a*vision of hope.

Q: Thanks for sitting down with me. To kick this off, what’s the name of your brand, and how would you describe what it represents in just a sentence or two?
Arcade: The brand is called a*vision. It’s a play off the overarching name of my developing art house, Arcade Vision.

Q: So a*vision is part of this larger Arcade Vision concept — what inspired you to create it?
Arcade: When I was 16, I got my first camera because a friend believed in me enough to buy it for me. He was the first person to see light in my darkness — and that became the core of what I do. To me, in every dark space there’s always room for light to enter. Back then I was young, depressed, and dreaming big. He met me halfway and invested in me, and I’ve wanted to do the same for others ever since. Everything I release is with the intention of bringing light into dark places, inspiring others to keep going.

Q: It sounds like a*vision is as much a philosophy as it is a brand. How does that philosophy show up in what you create?
Arcade: All of the above. The visuals will play with light and dark, the stories will focus on hardship and triumph, and the community will be made up of people who connect with that philosophy.

Q: When people first encounter a*vision, what do you want them to feel?
Arcade: “a*vision of hope.” That’s actually a tagline I haven’t shared publicly until now.

Q: What does that phrase mean to you personally?
Arcade: This world is a dark place. a*vision understands the darkness but wants to bring peace into it. Maybe that’s through wearing a piece of clothing that makes you feel confident, or maybe it’s just connecting with the mission itself. Even though it’s just tees and hoodies right now, the bigger picture is about connecting people with hope — because there’s too much darkness out there.

Q: Why start with tees and hoodies?
Arcade: I’ve always loved streetwear and the culture around it. So while yes, this is for the people, selfishly I wanted to start in the space I’ve studied and admired for years. I’ve got endless respect for the icons of streetwear and I long for the day I get those collabs. And I will.

Q: Who are your dream collaborators?
Arcade: First, it’s important to say the name is stylized as a*vision — the asterisk represents a spark of light in the night. My number one dream collaborator is Darryl Brown of Midwest Kids and his own brand, Darryl Brown. I met him twice in Ohio, and he once told me, “The first place to start is by being authentic to you and what you represent.” That really stuck with me.

I’d also love to work with Stüssy — the godfather of streetwear — and Staple, because who wouldn’t want to work with Jeff Staple? And Bobby Hundreds and Brenden Babenzian of NOAH. Bobby taught me the importance of a logo and community, and Brenden showed that you can take streetwear and push it into something bigger and more meaningful.

Q: How do you want a*vision to stand out in the culture?
Arcade: I don’t think I’m different from any other brand just starting out. Maybe they have a team behind them and I just have myself and a few loyal supporters — but both are equally important. We all deserve our breakout moment.

Q: If you could speak directly to someone just starting out, what would you tell them?
Arcade: Just do it. Don’t sit on an idea that’s good just because you’re scared of failing. That’s what makes you corny — not dropping a “bad” tee or a “boring” piece. Not even trying is what makes you the corniest.

Q: When people look back at a*vision years from now, what do you hope they’ll say it stood for?
Arcade: That it was a true representation of a respectful and respected brand — one that used its voice to make life better for the people around it. That it brought light to personal and global darkness. That it refueled hope.