Transcript
Speaker: like I love the color palettes that you picked. So like very curious of like this color palette for this shoe. Total freestyle. So I've always been known for my very intriguing, intriguing like color palette. So I usually take colors that don't don't necessarily go together, but I manage with symmetry and and just my brain to make it work together. Yeah. so this is how it came out and came out pretty good.
Speaker: I think I think it's just like, yeah, the the the non like colors, but the the I want to say because I took color theory. Okay. Yeah. So I know this like it to me at all. It it blames together. Yeah, it makes sense because of like when you this for the listeners. When you take color theory, it teaches you which way colors really blend or like, and it it could be like in an absolutely objective, like different color and you'll put it next to another color and it'll be like, whoa, this actually goes together and it's not harsh. And it's sort like when you do graphic design, you play around with colors. never used color theory before.
Speaker: No. I know there's books on it yeah yeah that I never read. i don't mean I don't even know how it works. You know, it just, I just, I just do it. no Hey, man, that's talent, man. You know? which to Yeah.
Speaker: What's good, everyone? Welcome back to My First Kicks, the podcast where i use sneakers as a through line to get to know my guests. This week, I am joined by the the man himself, Stan Birch.
Speaker: Am I saying that right? Stan Birch. Okay. it english It's English. I i know. I just had to make sure. Yeah. ah First off, shout out Jen and Jason. Because they definitely think that this is a video call. yeah And when they see the picture that we're going send them out today, they're going to be shocked.
Speaker: But I was like, you know, I do 10 video calls a week. So I was like, if I'm invited to do a podcast, I'm just going to pull up, you know? And this is the most exhausting thing I've ever made in my life. I'm exhausted. But it's fun it's fun. I mean, yeah, because you're five hours ahead, right? And I arrived yesterday ah like 11 p.m. And I'm leaving now, like right after. But it's fun, though. I mean, i appreciate you for doing this, man. This is ah when you were when you're throwing the ideas to me and I was like, Yeah, that would be sick. And I was telling them outside. I was like, you were like, I booked the flight. yeah i was just like
Speaker: And was just like, galating the day oh no what it up because it's it's i couldn't I couldn't cancel it. oh yeah because It's funny because you got to leave and then I got to leave after this too. I have to go to a Mets game. i was supposed to. i was supposed to kick So it's all good. Could have been messed up. yeah i was like I was like, we're going to make it happen. It's fine. It's good. It's all good. But I appreciate you doing this, man. like you know We're going to jump into your drop with the the standout sock and these no Guide 7's sorry I don't know why I had Triumph 4's in my head ah but Guide sevens like these are sick I was with Kenneth ah yeah at ah yes yeah at a Black Fullwear Forum and he wore them one day um and that's why i have them like this with the yeah the the extra yeah S on the side because I saw hey he did that and I was like that's fire when because you know Saakini packed it on all the shoes and I knew some people were going to wear it like this but it's it's nice yeah it's it's so good No, man, and then this, you gotta to explain the varsity. Is it varsity? Yeah, varsity, yeah. Sakini wanted me to make a shoe, and I'm obviously first fashion clothing designer. yeah I was like, we need to make a whole clothing collection out of it. So varsity, tracksuits, t-shirts. But the varsity is definitely the main piece because yeah it's it's it's perfect. Nah, man. I'll let you try it on after. Yes, please. Please. i need a picture. ah Like that's I mean, i don't the color palette. Right. So I first saw your New Balance and you did that.
Speaker: the The one of one. And then I immediately saw your Richard Lewis. ah Right. I'm saying which one the the varsity that you made for no the varsity that you made for f1 driver yes lewis hamilton lewis hamilton yeah yeah got it wrong yeah um and i was like i love the color palettes that you pick so like very curious of like this color palette for this shoe Total freestyle.
Speaker: So I've always been known for my very intriguing, intriguing like color palette. So i I usually take colors that don't, don't necessarily go together, but I manage with symmetry and and just my brain to make it work together. yeah So this is how it came out and came out pretty good. yeah I think I think it's just like, yeah, the the the non like colors, but the the I want to say because I took color theory. OK, yeah. So I know this like it to me. It all it it makes sense. Yeah, it makes sense because of like when you this is for the listeners. When you take color theory, it teaches you which way colors really blend. And it could be like in an absolutely objective, like different color. And you'll put it next to another color, and it'll be like, whoa, this actually goes together. And it's not harsh. And so when you do graphic design, you play around with colors. But I've never used color of theory before. No? I know there's books on it yeah yeah that I never read. I mean i don't even know how it works. just do it. No.
Speaker: Hey, man, that's talent. I think, I mean, for me, it's always been like once once I took that class, it does really open up the way you look at colors because it's like everything means something. I might need it for the next one. Hey, for the next one. What's the next one?
Speaker: I don't know. not I don't know yet. I don't know yet. But hopefully the next one. and Real quick, just remind y'all, do not forget to like, subscribe, and leave a comment if you're watching this on YouTube.
Speaker: And of course, if you're listening to this on Apple or Spotify, don't forget to leave a five-star review that I'll read at the end of an episode or Don't forget to leave a comment if you're listening to this on Spotify.
Speaker: And of course, I have a Patreon. Patreon is only $5. I keep it one tier. Just need $5 from y'all a month. I got extra content on there. I got last week's walkthrough with Mike Packer and Scrams at the Packer exhibit. I also have extra episodes that, you know, I'll drop on there as well. Currently going through some stuff. And you can see around me. I'll talk about this more at the end.
Speaker: But If you want to help out the podcast, I only mean $5 from you. $5. Patreon.com slash my first kicks. But for now, let's jump back right into the episode. oh But you're here to answer the question that I ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kick? So it's that first person is you absolutely needed to have.
Speaker: It was the all white Nike Air Force Ones. Oh yeah? Just because of the whole history of it. You know, the whole hip hop culture thing. So sorry Sakini, but it had to be a Nike on this one. ah So like, you know, you're from Paris. Yeah. Yeah. So like, what is the significance of the Air Force One out there?
Speaker: Not much, but I love sneakers and the whole culture, you know, surrounding it. So not necessarily because of Paris, but because of my love for sneakers, it had to be ah an Air Force One. did ah How did hip hop find you out there?
Speaker: Man, just music. yeah I've been listening to hip-hop since I was very small kid, because I wanted i wanted to do like my sister, and she's older, and she was listening to hip-hop all the time, and so I started listening to hip-hop like that. That's good. I mean, that's fire. Your sister, you got a cool sister, is what you're saying? She's pretty cool. She's pretty cool, yeah. uh well so who's the so who were you listening to like what would you biggest eminem first yeah eminem dmx um big mind big biggie biggie tupac the all the big ones and like i'm curious of how because like one thing i don't know i know about how music traveled out in the u.s But like music traveling overseas was always like a ah blind spot to me. Like when I found the internet, I knew like I learned about like, i don't know, do you know about like troop, troop, flu, troop, troop? No. There was like a, there was like a UK rap group that like people always talked about when they were like, yo, you got to check out this rap group on the, ah across the pond. would you say it again? Like troop, troop, flu? I don't what to say. I don't know how to say it. You got it. Oh man, I'm gonna have to find it and send it to you. But ah yeah, how did, was there like a channel? Y'all, do you have like MTV out there something? Yo, so when I was a kid, my dad used to work in London and in London music were shown on MTV like ah video clips before in France. So we, with my sister, we used to see um ah video clips before they were out in France. So we were like with ah with our friends we're like oh we've seen the new clip of whatever I don't remember because I was too so i was i was too small but yeah yeah MTV pretty much. andtv I mean that's I used to work for MTV so that's I went on. MTV you know. So like
Speaker: so like sneaker culture in paris i don't really know out outside of sneaker then telling me some it um like were were there stores like was there a boutique that you would hit up or no because i wasn't living in paris at the time i was living in the south of france okay and it's very very slow in terms of sneaker culture fashion culture so it was all online All online? All online. And so and how did how does sneaker culture find you?
