Transcript

RealReal Host (0:00)

So you're running out of closet space. The good news, you don't need to stop shopping. You just need to start selling with the RealReal. The RealReal is the world's largest and most trusted resource for authenticated luxury resale. Whether it's that mini bag that can't even fit your phone or those boots you never fully broke in, the RealReal handles everything from photography and copywriting to shipping and pricing. So you can just sit back, get paid, and make room for things that actually feel like you. And with 10,000 new arrivals every single day from top designers like prior Prada, Celine, Louis Vuitton and Loewe all for up to 90% off retail, you're bound to find something perfectly on brand to fill that extra closet space with. Plus, right now, you can get an extra $100 to shop when you sell for the first time. Make room for what feels like you go to therealreal.com to start selling and get your extra $100 to keep shopping@therealreal.com that's therealreal.com terms apply.

Interviewer 1 (1:00)

Our guest this week has stood alongside giants and went big pharma mode. How he got the streets pillboxed. The soon to be dad. Congrats on the sex. Might be the most and maybe last tasteful dude in streetwear. And his brand might be the most underrated and slept on label out there. He left his extremely pregnant wife to come rip apart with the boys. So hopefully his kid doesn't want to pop out in the next hour and a half. Here to talk Puerto Rico. Maxing his design stolen by cornballs and when he used to deliver pizzas. Founder and creative director brigade, Aaron Maldonado. Aaron, how are you?

Aaron Maldonado (1:28)

I'm amazing. That was. I didn't know what to expect, but that was pretty sick. Thanks. Yeah, I'm definitely. You're welcome. I'm definitely saving that somewhere. Sure to be. I'm going to watch it every morning before I get to the office to get hype.

Interviewer 2 (1:39)

Yeah, that should be the first thing that your son is exposed.

Aaron Maldonado (1:42)

Oh, shit.

Interviewer 2 (1:43)

Should I not say the gender?

Aaron Maldonado (1:44)

Oh, no, it's all good.

Interviewer 1 (1:45)

He comes out crying.

Aaron Maldonado (1:45)

You're like, Look, YouTube.

Interviewer 2 (1:47)

No. I'm late though.

Aaron Maldonado (1:48)

Summary

Throwing Fits: The Aaron Maldonado Interview with Throwing Fits

February 23, 2026

Main Theme

In this engaging episode, Throwing Fits welcomes Aaron Maldonado — founder and creative director of the highly respected (but still independent and underdog) streetwear brand Brigade. Aaron opens up about the journey from delivering pizzas and using tip money to launch the label, the hustle to create “undeniably great” collections, navigating streetwear’s shifting culture, dealing with copycats, the critical (and sometimes corny) state of New York street style, and preparing for fatherhood while scaling his brand alongside his wife and close friends. The conversation is equal parts fashion nerdery, behind-the-scenes business realities, playful banter, and deep dives into what it really means to stay authentic in an era of hype, saturation, and commodified “cool.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brigade’s Origin Story and Philosophy

Starting Small (Paper Bag Money):
- Aaron launched Brigade in 2014 with just $500 saved from pizza delivery tips.
- Process: “If I had $48 in tips, I would take the three [dollars], put that in a paper bag...Once I hit 500, I was like, okay, I can make like two T-shirts.” (24:01)
- Early manufacturing: DIY approach, business cards from SoHo, using dorm contacts for printing (25:00-26:00)
Vision from Day 1:
- Aaron dreamed big from the jump—telling his then-girlfriend (now wife and co-founder), Sarah, about a 25-year plan to make “the greatest streetwear brand for our generation.” (19:38)
- On what drove him: “I was sick of these old guys. We're the new. Like, how old are you at this time? 19.” (20:06)

2. Authenticity, Taste, and New York Streetwear

NYC vs LA Codes:
- Brigade is proudly New York—prioritizing real, functional, lived-in style over LA flash.
- “In LA, you can wear your crazy Gucci puffer in the middle of the summer...Here, we have to dress for function.” (22:44)
- Aaron’s wardrobe and brand draw on melting-pot roots, family, and the cross-cultural reality of NYC: “...all these cultures come together and kind of create something that's unique to only here.” (77:42)
Flagship Knits & Representation:
- Brigade’s all-knit flag sweaters (Puerto Rico, DR, Haiti, Korea) symbolize personal history and community—pieces that sell out instantly, often by word-of-mouth or association.
- “If I design from personal life experience...that’s where originality comes in.” (36:25)
On Streetwear’s Evolution:
- Streetwear was “hijacked” by hype, luxury, and clout-chasers, but Aaron sees a “return to real” after the pandemic collapsed the get-rich-quick bubble. (59:04)

3. Copycats, Biters, and Originality

Taking Inspiration vs. Biting:
- Aaron is candid about having his ideas knocked off, sometimes by much larger brands.
- “Some people go too hard...‘I made a pink T-shirt first.’ Bro, shut up. But when it’s blatant, yeah, I’ll say something.” (40:13)
- He’s also self-aware: “...as much as I would love to think I’m an original person, millions of people have also lived my life story to some extent.” (37:00)
Positive Collaboration:
- Rather than steal from small creators, Aaron prefers to partner and split bread—e.g., how Brigade’s iconic Puerto Rican flag knit was developed with the original maker (45:44).

