Conversations with Rickey Webster

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rickey Webster.

Rickey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I lost both of my parents young and grew up in foster care from age 9 to 18. I moved around a lot across the country, but New York was always home — between Harlem and Brooklyn, where most of my family lived. Being the first-born to Jamaican immigrants, I’ve always carried that mix of toughness, rhythm, and faith.

Growing up the way I did taught me how to survive, but it also taught me how to create. I turned everything I went through into art.Designing, storytelling, and finding peace through expression. When I got to Atlanta, that’s when things really started to move. In 2022, I built The Peaceful People, a brand that’s all about rebirth, resilience, and turning pain into something powerful. Everything I make comes from that, a reflection of my journey, my culture, and the peace I had to fight for.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey definitely hasn’t been smooth. Losing both of my parents at a young age meant I had to grow up fast. Spending my childhood in foster care taught me resilience, but it also came with a lot of instability. constantly adapting, moving, and learning how to rely on myself. Those early experiences shaped my independence but also forced me to process a lot on my own.

As I got older, I faced moments where I had to rebuild from scratch financially, emotionally, and creatively. There were times when I had to pause everything just to survive, but those same challenges taught me focus and faith. Every setback became a chance to refine who I was and what I wanted The Peaceful People to represent.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a multidisciplinary artist and designer — I tell stories through fashion, sound, and movement. My work lives at the intersection of culture, spirituality, and streetwear. I’m the founder and creative director of The Peaceful People, a brand that’s part art project, part social experiment. It’s about rebuilding peace from chaos, turning pain, memory, and city energy into wearable storytelling.

What sets me apart is how personal everything I create is. I design from real emotion. Heartbreak, survival, and faith. My pieces feel lived in, like they’ve already had a life before they touch yours. Every drop is meant to feel like a world, not just a product, something you can see, feel, and believe in.

I’m most proud of building all of this from nothing. No investors, no big team just grit, vision, and consistency. I’m not chasing trends; I’m building a universe.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Don’t rush the process. Build your foundation before you chase validation. The real work happens in the quiet seasons when nobody’s watching. That’s where you figure out who you are and what your message really is.

Don’t compare your timeline to anyone else’s. Move with intention, not pressure. It’s better to be known for substance than speed.

Invest in your craft, take risks, and protect your peace while you grow. You’ll fail, you’ll get doubted, and sometimes you’ll lose everything, but that’s how you learn to build something real.

Most importantly, stay true to your story. Authenticity always cuts through the noise.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1800splurge
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickey-webster-b6649531a