As promised, here is my interview with Clark Magazine. Hope you enjoy it.

To quickly talk about your bio, what did you do after you studied design inDetroit up to your job at Reebok, from the time when younger you wereaddicted to street wear to your column at highsnobiety.com?

I was always good at art and went on to study fine arts for 4 years at university before heading off to design school at the College for creative Studies. I grew up a shoe head, I can still remember the pride I had in getting my first pair of Puma Clydes in black and red suede and the time I spent putting in “decked’ red laces. I’m now in the industry and I’m not too jaded to get some of the same feelings as I did as a kid.

In design school I turned every studio into a shoe project. By the time I graduated my entire portfolio was made up of shoe designs. I chose to begin my career at Reebok and have been here ever since.

I’ve always been into fashion and NewDandyism has allowed me that creative outlet. I’m able to put my own perspective on apparel and retail.My NewDandyism column on Highsnobiety.com was a natural extension of this. It allows me to bring attention to designers, product, and issues I believe are relevant. And I know it’s crazy to hear someone who runs a store say this, but I believe that we don’t need to consume more; we need to consume better.

Talking about Rbk, were you the one who dealt with the Alife x Reebok CourtVictory Pump “Ball-out” series?

I work on a two-man design team that handles all Reebok’s top-tier directional product and Special Projects. I didn’t personally work on the Court Victory Ball Out, my manager Ben Kuchler did, we work closely, and a lot of our work is very collaborative.

Anyway, isn’t the tennis ball-like material a sort of very dandy-like sign,this sophisticated atmosphere that, back in the days, fit so well withbrands like Lacoste or Fred Perry, people like Arthur Ash or Stan Smith?

I personally don’t feel the Ball Out is “dandy-like”, it’s just a great story applied to one of the best kicks of all time. Lacoste and Fred Perry are very strong brands and are having renewed longevity because they are getting back to the roots of what their brands are based. That being said, I don’t know that I would put their brands in the NewDandyism category.

NewDandyism is more about a personal statement no matter how loud or subdued. The mentioned labels seem more like uniforms. Classic and good looking, but uniforms nonetheless.

To talk about your personal activities, when will the New Dandyism webstorebe on line?

NewDandyism.com store will be open in early February. It’s been a bit of a scary labor of love for me. Luckily I’ve been able to pull together a collection of some the best men’s designers from around the world. At the launch we will be carrying WoodWood, Call of the Wild, Obedient Sons, Loomstate, Rittenhouse, and Nicholas K. These labels will be joined by Maharishi, Umbro by Kim Jones, YMC, Crate denim, and Surface 2 Air Paris, soon after.

We are not interested in being a store that carries a hundred of the trendiest labels. We are making a conscious effort to keep the collection tight, and don’t plan on carrying more then ten designers or so every season. And we don’t buy everything, so you will only see the “cream” from these designers in our store.

Could you tell our readers the type of brands that will be sold on your site, their universes, as Obedient Sons and Nicholas K are not really doingthe same things for instance…?

We have a nice mix of designers. The idea is that if you were to put our entire selection for the season in your closet, you could be a very well rounded and well-dressed man. If you wear all of one label or style head to toe you begin to look like a cartoon character or a catalog model. That’s why we have labels like WoodWood and Call of the Wild mixed in with Nicholas K and Obedient Sons.

WoodWood and Call of the Wild consistently stay ahead of the rest with quality and details. But they definitely have more of a streetwear feel than Nicholas K on the surface. Nicholas K is definitely one of the most impressive labels I have seen emerge in a very long time. They are virtually unknown at the moment, but once you see their collection there is no way to deny it.

What’s the idea behind your concept of new dandyism?A sort of journalistic concept that aims at gathering under a sole termseveral realities that are really close from each others, in this case thebrands and their universes, or more simply a marketing approach that aims atimposing a new market in the “street wear” universe?