4. The Business (and Struggle) of Staying Independent

No Investors, All-In Family Hustle:
- Brigade is run by Aaron, Sarah (wife, COO, buyer), and two part-time designers; cousin handles shipping (47:01)
- “If this collection, spring/summer 26, fails, I might have to get a fucking job.” (66:47)
Shadow Agency – ‘Who Did That’
- Brigade’s R&D braintrust also acts as a behind-the-scenes design/production consultancy for other brands, specializing in viral, niche, or just plain “weird” ideas (like the six-foot sock). (30:45-34:13)
Failures & Financial Risks:
- Aaron is open about near-collapse moments — like overstocking and overspending on Brigade’s 10-year anniversary and learning hard lessons about forecasting and product pricing (68:28-73:46).

5. Fatherhood, Brigade’s Future, and Maternity Leave Realness

About to Be a Dad—but No “Real Job”:
- “Nah, we're good...the brand is definitely, like, growing. We're in that, like, hockey stick [growth phase].” (30:24)
- Maternity leave at a microbrand is DIY: “If I don’t know how to do her job and she doesn’t know how to do mine...what are we gonna do?” Plan is “a week for sure” plus playing it by ear, with some family support. (49:08)
Stubborn Optimism:
- Aaron: “I'm delusional...I think Brigade has the potential to really be its own $10 billion giant, you know?” (81:18)

6. Thoughts on the Current State of Streetwear

On the “Stench” of Streetwear:
- “That barrier to entry being so low is why it has that stench...but it’s also beautiful because you can enter, like, me, total idiot with $500.” (55:16)
- “All the losers have moved on...now if you're doing it, you probably mean it.” (62:27)
Embraces the Label:
- “I make streetwear. It’s what I love. I embrace it.” (50:59)
On Gimmicks and Collab Fatigue:
- “Collabs are soulless unless they make sense for the brand. I don’t care about doing them just for headlines.” (82:27-83:11)
Marketing and Media Today:
- Marketing a young brand is “horrible” and a constant game of algorithms, DMs, and noise.
- DMs from “kids trying to pull up and put you on my TikTok, bro” are frequent and mostly ignored. (85:26)

7. Personal Life, Style, and Recommendations

Favorite Purchases:
- Clothes (nostalgia), his Land Rover as a 30th birthday present (“hard launched” to little Instafeed fanfare), and, occasionally, good food—although he’s a frugal home cook. (99:38-100:22)
Favorite NYC Eats:
- Uncle Ted’s (Chinese), Wei’s (Taiwanese), Anthony & Sons (Italian sandwiches), Casa Adela (“damn good dumplings”). Food adventures are everyday pleasures, not status-symbol stuff. (102:17-103:14)
Undergarment Plug:
- Babylon boxer briefs. “He sent me a pack...I put them on, these are fire, bro.” (17:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“You deliver pizzas, you got $500, you learn to make two good T-shirts. That’s streetwear.” — Aaron Maldonado (24:01)
“I wanted to create something new that can be like...I’m also trying to think like a 19-year-old right now.” (21:07)
“The baby's due the week of our spring summer ‘26 launch, delivery one. Can’t schedule that.” (48:24)
“The most important thing is to know when to say no. There’s power in saying no. Discernment is key.” — Aaron on the possibility of a Kith collaboration (81:04)
On originality:
“I think the best way to stay original is...design from my personal life experience...that’s how you create the original things.” (36:25)
On the state of hype:
“Streetwear is beautiful because it’s democratic...but that’s also the reason it sucks.” (56:03)
On marketing & influencer DMs:
“They always present it as doing you a favor...‘I have 110k on TikTok!’ I don’t care bro. Do you actually make anything?” (85:33, 85:57)
“We in the office, we like to say this needs to be undeniably great. Mamba mentality. Maldonado mentality.” (97:07)

Timestamps for Crucial Segments

Intro / Aaron Joins: 01:00
Fit Check / Style Nerding: 05:27
Brigade's Origin (Paper Bag Money, Family): 17:17–25:00
Early Days and DIY Manufacturing: 25:00–28:00
Delivering Pizzas, Hometown Reality: 28:21–30:09
Shadow Agency & Six Foot Sock Saga: 30:45–34:22
Originality, Flags, and Community: 35:00–39:53
Dealing with Biters & Internet Hate: 40:00–46:09
Small Team, Transparency, and Fatherhood: 47:01–49:08
NYC Streetwear, New York vs. LA: 22:44, 74:10–77:14
Marketing, Collab Fatigue, and Hater Culture: 82:27, 83:38, 85:26
Failed Collections, Financial Struggle: 68:28–73:46
Sustainability & Quality Conversation: 105:04–109:14
Undeniably Great Principle: 97:07
Wrap-Up / Final Plugs: 110:15–End

Final Thoughts

Aaron Maldonado’s energy, humor, and introspection stand out as he covers everything from the indie grind, the pitfalls of hype, and his steadfast refusal to “collab max” or chase trends at the expense of taste. Brigade, for Aaron, is a long-term labor of love—anchored in New York roots, family, and “undeniably great” storytelling through clothes. Whether he’s facing near-bankruptcy, cycling across the city in upper-number Jordans, or unpacking the complicated beauty and pain of genuine streetwear, Aaron’s message resonates: Make what only you can make. And do it well enough that even the haters have to admit it’s fire.

Plugs

Brigade: brigadeus.com — Instagram: @brigadeusa
Aaron’s IG: @enduringthewaves
Agency: WhoDidThat.us (locked)

Note: Skip to 17:17 for Brigade history and story, 30:45 for the business breakdown, and 50:59 for Aaron’s take on streetwear’s current and future states.