Aug 5, 2013
You ever just make your buddy who's a writer/editor interview because you don't feel like typing? I did just this a few weeks back with CoolGrayAJ who you guys might keep track of if you're into esports team EvilGeniuses.At any rate, it seemed like a good idea to answer questions and give insights about the brand that fans might want and that I probably glaze over to talk about McRibs or a new brand release.So,to the fans old and new that are into the 'DNA' of HH /where we're coming from,check this out and if you think it's a good read, tell someone else..enjoy! -h_h-
Let’s talk about the origins of Hungry Human, and why you decided to start the brand?
I always thought I would do streetwear stuff since the Fubu days. A long time ago, I felt like I hit rock bottom, and at one point, I had a near-death experience. From that point, I had an epiphany, and I thought about the people I interact with in the community. These people are like family to me, and I wanted to have an impact in their lives that they’ll recognize for a long time.
When you realize that nothing is ever guaranteed in life, and that you don’t have a lot of time in this world, you want to get as much of your being into the world as you can. So in thinking about this family, this community, having my own streetwear for them to wear was an ultimate goal of mine, and I wanted to say I was able to do that before I’ve passed on.
I guess I took everything I love about the people in this community, and that inspired me to start it all. I decided to do it because as big an aspiration as starting a clothing brand is -- as with any aspiration -- you ultimately just have to do it.
Streetwear is very erratic in that popular styles often go out of style in a matter of months. How can people see this evolution in the work?
You could definitely tell from my very first shirt back in 2010 -- the Double H. We’ve gone from the Gildan, heavy-plastisol heat transfer Double H shirt to what you’ll see in what I have in stock today.
I’d say the first time I felt like my brand evolved was in the Footsies shirt. I think this was the first time I felt like a design was truly mine, and not something derived from streetwear culture. I just wanted to express myself. Footsies is obviously more based on graphics and illustrations -- which is something I kind of just ran with in later designs, which has really been a hit.
Not to mention, the quality of the prints and the shirts feel more in line with something you’d find in a boutique. If you put the Double H and Footsies side-by-side, you can obviously tell the difference.We stepped our game up and you could see it.
You’ve been very vocal (at least with me) about your inspirations behind your designs. You even write about these inspirations on your blog. How and when do you decide to put these inspirations on a design?
A lot of it has to do with where I am in life. You could sort of decipher where my life has brought me to this day just by looking at the designs. For instance, when I did Self Sponsored, I was going through a struggle with a few things in life, where I felt like people could just relate to it.
Scumbags, Monsters and Funky Dealings were all derived from my own personal dealings with people, and we all go through it. That’s what I feel is most important about the brand -- how it ultimately relates to the end user.
Sometimes people can’t really say something or someone they’re dealing with is fucked up, so I put it on a shirt. In executing it the way I want to, it gives that person a voice they otherwise wouldn’t express. It’s subtle at times, but that’s how I want to express it. Generally, when people pick up a piece, they either get it right away, or understand it over time.
How do you feel you’ve improved over past designs, and is this a sign that they’ll only get better from here?
Absolutely. Over time, I feel the style and technique has become more refined, and instead of creating something for attention, I believe that I’m speaking to the community through discourse.
Honestly, if you look back at the earlier part of last year, you can see the mood and attitude changes within each piece. Now there is a sense a calm and clarity that’s beginning to unveil itself.
It’s kind of like the X-Men movie where Magneto was really just this wild mess character with no self control. He was strong, but you could tell that his emotions ran him and sent him out of control. I felt like that quite often, I was angry and wanting people to notice my work and effort.
I was pursuing the wrong kind of fans and media alike just out of anger and spite. Now that I’ve established peace within and comfort with the fans, I think it will just make everything that much better. Remember that word - “better”.
Self Sponsored is by far my favorite design -- hell, I own every colorway for this design so far. Can you talk more about your thought process behind it?
Ha! That shirt came from not being able to afford a Dollar Menu cheeseburger at McDonald’s! I was just thinking, “Man, somebody’s gotta talk about this everyday struggle.”
