Life & Work with Alejandro Casado

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandro Casado.

Hi Alejandro, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Miami, FL. I went to Florida State University. I’m of Chilean descent. moved to Los Angeles at 23 years old. I’m the son of an immigrant father. That came to America at 18 with no money at all. Worked his way from the bottom and became a very successful businessman. I took a similar path moving out to LA for fashion and design after college. I started my own clothing brand at the time which I got on a few celebrities wishing my first year. Then, I recklessly moved out to LA with no money at all, lol. I hustled my clothing brand for years. Went to conventions. Kept the dream alive. Then, I got into pattern design. I made clothes for multiple manufacturers, hiring a small team. Then in 2018 after my first big break, I started a full-on cereal restaurant in downtown Los Ángeles called Gizmos Cereal Bar. I built it from the ground up named after my dog Gizmo. It did very well and we almost had it franchised out but covid came in and closed us down.

During covid, I started painting a lot. had multiple different styles. One of them eventually stuck. It’s a combination of splash, art, and high vibrancy Miami Vice colors. It took a while for it to catch on but in 2022 it finally caught speed. I started making a living off of it. When all of a sudden, I decided to take my talents to Clay. I made multiple things, but what resonated with me the most was my sharkman which happened to be my first painting I ever made in 2015. Since then I’ve made over 20 sharks by hand and decided this is my thing. This is what makes me happy. Growing up in Miami on the ocean, fishing and diving. My biggest fear has always been sharks. As I got older, I saw the beauty in them. Such a beautiful, misunderstood creature with a terrible stigma. They can kill you, but they’re not here for that. We just made it that way. Sounds crazy, but that’s just what I believe in now. With my paintings, I like to admire artists and legends we’ve lost with my sharks I like to bring a fun aspect that people have never seen before. I hope to host art shows in the near future that I can give a percentage back to multiple charities in LA, along with those that research sharks. Currently working with a marketing company to put on my first show in March 2024.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I slept on couches for most of my route to success. 2016, I sold my first big paintings and was able to get my first nice apartment.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being that I had my own brand I screen printed and embroidered hats for multiple different brands through my screen printer. I brought them business they paid me per client I brought in. After that, I started a cut-and-sew operation making clothes for multiple brands.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
It seems cliché, but never giving up. If I told you how many couches I slept on before I got my first few apartments, feels insane. It was very embarrassing for me to be a businessman, sleeping on a friend’s couches.

Contact Info:

• Website: Theunimpressed.com
• Instagram: Unimpressed