the legacy

“Papa Don was a rolling stone, with style.”

before there was a brand, there was a man.
leather jackets. popped collars. gold jewelry.
a notebook full of wisdom and warnings.
he wasn’t perfect, but he was unforgettable.
and to me, he was everything.

papa don was the blueprint.
akron-born. full of charm. full of stories.
the kind of man who made an entrance,
and left behind a trail of nicknames, ex-wives,
and well-dressed grandkids.

he was the first person who made me fall in love with clothes.
not just for how they looked
but for how they told a story,
how they carried a moment,
how they turned pain into presence.

this is the man who ironed his underwear,
never wore a pair of denim jeans without starch and a perfect crease,
never stepped out without his Stetson aftershave,
and always had on a good pair of socks
the kind you could see just above the flood of his jeans.

he loved to dance.
he’d never miss a good two-step or an opportunity to spin you around the dance floor.
and no matter how busy life got,
he’d always make time for his grandkids.
time with us wasn’t a chore, it was his joy.

this brand started with heartbreak,
but it was built from my love of clothing.
and that love?
it came from papa don.

his legacy wasn’t clean
but it was real.
and it taught me that sometimes,
style is survival.
and sometimes, the most valuable vintage
isn’t in the closet
it’s in the bloodline.

this page is for him.
the rolling stone.
the relationship EX-pert.
the man who showed me that even when the world tries to break you,
you leave your mark.

you live loud.
you dress loud.
you love hard.
you own your past
and you pass it on.

this brand carries his legacy.
stitched into every collection.
especially the one that bears his name:
“papa don was a rolling stone.”

because he may not be here anymore,
but trust me
he never really left.