Ghetto Rodeo: From the Hood to ComplexCon, a Conversation with Brian Saucedo

Dressed in a deep blue shirt with the Virgin De Guadalupe emblazoned on the front above the words Ghetto Rodeo, stood Brian Saucedo, a rose that grew from concrete, at ComplexCon 2023, hosted at the Long Beach Convention Center. The shirts on the wall read, “From the Hood to ComplexCon” making it abundantly clear for everyone that Saucedo is proud of his roots and that his brand is firmly planted in this soil. 

Brian Saucedo, 27, is the owner and founder of the streetwear brand Ghetto Rodeo, which was present at ComplexCon with a convention exclusive capsule and collaboration pieces with Mi Vida Loca, another Los Angeles brand. Saucedo’s brand is heavily inspired by the blend of Latino and Chicano culture with modern fashion styles, which he seeks to use as a way to establish brown faces within spaces where they have been underrepresented. 

I interviewed Saucedo as he stood in front of the blue lowrider his team commissioned for the brand’s ComplexCon activation, where he shared some details about the brand’s beginnings and the significance of his designs. 

Growing up in Los Angeles, Saucedo witnessed gang violence, which led him to learning more about gang culture, from fashion to faith. He decided to reclaim this culture by creating clothing inspired by, what he called “cholos,” which is a Spanish word for “gang member” in Latin America. 

Ghetto Rodeo’s oversized clothing, which is slightly cropped for a more modern look, is an example of this inspiration coming to life, borrowing from the the oversized attire, ranging from T-shirts to flannel shirts, that cholos are famously known for wearing.

The brand doesn’t sell flannel shirts, but they do sell “I ♡ Latinas” shirts and tank tops among shirts with messages like “no one is illegal on stolen land,” the former which empowers Latina women and the latter which shines light on the plight of Latino immigrants in the U.S. Other items include fitted hats, hoodies, sweatpants, and tote bags featuring Catholic religious iconography and the “made in Mexico” eagle which has become a Mexican cultural staple that is often featured on clothes by vendors in places like The Santee Alley of Los Angeles. All items on their website are currently sold out. 

Recently, Saucedo has expanded the brand to include images of crucifixes and the Virgin De Guadalupe on the clothing as a way to further incorporate Latino and Mexican cultures of faith into Ghetto Rodeo, but also because of a loss that scarred him and brought him closer to understanding the significance of religion in Latin America.  

“In 2020, I unfortunately lost my older brother and that’s when I started focusing more on having faith,” Saucedo shared with me at ComplexCon. “We pray to the Virgin Mary, we pray for her to guide my brother into heaven.” 

His connection to faith and the realization of life’s fragility, is what led to the creation of Ghetto Rodeo with all hands on deck and no holds barred. Next year, faith and dedication will be taking Saucedo’s Ghetto Rodeo to the runway where he will debut a new collection. 

We don’t know where Ghetto Rodeo is headed beyond that, but we do know where it stands. Their Instagram reads, “Para mis padres, para mi cultura y para mi comunidad,”which translates to “For my parents, for my culture and for my community.” 

Ghetto Rodeo has taken Saucedo “From the Hood to ComplexCon” and he is eager to follow it through the next door of opportunity it opens.