The Man
Owner and lead designer, Armand "Bo" Bautista, grew up in West Philadelphia. While his family wasn’t wealthy, they were rich in love and dedication to one another. With an actress mother and movie buff father, Bo grew up in front of the screen. Inspired by art, music, and - most of all - the style he witnessed, the young creative knew his favorite pair of high top Chuck Taylors, crunching through east coast winters, wouldn’t be his only footprint in fashion.
One of Armand’s favorite classes was sewing while attending Bieber Middle School. “ill2siq” was manifested as he tagged the name throughout his binders and sketchbooks while attending the former Charter High School for Architecture + Design. As the entrepreneur built his brand, he kept his pulse on industry standards through courses at MADE Institute.
Bautista’s education gave him industry knowledge, but it was his heritage and upbringing that molded him. As the descendant of a maternal grandmother who was left behind on a Native American Reservation and a paternal grandfather who laid train tracks in Mexico and throughout the United States pumps drive and resilience through his veins.
He spent a great deal of his time with Grandma Pearl - a career woman and Black entrepreneur - instilled in him the rules of money…
- Alway$ keep some money in your pocket.
- Never tell anybody how much money you got.
- Only be around people who have money or want to get some.
Bo stays busy, working hard to provide for his family, friends in need, and fund ill2siq.