vestige came from something a lot more personal than just wanting to make another drop.

prest as a whole has always been inspired by my late parakeet, Zelda. i loved her more than i can really put into words, and even after she was gone, i wanted some part of her to continue with me. that idea first showed up through the flock graphic, and DROP//002 takes it further.

a vestige is a trace or remnant of something that continues to exist after the rest of it is gone. that definition became the foundation of this collection. Zelda isn't here anymore, but what she meant to me still is. somehow, that has found its way into prest, into the things i design, and even into these little pieces of wood i make by hand.

the imagery in this drop isn't Zelda herself. lifearthope was generous enough to let me use his bird photography for the graphics, and i used those images to explore the idea of a flock, strength in numbers, connection, and the way something can continue through what it leaves behind.

each bird in vestige has two heads. to me, they represent two sides of existence: what is physically here and what remains after it's gone. i don't think the things we love ever completely leave us. they continue through memory, influence, the things we create, and the pieces of ourselves they helped shape. the two-headed birds became a way of showing both at once, the living presence and the vestige it eventually leaves behind.

vestige is about absence without disappearance. about how people, animals, places, and moments can leave a mark long after they're gone. every deck in this collection is its own small reminder that losing something doesn't mean it stops being part of you.

for me, Zelda remains. as strange as it might sound, part of her now lives through fingerboards, through prest, and through everything this brand becomes.

trepidation is the fear and worry associated with the uncertain future.

for me, it is important to not be afraid of making any decisions, because there is always a good excuse for that: fear of failure, fear of judgment, or fear of exposing one’s personal things to the world. it is easy to turn these excuses into reasons to stall, rethink, and not make a certain step. i do not want any fears to dictate the process of creation.

this process is a combination of going ahead despite uncertainties and sticking to oneself. taking risks, creating meaningful work and following my path without knowing where it can lead me.

i would rather put something honest out in the world risking failure than keep it safe inside just to feel comfortable. no matter what happens with prest, i want to be sure that i have tried everything and done my best.