDATED: DEFINE FASHION?

TRUST NO ONE: FASHION TO ME IS JUST BEING EXPRESSIVE. ITS STEPPING OUT THE BOX AND WEARING SOMETHING NOBODY ELSE IS WEARING. THERE'S A CATCH TO IT THOUGH. YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER A FLY FIT BUT IF YOU'RE NOT ROCKING IT RIGHT ITS NOT RIGHT. NO IF AND'S OR BUT'S. LOL IT'S CLOTHES WHERE YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER AND IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. IT CHANGES YOUR WHOLE MOOD. REMEMBER YOU CAN'T SELL SWAG. CLOTHES DON'T MAKE THE MAN, MAN MAKES THE CLOTHES.

VALIDATED: DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS.

TRUST NO ONE: MY CREATIVE IS REAL LONG AND AWKWARD. LOL I CATCH MYSELF BLANK THE WHOLE DAY THEN RIGHT WHEN I'M ABOUT TO GO TO BED I TELL MYSELF WHAT AM I GONNA DO NEXT? IT JUST COMES TO ME I START BRAIN STORMING. I START GOOGLING IMAGES LOOKING AT OTHER FASHION DESIGNERS SOCIAL MEDIA AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I WALK THROUGH THE CITY AND JUST CATCH THE VIBE. ITS LIKE I'M PUTTING ALL THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER BEFORE I MAKE A 100% DECISION ON EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

VALIDATED: What advice would you give to young designers?

TRUST NO ONE: Always listen to your heart. you'rE going to get advice and be told what to do from all different directions but if it doesn't sit right with you Don't do it. You are the mastermind of your ideas. don't let anyone tell you what to do but YOU.

VALIDATED: What's your motto/rules to live by?

TRUST NO ONE: TRUST NO ONE

VALIDATED: What has been the most difficult aspect of getting your brand off the ground and how did you overcome that?

TRUST NO ONE: I would honestly say a good manufactURER. You have companies out here that will sell you a dream and not live up to what they promised you. Its time consuming and a waste of money.

VALIDATED: What are two aspects of business in which you believe a new brand should invest resources?

TRUST NO ONE: In my opinion I think you invest Time AND Knowledge. Reason I say that some things in life a book can't teach you. Time, You have to invest your time into this. you need time to do research on whats hot and whats not, who's on top, whos up and coming and who's just starting. You have to invest the time to do all of this. You cant walk into something blind. Knowledge, take the TIME to also talk to other designers. pick their brain a little bit and honestly find out pro's and con's of the game. see where they lacked and see where they triumphed at. Knowledge is power. "...use these rules and you'll have mad bread to break up...", biggie voice. lol but not everything you learn is from school or a book.

VALIDATED: Where can we get our hands on the collection?

TRUST NO ONE: You can catch me on Instagram@Trustnoone_clothing and also Da SPOT NYC in Dumbo Brooklyn AT 145 Front street suite 16b.

VALIDATED: Can you describe your brand in three words?

TRUST NO ONE: Fly, flashy and new York.