THE DREAMER:

From day one, it was obvious to anyone who knew Peter Leija that he was "different" and had an eye for Art. Family, friends, teachers and confidants KNEW that he would go on to do great things and had potential to achieve the "American Dream" by expressing himself through his creativity. 

 

     Growing up in a more "urban" Houston neighborhood, he was raised

solely by his mother who worked 2, sometimes 3 jobs, in order to provide for the family and to set the platform that showed her children that in order to provide, you have to work HARD. Life was not always EASY nor "luxurious," and while he did not always have the finest things, the little he DID have, he humbly appreciated - thus, molding his burning drive for SUCCESS. While statistics should have proved otherwise, Peter Leija refused to become just that and wanted to show the world that 'Whatever the mind can conceive; the mind can achieve..." So he chased his dreams.

 

THE STARVING ARTIST:

 

     As a child, Peter Leija's teachers were amazed by his talent. He went on to attend Houston's HSPVA (High School for Performing and Visual Arts) where he had become friends with Beyonce Knowles, Latoya Luckett, & other students with visions of success and talents that exceeded the "norm." He then, went on to attend college at the Art Institute of Houston, 

where he took his artistic talent to another level - graphic design.

 

THE DESIGNER:

 

   A few years later, he met his wife (whom also attended college for Graphic Design) and they went on to start their own graphic design, printing, marketing & promotions company, Platinum VisionZ. Together, they have made other people's visions come to life for 10+ years and have quite the portfolio to showcase. Because many of their close friends were heavily involved in Houston's Underground Hip Hop & Club Industries, this allowed Peter to network with many influencial people and gave him the open door. He began "So Cold Attire," a clothing line that offered screen printed fashion tees and custom, hand-painted clothing & shoes featuring bold statements and blinged out designs, which he was able to get into the hands of local artists, as well as other celebrities. With a growing graphics portfolio and a contact list the size of Texas, he was able to turn the page and began a whole new chapter in his life...

 

THE JEWELER:

 

    What led Peter Leija into the world of jewelry began with creating a logo for one of Houston's well-known Hip Hop jewelers, "Johnny the Jeweler" aka "King Johnny." Once he saw his design (the logo) showcased in a line of King Johnny Watches, this inspired him to pursue other jewelers. He and his wife went on to create many other looks  for various jewelers throughout Houston and spent hours upon hours at the Jewelry Exchange. Peter then discovered controversy and saw firsthand, the "competition" of the jewelry industry when he met and designed a logo for Johnny Dang aka TV Johnny, whom is a long time rival of King Johnny. For 5 years, Peter and his wife handled ALL of TV Johnny's graphic design, printing, and marketing while becoming friends with the jeweler. They designed various jewelry advertisements on billboards, mixtape covers, vehicle wraps, in magazines for The Source, XXL, Ozone Magazine, etc... They mingled with celebrities and went to star-studded events. Peter Leija was more than determined to become successful - he had a dream. When TV Johnny offered Peter an opportunity that he couldn't refuse, he accepted a job as one of Johnny's custom jewelry designers. In this position, he was able to take his artistic talent to unbelievable new heights - he learned how to take any vision he had and turn it into a magnificent, detailed piece of jewelry. With SOME initial knowledge about diamonds (ironically his wife's deceased father was a jeweler/gem cutter), he decided to learn even more by meticulously reading, listening, watching, and learning the ropes while at work. This, apparently did not sit well, from another jeweler's perspective. Feeling threatened by the fact that here you have this talented "ghost artist" (not receiving credit for their talent), who has now learned jewelry design and has managed to soak in everything possible that there was to know about gold and diamonds, he was let go and told not to use his knowledge elsewhere, Of course, this did not discourage Peter Leija but urged him to push harder and so, he debuted in the jewelry industry, introducing himself through So Cold Jewelry. With drive like this, who knows what else the future may hold...