Dandy and dandyism are antiquated terms that are just beginning to remerge in everyday vernacular. A lot of people like to view dandy in its context from the past and apply it to modern day. So they think being a NewDandy is all about mimicking the style of Beau Bremmel and Oscar Wilde. But by doing this they are not getting what dandyism was all about.

True dandies, like Bremmel and Wilde, were revolutionaries, not just in dress, but also in lifestyle. They dressed differently first and they acted differently first. They were self-created men who consciously designed their own personalities and broke radically from the traditions of the past. And they were imitated to no end.Those mimicking dandies from the past aren’t themselves dandies at all. If so they would do things their own way.

To keep talking about designations, is there a difference from your point ofview between new dandyism, street couture and luxury streetwear?

I have an issue with labels calling themselves streetwear, if you have to call yourself that, you probably aren’t. True streetwear has always been brands that never intended to be worn by street kids. Street kids re-appropriated labels that were not created for them and gave them new meanings and identities. This has been going on since punks adopted Dr.Martin’s in the 70’s to urban hip-hoppers adopting Timberland in the 90’s.

NewDandyism is not a particular look; it’s a lifestyle and a point of view. Street-couture and luxury streetwear are false labels put on clothing geared towards kids to get more money out of their pockets.  True luxury is about quality, not exclusivity. I personally am willing to pay more for product that is made of great materials and has superior detailing.

Do you think the mistake not to make would be to characterize as neo dandiesall those people who put money in brands that are very difficult to findjust to distinguish from the streetwear mainstream crowd? Wood Wood betterthan LRG just because it’s rarer?

Any leading edge trendsetter is looking for things to differentiate themselves from the person next to them, and get bored with it by the time everyone else catches up. That’s just the nature of who they are. There is a discernable difference between the quality and originality of WoodWood and LRG. WoodWood is harder to find because mainstream retail channels are scared off by their quirky take on fashion.

I felt up until recently that LRG was a very strong brand from a brand management standpoint. This has slipped recently though. If LRG wanted, they could be in every mainstream retail chain around the worlds targeting young men. Those young men certainly aren’t NewDandies.

In your homepage manifesto, you say that new dandyism isn’t to oppose to thevery extroverted all over hoodies movement but is a complement to it: do youmean that neo dandies are more into getting recognition from their peersthan from society (a camo Bape will be acknowledged from Sidney to Paris,not a Call of the Wild design)?

Of course most trendsetting people would never admit that they want some sort of reaction from people based on their appearance, but they do. This doesn’t mean that the attention they get is because of some bright colored hoodie, but it could be.All-over print hoodies are being written off, but they are not dead yet. There are designers out there still making hoodies that won’t embarrass you.

Bape WAS an originator and I have a lot of respect for what Nigo has been able to build. I don’t really have much more than that to say on the subject.

Call of the Wild deserves way more recognition and attention than it gets. Their time will come.

Don’t you think all the brands that will be gathered on your site put a lotof care into materials and designs, like Loomstate that only works withorganic cotton or Rag & Bone that works with the small denim craftsmen tomake their jeans?

Those kinds of elements are very important to me. The bulk of the labels we carry have some sort of connection to nature of hand-craftsmanship. Sustainability, the environment, and fair labor are just a few of issues I feel my generation has dropped the ball on. Young people need to start caring about the world they live in, both politically and environmentally. The world is changing and all those assumptions about the world around us that we’ve grown up with will no longer be true in the coming decades. Our civil liberties are being stripped from us with out a fight and our environment is trounced upon by big business and the casual reluctance of the global population. These are definitely things you will see touched upon in both my work with NewDandyism and Reebok in the future.

