Feb 16, 2017
Artwork by Chichai of Empire In The Air.
seen from Mexico
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seen from United States
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Artwork by Chichai of Empire In The Air.
New Videos: Mile5tone Recap and Bloomin Lookbook - by ChiChai@Empire - If you've been keeping up with us on social media, you'd notice that we got a bunch of new drops these past few months.
– by ChiChai@Empire –
Our summer collection Public Figures may have had the most time put in it.
Lookbook photo from collection “Public Figures”
For over a year, the design team — Jelyn, Mia and I– has wanted to add patched up bomber jackets and beanies in our product line. As for the theme and concepts for the graphics, we began brewing them up in the last quarter of 2017.
Original concept sketches for Public Figures
From ChiChai@Empire’s Instagram story
Putting together a new collection involves all hands on deck. Once we finish designing our products and put them in production, our media and marketing team join in the conversation. We ask ourselves questions like: How are we going to present this collection to our supporters? How do we tie in the messages of our collection to the presentation of it? What mood are we trying to portray with the photo-shoot?
The end result of this round of long conversations:
“We mustn’t wait for celebrities or politicians for change. We all have the power to empower. Each piece in this collection illustrates how we are all Public Figures. Through our words, actions decisions, and passions, we can influence those around us. Public Figures aspires for our supporters to use their empires for the betterment of our world.”
We concluded we wanted a girl-gang vibe for the shoot. Our lookbook photographer Chris@Empire stood firm with the idea of an all-concrete landscape. We all agreed that the the photographs should be a mixture of grit and radiance.
We photographed Public Figured at one of the abandoned World War II bunkers in San Francisco. It’s rigid, a remnant of violent times, and incomplete.
But, now, it provides a viewing point for San Francisco’s visitors from all over the world. On this bunker alone, you can view the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay leading out to the ocean, and more.
We are all giving this ruin a new purpose. What was once used for defense and destruction, we turned as part of our message of positively influencing those around us through inclusivity, hope, peace, and justice.
Chris is normally our background guy. He’s the go-to for inventory, budgeting, sales. We even call him “LSH” aka Logistic Shit Handler. But, when it comes to our quarterly collections, Chris comes out to play. He shoots all of our lookbooks!
Ray@Empire, on the other hand, puts together our video lookbooks.
Throughout the blog, you can see him following the models with his camera.
To the naked-eye, it just looks like Ray is running around following the models. In reality, he’s making this:
Sam@Empire comes in for the small but important details. While Chris is capturing the models and environment, Sam pays close attention to the appearance of our products. Anytime you see Sam in a photo in this post, you’ll notice she’s helping the models straighten out the apparel.
As I said earlier, all hands are on deck for the photo-shoot. Putting together a collection forreal takes a team effort
One of the things that the Empire Team loves about photo-shoots is reuniting with our models. We get to reunite with our go-to models! For this photo-shoot, we brought back Dani and Celestine who’ve modeled for us on multiple occasions.
Unfortunately, Giann (who’s featured in nearly all collections since 2014!) couldn’t make it for work but Tiffany was able to make her debut!
The Public Figures collection may have been a laborious one but it continues to be worthwhile thanks to you.
Learn more about the collection here.
Shop Public Figures here
Public Figures – Behind the Scenes - by ChiChai@Empire - Our summer collection Public Figures may have had the most time put in it.
Nike React Run
*All views are my own and do not reflect those of my employer. The much anticipated latest innovative running shoe is here! Today, on February 22, 2018, Nike launched the Nike React- A shoe that is 11% softer and 13 % bouncier than anything we’re ever seen the Swoosh drop before! In celebration of the launch of the Epic React, Nike SF held a Train & Trial session for the Nike+ Run Club Pacers. We…
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About #MyEmpireInTheAir Our brand’s mission is to encourage everyone to build their own Empires. We strive to inspire others to stick their heads at cloud-level & turn dreams into reality. In this blog series – My Empire in the Air – we give a platform for our supporters to share their journeys.
– by Ray@Empire –
Pursuing one’s passion is never an easy journey for most people, but for both Elliot Santiago and Christina Dare, they are even more determined to find their place in the fashion industry.
For Elliot, pop culture is his passion, but breaking it down to the core, his empire is fashion and sneakers.
