Meet Khalil Soto | Founder & Artist for Essentzials Worldwide

We had the good fortune of connecting with Khalil Soto and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Khalil, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk, to me, is less about gambling and more about commitment. I don’t believe in reckless risk-taking, but I do believe in decisive action when you feel conviction.

My brand started when I was 22 and made the decision to leave my stable job as a bartender. I didn’t have a perfectly structured business plan. I didn’t have investors. What I had was belief and urgency. Walking away from a fixed income forced me into a position where the brand could no longer be a side project—it had to become my primary source of income.

That pressure changed everything.

Because I needed it to work, I approached it differently. I studied the market, tested products, invested in quality, showed up to events, built relationships, and continuously refined the vision. The risk created accountability. It pushed me to think creatively, move strategically, and develop resilience. When you remove the safety net, your standards elevate.

Taking that risk shaped my career. It taught me that clarity often comes after commitment, not before. You don’t always start with a perfect roadmap—you start with conviction, and then you build the roadmap through action.

In my life and career, risk hasn’t been about chasing uncertainty. It’s been about betting on myself—and then doing whatever it takes to make that bet a smart one.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As an artist and creative, I see my work as more than clothing—it’s cultural storytelling. My brand exists at the intersection of fashion, identity, and heritage. Every piece is intentional. It’s not just about design or trends; it’s about preserving culture, representing where we come from, and creating garments that carry meaning.

What sets me apart is that I approach the brand both as a creative and as a strategist. I don’t just design for aesthetics—I design with narrative and long-term vision in mind. I study how people connect to clothing emotionally and culturally. I’m intentional about quality, presentation, and experience. For me, a garment should feel like a statement, not just an item.

I started this journey at 22 when I left my stable job as a bartender to fully commit to building the brand. I didn’t have everything figured out. There wasn’t a detailed roadmap or financial security backing me. What I had was conviction. That decision forced me to grow quickly—creatively, mentally, and strategically. It wasn’t easy. There were moments of uncertainty, financial pressure, and doubt. But those challenges sharpened my discipline and resilience.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that clarity comes through execution. You don’t wait until everything feels perfect—you move, you adjust, and you refine. I’ve also learned that community is everything. A brand grows when people feel seen and represented through it.

What I want the world to know is that this brand is built with intention. It represents ambition, culture, and evolution. It’s proof that you can start with belief, take a calculated risk, and build something meaningful from the ground up. And we’re just getting started.

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.
my best friend was visiting Puerto Rico for a week, I wouldn’t just give them a tour — I’d give them an experience rooted in culture, flavor, rhythm, and history.

Day 1 – Old San Juan & Night Energy
We’d start walking through Old San Juan — the architecture, the colors, the history. Lunch would be at Manzana de Java for a chef-driven culinary experience that feels intimate and creative. At night, we’d head to La Factoría for craft cocktails and live music — multiple rooms, different vibes, dancing until late.

Day 2 – Calle Loíza & Santurce Energy
Breakfast at Pinky’s on Calle Loíza — fresh plates, strong coffee, and a laid-back island start to the day. Then we’d explore Santurce’s art scene, galleries, and murals. At night, we’d go to La Placita de Santurce, grab an Alcapurria Quema, and let the night unfold — salsa in the streets, loud music, and real local energy. That’s where you feel the pulse of the island.

Day 3 – Loíza & Afro-Puerto Rican Heritage
We’d drive to Loíza and visit Batey de los Hermanos Ayala to understand the Afro-Puerto Rican roots of bomba and vejigante culture. That’s not tourism — that’s identity. Then beach time in Piñones: roadside kiosks, alcapurrias, coconut water, bachata playing somewhere in the background.

Day 4 – Nature Reset
Early morning hike at Juan Diego Falls in El Yunque. Puerto Rico isn’t just beaches — it’s rainforest, waterfalls, and green everywhere. It reminds you how alive the island is.

The rest of the week would balance hidden beaches, spontaneous food stops, local designers, and real conversations with people who represent the culture.

What makes Puerto Rico special isn’t just the scenery — it’s the rhythm. The music, the resilience, the creativity, the pride. You can eat at a world-class restaurant at night and then grab street food at 2AM that tastes like tradition.

That’s the experience — not just places, but the soul of the island.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to start by giving a shoutout to my parents. From the very beginning, they believed in me—even when the vision wasn’t fully clear and the path wasn’t guaranteed. Their trust, support, and encouragement gave me the confidence to take risks and commit fully to building this brand.

I also want to acknowledge Virgil Abloh. Even though I never had the opportunity to personally learn from him, his work and philosophy deeply impacted me. He showed that creativity has no limits, that you can merge culture, art, and fashion in innovative ways, and that streetwear can carry intellectual and cultural weight. His example pushed me to think bigger and to approach design with intention.

Most importantly, I want to recognize every single person who has supported the brand—customers, collaborators, creatives, friends, and the community. Every purchase, every repost, every word of encouragement has contributed to the growth of this vision. This brand isn’t built alone. It’s built collectively. And through that support, we’re not just selling clothing—we’re preserving culture, telling stories, and creating something that represents who we are.

Website: https://essentzials.com

Instagram: Essentzials

Image Credits
Esteban Joel