Meet Gene Contreras of Downtown Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gene Contreras.

Hi Gene, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Well my fashion story started in Shanghai, where i spent over a decade immercing myself in the cities culture, language, art, fashion, underground, and its creative energy. From the moment i landed it changed the way i saw life, and genuinely gave me the inspo to start drawing and designing. The city gave me the inspiration and environment to create (OCC) Operation Chiin Chilla and its central character, Chiin Chilla. From its inception, Chiin Chilla was designed to be more than a logo. Chiin Chilla was born to inspire a little rebellion and alot of creativity, along its journey. I think since Chiin Chilla’s birth, its done exactly what the icon was meant to represent. Chiin Chilla is about finding your own true identity, protecting your imagination and dreams until you become who you truly feel you were meant to be. That core concept from the beginning molded into the icons battle cry, “Till You Fly” and the brands core philosophy of spreading, The Spirit of Chiin Chilla.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ive had plenty of obstacles along the journey like any other artist trying to communicate their craft or entrepreneur trying to figure out the next step in Los Angeles. After 2020, i returned to the United States and had to begin again from zero. I moved to LA with about 40% of what was left of my stimulus check, the brand’s story, about half a suitcase of OCC products, and the lessons Shanghai taught me. So you can just imagine my starting point. There was no community, minimal resources, and zero foundation of what i left and built overseas. Basically i had to reintroduce myself, and start from zero and rebuild OCC. Returning unplanned to America meant losing the environment where the project was born.
Honestly as i write this it still feels like starting from zero, but this time zero is with more experience. And zero is where imagination begins, i can proudly say ive learned. If you’re wise and seasoned YOU KNOW.

One of the biggest challenges id like to share is, i had to discover how or what/why the brand belonged in this new city. What was Chiin Chilla doing in Los Angeles. This city of Dreams. Today i am very comfortable with what ive done and shared with LA. Chiin Chilla is now in its new home, where Chiin Chilla had always dreamed of being. And sharing the “Till You Fly” message with the Angelinos that have and can discover Chiin Chilla in LA and California. A cool and underground asian fashion brand in LA. Chiin Chilla carries the energy of Shanghai into Los Angeles while becoming part of the creative art life of Broadway and DTLA. Chiin Chilla is more than a cute or cool character (which is how its been discribed) OCC is Chiin Chilla’s world rooted in asian fashion, storytelling, and the belief that imagination can help a person survive difficult transitions. The character carries my own truths of leaving one world, and entering another and continuing the journey without knowing exactly how it will unfold.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Today, Operation Chiin Chilla is a boutique sized independent fashion and character art label based in Downtown Los Angeles. OCC brings original Asian Art Deco inspired designs, asian fashion influences, cool and rare statement hats, a collectable plush and vinyl toys, original artwork and the legend of the Auspicious Chiin Chilla Cloud. I am working towards making OCC a hidden gem people are excited to discover. A companion along your journey, a fashion brand now growing in Los Angeles, with a story and message that are entirely its own.
In reality, being an independent designer means wearing almost every hat, every day. On any given day i may be developing a plush toy, directing a photoshoot, painting the studio, or creating content. Writing, answering emails, and selling direct to customers, all in the same week or even day. When you are building a boutique sized label resources force you to become resourceful. You make with what you got.
The Downtown Los Angeles studio is not only a place to sell products. It its self is becoming a living creative space where fashion, art, storytelling, music, future workshops and our community is and will be meeting in the future.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk has been at the center of my entire journey. The brand of late at times has shared the phrase, “The Journey is Dangerous” in a way answers this question you just asked. Every step of the way is a risk if you are on a journey nobody has paved for you, or you can’t even compare with side by side because your cards are different, your situation is different. Migrating to Shanghai, building a fashion label, creating an original character, opening a creative studio in Downtown Los Angeles were all risks. Getting out of bed is a risk. I have a quote, that i dont share much, but its installed in me quite deep and it goes. “Sometimes you need a little crazy. Always you need alot of courage”. I came up with that on a flight from HK to SH. I had a book of the walmart guy, Sam Walton, and the passenger next to me had a book of Steve Jobs, mr. Apple of course. We had some small talk on the plane and the books and i thought maybe if i combine both of their personalities, i might be #3 successful as them. LOLL JK. but yeah, if you dont take risks, your probably not living to your potential. There always will be obstacles along the way. There will always be people that dont understand you. And ive made more mistakes than anyone it feels like. Ive lost lost lost, and things disappeared but thats the lesson. I dont get it either most of the times, but YOU just gotta do it, TILL YOU FLYYY!

Pricing:

• $50-80 hats
• $300 Hoodies
• $40 Plush and Plushie collectables
• $80 teeshirts
• $80 swim wear

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ChiinChilla.com
• Instagram: tillyoufly
• Youtube: operationchiinchilla