Castles and Queens: A New Kind of Royalty
Posted by DJ Morales on Aug 28th 2019
Fashion Designer Josh Holm is redefining our definition of success.
The creative director and designer of Castles and Queens, Josh is creating a clothing line that focuses on bringing awareness to individuals on American social issues.
While in college, Josh began spreading awareness by starting a college campus club. From there, his passion spread outward as he partnered with local nonprofits in Los Angeles where he involved himself in outreach at night.
Following this experience, Josh relocated to Thailand for a month where he filmed a short project to help bring awareness to the issue of modern day slavery. The film focused on the why and how human trafficking occurs.
Josh Holm is a creative working to make a global impact on the world. Through high quality and minimalistic products, Josh’s passion stems from the desire to help individuals in situations out of their control. Each product is branded with a name that represents a different story. Castles and Queens is a new kind of royalty, one that focuses on the Kings and Queens of our generation.
Sunglass LA's goal is to put the spotlight on the up and coming creators of our generation. It is our goal to enable and support a creative community. We reached out to Josh to collaborate.
For our photo shoot, I took a trip up to Venice Beach to meet up with Josh. Los Angeles is notoriously known for being overcrowded with chaotic traffic. Venice on the other hand, is a blissful paradise. I absolutely loved all of the art around Abott Kinney Boulevard. I used to avoid Venice at all costs, but after experiencing it in a new light, I can definitely say I am a huge fan. If I move there within the next year, you can catch me at the local Deus Ex Machina coffee shop. (Are you noticing a trend with me and coffee shops?)
Venice is absolutely gorgeous. Whether you're looking for a cute vegan restaurant on Abott or taking a stroll, the vibe and energy in Venice is a lot different to me compared to Downtown Los Angeles. I love the open streets and calm energy the visitors and locals carry.
Working with Josh was a super fun experience. Aside from creating his own fashion brand, Josh works as a stylist in Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Working as a full time creator, Josh is skilled in photography, videography, dance, and basically everything else you could think of. Talk about a jack of all trades.
With his background in photography, collaborating with Josh was super easy. Josh brought a wide range of versatile outfits which made the shoot flow easily. It was a pleasant experience working with another fellow photographer. Josh recommended different locations and would share his vision and composition for the image with me which was refreshing. Two artists working together to create some great content - overall a successful shoot.
So, here's my advice to you guys: Work in an environment that fosters you as a creative and live somewhere that inspires you. Both the people you surround yourself with and the place you call home has a huge impact on your motivation to pursue new goals and your passion to create.
I admire and respect Josh as an artist. The story behind his brand, the message he hopes to share with the world, and his desire to make a global impact is a rare quality amongst artists. I truly believe he has the ability to make an impact on the world.
Josh is a clear representation of a creator aiming for the sky with a keen mindset and pure hearted goal. Keep an eye out for this up and coming artist - you will not be disappointed.
Here are a few photographs from our photoshoot.
https://www.instagram.com/joshjholm/
instagram: @joshjholm x @djmoralesss
Until next time SGLA babes,
xoxo DJ Morales
photography instagram: @djmoralesss