Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Marcial.

Ashley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Yung$aintCustoms started off as an outlet through a very tough time in my life. An old friend of mine encouraged me to start painting on clothing back in my high school years but my passion for painted fashion didn’t start until 2020, a year after I graduated. Y$C began as a hobby, where I designed my own pieces; denim jeans, tote bags, sneakers. I’m not too much of a jeans person so I would only design pairs that I would wear. Painting taught me patience because as easy as it looks, designing customs can take hours, even a full days worth. Working and designing soon became a struggle to keep up with, along with balancing physical & mental health. Gravitating to apparel was a huge risk during a time where there are many apparel brands on Instagram and Tiktok made it difficult to flourish within my brand. Everyone did/does streetwear clothing which made it competitive. Although I gained supporters through apparel, my brand is Yung$aintCustoms, not Yung$aint; I’m the Yung$aint, and I design customs. Thinking back at how it’s almost been 4 years, my journey has led me to seeing my brand’s growth with my personal fashion sense. Currently, Yung$aintCustoms is gravitating towards personal designing & custom inquiries. This will produce more 1 of 1 pieces that will make my designs even more unique.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Y$C has been active for almost 4 years and it wasn’t just an easy 4 years, it has been 4 years of lessons. When I dropped my first collection, someone stole majority of my shirts a couple weeks after. That one hurt because I saved all summer just to drop my shirts, but it only pushed me to do way better next time. Next time around, I dropped hoodies… too close to summertime. Then I dropped shirts & shorts too close to fall, but it wasn’t all the way my fault. I learned to definitely order everything 2-3 months before the time you want to drop something so you have time to plan everything out without feeling a rush. The biggest lesson I learned through everything was to not give up and give yourself time. As cliche as it sounds, I’ve went periods without creating because I let other personal issues take over, such as work, being tired, being lazy, etc. You have to grind for what you want and although there are rough patches, there will always be rough patches. You have to learn how to work through them while allowing yourself to get rest. Rest reduces rushing. Although you may produce great work through a rush and last minute, imagine how much better it would be if you took your time.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Yung$aintCustoms is a brand that specializes in custom pieces. Y$C also offers personal designing inquiries. I’m most proud of the evolution of the brand. It’s been 4 years and you can see the growth through my pieces. They just get better and better each time.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Networking is one of my favorite things to do because you never know who you might meet. I feel like you can learn at least one thing from everyone you meet, no matter who the person is and what they do. Networking can turn into friendships, business partners, collaborations, endorsements, and so much more. I love hosting & attending creative events, because I’m surrounded by people just like me; innovative & passionate in their crafts. There are so many types of events going on everywhere and it’s easy to find one suitable for you. I vend at events and I’ve met a lot of people who are interested in custom work. They wouldn’t have found me if I didn’t put myself out there!

Contact Info:

• Website: yungsaintcustoms.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/yungsaintcustoms
• Youtube: youtube.com/mamikilos

Image Credits
Boardwalk pic taken by me Mamikilos White background pic of me in fur is by Desmirera @desmirera of lite research @lite.research photo of yelli sneaks taken by amelia @ac.visons losin control artwork taken by me mamikilos & edited by @amariscrrsqll hoodrich photo taken by @amuroraw