Destroy Our Future is a Latino owned clothing brand based in Boston Massachusetts. Their design language and brand identity borrows from alternative aesthetics, hispanic-american streetwear, and monastic spirituality. This is seen through their graphic design, as they typically use iconography such as the Virgin Mary, along with other catholic figures and forms, as well as blending spiritual figures such as the black jaguar to reference latin-american spirituality.

I was tasked to design and develop a collection of graphic tees, outerwear, and accessories using this design philosophy. I oversaw the production from idea, to production, and coordinated the documentation of the product.

I wanted to create a silhouette derived from Christian monks, particularly Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. The goal was to reinterpret this silhouette through streetwear, drawing inspiration from brands such as Pelle Pelle, known for their ornate leather jackets, as well as the elaborate embroidery found in denim during the Y2K era. I envisioned a “streetwear monk.” This was achieved by extending the armholes, designing an oversized, sharply pointed hood, and incorporating elastic hems for practicality.

To bring this vision to life, we outsourced to factories specializing in denim and leather garment construction. We created detailed tech packs with precise instructions and sizing to achieve the desired look. Programs such as Adobe Illustrator and CLO 3D were used to develop the garments and simulate their fit.

By blending my curiosity for monasticism and sacred attire with my love for streetwear, particularly what I observed on the East Coast, especially in New York, I would decorate the garment with iconography tied to the brand identity. This project also served as an opportunity to experiment with new materials and forms.

The embroidered adopts the same design philosophy behind the Jacket with exaggerated proportions and iconography associated with the brand.

I illustrated the detailing that would be embroidered onto the garment.

The Camisa de Tatuaje, or the “Sacred Heart Tattoo Shirt is inspired by Chicano tattoo design. I illustrated artwork featuring Catholic iconography. This includes the weeping Mary and the Sacred Heart, along with seven swords piercing the heart to represent the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The six-winged jaguars represent the Brightstar Jaguar of Mesoamerican folklore. Tattooing and body modification hold deep significance across many cultures. As someone without tattoos, this piece allows me to express my admiration for the art form. With the imagery working in tandem, the garment can read as a convincing tattoo, while also cultivating its own mythology, where these figures and deities exist within a shared spiritual zeitgeist.

The sacred summer features a collection of graphic tees, and bottoms with the D.O.F branding and aesthetic. Here, I studied what people within my community wear during the summer time. It is warm, people are outside playing soccer, going to the corner store. I took this and created garments that compliment this lifestyle while added subtle punk detailing. The micro shorts have metal rivets, the gym shorts have belt loops to style pocket chains and scarves. The typographic style of the “Sacred Heart” illustration is inspired by y2k spray paint art found on t-shirts.