This week made LYLTY feel real.
Seeing something I created become a product that people could actually wear made me feel excited. It opened my mind to where this could go and all the avenues we could pursue. What started as an idea is becoming a genuine extension of Haz., and getting the first designs ready has been my biggest win of the week.
I cannot wait to reveal the products that will form our first drop. It is not going to be big, but it is going to be special. This is the beginning of a new venture, a community, a journey and a much larger ambition.
The Founders Drop means more to me than simply releasing clothes. It represents the day ones wearing something I created and believing in the vision while it is still at the beginning. As Haz. grows, I will always recognise and cherish the people who were here from the start.
This week also showed me the reality behind starting a clothing brand. Creating something fully public comes with a much larger total expenditure than I first expected. The systems, fees and infrastructure can become expensive before the demand has even been proven.
That is why I decided against Shopify and WooCommerce for now. The current market for the clothes does not justify building a full public operation yet. If LYLTY grows to the point where more than one hundred people are actively involved through genuine interest, support and reviews, that decision can change. Right now, the Founders Drop gives us a more personal and honest way to begin.
The biggest thing I learned is that I will never sacrifice my integrity or morals for profit, even if that means accepting a smaller percentage of income. I do not want supporters paying an inflated price simply because a logo has been placed on a product. LYLTY has to offer something meaningful, fairly priced and worthy of the people choosing to represent it.
Music and clothing are not separate from each other in that respect. Just as I want my music to serve the glory of God, I want the products connected to my name to do the same. The goal is not to attach faith to the brand as an afterthought. Faith has to shape how the brand behaves.
That became even clearer at church this week. Father spoke about Cardinal Ernest Simoni and explained that Christ is all you need in this life. It gave me a conclusion to the mentality I had been carrying while deciding the direction, values and integrity of LYLTY.
It did not create a new morality for the product. It reinforced what was already there. I will not charge a penny more than necessary, and I will not release a product that does not glorify God.
I want supporters to understand that this first drop is not big, but it is special. It is the beginning of something we will be able to look back on when the community is larger and the vision has travelled further. Everyone who supports it is becoming part of the foundation.
I am carrying pressure into next week. I need to finalise the products and establish the first drop properly. But it is good pressure. It comes from knowing that the beginning matters and wanting to build it in a way I can remain proud of.