Actually, and especially in reference to the photo that right nowIllustrates your homepage, don’t you think the public you aim at is thiscategory of ex kids from the 90’s that followed the streetwear movement,that grew older and now looks for nice pieces of clothes, more adult like,more “conscious” about what they buy?…. I think about Kai & Sunny forinstance, very “nature” like…

It’s funny because I was having this same conversation with Sunny of COTW a couple of weeks ago. He suggested the same thing. I definitely can be put in that category.The average 16 yr old kid probably won’t get a lot of the labels we are carrying. Although the clothing on the surface may be comparable between the brands that a 16 yr old and 25 yr old are interested in, it’s definitely the themes, quality, and details that separate them the most.

We both just hope they still have that same level of expendable income.

Talking about this duo, they’re also doing the Stick N’ Stones tee shirts,right?

It appears that Sticks N’ Stones may be on hiatus for a little while. Maybe we will see more of it in the summer.

I earlier talked about Alife, isn’t it one of these stores that threw, rightafter the Millenium, this movement that lead to this international networkof “premium” shops there is today from San Diego to Tokyo, Copenhague,actual network doubled with a websites and blogs network feeding an entireworldwide community?

I definitely have much respect for what Alife has been able to build over the last 5 or 6 years also. They have a point of view that they don’t waver from, which is always the sign of a good brand with longevity.

To be honest, I’m more interested to see who will change the game of retail and branding next. Because it will happen.

This network of stores, isn’t it a concrete mix of genders, between streetwear and couture, where Wannatabe pieces may be sold beside piecesfrom Umbro by Kim Jones ?

Yes, I think it’s a good format. Much like our labels at NewDandyism. It’s important to have an unexpected mix.

To end this interview, have you ever been a neo romantic kid reading thedandyism classics like Ocar Wilde, and, as we’re French ;) Barbeyd’Aurevilly or Baudelaire, to name just a few of them ?

I’m definitely a student of history of all kind. I think it’s important knowledge to have in order to have perspective on your place in the world. I don’t have any particular affinity for any one dandy from the past but know of their lives well. I have affection for any one willing to rebel against the system and do things their own way. It may be the narcissist in me, but I’ve always lived my life that way. I think rebelliousness doesn’t have to be self-centered behavior.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

 
This Reebok Court Victory was especially for Easter. It features many interesting details and graphic elements. It's a white-based ostrich and leather upper w/ pops of hot green and turquoise. It also features pin striping in the same colors. The "Tennis" embroidery that is usually on the tongue was replaced with "Easter". My favorite elements on the shoe are "the Pump" painted egg graphic on the heel and the sockliner graphic that illustrates the egg hatched with a bunny eating a chocolate bunny. It's just a nice color and material combination with some really key details.

Unfortunately for most, much like the St.Patrick's Day BB5600 this shoe is only being produced in this form in very limited numbers for a select group of people. This material and colorway will be released without the Easter graphic elements this Spring. So you will have an opportunity to get your hands on it.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

I recently did an interview for, French street-wear lifestyle mag, Clark Magazine. We talk about Highsnobiety, Reebok, NewDandyism. As well as the current state of street-fashion and why Obedient Sons and Call of the Wild, among others, are changing the game. For those of you who are French speaking pick up the mag. I will be posting the interview in English soon.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

Nicholas K is a New York based designer, founded in January of 2003 by siblings Nicholas and Christopher Kunz. Nicholas K was conceptualized with the intent of providing sophisticated customers with modern classics to become wardrobe staples. Incorporating traditional quality and design with modern refinements and a touch of attitude, Nicholas K offers items across the full men’s product range.

Nicholas K has quickly become one of my favorite labels. It mixes just the right amount of New York casual with Southwestern outdoor and military details. The fit and  quality is outstanding and they feature amazing details.

Check out the Nicholas K collection.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

Reebok's BB5600 is probably one the brands best and most under-utilized models.  It's a great palette to spin stories on. This is the St.Patrick's Day version of the shoe. It reinterprets the colors of the Irish flag in neons.  The side-stripes, heel "Reebok", and tongue graphic are all 3M reflective. The shoe is also made up of a mixture of smooth and patent leather w/ hot green contrast stitching.   In addition to the the tongue graphic, the lining also features a repeat pattern that is very fitting for the holiday - check out the detail pics.

