About The Designer

As a little girl, I often flipped through magazines and admired not the models, but the clothes they wore. I asked my grandma for a red binder so I could sketch my design ideas, from formal gowns to avant-garde concepts. That binder became my world.

Then someone told me fashion design was unrealistic. Too competitive. Too hard. Too out of reach. Slowly, I let the dream go. That red binder — filled with ideas, ambition, and innocence — ended up in a landfill somewhere. And for years, so did the vision I had for myself.

At 17, something reignited inside me, that I thought I had extinguished. The passion came back, and louder than ever.

Growing up in the San Gabriel Valley outside Los Angeles, streetwear was everywhere. In the 2010s, when hype culture and graphic tees became common daily attire, I was drawn to the storytelling behind them. I still have vintage Obey and Pink Floyd tees from that era. I loved how a shirt could say something without speaking — how it could connect strangers through shared taste.

During my first year at Pasadena City College, sitting in fashion class working on a tote bag, I paused, opened my laptop, and registered my LLC: Ace Clothing Empire. Instead of wearing someone else’s art, I decided to create my own.

ACE was born from that decision — from reclaiming a dream I once let die.

As the brand evolves, I plan to expand into formal wear, carrying the same depth of storytelling found in my streetwear into refined, elevated designs. My first drop, The Duality Collection is about finding yourself after loss, and having the courage to create what you once thought was impossible.

Lacey Lingan
Designer & Brand Owner
Ace Clothing Empire