Speaker: But it it found it found me when I started customizing them. So i didn't know anything about sneakers before that. So I was just bored one day, doodled some whatever thing on a pair of shoes. And from there,
Speaker: I did another one and another one and then 10, 20, 50, 100. And then I started to build that love for sneakers. So it really happened, you know, in ah in a strange way. Yeah. But yeah.
Speaker: That's, i mean, were you selling like custom sneakers online only or were you selling them around? No, it was it was on Instagram. I was posting and just via text messages, PayPal, and then, you know.
Speaker: damn yeah just ready to go like that ready to go yeah it was fun what was the i guess i' like can you talk about the process behind the your first like the custom that first blew up and got your name oh it wasn't it was a nike m2k techno it was you know the dad shoe yeah and it was like you know the dad shoes came back in like 20 2018 people were going crazy on monarch nike monarchs and and and it was an m2k techno And I think I got like hundreds of messages of girls mainly who were like, oh, this is beautiful. Can I get one? And I was selling my shoes for like, don't know, 60 bucks at the time. I was, you know, I didn't know anything. I was, my work wasn't even, it wasn't even good. So think I made like dozens of them or my first one.
Speaker: So that was crazy. That's wild. Yeah, that was wild. When did, did you go to school for fashion? Nah. So like. No, I didn't go to school for anything. Yeah. I wanted to go, i wanted to be a pro golfer.
Speaker: Really? I just, I just, I just left school, played golf eight hours a day and I didn't make it obviously. And then I got out of my mom's place and I bartended for like eight years.
Speaker: wow Yeah. So, and then you were just, like and then I i said, F it. I'm just going to paint on some shoes. You know, it's, it's complete nonsense, but I don't regret it. No. Yeah. Look how far you come. Like that's, I came from a, from a, from a long way. So, That is crazy. Why, where was the moment that you were just like, right, I'm going to, I'm going to start drawing on shoes. I don't know. The moment I did my first one, I felt something special. I was like, okay, I love this. This is, you know, this is cool. And then when I started getting like,
Speaker: hundreds of orders i said okay i need to quit my job yeah as a bartender uh-huh and go do that for a living that was a big risk but you know you gotta take something sometimes no yeah like you did today and you know like the journey is pretty interesting for like yeah speaking of that too like so after you did that um definitely like when did you start when when you start getting recognition right how did you build on that
Speaker: I don't think I even tried to build anything. It just, it just came and I continued doing what I thought I did best at the time. And then what changed was, when the Nike Sakai's, um, released. So I was the first to ever customize one of these Nike Sakai's LD waffles.
Speaker: And this completely blew out. And I think I, I did like 300 of them, 200, 300 of unique colorways on Nike Sakai's for private customers. oh you're gonna have to show me some i'm gonna have this i have so many yeah so many because i don't even i can't even think about like the way were you doing like the the extra padding on it like no it was only paint and dyes really so you know with the brush yeah painting and dyeing each panel individually so it was it was fun that's crazy yeah that And then from there... It's the same thing as my you know my thing with colors. Yeah. is i've I literally did like probably a thousand of different colorways, unique colorways that I never reproduced after. So my thing with color comes from there. so
Speaker: Because i just did so many color associations yeah that I just... you know just man you got the vision yeah you got visualized and yeah vision you i think like were you always just like a risk taker like that because it seems like yeah yeah i mean yeah booked flights yeah last minute flights i don't know how to cook with a recipe i just i just freestyle however you want everything i do is completely freestyle that's it's ah i guess it's a way of living you know it's not always a good one but But it's an expensive one. It's an expensive one. What's the biggest laugh you took that ah that like, that's obviously not this. Honestly, quitting my job my job yeah to just pursue something i wasn't even sure of. You know, was you know customizing sneakers.
Speaker: And I think my mom was like, You sure about that? Yeah. And i was like, yeah, let's, you know, let's let's do it. So yeah. And even after, after that, the, the, the, the next slip I took was cause I was making good money customizing sneakers, but I got sick of it at some point cause I made too many, so many.
Speaker: Right. And I decided that I was going to stop doing this and design clothes, which I didn't have any, you know, I didn't study fashion. I didn't even know how to design a t-shirt. And I started by designing varsity jackets, you know, I just, just off the bat. Yeah.
Speaker: Just let's go for it. You know, well what was that? what was that process? Like, what the first one? It was... It was one for me that is pretty much the same colors as those.
Speaker: But obviously way, way, way worse. I mean... not good it was It was nice, but sizing was not good. you know, I... I made the sizing and it was too short and the sleeves too long. Oh, cut everything? No, no, no. I designed it, but you have to do a size chart to send to the factory. And it wasn't good because it was my first one. The patches were not really good.
Speaker: But I liked it and I kept kept doing it. And then when the one for Lewis Hamilton and then you know for other people in Here I am. The Lewis Hamilton one, like, it blew up.
Speaker: And so, like, what was the, how did you feel after that?
Speaker: Not really different, but it would it's it's it's a thing that I added on my on my portfolio. You know, when you say you made a jacket for Lewis Hamilton, ah people look at you differently. yeah And then I got, I made shoes for Jay-Z and the whole inner circle. And this is another thing that you add on the on the portfolio. And people, when you, When you say I made some jacket for Lewis Hamilton and some shoes for Jay-Z, people look at you in another different way. Yeah. And every big things I did, ah didn't didn't really change my way of seeing things. But it's another thing. And people look at you differently and maybe take you a little bit more seriously. Yeah. You know, what did you feel like people doubted you or do people doubt you? No, not not necessarily, but um since I don't come from a fashion background and i learn I learned everything myself, some people might, you know, not taking me very seriously, but I hope they will someday.
Speaker: Hey, I mean, you know, it how long have you been doing this? It's definitely a decade. decade yeah I started in 2017. I think my first custom shoe was like 2017. So it's been a decade. yeah Which is crazy when I think about it as a decade. I mean, look how much you've been able to. yeah Dude, here you did shoes for Jay-Z, which is I didn't even know that. That was crazy. how do they clarks Clark shoes. i yeah elsewhere what a How did that happen? like um Because you're naming all these models.
Speaker: But like you're not like, hey, I've been doing this specific model and then people found me. It was like, hey, I did one and then now everybody's like, yeah let me get one. yeah yeah How did that happen? um Yeah, because I did a collab with Clarks. We did 30 pairs for...
Speaker: um Jeff Staple, it was like 35 pairs that we gifted to like high profiles and some of my friends and clients. so it was Jeff Staple, Kid Super, DJ Clark Kent, and and and a few and yeah and a few and a few other guys. um And one guy at Clark said, oh, I know Emory Jones. Do you want to make some shoes for Jay-Z and Emory Jones? And I was like, huh. Yeah. And so ah it came from doing a pair of shoes for Jay-Z and Emory Jones to making shoes for Jay-Z and the whole inner circle. So Lenny S, Ty Ty Smith, Sean Brown and... um
Speaker: You don't have to name everybody. And another one. And yeah, this this was fun. This was, this one is to date one of my favorite projects. Yeah. Yeah. Why why made it we made it so fun?
Speaker: ah Jay-Z. Yeah. I mean, Jay-Z and the whole inner circle, you know, it's it's history, you know. yeah And so... And I know they weren't allowed to post them because, you know, Puma and contracts and whatever. But I i have a picture of Emery Jones wearing it with a specific saying, do not post this. So I have the picture.