The lining and sockliner feature a repeat foaming beer mug pattern. The tongue graphic is a leprechaun guzzling beer w/ brass knuckles.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

Wood Wood is now in stock at NewDandyism.com.  Expect a full feature of the collection in the coming days.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

NewDandyism.com is officially open for business. We have a great line-up for the Spring/Summer season, and the Fall line-up is already looking amazing. This is just the start, we will be getting additional stock in over the next few weeks.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

This project has been a year in the making, and although there is no official release date yet, expect to see it drop in the next few months. The shoe takes inspiration from '80's sci-fi and culture.

There is also an apparel hook-up planned for the release.

Chris of NewDandyism.com

Sometimes on these "blogs" we get so focused on our consumer worlds we forget about or ignore the real issues in our lives. February marks the beginning of Black History Month.

Racism is still a huge issue all around the world and would be worse if it wasn't for a handful of great leaders and the millions that they inspired. Although many streetwear labels use black icons as imagery on their t's, we need make a greater effort to educate why they were so special.

Take some time out to honor Malcom X, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Huey P. Newton, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, W.E.B. De Bois, Thurgood Marshall, Alex Haley, Maya Angelou and the millions who worked to attain their common goal.

Based in Copenhagen, “wood wood” embodies a laid back blend of underground and avant-garde. Over the last few years, an illustrious graphic profile has established wood wood as a driving force on the European street couture scene. Also, wood wood contributes to numerous collaborations involving an international network of friends and likeminded creators

wood wood apparel is currently available in selected shops worldwide.

Who makes up the creative team behind wood wood?

My name is Karl-Oskar , I'm the “all-around” player in the creative team, and I work closely with my wife Lotte Bank, Brian Jensen who's mostly into the graphic part and Magnus Castensen who’s managing our stores.

Where did you grow up and where do you currently live and work?

I was born in Vaxjo in Sweden, then my parents moved back to Roskilde, just outside Copenhagen where I grew up. Now I live with Copenhagen with my family, our studio is in the center of Copenhagen, not to far from the stores, here we are all together, production, accountant, designers etc. We are 16 people now.

What was your formal training/education?

I have a masters degree from the Royal Danish Design School, so does my wife and Brian.

Which idea came first, the store or the apparel?

Long story, to make it short, we actually started printing on some t-shirts as 10,000 other small brands around the millennium. At the same time Magnus found this small empty space in Krystalgade and we just started selling there, sometimes just 1 t-shirt per day. Then we went to New York and got good feedback on our designs, there was a store called Stackhouse, they bought some tee’s . It made us think that we could open a store in Copenhagen that could showcase some things not accessible here, like rare sneaks, toys, mags etc. At the time we were, as many others, very inspired by Alife and the whole New York vibe around 2001-2002.

What first got you into design?

I actually wanted to become an architect, but a writing on the wall near the architect school said “ architects are homo´s” it made me change my mind, so now I make fashion which isn’t homo at all. I've always been drawing, also made some graffiti in the late eighties, so somehow I always knew I would be creative in some way.

Where do you get inspiration for your work?

We get inspiration from many things. But a typical Wood Wood thing is when we find the opposite of an object or saying. We really like to put things in contrasts and see what will happen, it’s also a lot about attitudes and energy. When we try to build up some kind of story to support our designs for a collection , we often end up with something completely different, it can sometimes happen that we ping pong with each others ideas, and Lotte takes Brians graphics and turn them upside down, its really one big mess sometimes. I’ve also made some good friendships with other creators over the past years, they are perhaps the most inspiring people and I often think of them when I design, Berhard Willhelm, Kim Jones,Russel Waterman, Peter Jensen, Mikael Kopelman, Henrik Vibskov, Olaf Breuning . It helps to see other creators succeed, it really makes me want to work even harder.

