Action Figures, created in partnership with DraftKings, is a content series spotlighting the people who believe in what’s next and make every move count. From athletes, creators, and innovators rewriting the playbook, these voices are united in a shared mindset: a commitment to hustle and to ignite their passion on every play. For the third installment, Action Figures highlights Antonio Corrales, the founder and designer of Corruptkid, a fashion label rewriting the blueprint on custom-made, utility-driven streetwear.
When we meet up with Corrales, he’s busy at work in the studio. Growing up in Worcester, Massachusetts, Corrales never intended to leave his hometown, despite his dream of becoming a fashion designer. The calling came at a young age, watching his grandmother sew and tailor garments at home. She taught him how to use traditional machinery and fabrication tools, and while studying at Bentley University, he began creating his own designs.
“I would take things apart, put them back together, distress them, and it quickly became an obsession,” he recalls. “I would spend maybe a minimum of 12 hours a day just sewing, and I eventually taught myself how to make clothes from scratch and create pattern drafts. Now, every day is a challenge to learn something new.”
Reimagining the Blueprint
Self-taught and self-inspired, Corrales’ design philosophy is simple: he makes clothes that he wants to wear. He’s bound to collections that are rugged yet expertly tailored, with a knack for reconstructing denim. “My inspirations come from vintage, old-school military and tactical uniforms, farm wear, even corporate workwear. I love jeans — that’s my main specialty. I see how I can tweak the seams, button fly, or add utility pockets to a pair of denim that no one’s seen before.”
The Power of Leadership
Corrales’ fashion imprint, Corruptkid, founded in 2021, specializes in street-inspired garments with strong military and utilitarian elements — distressed, baggy, patchwork and upcycled designs that combine these sensibilities into an edgy visual language. In a league of his own, what motivates Corrales is protecting his sense of authorship and innovation, but he’s quick to point out that no one propels to the top without the help of others. Before launching his brand, he was an avid soccer player and distinctly remembers the teachings his coach imparted. “Learning how to lead a team and accomplish your goals together is very similar to running a campaign or designing a collection. I have to delegate tasks to different members of the team and encourage us all to stay focused on a shared goal.” He mentions that he’d like to design a custom kit for his local team, the New England Revolution, but in the meantime, he’s busy fulfilling orders for artists like Kendrick Lamar.
Finding Your Tribe
When Lamar’s team reached out to secure custom garments for the artist’s 2025 Grand National Tour, Corrales immediately gravitated to Lamar’s vision. “The main focus was referencing baggy clothes from the ’90s, that classic LA, Compton look, and mixing that with military elements. I was like, ‘Perfect, I can do that.’ I stuck to my roots.” A wordsmith from a mad city, Lamar, was clad in baggy denim with patchwork camo overlays and oversized pockets — ensembles that perfectly encapsulated the artist’s energy while highlighting Corruptkid’s distinct design ethos.
Since then, Corrales has hosted various pop-ups with upcoming activations slated for 2026 in Boston, Austin, and Cambridge. He’s secured stock deals with brands in Osaka, Japan, and is hungry to continue growing his brand. Expanding the bounds of his creativity and the future of Corruptkid, he’s gearing up for his first runway collection for Fall 2026. “I’m challenging myself to create a 15-20 piece collection. Formal wear is a huge challenge for me that I want to begin exploring. We’re working on button-ups, blazer jackets, trench coats, denim, and even looking at creating a pair of boots.”
Action Figures Close to Home
When asked if there have been action figures in his life who’ve influenced his professional development, Corrales has no idols in mind aside from his father. “My father is a huge action figure of mine. He came to this country when he was eight years old without speaking English. He jumped into school as a first-generation college [student]. He’s really where I got my work ethic from, and he inspires me every day to keep going.”
Inspired by family members and fashion elements that illuminate working class communities, Corrales has big dreams that are rooted close to home. His aspirations align with a hustler mentality, to learn, grow, and pick up the pieces when things require more effort and time than expected. But this journey is part of the magic, and it’s a sentiment deeply embedded in Corruptkid — breaking the paradigm starts with building the pattern of loose parts.
Dive into the Action Figure journeys of Round21 founder, Jasmine Maietta, and Barriers Worldwide founder, Steven Barter, spotlighted by DraftKings here.