Speaker: i mean, I might have deleted it because I know I can never post it. So I might have it somewhere. but Yeah, put that on the mood board. But yeah, Emory Jones is an absolute legend. yeah I met him i met him at a Fanatics Fest last year. And he was like the nice. I was like. And then I walked away.
Speaker: and my boy was like, you know that was Emory Jones, right? I was like, what? Yeah. What? and ah Yeah, that was crazy. um And then I came back around. i spoke I spoke to him because I didn't know who I was talking to at the moment. But the that, like, I don't even know how.
Speaker: Dude, like for me, it's like I've been telling people like my my goat guess would be Nas. But like if Jay-Z was like, yo, let's do a pod episode. It'll happen. It'll happen. want me Hopefully. One day. Manifest it. You know, but it's like, yeah, that is when you hear hip hop and you hear those names and you hear like those like people you listen to. Yeah. history Like to be part of that too. It's like definitely. It's crazy. It's crazy to even think about like, i don't know even know you ever step back and be like, wow, I really did. like I really did this. I don't really, i don't really i don't really, I'm just happy I i did it. Yeah.
Speaker: But I think if tomorrow someone asked me to make some shoes for Nas, I'll be, I'll be going crazy. You're just playing, you're just playing all the albums back to back. Yeah. This is what I did when I did the shoes for Jay-Z. It took me like a full week.
Speaker: And I was like from morning to night listening to Jay-Z just to get in the zone, you know? So, yeah. that's it was It was a fun one. That's crazy. The the way, um like from then, right? When, at what point did you just like, you know, start expanding your reach with with fashion? Because like, started seeing a lot a lot more recently. Well,
Speaker: Oh recently yeah it took a turn back. I mean, Saucony was is definitely yeah what maybe blew up at this exact moment in time. But before that it was just really my varsity jackets that I started making and having, you know, because I do bespoke varsity jackets. Right.
Speaker: If a high profile who or someone wants a varsity jacket, I'll i'll measure them um and do a piece with all the embroideries, um which is a reflection of the other of the the customer.
Speaker: So I'll ask for dates, favorite moments in life, name of the kids, date of birth, ah where did you live, where were you born? And I'll just, you know, put like, you know, the kids initials, a map of where they've been. and um So it's definitely something that's, you know, for the for the person who buys it, it's one of the most amazing pieces you can ever get because your whole life is on it. yeah So it's it's more like a piece of art than something you want to wear. Where'd that, like, inspiration for that design come from?
Speaker: This is a great question. I have no idea. um I don't even know. I think it i think when i did the... I think it actually comes from the Jay-Z project because because I'll show it to you later. But when I did the Jay-Z shoe, um I did, you know, all the the the fobs on the Clarks, the triangle thing? triangle thing, yeah. The tags. Each one of them had like five or six.
Speaker: I know Ty-Ty had a Mai Tai on it and Jay-Z had a Grammy and one of ah one of the artworks that is in his office. I i redid the whole office of Lenny S with the gold couch. And so I digged so much into, you know, archives, um Wikipedia, just online, just to learn things and be able to... Each shoe was a representation of the one who was going to get it. so And this is how my love to for digging and doing researches um and making a piece that is a reflection of someone came from.
Speaker: um And after that, I started doing varsity jackets. And so I kept this um kind of way of creating to do these varsity jackets. Jumping in once again to remind you, I have merch, I have t-shirts.
Speaker: I have a box of t-shirts. You'll see it come down like I just have a little graphic that pops up. My First Kicks t-shirts. If you want to cop a t-shirt, hit me up in the DMs or shoot me an email at infoandmyfirstkicks.com.
Speaker: They're only $40, $40 in person, $40 plus shipping. If you are living somewhere else that is not New York City. So hit your boy up $40 plus shipping or $40 in person.
Speaker: I have a box of t-shirts. Help me get rid of them. But for now, let's jump back into the episode. That's so interesting. Because like the one thing, the one thing, because the varsity jackets here is all just like sports. Yeah. You know, so it's like, and i don't know if that's like that. Yeah, but now it's a little less because Off-White does some, and Louis Vuitton does some, you know, that are more like fashion pieces than sports university jackets, right? But it's like, i mean, but more in terms of just like the the the person, the personal versions of it is like tied to sports. it's never been tied to life. Life. And yeah so like you adding that yeah is like so dope. Like, i don't I never even thought about it like that, too because like when you when you um it's kind of like a because like when I think about leather jackets or like, you know, um what's his name? They make the like what's the name of the leather jackets?
Speaker: ah No, no, no. The crazier ones. um Jeff Hamilton. Oh, Jeff Hamilton. Yeah, my bad. The absolute legend. Yeah, the goat right there. But it's always like he's like, he's adding all these details and it's all based on sports. You know what I'm saying? like Or like, you know, like it's not really...
Speaker: personal one of one like you were like if somebody put that on if somebody puts your that on and they're like or the one that you made custom for the person they'll be like that's not your jacket yeah you know i like that's not you this is something that can be worn only by the one who got it you cannot lend it you cannot you know cant can I borrow your jacket I mean there's my date birthday yeah birthday date on it so it's literally something that is made for one person and one person only so I think it's I think it's fun That's a but like, I guess that brings me the question of like, do do you feel like the that doesn't like stop other people from being like, ah I'm trying to say this.
Speaker: Like that you're cornering the market specifically yeah to one person per person. Right. And so instead of like making mass produced jackets, like, do you feel like? Yeah, but I also do this. Yeah. I mean, I do like ready to wear. Right. Yeah. you dish yeah Always very limited, like 50, 60, 100 pieces. Yeah. And I also do jackets for like, you know, ah I do like merch for businesses. So people would order like a hundred jackets and, but always kind of bespoke and made to order. So, but I also now more and more, you'll see me do like clothing collections for the public. Yeah. You know, because people love the one of ones I do, but it's not for them. Right. You know, they're like,
Speaker: Damn, we want some, too. So, at some point, I got to do some for the public, right? That's what I was trying to allude to, just being like, you know, how do you get more people to really buy into who you are, too? Because if you're just doing one-of-ones, people are going to look at and be like, I can't afford that. I can't do that. You know? Like, so... That's why I wanted to it. Yeah, and also it's a very expensive process. So people want to get something, you know, that is not like a few thousands. This is not for everyone, obviously. So I have to do things that people can afford.
Speaker: How much does a jacket go for? I mean. Basebook. Oh, it's between $4K and Yeah. I could have done that. I could have won that. But I mean, it's like, I've been, I have won in production for someone in Australia. Okay. And she's, it's a gift for her husband. It's the, he's 40 years old, right? It's not a, what's the break dancer again?
Speaker: No, no, no, no, no. It's not someone. And I've spent like, three months yeah designing it back and forth with her making changes so and then there's the production production is for one piece yeah so expensive yeah it's factory they don't care about you for for one piece they do it but if they don't do it it's fine so they just charge you like insane amounts So it's 5k, but it's like months of work and then production. And then I got to talk to the factory and be like, oh, you made a mistake there. And it's like nightmares and 3am in the morning. They send me a picture. um i wake up.
Speaker: No, that's not okay. You got to redo it. So it's 5k, but it's a lot of... work you know it's so that's wild man I don't even know if I can do that that he is it but it's fun it's my passion I love that I mean it's not always fun because you know mit factory making mistakes and delays I know the Lewis Hamilton jacket was like two months late oh yeah so you know shit happens sometimes so it's not always fun But it's all part of the process and journey and I just embrace all of it. That, I mean, I'm pretty sure when you when you hand it over and you see that, like their look on their face or their response of like yeah how much it means to them, like that's yeah that's priceless. Like you can't even put a price on that. Definitely. You know, yeah um we talk about the apparel. I mean, we got to talk about this this collection you did with it with the shoes. Like, what's the how did you how did you find like what did you want to to really, ah you know, highlight the shoe?
