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Meet Albert De La Garza of Macabre in Thatcher

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Albert De La Garza.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Albert. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My name is Albert De La Garza. I’m 25, born and raised in a small mining town Morenci, AZ. Growing up, I was a skater kid, a metalhead, a “weirdo”. I always had a few friends at a time, skating a lot and playing my brother’s drums. Just a troubled teen really. I was definitely never popular and most of the time, I got bullied or people just didn’t like me. I stuck more with myself the older I got too, drawing/painting a lot, skating still, and sometimes getting into trouble. I always worked though. I always had a job.

MACABRE started out always as an idea like most dreams. I always had that word stuck in my head growing up, probably heard it off a movie or something… MACABRE is definitely more than just a clothing brand to me, it’s my everything. It’s my purpose to life and my outlet to everything messed up in the world we live in.

I started a year ago, officially. Before that, I had experience in a screenprinting/label-making factory and had various jobs of that sort. I was raised in an older traditional way, not like many millennials now. My parents came from a very rough background, I was raised in a good home but there were many family problems too, but there was always love, always food, always a roof over my head. My parents taught me how to earn what I want in life. I’ve always wanted big things for myself and wanted more than the money or fame. I want to carve my name into the earth with MACABRE.

I’m simply trying to make a space for myself, an outlet, and hopefully, people love it as much as I do. The brand name, “MACABRE” stands for images or visuals depicting gruesome violence or death. Which I felt perfectly encapsulates what I’m into, dark stuff. I’ve always been into darker movies, gothic stories, old horror films and heavy music. I lived a pretty messed up life so far, and I feel all the darker media I’m into resonated with me the most. Everything that makes “me”, me, is in the brand. I simply just make what I love to see and what moves me.

I hope it gives people insight to dig deeper in themselves and even ask more questions in life. And to never be satisfied with yourself, to always better yourself and do big things in your life. Where I am today? I’m happy. That’s all that should matter anyway. Movement and progress have been made, but like I said before, I’m not trying to be anything I’m not, I’m not trying to step on peoples’ toes and be a copy.

I didn’t create MACABRE for money or the fame. I still work a full-time job seven days a week 12-hour shifts, I’m a work machine and MACABRE has even helped me push more with my life, to better myself continually. Soon I hope to give back to my community, my hometown Morenci, Safford, Thatcher areas. The places I grew up, the places I have seen, and the people who’ve been in my life. They have all had a huge impact on my life. I try to generalize a lot of themes and messed up philosophies into my work with the brand using what I have been through myself. My messed up views of religion, government and living in general.

So to me… MACABRE is sitting on a bench in the middle of your city watching it all burn down and yet… finding beauty amongst all the confusion and chaos. Much like life. THIS LIFE IS VIOLENT.

Has it been a smooth road?
A lot of my challenges have been being broke most of the time due to building the brand, trying to skimp by and fuel the brand. I’m just trying to grow MACABRE worldwide. I want everyone to know about the brand. Just starting out in this industry is very hard; owning a business that you’re serious about is hard. Takes a lot out of you but I would never give it up for anything. I made a promise to myself to always keep pushing MACABRE.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Macabre – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
MACABRE is a one-man operation. Ran by myself, Albert De La Garza. I’m not known, but if I am “known”, it’d be in my hometowns where people have taken notice I’m doing something and they support it. What makes me the proudest is finally doing something I’m truly passionate about, being true to myself. I feel it is important to do something your passionate about, otherwise, what’s the point?

What sets me apart from others is my drive. My constant worry and never being satisfied. MACABRE is my everything. It’s a rat race in life, and if you’re not pushing yourself to your limits, you’re settling. I don’t want to settle. I want MACABRE to be bigger than myself when I die. My life would’ve meant something.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like Phoenix simply because I love the desert. I love desolate locations, the small town I grew up in near Phoenix, is Morenci. A small mining town and Arizona will always be my home. The landscapes, the dry climate, the local artists are untapped and each one is unique in their own way. I work with friends that are music artists in Phoenix like JVCKACID and MULTIPLEXES, they’ve helped me a lot grow as a businessman and we continually push each other.

I’m not a fan of the traffic, the hustle and bustle everyday, sometimes it’s nice to live in smaller areas just because you have more peace of mind and can focus more on work.

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Albert De La Garza

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