“Growing up, I was raised on sneakers and hip-hop music, and things like that,” Elliot says. “I think at the core of it is fashion and sneakers mostly. But then because its relation to my favorite artist, my favorite influencers and my favorite designers and celebrities, and that’s what ties everything together.”
In order for Elliot to stay motivated in his passion with the fashion industry, he finds his inspiration from creatives and artist such as Ronnie Fieg from “Kith” and from both Pharrell and Kanye. Elliot also noted that he admires the mentality that Virgil Abloh from “Off-White” has.
“For him, he just wants to things out in the world and make things, and let the world react to it,” he says. “So I really admire that about him because his mentality is, ‘…if you want to do something, just do it. Just make it happen, and see how the world reacts to it, and then you can improve upon that reaction.’”
As for Christina, her passion stems from watching her favorite YouTubers such as Weylie Hoang, Jenn Im and Sophia Chang. But instead of making YouTube videos, she dreams to one day work as an influencer in the marketing side from a brand perspective.
“I want to have a role, career-wise or personally, that has an impact on an end-goal,” Christina says. “I want to have a say, for whatever company I work for, on how it does its job. I want to make a difference.”
But with every passion, there are always obstacles that get in the way between when building one’s empire.
Last year, Elliot tried starting a club dedicated to exploring pop culture as well as an open space for people to create content within pop culture. But he threw the idea out the window after things didn’t go as he planned, and many conflicting ideas.
“I think for me I just need to do things on my own, and with people that I know, like Gabe Luis (friend), and yourself (me, Ray@empire) who already know what they are doing and who I know personally,” he says. “The biggest thing for me is making sure things go the way you want to go, and not the way anyone else thinks it should go.”
Whereas for Christina’s obstacle was post-grad life, and that did not come easy for her. But she continues to stay motivated by surrounding herself with like-minded people that help push her to keep on pushing.
“I was looking, but I’m also not really looking to move anywhere, so I was looking in the Bay Area, and nothing was coming,” she says. “But people like Elliot, who have the same goals and interest are what keeps me on it. Because he really tells me to stay on it because he knows that is what I want.”
At the end of the day, both Elliot and Christina, against all obstacles, continue to gain inspiration from their role models and continue to push on forward in order to reach and build their own “Empire In The Air.”
For you (the readers), and for myself as well, here are some helpful advice the two have shared with us.
Christina: “For me, I don’t have that many people in my close immediate circle that understands what it is I’m trying to do. So I kind of just stay focus on myself and just pursue it. Just don’t let anyone take that from you, if its what you want, then it is what you want!”
Elliot: “Just being patient and if you want to do something, just do it. Like no matter how small, like even just a blog post or up’ing your game on instagram, just be patient and just do it, literally. I feel like 9 times out of 10 people are more encouraging than discouraging. So just don’t be afraid to fail.”
#MYEMPIREINTHEAIR – @elliotnicholas & @tinyyytinaaa About #MyEmpireInTheAir Our brand's mission is to encourage everyone to build their own Empires. We strive to inspire others to stick their heads at cloud-level & turn dreams into reality.
– by ChiChai@Empire –
The Empire Team gathers once a year for a full day of refreshing our goals and motivations. To follow the theme of making 2018 bigger and better, we decided to turn that full day into a full weekend. And lucky for us –thanks to Christopher’s aunt’s cabin– our retreat brought us to the gracefully snowy Truckee.
by Chris@Empire
The glittering fluff surrounded our cabin-getaway as sun-rays provided hints of warmth in this wintery weekend. The setting was perfect for us to unwind, relax and focus on what brought us all together in the first place: Empire in the Air.
by Chris@Empire
by Ray@Empire
We discussed how Empire in the Air means more to us than a clothing brand. It is the carrier of the message that all can build their own Empires; it is also a support system to help others achieve that.
Photo by Ray@Empire
Photo by Ray@Empire
Photo by Ray@Empire
Everyone on the team has “day jobs” and various career paths… all while engaging in Empire in the Air. For us, being a part of Empire in the Air allows us to have a creative scapegoat from norms and routine. It allows us to challenge ourselves in mediums we are passionate about.
Photo by Ray@Empire
Empire in the Air allows us to challenge ourselves in mediums we are passionate about.
Photo by Chris@Empire
During the retreat, we pledged to take more risks this year through our products and events while staying true to our values and community-building.