Speaker: Um, well, for the jacket, I wanted something the same colors. That was an issue because finding fabrics that is because this is manufactured by me. Yeah. And this is manufactured by Sock. Right. Yeah. So I have different factories. So I had to dig to find the exact same colors.
Speaker: Like, you know, the brown and the the green. magic I was like, this one is not the same, but this one is pretty much, yeah pretty much the same. Right. So this was fun. um And it all kind of embraces the whole standout theme. You know, you have a patch here with a guy standing out, another one here, and a whole bunch of little elements like the one on the back.
Speaker: Oh, yeah, that's sick. Yeah. So, which is the same color of the midsole. So it was, it was all fun to design. It's it's all about color symmetry. Yeah. You know, so, yeah. What the the, and I wanted to know about the theme too, about standing out. And also the track shoot, the track wasn't supposed to come out. So it was only made for the, for the campaign, for the photos and the video. ah the Photos is fire. And when everyone saw the the tracksuit, they said, bro, this needs to be produced and be sold to the public. And I was like, you sure? They're like, yeah yeah, do it. So I called my factory. was like, guys, we need to do like 35 pieces now
Speaker: So yeah. That's crazy. But yeah, what's the the theme behind it standing out? The theme is stand out, right? So it's just a way of, because I've always tried to stand out in a way in my, you know, in my work and just in my life in general. And I feel like sometimes today, like when you, when you look at cars, they're all black, there's no blue and red and pink. Everything is very dark.
Speaker: buildings, we used to have amazing architecture and now everything is like super square and black and gray and you know metal and there's no fun anymore in you know all these kinds of stuff.
Speaker: And I feel like everyone also dresses a lot in black you know in dark colors and I was like okay we need to make people stand out you know so.
Speaker: that's that's how it came, that's that's where it came from. at the avi and I think it's a perfect, you're doing it. And you can't go wrong with a full black outfit yeah and a standout shoe, right? so I mean, that's usually the, my boy was a my boy did that for like years. yeah right He just did of a black black on black and changed shoe. And white pair or something. Some crazy shoe. Yeah, yeah. So it's like,
Speaker: That makes perfect sense. I think, I mean, we talk about like how, especially now, because of the internet, a lot of the, a lot of people's outfits are very homogenized. Like everybody's kind of like looking the same. So you really know who's Everyone is kind of looking the same. And I wanted to potentially, you know, change that a little bit on my level, you know? Yeah. I mean, look, everything you've been doing is standing out. Like these varsity jackets, standing out. it's it's just it's just It just follows what I do in my lane of work, right?
Speaker: So... I definitely think like especially with the way the campaign you built around the shoe too like the way that it's all coming together it just seems very different I think it's very different from what it was so what happened is you know the release got delayed so everyone every media started to drop the shoe visuals before we got to show the campaign and the video is where you understand the theme you know because it's like Three models ah standing standing in the middle of a crosswalk and everyone is passing very blurry, very fast. And they're, you know, in their own mind and world and every everyone, they're they're standing out, right?
Speaker: But unfortunately, the the shoe visuals came out in the world before we got to show this visual. It was it was two days ago. Yeah. But yeah, you can really understand the whole the whole theme just by watching the video pretty much.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely tap into the video. It's a very good video. And it's like, I think the what is been really dope about seeing how much people really enjoy the shoe too. and And like your ability to switch out the like, I feel like people were like, yo, you could do that. didn't even know Sokka didn't do that. like yeah you But this is interesting because everyone think it came out from, you know, my background of customizing sneakers.
Speaker: But it only did... It was in discussion because i had i had to choose to choose between three colors for the for the River logo. And I couldn't choose. So... And all of the colors I chose were looking good. And I said, Sogony, can we just do all three? Because I cannot choose. And so this the Velcro patch game idea came out like that. Damn. It's not even, of you know, to remind my background of shoe, custom shoe. It's just because...
Speaker: my incapacity of taking a decision of on the color. you're like You're like, I don't want to make the decision. Y'all make the decision. Yeah, yeah. No decision. Let's just go on all three. no oh yeah I'm very curious about like the community you're building in Paris around your stuff too. like can you talk a little bit about like how the reception like out there?
Speaker: People went crazy. Yeah. yeah so And they all they all said it was a well-deserved recognition. And this made me very happy because um everyone was pretty, you know, they all pretty much said,
Speaker: it's a long time coming and you know you deserve it very much so very happy about that no yeah that's dope yeah the because don't know i've never been to paris fashion week so you've been to paris right i've never been to paris you got to so i got it yeah hopefully next year yeah i got my passport now i got no excuse we out All right. Good. The saucepan Dan and Moody here. But it's it's been ah like watching Paris Fashion Week. Like has been it's interesting. I don't know. can you explain it from as a as a Parisian? Well, because I'm from Paris, I don't really pay attention. It's like is but it's everyone is there. Yeah. Literally everyone.
Speaker: So this is the best moment for events meetings because You know, I don't always come to New York last minute. So sometimes some of my, you know, clients or friends from New York are there. yeah So we are able to see each other and you meet new people.
Speaker: Paris Fashion Week is is is pretty intense. It's exhausting, yeah but it's it's a fun moment. yeah It's a very fun moment. Sakini has such like a huge presence for Paris Fashion Week. Sakini has one of the most amazing showrooms. Yeah.
Speaker: And it's ah it's in the middle of the whole, you know, Fashion Week is only in a few boroughs. It's not all of Paris. It's only ah in ah in ah in a small place. Sakini is at, Sakini's showroom and that is at the center of this. And it's,
Speaker: Every year, the most amazing space. yeah It's a very big space. They always have amazing shoes to to showcase. um And yeah. the like where Did you have a moment where like, all right, you were going to go Sockany or is like...
Speaker: Um, no, it it it happened pretty naturally. So, me and Jason had a pretty good relationship because we met at this exact showroom we're talking about. And we we got a very, very good relationship. And naturally, the...
Speaker: the discussion came about and I actually think if I remember well at some point I said ah I said to Jason should we do something and he said well we were going to ask you ask you so the moment was you know everything was perfectly sensed and um And yeah, that's pretty dope. I mean, it's dope. Shout out to Jason. Yeah. He's amazing. Yeah. I mean, I was just with He's the kindest man ever. He's the kindest. He's the best. I call him one of my mentors too because I've known him since years ago. yeah? When I was a kid. yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah. How old are you? 38. Okay.
Speaker: Like a kid, like, I mean, like, I think- In your 20s? Nah, was a little too. Early 30s? No, no, no, no. Definitely 20s for sure. But I was trying to remember if maybe I met him when I was like 19. I know I was going down to the Lower East Side when he first opened Action Brother. And so, and that was the Kill Bill pack. And that's the first time I met him. And we ended up becoming cool after that. But yeah, I've had him on here too. It's easy to be cool with him. It's pretty easy. Yeah. He's dope. He's dope. Every time I always see the Paris Fashion Week soccer in the room, I'm like, damn, I wish I was there. This year, they did the showing of Westside Gun stuff. And they had a beautiful show. The aluminum all over the place. It was very nice. It was very nice. Maybe your next shoe is going to be in the next one?
Speaker: If there's a next shoe? Well, this one was over there. Oh, it was? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had it ah we had privatized for one evening. Okay. And we gifted the shoe to like 13 people before the world even gets to see the actual colorway.
Speaker: So we used the Saucony showroom for like two or three hours. Yeah. Just for me. We set it up like Saucony, Stan Birch with like clothing racks with the jackets and the tracksuits. Yeah.
