Kingston Robertson has a message, as a young fashion designer, he has seen the power of faith in his life and wants to share that message with young people and those who might need to hear it. After facing 13 years in prison and doing seven, he realized that he had more to offer than what his life circumstances had brought him to. Upon returning to Madison, he chose a new path. As the founder of Holy Godz clothing, he turned clothing into a vehicle to get this message out.
While in prison, he found the path of education, which he leaned on when he returned to the community. He was able to do an online course at Parsons School of Design, where he learned the ins and outs of the fashion industry. Learning the basics around graphic design, how fabric effects health, and how to navigate the manufacturing landscape, he began to explore what a clothing line could look like. His first attempt was to create t-shirts, which didn’t sell at first. He followed up with a varsity jacket, with bold graphics and messages like “Born in Chaos, Built for Glory”, which his target audience connected with.
He had previously tried his hand at real estate and then the pandemic hit, he realized that he wasn’t able to connect with people and turned to reselling shoes, which he also found difficult due to difficulties sourcing products. Kingston found a balance and began driving truck third shift, which meant that he was up when his manufacturers in other time zones were also doing business. It gave him a stable income and a way to continue to grow his passion project.
Kingston also looked at the people he surrounded himself with. He found other like-minded people, with stories similar to his, of overcoming adversity and finding a positive path. Dee Starr, who was recently honored by having his podcast “OuttaDeeBox” inducted into the Wisconsin State and Sun Prairie Historical societies, featured his story and became a close friend and mentor. Chris GodXilla, a respected figure in the Milwaukee music scene, opened many doors. Eventually, he found himself connected to Arissa Washington, who helped him connect his love of fashion to the movie industry.
As a result of these connections, he is now embarking on his biggest opportunity, styling and wardrobe direction for an upcoming movie with Steven Love, “Stev O”, founder of Infinite Recordings. Stev O authored “Trust Nobody,” which he adapted into a movie and is working to release “Trust Nobody 2.” Which will feature Kingston’s fashion work. Like Kingston, Stev O became a writer while incarcerated and his story is one of using a setback to create a creative outlet.
Alongside his love of fashion, his love of mentoring will also find an outlet as he works on a program to share what he has learned with the younger generation. Realizing that with visibility comes responsibility, he is using his growth to find purpose and give young people something real to connect with. Whether that’s wearing his clothing or seeing his story as a blueprint for how they too can find a way out of no way.
