My name is Gia, a NJ based designer and CEO of Street Serenade Apparel LLC. My brand concept came from my senior design collection in college. Hip Hop, street culture, and fashion have been a major influence over my life since as far back as I can remember. Tupac Shakur’s poem “The Rose That Grew from Concrete” spoke value to my life and situations as I struggled with unforeseen college and life circumstances. It was more than clothing and a project for me, It represented every situation, win, lose, joy and pain up until that very moment and I wanted to share that with my peers and those I came into contact with. The streets have birthed some of the most intelligent and influential artist, entrepreneurs, and motivators we came to know and look up to . I stand firm on the belief that we are not a stereotype nor is being a product of our environments our only option. I aspire to  help our people celebrate their damaged petals and know that these concrete restraints cannot refrain us from blossoming into our full potential. There’s beauty in the struggle. Find your truth within it and embrace your journey from the ground up.