Speaker: And a few friends came out came came up and so I was explaining to them the whole process, the theme, the storytelling. u hu give They got gifted a pair before everyone got to see it. And this was at the Sakuni showroom. So...
Speaker: That's fire, man. I think, I don't know how you, the the one thing I think people now currently always like, yo, the exclusivity of stuff. And like, I feel like you made stuff very exclusive and it's like, it's wild. yeah Like, like everybody's like, yeah, this stuff is not exclusive anymore. yeah yeah Then you're talking about this experience and you're only dropping 30, 33, 35 track outs there's only like, But I only dropping a few because I was afraid to make too many because this is my first big collab. was like, what if I do like 500 and I don't? yeah know we don't it's It's an investment. I was like, you know, let's go slow. Let's go 30, 30 and 200 t-shirts and that's it. yeah that so i But I do think like the scarcity of that is dope, in my opinion. like yeah but Especially because you're coming from fashion. Like a lot of that stuff is already like it's rare. Yeah, but I also think people are starting to be a little bit sick about, you know,
Speaker: things being too exclusive, you know, they want to, they want to put their hands on it. You know, they want to be able to have it. So you need to, you need to, you know, I don't know. I mean, you're the, you're, this is your business, man. How do you, but I love to I don't know. I gotta, I gotta find a way to, you know, how do you, how do you battle that though? How do you, how do you like, instead of being like, yo, everybody gets everything. Like, how do you battle that?
Speaker: I don't know. it's the It's war in my head. I don't know. I don't know how to balance it. I'll find a way. I'll find a way. I mean, so like, what is it? Well, in the future, like, how how much more are you trying to like bring in? Because I know like way more.
Speaker: Like... I don't know the end of the question, but way more, always way more. Well, more in terms of just like the U.S. translated, getting people from the U.S. to buy in on what you're doing, especially because you're coming from a, you know, a different country and like, you know, having that same love show back, like, you know, that mix of two and two, because it's like you're working with U.S.-based brand and now, you know, you are based out in Paris and it's like, you know, sometimes people will be like, you're from a different world. Why are you, you know, you're not speaking language? Yeah, but before that, 80% of my clientele was based in the U.S. So, I don't really see any change in, in that. So, because I've always worked with the, since, since I started, had like customers in the U.S. since the beginning. Yeah.
Speaker: So, I don't really see a difference in that, you know? So, I feel like I was working in the US before, even before this, you know, official product design collaboration. So, so yeah. No, yeah, that's dope. I mean, it's just like when you hear like out of across the pond design something like that, like I can't, I can barely get any pad of stuff. Like, you know, like it's just like it's all that stuff is hard for me to get specifically, especially now with tariffs and stuff like that. Like that really put a bit like a barrier in front of people buying stuff outside of the US. And so I think it's just like, I mean, if you're the customer base now trying to build that customer's base out over here, feel like it's harder. But I saw, I know, you know, I did an early access on my website a week ago and I had complaints about the shipping prices. Yeah. Yeah. The shipping is so, it's like $90 just to ship a t-shirt from Paris to, to, to the US. Yeah. So I sent a shoe and it was, you know, the shoe is $200. It was almost $300. People were like, I can't do it. And I was like, you know what? I wouldn't do it either. You know? And then you have to add, like, import tax fees, which is 30% of the whole. So it's too expensive, right? It's wild, yeah. So...
Speaker: I found a way to ship it in in a little bit less expensive because DHL is DHL theio is it was a way too expensive DHL is very fast you can get delivered in two days but you know you know what you pay for yeah yeah so I used ah a lower less expensive one that it gets delivered in like five six days which is still decent right yeah but not $90 because this is a nonsense. And this is obviously blocking some people to buy from you know Europe and whether it's french French brands or Italian brands or brands from the UK or outside of the US mainly because it's too expensive. Yeah. so
Speaker: it's tough man yeah it's tough it is having a but having a business right now is tough man it is yeah it is so like how do you how do you navigate it to where you're you know you're you're still putting out the best that you can but like you know the financial hardships that are around i don't i don't i don't i don't know i just i just do stuff yeah which i have a very strange relationship with money is i love money yeah But I also don't mind not having any. So, you know, just producing, you know, I spent a fortune just producing the the clothes, the Aperol, but I don't know if I'm going to sell it, right?
Speaker: So I just, and I don't really count. If I got to spend a certain amount, I'll spend it no matter the issue, which is issue. Right? an issue yeah Which is an issue. yeah so And ah yeah, I just, I just, it's my passion, right? yeah So I'm just having fun with it yeah it. It costs me money, but it's my passion. Therefore, I'm having fun spending the money. yeah so yeah Do you think, you think people are afraid of doing that?
Speaker: Oh yeah, definitely. yeah Because it's ah' it's a difficult world. Everything is expensive. You want to eat at a restaurant, it's so expensive. You want to take a taxi, it's expensive. Everything is expensive, right? So I think people are keeping their money and trying to stack it as much as possible, right?
Speaker: Which I don't know how to do. Man, we live in the same boat, man. I'm the same way. I spend way too much money every chance I get. I don't know why. And I'll be like, why don't I have money for next week? I'll be like, don't know why.
Speaker: And now you got to repair your basement. Not my basement. like my My apartment. Oh, yeah, my apartment. I wish I had a basement. It's New York, man. We don't get basement here.
Speaker: The way that it's like, yeah, I don't know, man. Yes, if you're not if you don't know, by the time of this recording, I probably will announce it or something like that. But if you follow me, a pipe burst in my closet. And so I'm going to have to deal with that. But i know I am currently dealing with that. Hopefully future meetings. Are you thinking about it when you talk to me? Good shit. No. No. Because because though the worst was like, it happened to me while i was out. Remember I told you I was going to Detroit. So I go to Detroit and my mom's like, she calls me. She's just like, hey, ah there's water everywhere. I was like, what? She's like, yeah, there's water everywhere. And I'm like,
Speaker: Alright, and it's literally, it literally, it happens after I land. So like, my super calls me before I get on the plane, and then that call happens after I land.
Speaker: the The weekend started, like, the it was And you can't do anything. I can't be like, yo, turn this plane around, like, it's over, like, you know, like, yeah. So by the time I got home, I was just like, You know, breathe, try not to get depressed, see what happens. It could have been worse. It could have been worse. It always could have been worse, you know, but like, yeah, it sucks that it happens. um I'm just hoping that like, I mean, i don't know if you've ever dealt with like a flood. What's the what's the worst mishap that happened to you while the like like in your design career?
Speaker: Nothing really. No? No. you've had Nothing went pretty well. Yeah. does Just delays? Just delays. Yeah, just delays. Yeah. Just delays. The, um, I just think it's just like, yeah, man, I don't know. I try not to think about it because it's like,
Speaker: It's going to depress me. Like if I find out more sneakers have to throw away, it's going to depress me. But it's also very fortunate. It might happen. I went through all the back wall, you know. But I think it's just like, you know, I just try to stay positive. There's going to be another. Because like I don't want to be that person. And this is probably maybe your mentality too of just like, the soon as I start thinking- I'm trying to repeat myself. Everything that happens to me is for my greatest good. And this is my way of, you know, if something bad happens, you know, I mean, don't have a choice, right? It happened. So now we got to deal with the consequences and you never know what can come out from this, you know?
Speaker: So, and again, it's only shoes. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And my apartment. And my wife. I mean, yeah. I mean, I'm talking about the shoes part. Yeah, yeah, The apartment is little bit... No, yeah. I mean, I just think it's just like, I think having a positive attitude is definitely what's needed, especially now. Because the world is so... There's a lot of negativity. A lot of negativity, you know? All over the place. And...