When I look at these kids in hotel rooms who travel across the country just to attend tournaments, you really can’t help but respect and acknowledge their hustle. These guys are doing this because they love it, and they want to make a name for themselves, and for the most part, they embody what it means to be Self Sponsored.
What I admire most about these guys is that nothing is guaranteed for them when they go to these tournaments. There are very few people that make a living off this, and these are the people that keep our community alive.
What blows me away is when people outside the community see Self Sponsored, and relate to it. I can’t tell you how many times a day I’ll walk by somewhere and hear something like “Hey, Self Sponsored! I dig that..” or something to that effect, it’s wild. I’m still not used to people liking the stuff sometimes!
Does anything else inspire you to create your designs besides your own personal experiences?
Yes and no. The intent is really where it begins. The first thing I think about is “Who would wear this, and how would they feel when they wear it?” Once I have a good direction on what I want the outcome to be, then I start hammering away. There’s a business adage that goes something like “Make X for stupid people,” and it makes a lot of sense if you want to make a quick buck. That’s not what excites me though. I get excited at the thought of people wanting to talk about why they love a specific design.
Ultimately, I want people to feel loved when they buy and wear the shirts. I don’t want them to be unable to relate to something five-ten years from now. Memes can only go so far, and catch phrases are often forgettable.
You can’t forget love, so that’s what we try to give you -- Love.
As a clothing brand, you probably get a lot of people that suggest things from designs to types of clothing. How does this play a role in your design process?
I definitely listen to the fans, and I take everything into consideration, but with that, I think of my clothes and fans as my own children. Figuratively speaking, as a parent, I wouldn’t want my kids eating junk food all the time, so I have to give them something substantial -- or at least what I perceive to be substantial. To keep them happy though, you have to give them what they want from time to time, which I’ve done.
The one thing fans used to harp on me about was doing something purple -- which is a color I don’t particularly like. They bugged me about it enough to the point where I ultimately just gave in, and gave them the purple Handwritten. Problem was, nobody bought it, which was a little upsetting. Fortunately, I had a lot of fans in Australia that loved the design, so most of these shirts ended up there.
This isn’t to say that I won’t listen to fan suggestions, but what I generally like to do is I sneak these requests into things I want to see it on. The compromise actually works very well, because even after the flop that was the purple Handwritten, purple still ended up on the Monsters shirt, and it was a huge hit. So you take the good with the bad and make it work. It’s like Oakland Chinese food.
Does Hungry Human have a 5-year-plan? Where do you see the brand going?
I think in some way, shape or form, I’ll be around. This is just something I love to do, and have wanted to do for a really long time. Something we’ve been talking about through this conversation is that nothing is ever certain in life, so you just have to do it before you pass on. I guess that’s where I stand with Hungry Human.
I don’t really think about where I’ll be in 5-10 years -- I’m more concerned about the next 5-10 days, and that’s just the truth. Every day is a struggle, but I want to look back and say I did what I wanted to for those days. The brand is about the people, and I consider myself to be a part of that collective.
More than anything, I think about these people. I think about X-Ray who has his own design stuff, and know that he’ll be amazing in the next 5-10 years well after I introduced him to his first Self Sponsored shirt. I think about my buddy Carlo has some weight loss project stuff -- and he’s made great strides with it.
I definitely think of my influence on people, and I think about others before I think of myself. Even you, you’re traveling around writing for all these big names, hustling, networking, putting up with jerkfaces like me. I want to look back at times like this and laugh with all of you.
The hunger, dedication, sacrifice, I want us to laugh till we cry about how we showed them, how we made it work in times where we had nothing but belief and a dream. That’s what keeps me going is getting you guys there.
To bring it all together, what’s the overall statement you want to tie in with Hungry Human?
I would say I’m taking the feelings of what I’ve felt from this community and making it something that the entire world can understand at any cost. This is my heart,mind,portions of body and spirit in a brand.
Everything I have ever had or plan to is what you see, and it’s all for you...it’s about you! So, if I had to condense any further, I would leave it as one word. Hungry Human is “US”. -h_h-