Photo by Ray@Empire
We are reaching for Empire in the Air from the ground up
Photo by Ray@Empire
*new Team page coming soon*
Empire Team Retreat 2018 - by ChiChai@Empire - The Empire Team gathers once a year for a full day of refreshing our goals and motivations.
– by ChiChai@Empire –
With 2017 wrapping up and 2018 approaching us , I asked the Empire Team to reflect on their 2017 goals, our past year as a team, and their goals for next year. One specific question I asked each team member is “What about Empire in the Air are you thankful for this year?” Here are some of their answers:
Working with teammates who are my friends and supportive
Thankful for a team that is full of creative, weird and inspiring individuals
Happy Friday Friends! — FAME recap featuring all who stopped by our booth 🤘🏽 We appreciate the love and support. — 📹: @dontcareray — Big ups to @famepresents and @bobbivie for another successful event!
A post shared by Empire in the Air (@empireintheair) on Aug 4, 2017 at 11:01am PDT
Giving me opportunities to stay creative // Thankful for an outlet to expand my creative talents
FAME day and we're excited!! It's the most wonder time for the bay!! Fashion, music, dance, art, OUR CULTURE in one place! – Stop by and say hey! We will be selling #goodnewdays summer collection and plenty more! — Big shoutout to @famepresents for making everything possible ❤ — 📹; @dontcareray
A post shared by Empire in the Air (@empireintheair) on Jul 29, 2017 at 9:42am PDT
The products have been lit this whole year!
Being able to inspire more people to pursue their passion
Good Morning Friends! Featuring the beautiful and soulful @_ayeeyojj rocking our meesh jersey! 😍 — We absolutely love the meaning behind this! — #Repost @_ayeeyojj ・・・ "Art is too personal to Half Ass" – @niggasdothink I can't even begin to explain the kinds of doors that DANCE has opened up for me and the people I've met along the way. I'm just getting started 💃🏽 I'm not sleeping on myself anymore.. #woke #blackfeministthought #yallaintready #day8 Candles in the sun – @miguel 🎥: @vp_encarnacion #VpenProductions — Don't forget ! Tomorrow we will be @ononestudios grand opening. 3pm-12am — ❤❤❤
A post shared by Empire in the Air (@empireintheair) on Sep 8, 2017 at 8:18am PDT
Time change may be confusing, more clouds may have rolled in, but don't let any of that stop you from building your #empireintheair. Happy #MotivationMonday — 🕺🏻@lejonnytran in our Rise Up hoodie // shop.empireintheair.com 🎥 @dontcareray 🎶 @danielcaesar – Get You
A post shared by Empire in the Air (@empireintheair) on Nov 6, 2017 at 6:55am PST
Helping not only local communities…
but communities in the Philippines
#ArtOfUs2017 Team ❤ — 👩👦👦👨👧👧: @companyfam @empireintheair @kje23sole @iamsmalls @leanlikeajolo @projectpearls @chichai.empire @aikotanzawa @dontcareray — Full video COMING SOON — Read our trips to Tondo and Bulacan at empireintheair.com or link in Bio — 📹: @dontcareray
A post shared by Empire in the Air (@empireintheair) on Aug 30, 2017 at 9:30am PDT
What I’m grateful for is that while we aim for Empire in the Air to be for you and to inspire you, we’re able to become our best creative-selves and active in the Bay Area community.
We look forward to continue building this Empire in the Air with you.
DISCLAIMER: Although we use thanksgiving as a day of gratitude, Empire in the Air does not support the whitewashing & sugarcoating of Thanksgiving’s origins. Empire in the Air recognizes that Thanksgiving is a Day of Mourning for Native Americans due to the genocide inflicted by colonizers. we ask that you, our supporters, take the time to learn about indigenous peoples and how we can be better neighbors considering we live on their land.
https://twitter.com/mic/status/933103886088507392
Gratitude for 2017 - by ChiChai@Empire - With 2017 wrapping up and 2018 approaching us , I asked the Empire Team to reflect on their 2017 goals, our past year as a team, and their goals for next year.
Feel Good Love
by Mia@Empire Happy February! 2017 is already flying by, but that means a new playlist for you all :) Since Valentine’s Day happens this month, a playlist of love songs seemed fitting. but wait– It is not exactly what you think. Sure there are some love songs on it, but you do not have to have a boo, it’s coo. This is also for loving yourself. February is about loving yourself. I wanted this…
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