MadeinPhlly did not originally come to Miami to build a brand
By Chris Caprice
MadeinPhlly did not originally come to Miami to build a brand.
Around 2014, he left Philadelphia to attend Florida Memorial University and play basketball. At the time, the plan was simple: go to school, play the game and see where life took him.
More than a decade later, Miami is home.
“I realized Miami was becoming home because I genuinely fell in love with the city,” MadeinPhlly told Industry Idols. “The scenery, the energy, the lifestyle. It was such a major change from Philadelphia for me.”
Over time, Miami became much more than the place where he went to college.
“It became the place where I started building my life, my relationships, and eventually my businesses.”
That evolution would eventually take him into nightlife, music, fashion and entrepreneurship, creating the foundation for the identity people now know as MadeinPhlly.
From Philadelphia to Miami
Philadelphia remains part of the name and part of the identity, but Miami became the place where MadeinPhlly began building his adult life.
The move exposed him to a new environment, new relationships and a completely different cultural energy.
While his career today crosses multiple industries, MadeinPhlly is clear about which world had the biggest impact on the development of his name.
Nightlife.
“I would say nightlife represents MadeinPhlly the most,” he said. “Nightlife is really what built MadeinPhlly and gave the brand its identity.”
It was through nightlife that he connected with people, developed relationships and became part of Miami’s cultural scene.
Those relationships would eventually help create opportunities beyond nightlife itself.
Nightlife Built the Identity
For MadeinPhlly, nightlife was never just about being present in the room.
It became an environment where relationships could develop organically.
“It allowed me to connect with people, build relationships, and become part of the Miami scene,” he said.
That foundation became important as his interests expanded into other creative areas.
Music remained part of his identity, but fashion increasingly became the place where he could communicate who he was visually.
“Fashion is where I feel like I’m able to express myself the most,” he said. “It’s how I express my creativity and my perspective within the Miami scene and beyond.”
That distinction captures much of MadeinPhlly’s evolution.
Nightlife helped build the name.
Fashion became one of the strongest ways to express it.
Fashion Becomes a Creative Language
MadeinPhlly’s move into fashion was not simply about adding another business to his portfolio.
For him, fashion became another form of communication.
It gave him a way to turn ideas, experiences and personal identity into something people could see and wear.
That creative direction eventually became connected to Wakoshi, the fashion brand whose origins trace back much farther than Miami.
The story begins in Japan.
The Story Behind Wakoshi
MadeinPhlly says Wakoshi was inspired by time he spent living in Tokyo.
While navigating the city, he repeatedly found himself getting lost.
And somehow, he kept ending up at the same train station.
Wakōshi.
“I kept getting lost and somehow always ended up at the same train station, Wakōshi,” he said. “After a while, I just fell in love with the name. There was something about it that stuck with me.”
What started as a connection to a name eventually became something more personal.
MadeinPhlly began connecting the experience of getting lost physically with the broader idea of finding direction in life.
“I also connected with the feeling of being lost,” he said. “Sometimes you can be lost physically, but at the same time, you’re finding yourself and figuring out where you’re supposed to go.”
That feeling became part of the philosophy behind Wakoshi.
The Meaning Behind “One of None”
Wakoshi’s identity is closely connected to the phrase “one of none.”
For MadeinPhlly, the meaning is rooted in individuality.
“For me, ‘one of none’ is about being different and not wanting to follow a blueprint,” he said.
That mindset reflects the way he wants Wakoshi to exist in the fashion world.
Not as a copy of something already successful.
Not as a brand designed to fit into a formula.
But as its own creative universe.
“I want Wakoshi to feel like its own world, pieces, ideas, and designs that you don’t see everywhere else,” he said.
“It’s about creating your own path and being comfortable with not being like everybody else.”
That philosophy also mirrors MadeinPhlly’s own career.
His path has never stayed inside one category.
Nightlife, music, fashion and entrepreneurship have all become part of the same identity.
Music Remains Part of the Story
Even as fashion has become increasingly important, MadeinPhlly has never separated himself from music.
His work in music has also connected him with established names in hip-hop, including Jim Jones.
For MadeinPhlly, however, his relationship with Jones grew into something more meaningful than a music connection.
“My relationship with Jim Jones has become a mentorship for me,” he said.
Growing up, Jones was one of MadeinPhlly’s favorite artists.
Being able to eventually build a personal relationship with someone he once admired from a distance created an opportunity to learn about far more than music.
“Being able to build a real relationship with him and learn from him means a lot to me.”
What Jim Jones Taught Him About Longevity
One lesson stands out above the rest.
Consistency.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned from him is the importance of consistency and how you carry yourself,” MadeinPhlly said.
He points to Jones’ longevity and presence within the industry as something he has studied closely.
“He’s always maintained a certain level of respect and presence in the industry, and that’s something I’ve always admired.”
For MadeinPhlly, longevity is not built through announcements.
It is built through repeated action.
“At the end of the day, people have to see how serious you are about your craft,” he said.
“You can tell people what you’re going to do, but when they see you consistently putting in the work and standing behind your word, they start to take you seriously.”
That principle now influences how he approaches his own work.
“For me, that’s a big part of longevity, being consistent, keeping your word, and continuing to show up.”
Building Bigger Fashion Experiences
The next phase of MadeinPhlly’s story appears increasingly focused on expanding what he can create through fashion.
He is not only thinking about clothing.
He is thinking about experiences.
“Right now, I’m focused on continuing to grow and getting better, especially when it comes to fashion shows and creating experiences around fashion,” he said.
His goal is straightforward.
“I want every show to be bigger, better, and something people remember.”
That ambition suggests Wakoshi is being developed as more than a clothing label.
The brand is becoming a platform for creative presentation and experience.
A Wakoshi Store Could Be Next
One of MadeinPhlly’s larger goals is eventually establishing a physical home for the brand.
“I’m also working toward hopefully having a Wakoshi store in the near future,” he said.
For him, a store would represent another major step in Wakoshi’s development.
But he also describes the process as an ongoing education.
“I’m constantly learning and challenging myself to become a better designer and figuring out how I can continue to grow.”
That willingness to keep learning may ultimately be one of the most important parts of the story.
MadeinPhlly has already moved through several creative worlds, but he does not speak about any of them as finished products.
Everything is still evolving.
Philadelphia Roots, Miami Growth
The name MadeinPhlly continues to point back to Philadelphia.
But much of the life attached to that name was built in Miami.
The two cities now represent different parts of the same story.
Philadelphia represents origin.
Miami represents growth.
Nightlife gave MadeinPhlly his network and identity.
Fashion gave him another language for creative expression.
Wakoshi turned that expression into a brand with its own philosophy.
Music continues to remain part of the equation.
And the relationships he has built along the way have helped shape what comes next.
What Comes Next for MadeinPhlly
MadeinPhlly says the future will continue to include both fashion and music.
He plans to keep developing Wakoshi, improving his fashion shows, creating memorable experiences and working toward the possibility of a physical store.
But he is not leaving music behind.
“I’ll always have the music side of me too,” he said. “I’ll still be dropping music and putting out some hits here and there.”
For someone whose career has never fit neatly into one category, that balance makes sense.
There is more coming from both sides.
And MadeinPhlly’s message to anyone watching the next chapter is simple.
“Stay tuned.”
About MadeinPhlly
MadeinPhlly is a Philadelphia-born creative based in Miami whose work spans nightlife, music, fashion and entrepreneurship. He is the founder of Wakoshi and continues to develop projects across fashion, creative experiences and music.
Follow: @madeinphlly
Website: Wakoshi.com
