When you look good, you feel good, and that’s exactly what this young designer wishes for everyone who wears her clothes. At only twenty-three years old, designer Saint Renè Amabilis, also known as Renè, is beginning to see the fruits of her labor as Public Image USA, Public for short gains recognition on and off social media, a brand she built at fourteen years old.
Inspired by streetwear fashion that Renè witnessed being strutted by Black fashion enthusiasts, a spark ignited that led to creating a brand of her own. Although the brand is fairly young and Renè still has set milestones to reach, what she has accomplished thus far with Public Image is something worth discussing.
We were granted the opportunity to chat with Renè to learn more about her experience as the creator and owner of Public Image USA.
Let’s start from the beginning. You created Public at a relatively young age while in high school, which some may find scary and intimidating, and here you are at 23 years old still holding it down. When did you realize it was time to step out and turn this vision of yours into reality?
When I started my brand, I was 14 years old. There really wasn’t a particular push for me to start my brand at the time, I was just a young girl obsessed with New York streetwear. I was introduced to street fashion because of Tumblr in 2013. I followed so many Black fashion creatives that inspired me to start my own brand.
Public has experienced significant growth over the past year. Your designs and recent drops have received positive responses from social media. We see more and more young creatives, influencers, artists, musicians, and new and old supporters dripping in PUBLIC. What do you think has contributed the most to this success?
In 2018, Mando, one of my childhood friends, gave Chicago rapper Lil Durk one of my hoodies. Mando, also known as “CROWNSOHEAVY” on Instagram, is a celebrity photographer. After he gave Durk the hoodie, he took some incredible photos of him wearing my hoodie that went viral when I posted it on social media. After everyone saw Durk wearing my hoodie, everyone wanted one. My entire life changed overnight thanks to Mando, and I’ll always be forever grateful.
Public is marketed as being “a private store for members only”. Where did this concept come from?
Most people assume that my brand is run by a group of people, and one day I randomly made a post on Instagram saying “PUBLIC IS NOT A GROUP” and my friend, Alex, commented under the post saying, “IT’S A CULT!”. From that one comment, I was inspired to go with the entire cult theme by making Public a private store for members only.
What do you want people to feel when they wear your clothes?
I love when I put on an outfit and it makes me feel good about myself, and that’s what I want for all of my customers. I want them to feel like the most fly person in the room!
Nearly every creative, no matter the industry they reside in, has some sort of routine when it comes to being in their element. When you are brainstorming a new design, where do you start? Could you paint the scene for us?
My brain is usually all over the place. I start my brainstorming process by writing everything out in my notes. I’ll write out everything about the design, from the full product details to the model I want modeling the piece.
Who are some of your inspirations when it comes to branding and fashion?
I’m inspired by vintage pieces from my favorite brands, such as Chanel, Givenchy, Bape, and Supreme.
What can we expect to see from Public in the near future?
I can’t say much, but I’m going on TOUR!
Check out Public Image USA at https://onlyforthepublic.org/password
Public Image’s IG and Twitter: @publicimageusa
Renè’s IG: @saintamabilis
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