Meet Saint Khamal | Event and Apparel Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Saint Khamal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Saint, how does your business help the community?
Lifers Republic is an independent heritage street fashion brand founded in 2009. Springing out of the mix of far-flung niche musical and visual subcultures that fueled the original Jamaica / New York / London / Ghana streetwear scene of the late 2000’s. I didn’t start Lifers Republic to get rich, or to be in the spotlight, or to get into the fashion world. I started Lifers Republic because I wanted to participate in a microgenre of creative people who were making what would become streetwear in the early last 2000’s. We all have a part to play in this world, but the Republic is growing, its even taken on a life of its own in numbers.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The art and events we create is really unique because We try to bring different cultures together in a modern day feel. Some thing that really sets us apart from other events and art brands is the diversity but yet the inclusion of a lot of different culture and that is music style and background. It wasn’t easy to get started but I believe just seeking out the information and the drive to continually get better at the events and creating a social environment really key. It’s kind of hard to put a pinpoint on how we really got here professionally but it included a lot of traveling, a lot of learning studying, understanding of different cultures and just wanting to be a part. Not only can you visit a place but actually understanding the struggle of what they go through and what comes of that makes the difference when you’re actually putting on an events and showcasing art from different cultures.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
if my best friend was visiting the area I would have a few places to visit fa sure. If food is at the top of the list Desta, Grand China, and Chops Lobster bar are all great places. Getting drinks and having a good time would definitely be next but it just depends on what is actually going on in the city. The Belt line has a host of different stops, Atlantic Station, and Ponce City Market are great places to have fun and get into something.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents have really supported my vision for creating not only the brand, but to building a diverse culture, but also to inspire others. The hard work aspect really came from my grandfather when I went to spend some time with him to see and hearing his stories on success and failures. There isn’t one particular person who inspires me but I draw inspiration from a lot of people around me, my friend group which would be the most important. I also draw inspiration a lot from the 90s bad boys era and late 80s, lot of the New York and London Street vibe and hip-hop culture.

Website: lifersrepublic.com

Instagram: @SaintKhamal