Christian Marcano: Building Resilience Through Streetwear in Northeast Ohio
- Kelly Coyne
- Jun 9
- 3 min read
Christian Marcano is making waves in the streetwear scene in Northeast Ohio. A Lakewood High School graduate, Marcano’s earliest exposure to fashion came from his aunt, Danielle Pusateri, a designer who introduced him to the fundamentals of creating and styling garments. That early inspiration planted a seed that would eventually grow into Resilience—the brand he founded in late 2020.
Why the name Resilience?
The word itself means “the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties”—a fitting symbol for Marcano’s journey. He said, “...I had to learn a lot in my life through experience which is a blessing cuz’ it made me who I am today and I’m tryna do things that nobody in my family has done before.” Marcano’s path was shaped by constant change and limited guidance, yet he persevered forward, carving out space for himself in fashion through sheer determination.
Hands-On Creation
Resilience is more than just a streetwear and athleisure line—it’s a deeply personal, hands-on endeavor. Marcano remains involved in every stage of the process. He explained, “...I think what makes me different and what sets my brand apart is that I’m very hands on and I like to be able to put my own touch and my hands on every piece instead of just reaching out to a manufacturer and having them do everything and just ship it to my door. I’ll actually take time and make sure I’m doing all the steps included and just gettin’ input from people in the city, people in my life figuring out how to put out pieces that I feel like make the most sense.”
He echoed the sentiment again: “What sets my brand apart is that I’m very involved. I like to put my own touch on every piece. I’m not just outsourcing everything to a manufacturer—I’m actually sewing, designing, and making sure each step is done right. I get input from people in the city along with the friends and family in my life, and really focus on releasing pieces that correlate to the brand's message.”
The goal? To create clothes that feel empowering. Versatile enough to wear to the gym, the club, or anywhere in between. Resilience is designed to make people feel—just as the name suggests—unstoppable.
Marcano has done it all: designing, sewing, distributing, and managing custom orders as demand grows. For him, fashion is not just business—it’s expression. He emphasized, “I would say fashion is an art. Fashion is expression and you can wear whatever you want. Literally it's an art.”
The Local Scene and Vision Ahead
Describing Cleveland’s fashion scene, Marcano calls it “more industrial or blue-collar.” He’s seen growth in the local scene but believes it still has room to flourish. “There’s been growth, but there’s still a lot of room for the scene to flourish,” he said.
At just 24 years old, Marcano has already gained momentum. On Friday, May 23, 2025, he released his latest collection—marking what he hopes is the beginning of Resilience’s biggest year yet. Reflecting on his journey, he shared, “It’s a blessing and I’m grateful but I’m nowhere near where I wanna be. So I just try to persevere through this time knowing that I’ve had a lot of great opportunities come my way being this young and still feel like it's so early in the process…"
His advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs? “I would say be you, don’t copy everything you see on social media. There’s not a blueprint or perfect way to do it and you need to make sure that your brand has a story, direction…You need to create a community that you can inspire and that looks up to you and who would be willing to wear your clothes…"
Looking Ahead
In the long term, Marcano envisions Resilience growing into a warehouse space that includes a storefront and a gym—a place for the community to come together. He hopes it becomes not only his financial future, but a source of opportunity and income for future employees. As he sees it, Resilience is more than a brand. It’s his legacy.
Follow Resilience:
Instagram: @resilience.bto
Follow Marcano:
Instagram: @c.marcano_
Purchase Resilience:
Comments