Speaker: And so you got to be positive, at least with yourself. you know I think it's very, very important. You have a you have a good group of people around you yeah that keep you up? Yeah, definitely. I know Sneaker Den is ah close with you? or No, we're not close, but he's he's he's a good guy. no i like I love having conversations with him. And he has ah a knowledge of the culture, which is pretty amazing. So, you know, he's good. No, yeah, me and him go back. i We yell at each other a little bit. Yeah. Because my knowledge is insane. But, like, you know, I don't hold things very close to the chest like yeah does and he does. He does. He He'd be like, these are the tenants. Like, you got to, this is what's written in stone. And I'd be like, all right, bro. I know, he got to beef with Jeff.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, yeah. For whatever reason, I think it was about, like, a, what? It was a fake shoe. He threw the fake shoes up there. And I've seen, he did a podcast like Dan a few days and he was like, oh no, I'm not backing up, you know.
Speaker: Yo bro, let it rest, bro. but It's not that important, you know. yeah but But I get it. It's a passion, right? So if it's in your heart, it's in your heart. And, you know, it's a passion. Is that like ah a French person? Like what are French personalities like? In what? Oh! yeah Oh, like you you mean like being super focused on something and yeah not wanting to back up? Uh huh.
Speaker: Would you count that as like? Maybe. Yeah? Yeah, maybe. Do you think that, do you think that like, aligns with the... I'm like that. so like, i would I would guess so. I would guess so.
Speaker: I would guess so. I think it's just, like, I mean, I've seen... I think if you really love what you're doing, that's, like, the most important thing, you know? Yeah. and if it' If something is very important to you, i would assume that you you don't back off at all, ever, yeah right?
Speaker: So, even if you should sometimes... You just won't do it. Yeah. You know, so is it's a passion. Yeah. I know, I know like, you know, France is known for a lot of creative and art and stuff like that. Fashion mainly. Yeah, fashion. And so does the, does the community out there really like push that forward? Is there like a, like, like, is there like a band of like, you do like open house, like open shows or like open art, like, you know, do, is there like ah a group of creatives really like pushing the culture forward out there?
Speaker: I don't feel like there's that much. Maybe I i mean I don't obviously know everyone and and and everything but I don't i don't recall ah recall knowing her hearing of any any group like that. So maybe but I don't I don't I don't know.
Speaker: Do you have like, do you have creative friends that you like? Yeah. off of yeah Yeah. Yeah. When I, if I need an advice, i would usually ask people or, you know, if I did a new design, I would ask, do you think it's good? and what What should I change? No.
Speaker: cause Sometimes, you know when you love something so much, you can, this this is back to what we just said before. yeah When you love something so much, you can take bad decisions by not asking other people's advices, right? Right, yeah. And if you have, if if you're a designer and some of your friends have a good a good look, you know, ah they dress well, you should ask them, what do you think about, you know, this shape, this color, this patch or whatever.
Speaker: So yeah, definitely ask for advice. Not often, but I do it. yeah I have a big ego. so yeah Oh, you do? I have an an enormous ego. Like, how? Why? why What happened? Like, I mean, well, not why, wow like i movie be like what I mean, like, how did that come to be? um I'm always persuaded that my opinion is like the one.
Speaker: Which is obviously not true. Yeah. But you have the awareness of it. you're young Yeah. i have I have a big ego and I'm aware of it and I'm trying to change it. I'm trying to change it, which is the first step. Right.
Speaker: yeah is Is it because of the success or is it because of you? No, I was like that since I could walk. Yeah. Yeah. I'm sure my mom said, don't walk like that. I i was thinking i was I was knowing better than her. first step. So no, I was always like that. I was always like that. Oh, man. I mean, look, hey, we you get you get to a point where I don't know. I feel like especially when you're creative or something like that or you do you do stuff out of passion. It's like it is really hard to to break out of like.
Speaker: Yeah, because you're in your zone. yeah You're in your zone. and Or you tell people that you don't see it like how I see it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's like, yeah yeah, that's the point. You shouldn't be seeing it. We need that different perspective. And also sometimes people, they don't have your vision, right? yeah So I would make a, um you know...
Speaker: I would flight New York and it would cost me a fortune to fly New York, you know, taking my my my book of flight two two days prior. And someone would say, that's dumb to do that, you know?
Speaker: And i would I would be like, yeah, but it's my first boss ga podcast and I want to do it, you know? So, and it's my vision, you know? so My ego would, you know, step up and be like, this is my decision, you know, and I think it's a good thing I did it, you know.
Speaker: So that would be an an example. Man, look, I appreciate you for doing this. ah yeah And also, I love New York, right? Yeah. So every tiny little bit, tiny little excuse, you know, ah I'll jump on it. I thought you were gonna come out here for New York Fashion Week, it's New York Fashion Week.
Speaker: No. Because New York Fashion Week is not Paris Fashion Week. let me hear it. Let me hear Let me hear No, no, no, I don't even know because i i never I've never been to New York Fashion Week. yeah i i was I mean, I don't think these two compare. Like, they don't compare, in my opinion. Well, Paris is Paris. So it's it's the city of fashion. um So...
Speaker: And also, every New Yorker or not necessarily New Yorker, it can be people from l LA that works in a fashion, they go to Paris Fashion Week. But Parisian people don't go to New York Fashion Week. it's pretty much a proof that um and i'm not saying this because i'm french and proud of my country but but it's a proof that you know if people go to paris fashion a week it's the place to be yeah i would i would assume so All I've heard, but look, my boy went out there and he told me he was just like, he hated the food out there.
Speaker: What? Yeah, so I'm gonna tell you, this is the feedback. This is the feedback. He said he hated the food out there. Don't get me started. He said he hated the food out there and then he said there was no ACs. I've heard that no ACs. There's no elevators. No elevators? Nah, live at the fifth floor with no elevator.
Speaker: And no AC, do you want to know why? Why? Um, because all the buildings are protected. Uh, and they, and if you have an AC inside, you gotta to have a box outside.
Speaker: And, uh, Paris architecture is important in the tourism, right? And so if you have boxes, uh, AC boxes outside of all the buildings, uh, gets ugly.
Speaker: So they don't want ACs. That's it? That's it. Just get central air. not i i Go tell the mayor I don't know no yeah but that I think that's the reason Really? Yeah because it looks ugly from the outside That's crazy So no if I wanted to get an AC on my in my apartment ah I would have to ah ask the tenant And the tenant would have to ask the mayor And the mayor would say no So yeah that's it Nah I'd be like Ben you just rocking fans? It's just fans?
Speaker: Yeah but I don't mind i don't i don't I don't even have a fan No? No so I just I just sweat all day the No, no, I don't Dyson Get a little Dyson no No, but I have one Yeah, okay But I don't use it don't use it I don't mind being hot I don't I'm a man from the sun I like i like i'm with you on that I like I like I hate cold I was in New York in what?
Speaker: March? It was like minus It's in Friday night It was It was It was cold It was cold It was very fine of March I would think maybe like 40 degrees 50 degrees was that this is minus 14 in Celsius I don't know minus 14 in Celsius could I could it's all good it's all good but it was it was comment below comment below do the conversion was so cold my ears were like frozen I couldn't even touch them because ah i felt like it was going to fall off was it was it was awful
Speaker: ah Definitely want to ask this because i watched ah Anthony Bourdain go to to France during his last No Reservations. He's a chef, right? Yeah, he's a chef. He used to have a TV show. um The nightlife in Paris looks fire from that video from his episode. So it's like, what is the nightlife out there? I don't go out anymore. oh what was it When you were going out because you were a bartender I was bartending in the south of France oh and yeah so South of France is known for wine though right? ah yeah pretty much Yeah pretty much Wine country Wine and beautiful beaches and you know Monaco and yeah that kind kind of stuff
Speaker: um But is it like yeah I don't know since you don't go out Paris nightlife is cool but I don't go out much I barely drink alcohol in now Because I've had a past of being, you know, heavy drinker because, you know, I i used to love to party. I used to love a party. But I'm growing up. hey i'm You know, you have to zo sometimes. And so, and i and I work so much. I work so much um that I can't be, you know, tired the next day because I have so much going on. yeah So I just, my life is pretty much only work.
