.designer talk
Kerwin Frost
speaks with
Tagen Donovan

first published in:
issue 31, 02/2021

KERWIN, YOUR OFF THE WALL PERSONAL STYLE AND APPROACH TO MUSIC, PRESENTING AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN HAS A DISTINCT NATURE. DID GROWING UP IN HARLEM DURING THE 1990s HAVE A HAND IN DEVELOPING YOUR RENOWN SENSE OF DRESS AND HUMOUR? WHO, IF ANY, HAS MAJORLY INFLUENCED YOU?
I wasn’t really conscious of growing up in the nineties. Growing up in Harlem definitely shaped a possibility of a bigger vision on being able to do out-of-the- ordinary things. Harlem is a culture clash-whether it was skating, graffiti, music and people icons such as Dapper Dan, Sway, ASAP Rocky - they all presented their own take on doing what they did and had a hand in meshing my worlds together. And being confident about it. So I would say yes!

DURING 2016, SOHO WAS A BEACON OF CREATIVE ACTIVITY - BUZZING WITH A NEW COMMUNITY OF CREATORS, PERSONALITIES AND MUSICIANS. SOME COULD SAY IT WAS A CULTURAL MOMENT WITH THE HEIGHT OF SUPREME POPULARITY AND ODD FUTURE SHREDDING UP THE MUSIC SCENE. IT REALLY FELT LIKE A NEW WAVE OF EMBRACING THE UNCONVENTIONAL. EXPERIENCING THIS SHIFT FIRST-HAND WHILST FINDING YOURSELF INTERNING AT VFILES. WAS YOUR PATH AND SENSE-OF-SELF SOLIDIFYING AT THIS PIVOTAL MOMENT? OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE STILL EVOLVING, EVEN NOW?
Yeah, it really felt like that at the time! All these creatives were busting out of Pandora's box at the exact same time and it was like a cultural explosion. I think interning at VFILES was something I needed to get out of the way at the time, because I knew it would be a big learning experience getting to see behind the scenes. It was also a look for sure, and gave me a reason to be downtown everyday. I [also] got to help on projects that I loved.

FAST FORWARDING TO THE PRESENT, YOU’VE ACHIEVED A TRUCK-LOAD OF SUCCESS: STARTING A COLLECTIVE [SPAGHETTI BOYS] PRESENTING YOUR OWN TALK SHOW AND A RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH ADIDAS. IT’S SAFE TO SAY YOU’RE NOT JUST PICKING COLOUR-WAYS. WHAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE SO FAR BEEN LIKE WORKING ALONGSIDE ADIDAS? ESPECIALLY WITH THE GIVEN CREATIVE CONTROL YOU’VE BEEN NAVIGATING THE CAMPAIGNS THROUGH?
Working with Adidas has been amazing. From day one I had a boatload of ideas and a new vision to see for the brand. And they kind of just took my word for it. They have given me so much creative control it’s honestly insane. It makes me so grateful because I know how hard this can be for a lot of people who get the opportunity to work with a footwear company. And the fact they really took us and our ideas seriously and with grace just made the creating process feel refreshing for everyone involved. It has truly been a blessing! Our first Adidas meeting post-contract was hosted in the waiting room of NY Presbyterian Hospital 5 hours after my daughter was born. Everything around this collaboration means a lot to me and is very emotional stuff.

SINGLE-HANDEDLY STEERING THE BRAND AWAY FROM THE EXPECTED, YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ADIDAS IS A FAR CRY FROM A GENERIC ONE TO SAY THE LEAST! YOU’VE PRESENTED YOUR OWN NARRATIVE AND HAVE SHOWCASED GARMENTS THAT TRULY EMBODY YOU, NOT JUST AS A BRAND PER SE BUT AS A TRUE REFLECTION OF WHO YOU ARE. THE SNEAK PEEK OF YOUR FORUM- HI TRAINER HAS SENT THE INTERNET INTO A FRENZY. YOU’VE COMPLETELY TORN UP THE RULEBOOK WITH YOUR APPROACH TO RESTRUCTURING THE ICONIC SHAPE, GIVING THE SHOE EYES, A NOSE, TEETH, AND HAIR. ADDITIONALLY, YOUR TAKE ON THE ICONIC SHELL-TOE SUPERSTAR SNEAKER PRESENTS A SILHOUETTE FIVE TIMES BIGGER THAN THE ACTUAL SHOE ITSELF, WHILST STILL REMAINING TRUE TO SIZE ON THE INTERIOR. WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND EACH TRAINER, WAS IT A PINBALL EFFECT OF GOING FROM IDEA-TO-IDEA? OR WAS IT A LIGHT-BULB MOMENT OF SORTS?
Definitely a pinball effect. My brain is all over the place. I’m constantly building a spiderweb and trying to pull things together. I usually can identify when I’m onto something and that usually brings on a tidal wave of more stuff. I kind of have two moods: I either feel stuck, or I’m on a roll.

IN TERMS OF YOUR AUDIENCE AND RECEPTION OF YOUR SNEAKER PREVIEWS, THERE’S VERY MUCH A DIVIDE - ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF YOUR FORUM HI SNEAKER. CREATIVE DISCOURSE WORKS IN TANDEM WITH SUBJECTIVITY, LARGELY ITS DEPENDENT ON THE AUDIENCE. IF YOU COULD SUMMARISE YOUR OVERARCHING GOALS AND CORE CONCEPTS REGARDING THE IMMINENT RELEASE OF THE FORUM-HI AND SUPERSTUFFED TRAINER, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
I think just bringing fun to the sneaker industry. I was kind of brought in to shake things up. Push boundaries. Make people feel at first uncomfortable with the introduction of a concept so unusual, and then win them over.

