Meet Javier Aguiluz (Creative Director) & Marcus Abundis (Head of Operations)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Javier Aguiluz & Marcus Abundis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Javier and Marcus, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Marcus: Graduating from USC, it was an unconventional thing to not go the corporate route and instead pursue a career in the creative side of the fashion industry. I can thank Javier for introducing me to the world of fashion and art, and his constant pursuit of expressing himself artistically has allowed me to understand that it’s more of a lifestyle than merely a career. Being able to express myself artistically through Abeja Studios makes it feel like existing is as easy as taking a breath. And that sweet spot of freely expressing myself brings me to a flow state, which we call the Dream Center.

Javier: I couldn’t picture myself pursuing something I didn’t want to do in life. Being an artist is something that I guess comes naturally in a way. So doing what I do just makes the most sense to me.

What should our readers know about your business?
Javier and Marcus: What sets us apart from others is that our product is all one of a kind, using vintage clothing and objects as the building blocks of our creative process. We believe we are revitalizing forgotten garments. We got to where we are today through networking in the fashion industry and building relationships in real life. Through these relationships, we have been given fruitful opportunities that have allowed us to grow at a steady rate. It was definitely not easy, and the journey has included a lot of trial and error. Both of us are still learning new things as we go, and we’ve made several mistakes along the way. We’ve overcome these errors by being forward focused and not getting caught up on the low points. This occurs for us by being experimental with our designs and interacting with our supporters so we create with our audience in mind while also staying true to ourselves. The biggest lesson we’ve learned is to not compare ourselves to other brands, especially large fashion houses. We have faith in the human touch we bring to the market. Finally, we want the world to know that we started from humble beginnings, and had to build the business from almost nothing. We both come from a small town where fashion isn’t a popular life path. We grew up being outside, skateboarding, listening to our favorite artists, and having dreams bigger than what our environment could offer. We want anyone reading this to know that it IS possible.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If we had a friend come to town, first stop we would make is Venice. We would hit Abbot Kinney Blvd and pull up to Lucky Stop Liquor to grab some cold Voodoo Ranger IPAs. After that, we’d crack them and walk around the streets of Venice talking about life and keeping our eyes peeled for inspiration. After a long day exploring, where we’d get food would depend on how deep our pockets are at the time. If we’re up, we’d finish the day off with some dinner at Chateau Marmont. If we’re pressed for cash, we’d grab some tacos at Baja California.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Marcus: My late father: Louie “Chito” Abundis

Javier: Virgil Abloh, Mark Gonzalez, Ye, Axel Vervoordt

Website: abejadream.center

Instagram: @abejastudios

Image Credits
Brandon Moningka