Speaker: But you're doing what you love. So it's not. Yes. So it's not. always said I don't even work one single day of my life because I wake up in the morning. I, you know, I take a shower, I eat to breakfast and I just work and I take my computer, my iPad and I just design stuff. And are you designing like just all hours of the day? yeah Yeah. I'm, I'm getting more creative at night.
Speaker: Oh yeah. So sometimes I'll just do nothing all day. and at 8 PM, I'm, Boom. iPad, computer, movie in the background, and i'll just go crazy until like 3 a.m. in the morning.
Speaker: What are you designing? You're just pieces? Yeah, pieces, jackets, collections. In my iPad, I have like 15 collections that I designed, and I never yeah i never produced them. i just Sometimes i I go back to them, and I'm like, oh, I'm going to change this. and you know I just sleep on it. Sometimes I sleep on it for for a week, then I go back to them, and I change, and I just...
Speaker: pa man if i If I'm bored, yeah I'll just, okay, and stop doing nothing. Just go design it some, don't know, hoodie or something. Wow. know That's, I mean, yeah, your brain, you got to, the creative juices going all the time for you, man. Like, that sounds crazy because like 15 collections just like on the back burner is crazy. But it goes with like bad sleep schedules. It goes like lack of sleep. It goes to waking up in the middle of the night.
Speaker: Because your brain is always on yeah type of thing. Yeah. And you're like, I got to get this idea. I have headaches and shit. Really? Yeah. That's not good. No, no, no. It's not good at all. But yeah, it's constantly da-da-da. I'm listening to music from the moment i'm I wake up to the moment I go to sleep all the time because it doesn't, it's it never stops. It just keeps going. Yeah. So music is just my way of, you know, not hearing my own voice in my head. What, are you listening to hip-hop? Or like American, French? Always American. I don't listen to French rap. No? No, never.
Speaker: There's some good French rappers, man. Yeah, definitely. But I don't know. I just, you know. I know one. I think I know one. Who? is is ah Is a white guy. And he's nice. But I don't remember his name. I'm going to have to find it send it to you. Yeah, send it you. got you. and I got you. But we're towards the end of the podcast and I got one last question deals with a little visualization. want you to think back to young Stan. And he's about to get those white-on-white Air Force ones. Now you're older you, behind your younger self. What would you tell him as he opens that box?
Speaker: Concerning the shoes? What would you tell him? just would hes says He's just opening the box and you're behind him. Oh. oh That he's going to make it someday. Yeah. You know? And... ah And... Yeah, he doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be big. You know? In the industry of the box he's opening. Yeah. So, yeah, that's it. That's dope. Yeah, that's it. Did you... Did you... Because you were saying you had ego. Yeah. Was your confidence always there?
Speaker: No, not always. no No, this is something that you learn growing up, I guess. you know So the more and more... i mean, confidence in my work, I've always had it because i've always um I was always um persuaded that I was good at what I did.
Speaker: And this is obviously you know a statement that says you are good at what you do. And it's not only... you know The thing you tell yourself. definitely.
Speaker: And also seeing all the return and how people reacted to the shoe and how people like it and go crazy over it is you know another statement that says, okay, the brand trusted you, but the public is also reacting in a way that you know the brand you know did well by trusting you. Yeah.
Speaker: So I think confidence, you know, it's something that, you know, gets learned with the time. Yeah. Right. Man, that's beautiful. everybody know where to find you.
Speaker: Let everybody know where to find you. Find me on Instagram at Stanny Flu or Stan Birch underscore underscore. Cop the sock and he's going to Yes.
Speaker: I think these are going to sell out. I think so too yeah I think so too I've seen so many people looking at me like yo these are beautiful these are beautiful so like you definitely made a beautiful shoe thank you very much ah and yeah like like ah I don't know what's the website oh stanburge.com yeah release on the 18 at stanburge.com and on the 21st at sakany.com yeah and the clothing collection is also releasing on my website exclusively yeah Cop everything. Tell them we sent you.
Speaker: Yeah. Tell them we sent you. yeah You know where to find me. Who is Haas on all social medias. Follow the podcast at MyFirstKicksPod. Hit me up. I can read your MyFirstKicks story on the podcast. Info at MyFirstKicks.com. Cop a t-shirt, please.
Speaker: Please, you're not getting this one. This is SPD original, but you can cop a My First Kicks shirt. Info at myfirstkicks.com. Just hit me up, $40. Support the Patreon, please.
Speaker: Patreon, $5. You get the episode a day early. And I'm going to kick it to myself and do the outro. Yeah, man. $5. Peace. I hope you enjoyed this week's episode with Stan Birch. Man, this episode was so like super. I'm i'm super honored. Stan really flew in from Paris just to do the podcast. You know, he's been doing the rounds, doing a bunch of other podcasts, and he was tired of doing video calls. And so we talked about it in the episode, and I'm super extremely honored ah to do this, to have this chance or to even do this podcast with him because he's extremely
Speaker: talented artist and fashion designer. He has a vision that he's able to create it. And I think that is like these are conversations that are once of a kind because, you know, we hear and see how some people are able to do these things. But like we're we're used to the American dream. we're used to the American story. So for a Parisian artist to do it from the south of France and to come up and do it his way and get into design guys of sneaker customization and turning that into fashion design and then currently turning it into Saucony collaboration like these are what dreams are made of and I think you know getting the opportunity is to really sit down with him and talk about his journey and just see the way his brain thinks is super insightful you know um I'm currently going through this and we've talked about it in the episode current going to this uh a pipe burst in my closet the my my space is absolutely demolished right now and you may hear a fan if i don't edit this correctly but uh i'm just like
Speaker: trying to maneuver around this while doing episodes and editing episodes and throwing away boxes and throwing away sneakers and throwing away moldy clothes and i like the opportunity that i got to interview him um and a couple of other people that are coming up like and this was some of them before but i had to move this one up because i wanted to support his release of his sock knees which as he predicted, would sell out. And I'm pretty sure that they're sold out by the but this week, for sure. i haven't checked, but...
Speaker: He was so gracious to you know hook me up with ah one of his shirts. There's only like 200 of these in existence. He gave me a full tracksuit that I wore. And it is so dope. um Like seeing what he's been able to create around Saucony release is so inspiring. And i was really just in this current funk that I've been in. ah The universe has not been letting me come down or feel down ah ah because of the situation and i'm forever grateful um for the people that really invest back into me and the people that tune in in each and every one ah each and every week. um
Speaker: Really appreciative of these opportunities and, you know, extremely honored. Like I'll say again, ah have a stand fly over and really just sit down with me. meet This is the first time we've ever met. um We kind of like threw this together. Shout out to Jen and Sockany. Shout out to Jason and Sockany for really putting, you know, their faith in me.
Speaker: When it comes to a lot of their collaborations or a lot of their releases, like they really included me and included the podcast and what they're doing. And I'm forever grateful for the moments that they gave me, the moments that ah they've helped create with me as well, because this is so dope. Like.
