About Us
Bands Before Riches donates a t-shirt with each sweatsuit purchase to kids living in group homes and foster care facilities within San Francisco.
Bands Before Riches was created by Phillip Pitney who grew up in an urban community with very little means. He created this clothing line as a way to give back to his community and share his story.
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Phillip Pitney Founder, Bands Before Riches Clothing Phillip Pitney, founded Bands Before Riches Clothing Brand as a way to share his story and give back to underprivileged kids living in foster care, within his hometown community of San Francisco, California. In 2009, Philip was wrongfully convicted and received a sentence of life in prison at the young age of 19. Although the victim of the crime has twice petitioned for his release, this plea and his case has been ignored. Phillip remains in prison but has made the best of his time there, by learning about business and becoming an entrepreneur in the process. In 2018, he was inspired to develop the Bands Before Riches Clothing Brand after his friend created t-shirts with the hashtag #FREEILLY (Phillip’s nickname) and sold them as a way to support Phillip. Phillip identifies himself as a troubled youth. He grew up with very little means and would steal, in order to wear nice clothing like the older kids did. He values style and quality when it comes to his clothing brand and is passionate about the importance of young people feeling good about themselves, in regards to how they look and what they wear. He collaborates with local group and foster homes, by donating a t-shirt with the purchase of every Bands Before Riches Clothing Brand sweatsuit. Phillip aims to eventually get his clothing distributed at major department stores. With the support of his fiancee, Cherrise Hughes, he is developing a non-profit organization called, Bands Before Riches Family, which will dedicate more resources to underprivileged kids in urban San Francisco communities. |