Today we’d like to introduce you to Pierre Pryor.
Hi Pierre, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m from Brooklyn, Illinois, on the east side of St. Louis. I grew up in public housing with my mom and younger sister. My mom always told me to be better than my surroundings and focus on wanting more out of life. I had NBA dreams and always loved music. During my pre-teens in the mid-90s, being a street dude/drug dealer was the way to go for all of my friends, so I dabbled in the lifestyle. Seeing the new cars and latest fashion on the older kids in it always motivated me to go hard trying to get money to buy all new clothing and shoes that the veteran dealers had. Plus, all the dealers got the pretty girls’ attention. Around my sophomore year in high school, many of my friends were going to jail, and some lost their lives to street violence. My mom started telling me to always learn from others’ mistakes. So I focused more on basketball which kept me out of trouble. In the late 90s watching music videos became a big thing for me. Watching all the latest fashion trends from rappers always excited me. Always paying attention to tv show characters’ fashion sense, like Will Smith on Fresh Prince, Martin Lawrence on “Martin,” and Marlon Wayans on the Wayans Brothers. Martin and Marlon always had the latest Jordans on their shows.
At this time, I always needed more money to buy everything I wanted. So I made a vow to myself at a young age that when I became an adult, I would buy everything I wanted. So fast forward to my 20’s, and I did just that. I bought all the shoes and clothes I wanted. People started to notice my fashion sense and the fact that I always wore new shoes daily. One day, I remember telling a coworker that I should be a model, and she laughed. I was offended, and that drove me to get into modeling. A family friend got me into runway training and posing so I could hone my skills. I started doing fashion shows and networking with local models and fashion designers. After a while, I thought about creating my fashion line, which was encouraged by my cousin years ago. He said I was too fashionable not to have my line.
I thought about it and came up with the perfect name that spoke to my life’s journey, “A Success Story” Clothing which came to life in 2020 in the middle of the covid pandemic. I got my website “PerfectVictoryStl.com,” where you can book me for modeling gigs, check my social media pages, and shop my online clothing brand. Remembering me coming from humble beginnings and how I grew from that and then the world going through this new potentially life-threatening virus. Being on lockdown, I had time to think back, watching my mom struggle and sacrifice for my sister and me to have a better life. From running the streets with the wrong crowd, joining a gang, getting shot at, being arrested, and various other criminal activities that could have led me down a rabbit hole of a darker path of jail or possibly death. I made it out of all of that. A lot of people I grew up with can’t say that. Getting jail calls from my childhood friend put a lot in perspective for me. I always wanted to be a beacon of hope and an example that you can make a way out of no way. Fashion has always been my calling card and is a part of my personality and how others have identified me. I’m using a fashionable identity to push forward my brand and message. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has a story of having to “go through hell to get to heaven,” “rags to riches” story, or a “divine intervention” type story. Those are the stories I love to hear. It gives me motivation and inspiration to keep going. One day I plan to have a podcast called “What’s Your Story,” which is my clothing line’s tagline, where I interview those willing to share their “Success Stories” with me. I pray that their stories help my viewers and listeners in their journeys in life. I currently have a podcast I’m doing now with my best friend called “Giving Away Game,” where we discuss relationships and fatherhood. So my clothing brand, social media presence, fashion sense, relationships discussions podcast, and up-and-coming success story interview podcast will be impactful enough to make a positive difference in the world.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It wasn’t a smooth road. I started my clothing line in the middle of the covid pandemic, which was financially rough for everybody. Trying to sell clothes when many people are trying to figure out how they would pay their bills is very difficult. I can honestly say that God made way for me to do well then and continue to do well now. Luckily I know a lot of influencers in the city. So reaching out to them helps a lot with promotion. Another obstacle with the promotion was trying to get orders filled with my hectic work schedule, being a father of 2, and thanking God for my customers for being patient and eager to support me. With my podcast, it was difficult to book guests because of the fear of covid. My cohost and I still made things happen. We have had amazing female guests, and we are forever grateful.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My “A Success Story” clothing line has 4 designs, which were collaborated on with the help of my good friend Reggie aka “QuickBrain, who created the first 3 designs. The first was a spin-off of the logo from the Toy Story movie. Everyone loves that one; my second design is an abstract design that gives a hieroglyphic look. The third design is a spin-off of the “West Side Story” movie logo, which has a cityscape. I implemented St. Louis Arch to give the design an STL hometown look and vibe. I usually put the third design on the back of my hoodies because it’s a logo’s vertical rectangular shape. It looks great with the abstract design on the front and the cityscape design on the back of a hoodie. The fourth design is the latest one created by just me, which is a fine cursive design replacing the S with dollar signs in both Success and Story. It’s more of a simple high fashion design I thought my brand needed. I put the West Side Story cityscape design on the back cod hoodies with that design as well. I promote my brand more on IG and Facebook. I like to be a walking billboard, so I make custom designs that I come up with that may be outside of my website to make people ask about my line. I am most proud of my perseverance and determination to improve my craft and life overall. It has been a long time coming. My specialty is my vision. I always have a fashion vision for something, from a hat to a shirt to pants to shoes. I also have visions of helping the unfortunate people in my community and others. At times I need someone who can help me put my vision into reality which I’m blessed to have. What sets me apart from others is my humbleness and willingness to unify. With my Success Story brand, I want people to be able to share their stories and experiences with the world, and we unify because of it. It will show that we are more alike than different. Coming from nothing to something is a blessing, and it would be an honor to share with others to hear for their benefit. The mentality I have with my relationship podcast is to unify us all by starting and dissecting the conversations we need to have as a people. Effective communication will help everyone in their relationships. We have to be willing to listen as well as understand each other. My goal with the podcast is to reignite that desire for black love and promote black strong black families. I love to see black love online and in real life. As a black man, it’s my purpose to see that the black community is back strong as it used to be when black families were the foundation and backbone of us all. All we have is each other, and we must look out for one another, regardless of our differences. We are one.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson is never to give up. Always strive to be great. Always believe that there is better for you. Dreams only die if you let them. Keep dreaming and visualizing the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes I slack off or feel hopeless to keep going, but I find inspiration and motivation from someone or something. Which always comes at the right time. I pray to God to keep filling me with determination and always drive. I like to see others do great, and I always tell them, even on social media. I will inbox someone unfamiliar and speak inspirational affirmations to them because everyone needs it, even if it is from a stranger.
Pricing:
- Hoodies-$45
- T Shirts-$30/$35
- Shorts-$35
- Photo shoot—$50/hr
- Podcast/tv show/interview guest-free
Contact Info:
- Website: PerfectVictoryStl.com
- Instagram: All_Hail_Pierre
- Facebook: All Hail Pierre
- Twitter: PierreVdaGreat
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCBtSgNNhY_PUHun35hcZwRg
Image Credits
Pierre Pryor and QuickBrain
