Philanthropy has long been a part of Moreno’s life; he spoke in prisons and organized local charitable initiatives even before his rise to financial success. Although Moreno grew up in poverty, he found wealth by helping others. “It should always be about giving.” Today, he runs the Freedom Accelerator Fund, which guides early-stage startups to accelerated growth. He also runs a mentorship program that provides value to students, entrepreneurs and future leaders. “When you come from nothing, help – in any form – feels like everything.”
From that perspective, it’s hard to imagine Moreno’s multi-acre mountaintop estate being owned by someone who hasn’t been able to afford decent housing and food for most of his life. “I’m a tough person, but I owe my success to my authenticity. Whether rich or poor, my values have always remained the same, and besides, God works through me.”
Integrity is a key part of Moreno’s approach and one of the tenets – if not the tenet – of his new venture, PLACE OF ELMS. While the carefully crafted, high-quality, limited-edition designs uniquely position the brand as a leading force in luxury fashion, what sets it apart is the strong foundation on which the brand is built. The brand’s ethos – luxury with integrity – is not a marketing ploy, but a belief system. Buying PLACE OF ELMS means committing to its values of strength, respect, truth, freedom and, above all, integrity.
The impetus for the brand came when Moreno noticed a discrepancy between his values and those of other major labels. “When I started to afford luxury goods and looked more closely, I realized that the majority of this industry does not represent pro-human values. Instead, it secretly propagates the latest sociopolitical trends that are not necessarily conducive to the next generation.”
Moreno’s long-standing advocacy for pro-human values and call for unity have clearly resonated. In recent years, his personal Instagram videos have been viewed over a hundred million times, inspiring a new wave of supporters. Moreno’s vision for the brand was therefore simple: to create luxury items that embody values that people are proud to stand behind. He emphasizes that wearing PLACE OF ELMS is not just a fashion statement, but a symbol of our collective strength, underscoring the brand’s role in advancing humanity. “Wearing PLACE OF ELMS is like wearing a badge of honor, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, vaccination status or political affiliation; it is a symbol of leadership and empowers those who wear it to stand up for truth and justice.”
Despite resistance from the mainstream, Moreno is confident that others will eventually join the movement. “The demand for a value-based economy will be in vogue in the coming years, and PLACE OF ELMS will be at the forefront of that,” he says, smoking a Hoyo de Monterrey cigar while crossing one leg over the other barefoot. Moreno sits back outside and looks out at the mountain landscape surrounding him. “When I’m out here, I’m always grounded,” he says. He walks barefoot to connect with nature.
Moreno’s faith in the power of nature is the essence behind the name PLACE OF ELMS. In keeping with the brand’s philosophy, the name embodies a place deeply rooted in its core values and inspired by the wisdom of nature. “Reconnecting with nature helps return things to their original, harmonious state,” and with PLACE OF ELMS, that’s a mountain Moreno is willing to climb. On the official PLACE OF ELMS website, one can navigate to a section aptly titled “Awakening” and find a range of resources, from videos to the brand’s “Weekly Wisdom” newsletter, designed to help advance our collective enlightenment and reconnection with God and nature. Of the brand’s direction, Moreno says, “I wanted to create something that went beyond myself.”
And he’s done it by infusing the brand’s values of luxury and integrity into every aspect of their products and business model. Moreno sources only the finest fabrics and works exclusively with small, family-run businesses that support the brand’s values. He even goes so far as to meet all of his suppliers and artisans in person. “It’s not just about the products; it’s about the people and the shared values that connect us.” A true artist at heart, Moreno is a self-taught debut designer and is climbing his way to value-driven luxury fashion, one mountain at a time.
Media contact
Rob FrenchPlace of Elms Inc., 1 438-308-3783, (email protected)https://placeofelms.com/
SOURCE: Place of Elms Inc.