Speaker: i After I recorded this, I've been thinking you know like nonstop about like just a journey and you know creating something out of in this room, just creating something that I'm very proud of and that other people are really proud of as well. And so for Stan to take it that theory seriously, ah fly here and and you know meet me for the first time and sit down with me, it was like an extremely humbling experience because ah who am I? where like i couldn't i can't think
Speaker: enough about like Who am I to get this opportunity and who am I to have these type of conversations? Because, you know, the American dream is to make something of yourself ah to or leave a legacy behind or to help the further. further the generation that's coming in front of you um you know if you are a person that's like of my train of thought of like i don't want to leave the earth the same way i came into it i want to progress it to what i believe would be a better you know universe for the people in front of us and
Speaker: I think, you know, leaving something that is what this is like, you know, cultural archive or something that people can turn back to and hear stories from the people that were there, people that inspired others or the people that really put themselves out there. I think it can inspire and a new generation as well. um You know, podcasting is something that extremely is extremely hard and and You know, i don't I know I have like podcasters that listen to me and and podcasters that that hit me up and ask me for you know advice and what should they do next.
Speaker: This is something that I tell them straight up. This is not easy. You're going to see more hurdles than you are going to see progression. But once the progression hits, it's kind of hard to not, you know, it's kind of hard to take a step back. And I think.
Speaker: that is the toughest part to find is the momentum to keep going to keep going while you know things are going rough things are are falling the apart around you but you really have something that you really want to talk about something that you really want to continuously you know endlessly uh find a way to speak to someone or speak with someone or or speak by yourself and These are things and methods and, um you know, messages that people do want to hear if you are motivated to keep doing it. And so I'm hearing how Stan took 10 years to get to what he feels like as he made it and
Speaker: You know, I think about my journey, as you know, this podcast and six years of doing this and trying my hardest to, you know, get get it off the ground to the point where it's, you know, self sustainable and, you know, people really want to tap in and people want to, you know.
Speaker: put their time into having these conversations and, you know, uh, building the community around this. I think that's like the most rewarding piece when it comes to podcasting. And I, and I don't know,
Speaker: How else to put it as I continuously try to get more people to check out the podcast, to get more people to really find what they can take out of the podcast and impact them, especially on a daily basis. As I drop this weekly, it um it's been long time.
Speaker: interesting ride and currently going into complex comic because this this happened before this is this is dropping the week before uh complex con you know i'm curious what the reception to people meeting me out there will be you know last year i met a lot of people and it was very interesting to see the reception of the moves i would make I was making incorporating a lot of people that was currently working at a Complex last time and currently incorporated people that work at Complex this year. So I'm curious how, you know, the l L.A. crowd of ComplexCon will embrace the podcast this year. um i
Speaker: You know, on previous episodes or, you know, if you listen to me on Sockjin's podcast, you know, i talk about how ComplexCon is always kind of a barometer for me of like, am I doing enough? Am I reaching them into this specific crowd? um Because this see these are my people like I'm sure anybody listening to this is planning what they're going to do at ComplexCon this year or and, you know, hopefully it's trying to meet me. And if that's the case, just let me know. I'll definitely we could beat up at a booth or something. And I'm totally down. Just sit there, like have a conversation. Let's talk. Let's chop it up.
Speaker: That'd be great. Extremely honored if you are a listener and want to want to tap in with me. I will be ComplexCon both days. So. i Like I said, I use this as a barometer to see how far the podcast has come um and obviously get new guests and see what's popping, see what's new, um see if any of these like new fashion designers really like.
Speaker: Intrigue me um or, you know, see what the boost got. and And think that like, you know, as we gear up for that, as I gear up for that, I try my best with it with all all this mess that's around me. And I.
Speaker: You know, navigating the tumultuous, like having a nine to five and making sure I'm good there and, you know, maneuvering around, trying to keep the ah the podcast going and trying to make these all to make it to all these events like and editing the podcast and posting the podcast and cutting the clips like.
Speaker: this is This is the labor of love for sure. um and i know it's gonna pay off in the long run in terms of just like what I feel would be my legacy, um what I feel the path I'm carving for myself.
Speaker: um But I implore you to always have that like retrospective look at how far you've come, how far,
Speaker: You're going to take it, how far you want to take it and find find ways to measure that success. It doesn't have to be the follower counts. It doesn't have to be it doesn't it doesn't have to be who's talking to you currently, who's really like tacked in with you and their big follower counts like.
Speaker: Find your success, find your impact, because if if anything, the the the messages that are like, you know, I really knew this episode, you know, I was going through this hurdle.
Speaker: Those were always forever be my favorite types of measurements for my success. So. Let's jump in so well, first I was I wanted to break I wanted to break out the.
Speaker: The guide sevens real quick, you know, shout out to Sakhany for but for, you know, supplying these before they sold out. um This is such a great shoe and again, a chance to talk about the design process of wanting to stand out and the story and how he really.
Speaker: He had no idea what color theory was. and And like for him, like for me, like a person that studied color theory, the fact that he was able to do this without color theory and how this all blends together. And if you have like, you know, the gear to go with it, it all it all hits.
Speaker: Like to me, that's the craziest thing. I don't know when you watch them when you watch the episode comment below if you watch the episode or listen, if you listen to it, whatever, just comment below. um You could see the look on my face of like, wow, I can't believe he figured this like I can't believe he figured like colors ah that match and really, you know, pop in certain aspects without taking a class of color theory like that is sick. That is so sick to me.
Speaker: um But if you cop these, let me know in the comments if you didn't. Let me know why. ah Of course. You know, if you got down to this part, I appreciate you for tapping into the podcast. ah But let's do the Patreon shoutouts. And of course, you can get shouted out.
Speaker: by becoming a patron at patreon.com slash my first kicks on the patreon right now i have a walkthrough with mike packer and uh scrams at the packer a air force one exhibit please please please make sure you sign up it's the only place you'll be able to watch it um i'm not putting this on youtube for free it will only live on patreon So make sure you you sign up. Five dollars is literally five dollars, five dollars a month. And you are set. You will get what you get. it The episode a day early. You'll get a shout out like a bunch of these people that are about to get shouted out right now. You'll also you'll also get ah another episode per month.
Speaker: So please sign up for the Patreon. Patreon.com slash myfirstkicks. But let's do it. Little roll call. Let's do a Patreon shout outs. We got Adam Neustadter. Long time, long time. ah Ross Adams.
Speaker: Fresh Poetic. Derek Lipkin. Jesse Jesse G. We got Plox. Derek Hawkins. Jordan Kaiser. Samir Grandpierre. Sean Haytu. Brett.
Speaker: m.ad sneaks and create a new one a new one creative thought media shout out to all y y'all for tapping into the podcast and signing up for that patreon patreon.com slash my first kicks you know i uh real quick last of last thoughts a lots of thoughts before we get up out of here you know i've i've really appreciate you know if anybody of y'all or you know really investing in every week uh tapping into the podcast to really think about signing up for the patreon because a lot of this stuff comes out of my pocket i do this without sponsors i do this
Speaker: strictly to stay independent. and I want to keep it that way because i don't believe in you know, big box media trying to box me in. Right. Like this specific podcast is supposed to be, you know, free thought, free of all these you know restrictions. It's supposed to be a conversation that doesn't allow, you know, biases and all these other things that we're kind of accustomed to. and i do want to I do want to say that because I was recently asked for you know comments on the Mbappe move to on, and that's on Anscape.com.
Speaker: You can get to see ah ah some quotes from me and my thoughts about that move. And I was extremely honored in order to be like just to be featured or to be talked about, because that's huge. Like I've never been quoted in my life, right? Like that is absolutely fire. So check that out. And, you know,
Speaker: I would love to, you know, put that in your in the your thought of like, you know, we don't have a lot of free media in terms of just like like, hey, these are my unbiased thoughts. Right. So and this is just like me sitting down with people that I'm I'm creating relationships with in order to have these first time conversations kind of like elevator pitch. So here's my elevator pitch for you to sign up for the Patreon.
Speaker: And I appreciate you all for tapping in each week.
