PSFK talks to Steven Vogel on Streetwear

If you were to look at Steven Vogel’s resume, you might speculate that he was a big fan of the letter “B.” Burton, Bread & Butter, Black Lodges, and Berlin are just some of the things he has touched in his diverse career in the Streetwear industry. But thankfully, his latest project breaks the pattern. “Streetwear,” is the title of a book that profiles the most influential Streetwear brands today, and it was published by Thames & Hudson in the US last month.

Let’s start with the same question you asked everyone in your book: What does Streetwear mean to you?

Nothing and everything to be honest. The term “streetwear” is a relative new description given to a selection of personal and professional interests by those that find it difficult to understand what I do. Personally, I dislike definitions as they prohibit creativity from taken place. To answer your question though, I don’t see a reason or necessity to define the word, and to be honest that wasn’t the intention of the book either. As long as it feels good, who cares?

Ok - another question from your book. How did you get involved in this culture and when?

It depends what you mean with involved. I started skateboarding in 1990 and have been in coincidentally, fascinated in music for just as long. With music I don’t mean the charts, but rather Hardcore, Punk, Metal, Hip Hop and so on. My interest in art and design came a little later, I’d say round 93 or 94. As far as working within the industry, that started in around 1997 when I worked at my local skate shop.

What prompted you to write a book on Streetwear?

It was more of question of “why not” than “why” to be honest. Previous to writing the book I was working as an editor for a magazine called “streetwear today” and partly through that the idea formed to write a book on the subject. Fact is though, I never intended to write a guide or bible about what streetwear is or isn’t. The book is merely a collection of stories and interviews with people & friends I have made along the way, whom I consider to have greatly contributed to the sub culture as whole. It certainly is not the whole story but rather a snapshot and sociological study of an intangible idea.

What exactly is Black Lodges and where do you want to take it?

Black Lodges is realistically whatever I want it to be. I use the name, idea & concept for whatever sparks my interest. Right now, I use it for my work with Burton and a variety of other clients. Also, it is an online magazine, or I think a better word is fanzine, for my personal interests, which float around music, art, skate/ snowboarding, politics, philosophy and whatever else interests me. I work with a number of friends around in regards to the content and it is a 100% non commercial platform, purely for the sake of fun & creativity. I am not planning on anything with it, quite honestly, I like things to develop organically, so we’ll just have to wait and see what will happen with it.

You don’t seem to have any hesitation calling out hype for what it is. And you seem to have a lot of good opinions on Streetwear today vs. what we grew up with? Do you ever have any internal conflicts with the blog hosted on HypeBeast, which is known for fueling the hype?

No not at all. Kevin, who runs the site is fully supportive about what we do on these blogs. As far as internal conflicts, I don’t have any. A blog, literally is an online diary, so what I say on my blog is my personal opinion and if I don’t like something I’ll say so. I know that this little scene is notoriously bad when it comes to criticism but it’s not my fault when people front and can’t handle getting called out.

What would you say to anyone wanting to start a Streetwear brand today?

Don’t do it, especially if you are into making a quick buck. There is a huge difference between online hype and the real world in terms of selling product, which is what a lot of the younger internet based generation forgets. It’s one thing talking about product a online in a chat room and selling it to a person.

Any brands that weren’t in the book that after it was done you wished you had included?

Plenty, of course, to name a few, HUF, Stash & Futura and their respective brands, DPMHI & Supreme for example., but hopefully that will give some one else the inspiration to do another book on the subject including those.

Cheers Steven! All the best with the book launch…

Note: “Streetwear” can be purchased from Amazon here