UnfilteredSD is the combined effort of four high school friends who share their love of vintage fashion by creating unique visual experiences associated with collections of clothing they curated themselves.
The group consists of 16-year-old Gabriel Reyes, Kanoa Srisouraj, Noah Felizardo and 18-year-old Nathan Rodriguez. They’re an eclectic bunch, each member of the team carries their own distinct sense of style and character. While it’s unfair to name a de facto leader, Reyes tends to speak for everyone in UnfilteredSD and spearheads many projects. That being said, the group values teamwork immensely and equally contributes something of value to every aspect of their artistic process.
As is the case with most resellers, the group began as average consumers, going to flea markets and various boutiques in the San Diego area. Reyes and Srisouraj were the first to come up with the idea of reselling clothing amongst their friends, Felizardo and Rodriguez came soon after and were the only two to “stick around,” according to Reyes. From that, a sort of brotherhood bloomed and they’ve worked together seriously for about a year now.
At first, they sold clothes from their personal closets alongside a few curated pieces. However, that was just a test run, and since then, the group has worked in many markets and made their way around the San Diego fashion scene. They’ve made good profits solely from their own sensibilities, but they obviously want more than money and local notoriety.
This month, the gang is dropping their most ambitious project yet, a collection of coordinated his and hers pieces all based around the concept of love, aptly titled “The Lovers.” Per their Instagram announcement, their aim is “through curation and promotion… showing raw, unfiltered, true love. Something that a lot of us lack these days.”
These are pretty big words from a group of kids, but strangely accurate given recent times. Indeed, it’s an uncommon angle to attack something as unnuanced as clothing curation, however, that is exactly what makes it so appealing. The group treats their business more like an independent brand than a typical vintage fashion curator would.
“So I like the business aspect, but I feel it’s more building a brand… That’s what I think sticks us out is that we try to build a brand as much as we can,” said Reyes. The rest of the group generally agreed with his sentiments but Rodriguez added, “We want to stand out and also because we want to make a story through curation, which like a lot of people, from what we know, haven’t done before.”
Outside of their aspirations, mindset is probably what sets UnfilteredSD apart from their contemporaries, that, and the fact the group is spread across 4 people with their own idiosyncrasies. They each fell into the so-called “fashion pipeline” of late 2010s streetwear at a young age, before eventually getting into vintage clothing and diversifying their tastes. However, how their individual palettes manifest in a teamwork setting is an interesting sight. The easiest way to demonstrate would be to describe the earliest step in their creative cycle, that being sourcing.
An average day of sourcing for UnfilteredSD is relatively simple and in preparation for their newest drop, they already had set ideas of what kind of garments they wanted to find, something that isn’t always a given. They arrive at the bins at around 6 in the morning, and as soon as the public is allowed inside, it essentially becomes a free-for-all. Each member spreads apart as far as they can, searching different bins and collecting hefty piles of potential pieces before regrouping at the end to vote out the ones they will and won’t get. A normal person may spend all day searching through each pile, but the group was finished in less than an hour. For the 15 garments they purchased, the total cost was $27 flat, a loss they could recuperate with the sale of only one or two items.
Everyone has a different approach to sourcing particular items, but the group is built on something of an honor system. They trust each other implicitly and communicate their exact plan of action before they make any major decisions. By extension, that also means they trust in each other’s tastes, something that isn’t always easy when you’re working with four different brains, but something they’ve managed to do with very little struggle.
“…for some of us, sourcing is like, where it starts. And then everything grows out of that,” said Reyes
After sourcing came the promotional end of their process, which included gathering product photos for their curated pieces and themed photography of models wearing their repurposed garments. This is where the gang can really flex their creative muscles. The product photos were shot on the floors of a private parking garage and managed to confuse only a few onlookers trying to use the structure for its intended purpose.
The modeling shoots were more of an involved process. Reyes, who came up with the idea for this particular set of shoots while listening to “I Wanna Be Down” by Brandy in the shower, wanted their promotional photos to portray people on innocent dates, wearing cool outfits. Everything was to be styled by them, of course.
On the day of the shoot, Reyes purchased ice cream cones for the models to use as props. “An ice cream date,” he said with a smirk. However, it was an outdoor shoot and the conditions were not very favorable to the vanilla cone he had just scooped. Liquid Ice cream dripped onto the model’s hands and left a small trail as the couple walked around the park they were shooting in.
Srisouraj was in charge of photography that day while Reyes shot the video for a promotional film that’s set to release alongside “The Lovers” official drop. Despite the production issues the two were committed to their vision and managed to get through the shoot better than the ice cream did. The photos came out great and articulated the unfiltered and nostalgic vibe Reyes was going for.
“I think that’s also what makes us like, kind of unique is how we incorporate our film and our pictures,” said Felizardo.
“Our storytelling,” Reyes added, echoing Rodriguez’s statement from earlier.
Another brash claim from the young entrepreneurs, but one they seem prepared to defend. Not just through their words but from pure ingenuity and perseverance. As far as the future goes, the gang is looking to expand across California and eventually drop the SD from their name, meaning they won’t retire anytime soon.
On the topic, Srisouraj said, “I think this can be a long-term thing and I do see it as that. I also like the fact that it’s also an outlet, where we can all like contribute something.” Whether that means owning a boutique or starting their own market, we will just have to wait and see.
If one thing is clear, it’s that there is no shortage of creativity coming from the youth of San Diego.
UnfilteredSD’s “The Lovers” Drop will be released on July 26th and premiere at Hot Spot Flea Market in San Diego on July 27th.
Turn off the Bright Lights 