Getting a contemporary clothing brand to cut through the noise of the crowded landscape is no small task. Sportswear label GSTQ is proving to be up to the challenge, though; in the last couple of months, it had a successful debut at New York Fashion Week, expanded the brand to include menswear, and recently opened its latest pop-up store at Rockefeller Center.

Founded by Dany Garcia, a Cuban-American daughter of immigrant parents, the brand aims to build community by catering to diverse body types and lifestyles with its offering of athletic and performance-inspired pieces. At the center of everything created by GSTQ — an acronym of God Save The Queen, an impactful song Garcia performed in her high school band — is empowerment.

With the fittingly modern and sleek pop-up now taking up residence at Rockefeller Center, we caught up with GSTQ’s CEO, Katie Mayne, to discuss the recent buzz surrounding the brand, the new retail experience, and the pieces she’s looking forward to wearing this season.

GSTQ just showed at New York Fashion Week for the first time, what was that experience like and what do you attribute the momentum to?

KM: It's very exciting. We launched our men's line in August and also revealed our new brand identity, so Fashion Week was… a great celebration of all those things. And our first time in New York Fashion Week was very successful. It puts a mark on the map to say, “We're a New York-based brand and we're here to stay.” It was great to share men's and women’s side-by-side with the new branding for everyone to see.

How did you and your team decide Rockefeller Center was the right location and partner for your newest pop-up experience?

KM: We always wanted to be in New York, and we've had success in SoHo and… Atlanta, Georgia, as well. Rockefeller Center stands out as having a renaissance moment for that part of the city, attracting both tourists and locals and the large number of people who work on [and around] their campus. The retail there is really robust, and the food and beverage scene is equally as important. So we were super excited to find a space that suited our needs — and to join that community.

What does it mean to the brand to be at Rockefeller Center?

KM: New York is our top market, so it really has given us proof of concept that the clothes resonate in the city… and Rockefeller Center gives us the opportunity to meet new people who may discover us by walking by or [those] out for a day of shopping, especially [during] the holiday season. I mean, there's nowhere more nostalgic and exciting to experience the magic of the holidays and winter in New York City than Rockefeller Center.

GSTQ is open at 10 West 51st Street Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.