A PROFESSIONAL SHAPESHIFTER WITHIN YOUR ENDEAVOURS, WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR PEERS IS YOUR DEEPROOTED PLAY IN CREATING EXPERIENCES RATHER THAN FLEETING MOMENTS. WHAT YOU PUT OUT IS SOLELY GENUINE AND WHOLESOME. FROM THE LIMITED RUN OF CASSETTE TAPES PUT OUT ALONGSIDE ADIDAS, COMPLETE WITH AN ENGRAVED PLAYER AND HOLOGRAPHIC COLLECTABLE STICKERS TO HOSTING THE 1ST ANNUAL KERWIN FROST FILM FESTIVAL THAT SAW SEVENTEEN FILMS SHOWN OVER THREE DAYS, COMBINED WITH FREE PIZZA AND ENTRY - BOASTING 2000+ NYC YOUTHS IN ATTENDANCE. WHAT IS IT ABOUT CREATING EXPERIENCES RATHER THAN JUST A QUICK GIMMICK FOR A PAYCHEQUE?
Thank you for this acknowledgement! Honestly, we loose money anytime we create an experience and have never made a payday from any of the events we’ve put together. We love to outperform and executing the right experience is just worth the money. You really show what’s possible and put your money where your mouth is. When I was growing up there would be so many free experiences that I was able to go to and attend and those have shaped me. Anytime possible we love to try and give that back and just give hope. I try to give any project I take on my all and like to think it will make a difference in the long run.

FASHION IS VERY MUCH SOMETHING YOU’RE KNOWN FOR, FROM THE HOOD BY AIR DOUBLE-FACED COWBOY BOOTS, DINGYUN ZHANG AND JEREMY SCOTT. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO GETTING DRESSED ON ANY GIVEN DAY?
I love dressing up and putting looks together but it’s hard explaining how I do it. I have an embarrassing amount of stuff in my closet. My eyes are kind of able to just scan the room then keep searching for the missing pieces and normally it just works like that. There isn’t really a method to my madness - I just do it.

WHEN INTERVIEWING GUESTS, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DRAW STORIES THAT WEREN’T INTENT ON BEING TOLD. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO INTERVIEWING YOUR GUESTS ON KERWIN FROST TALKS? ON A SIMILAR NOTE YOU’VE FILMED FOR KANYE - NOTABLY HIS WYOMING LISTENING PARTY. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WORK WITH SOMEONE YOU’VE GROWN UP LISTENING TO?
With interviewing I have the privilege of having control over who I’m talking to because I do the booking myself. I’m always really interested in the person, or I won’t have them. I get tons of reach-outs from labels pushing “big” artists on me, but I say no all the time if it doesn’t feel right. I just ask them about things I really want to know about. I’m very similar in real life and will blatantly just ask about things I want to know. I’m really grateful people give me trust with their stories! Those Kanye videos kicked everything off - I always go back to them because they cement a time. The Christmas special is one is my favourite things I’ve done. A true masterpiece.

YOU CREATE WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE, AND CONDUCT YOURSELF IN A VERY ORGANIC WAY. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE GIVEN SUCH UNPRECEDENTED TRUST IN THE WAY YOU INTERPRET THE WORLD AROUND YOU?
SH**’S CRAZY! I think about that all the time. I have the greatest job. Getting to be able to pay respect to my predecessors and spotlight cool sh**t for others to appreciate is an incredible thing I get to do.

ON THE SUBJECT OF POP CULTURE, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN CURRENT CULTURE? WHAT HAS STUCK OUT FOR YOU AND LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC WHERE THINGS SEEMINGLY CAME TO A STANDSTILL? DO YOU THINK CREATIVITY FLOURISHED AND EVOLVED, GENERALLY SPEAKING?
So many pivotal moments! I think everybody and every business had to re-adjust and re-learn new ways of being creative and marketing things. I produced and hosted a Telethon last August, and we had to figure out how to do an in-person virtual festival dead in the middle of a pandemic. We had to think of so many workarounds. It’s a good thing though, and I think everyone approaches creativity with a fresh standpoint now which is cool to see.

YOUR MUSIC MIXES ARE AN ART FORM IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. THE WAY YOU DISSECT MUSIC AND SEW IT BACK TOGETHER TAKES THE AUDIENCE ON A TRIP. COULD YOU VERBALLY ILLUSTRATE THE WAY IN WHICH YOU WORK WITH SOUND?
I love love love this question! Working with sound is my favourite thing to do. I look at everything I do like a DJ set. A melting pot. It’s very inclusive. And I take my favourite things I’m feeling at the time and mesh them all together in a very honest way rather than in a way that looks at how it’s traditionally done. But I also try not to think about it too hard. Each episode of Kerwin Frost Radio on Apple Music is like a diary entry. Super emotional for me.

The arrival of 2020 would unite Frost with the iconic powerhouse Adidas, announcing a longterm partnership. Through Spring 2021, with a sneaker release imminently approaching, Frost would go on to showcase the star attraction of the debut collection. The SUPERSTUFFED sneaker, a take on the classic shell-toe trainer enveloped by a silhouette five-times bigger than the shoe itself; whilst still remaining true to size on the interior.

Closely followed by Frosts Forum-Hi trainer, a restructured high-top sneaker with an altogether redeveloped genetic code; boasting a pair of eyes, nose, teeth, and hair. Frosts partnership with Adidas travels far beyond colour-way play, he is remodelling and conceptualising our preconceived notions of what iconic Adidas staples should be. Sculpting pieces that wouldn’t go amiss among a museum collection. Frost symbolises a bonafide expression of creativity unbound by the norm, designing garments that make people feel genuinely happy and comfortable within their own skin.