Icarus Flies

An introduction to an inspirational creative

I was in a class for creatives led by the empowering RJ Redden. We meet in a virtual tavern complete with joyful barmaids and questionable owl teachers. Towards the end of class, Armando asked a question about his store. RJ interrupted and said that stores like his have a story behind them. What was his?

And from the moment he started talking, I knew this was a creative that I wanted to support and promote.

Not because he’s the slickest salesperson, but because his story is beautiful.

Armando’s store is called IcarUs Revival.

He’s re-imagined the tale of Icarus (you know, the one where he flies too close to the sun and falls to earth?) and Armando has changed the ending. In his version, Icarus’s story doesn’t end with the fall, but with his learning to fly again. He’s reimagined the myth of Icarus not as a story of failure, but as a story of growth and recovery. In his version, the fall isn’t final. It’s the beginning of learning.

Armando told us about making a promise to his younger self, the one who was afraid of the risk of being a creative. That promise?

I Won’t Fail. I Promise.

It’s intended to be a promise, not to the world, but to ourselves. A promise to that inner child that dreams of being a creative.

Because failure doesn’t come from falling, but from not getting back up.

This morning I slipped on a soft cotton T-shirt that reads: I won’t fail. I promise.

It isn’t just a shirt. It’s a conversation with my younger self, the girl who wanted to write but was told it was wrong. The one who had to fight for every step along the way to being a creative.

A promise to that girl: all of the battle will be worth it, that there will be a place in the world for her imagination. Armando’s designs seem to say: You made it this far. Keep going.

Armando’s designs speak about that tender space between fear and courage, the question of whether creativity is worth the risk. That message weaves through everything he makes.

But one design speaks to me on an even deeper level. It is a tree of life built from thumbprints, each one unique. Together, they form a living symbol of identity and connection, rooted in individuality yet bound by shared growth. Because we do represent the family that we are a part of, both the past and the future.

My mother’s story of running from her art, chasing success and money is also a part of my story. My story is a part of my children’s stories.

Armando’s products speak to me because lately, I’ve been working on something that carries the same heartbeat. Something about resilience and joy. About the courage it takes to be a creative, even after life shatters and rearranges us. About finding meaning and value in the work of our hands.

I’ve lived through my own collapses, moments when stopping seemed easier than getting up and trying to fly again. But each time, the act of creating pulled me up again.

That’s what this shirt means to me. It isn’t a slogan. It’s a vow.

When I look in the mirror, those words—I won’t fail. I promise.—remind me that success isn’t about never falling. It’s about never giving up on the part of yourself that still believes in flight.

If that speaks to you, visit IcarUs Revival. Maybe you’ll find a symbol that reflects your own story.

And if you’re a creative stepping into a new phase, I’d love to hear what the promise you wear might be. Hit reply and let me know.

Something new is coming, something I’ve been quietly building from the pieces of every rise and fall.

For now, I’ll just say this: keep your wings ready.