Do you feel that living in the Copenhagen gives you a different

perspective on fashion and design from the rest of the world, and if so, what are those qualities?

In Copenhagen, and Denmark in general, young people have quite a lot of money, even if you are student. This and the fact that we are extremely well informed about the world situation and that also makes us very aware of the fashion scene in general. Danish people are very good at selecting and put different styles together in a way that doesn’t look cheap. Of course we have our fucked up overdressed stylists here as well but in general I think we are well mixed, and have quite good taste.

Wood Wood have showed the way to many things, brands, styles and attitudes in Copenhagen. When we started to import these brands only known from the magazines and put them together with more basic and street things, people finally found what was missing. And it seemed like many people had been waiting for a place like ours, finally people could get the same stuff they where purchasing when traveling to London, New York or Paris.

Of course other retailers in Copenhagen with no respect found out about our success and had to copy us.

Over the past decade, computers have changed the way designers work.

Fewer and fewer people actually use pen and paper these days.

How do you work? How does the design process begin with you?

Its now our 5th season doing collections for other men and women. So naturally I've been converted to think in clothing, and how to make it. Fashion or street wear or what the fuck you want to call it is, for me, something that should support you as a person and your thoughts and beliefs. So when we start up a new season I get aware of things that I could use in a  possible design “story”. It could be a tune, or a picture or even a person. I always see myself as the possible costumer, and my ideas come out of my own wishes or thoughts. Lotte would typically lay down 23 pieces of paper with doodles and small clippings from magazines and some colors and say “ lets make some “epidemic" design ;-) its really cool, because Brian then sometimes comes up with some ideas for a print or a pattern some days later. Then we meet again and talk over our thoughts, some details and material.  Suddenly after a few weeks a pattern or 2 is made and we can begin to place small details or prints on the different styles.

How do you feel about the idea that "designers are a dime a dozen" and anyone w/ Illustrator can design?

Only good designers can get something out of illustrator, for me it’s very easy to point out a computer nerd with skills on a Mac, and to a talent for design, shape, color and proportion.

My mother always told me “ see and draw”, if you cannot see what you are drawing , understand the essence of the object or how it works, you can’t communicate the importance of that !?

Does a designer have a certain responsibility to society, if so or if

not, please explain...

-good question. I think we have. Designers are educated to fulfill human beings aestethic needs. It’s important that we as innovative designers take responsibility to clean up all the shit that mass industry is producing. We need to think on our global environment, pollution, child work  and support locally.

What is your studio/work environment like?

At the moment we are really struggling with having enough space at our studio. I guess we have grown to fast to have time to look for other and better spaces. Our studio is in the absolute center of the city, which is very nice, there’s kind of like this exotic vibe to it. There’s a pastry just across the street and some good stores such as Wallace. To be in the center also means that we can walk to everything if we should need to get something, its very nice. The space itself is over bombed with garments, boxes, cardboards, machines, paper, the phone is constantly ringing , people go in and out, actually I don’t even have a desk anymore , the other day I sat on a bunch of stapled magazines with my laptop on my knee, Brian is in the same situation, I don’t even know where he’s located.

What music do you listen to while designing and what music are you

obsessed w/ right now?

I’m mostly into Stoneroses, Oasis, Happy Mondays, Joy Division, Blur, Massive Attack, but my daughter is totally into the smurfs eurotecno version so I get a lot of that at the moment.

What are your 5 most coveted items in your life at the moment?

I just got a super nice Mercedes 230 ´78 in grey/silver with leather seats, that’s the 1 item for me at the moment.

What items do you regret ever purchasing?

I got a really ugly tattoo once, it was supposed to be round but it became a shape of an egg. I sat with my arm wrong while having it made. I now made a big black rainy cloud all over it, so now its gone forever

Check back soon. In a couple of days I will feature a large portion of the Fall'06 line.

Chris Torres of NewDandyism