Q&A With 'Culture Connoisseur' @KishKash1

Q&A With ‘Culture Connoisseur’ @KishKash1

For those who aren’t aware of you or your work, explain the world of ‘Kish Kash’
Great question and I’m not too sure how to answer it… It’s a bit of everything! Brand Consultancy, presenter of The All City Show on Soho Radio, Author, Journalist, Food Fan, an avid collector of sneakers, hard to narrow it down really! I guess you could say a ‘culture connoisseur’ of sorts.
I spend a lot of time seeking out the next generation of designers and artists, putting them in touch with the right contacts to get their work recognized and making sure no one is overlooked, talent is talent but it needs the pedestal to be noticed and I look to provide that.
Working with brands you’ll see your fair share of start-up clothing and footwear brands coming through, who’s the best up and coming brand and why should we be paying attention to them?
Labrum, the guys over there are doing something really, really cool. A friend of mine has recently started up a clothing brand named Gulps, very political and really essential for our time. WGSNYC, bespoke made streetwear with a real edge to it. All really making waves and on the cusp of something big, making big statements and wearing their influences on their sleeves.
As an older head in the world of music and fashion, particularly hip/hop and streetwear, has modern day hip/hop had a bigger influence on streetwear and street culture than it’s initial ‘heyday’ from ’88 – 00′
I think that both do. I think the new is influenced by the old, the classic cycle of inspiration and that goes from fashion to music. Someone like Kanye West is massively influenced by the 80s-90s, he’s a guy who grew up in Chicago idolizing (Michael) Jordan and that really influenced his style and love of streetwear through Jordan sneakers, plus his preppy street style and the boom of Tommy Hilfiger and Polo Ralph Lauren in the 90s. I think that stuff like Instagram allows us to have this new generation on the biggest stage for fashion, but the influence to their forefathers can’t be denied, and that evens it out in my eyes.
Staying on the topic of influences, we’ve seen sportswear take over the fashion world, which sport do you think is most important to fashion? 
It has to be basketball still, especially considering it’s street heritage. It’s harder to walk down the street in a pair of footy boots than a pair of Jordans, but football is in it’s biggest fashion spotlight in its history.
 
We’re seeing a renaissance in 90s New York style, brands like Aime Leon Dore are using NY heritage to create something new, as well as brands like Clarks are seeing their styles have a new lease of life with new fans, even sell out releases like the Ralph Lauren Snow Beach collection. Which city is next to take the mantle in fashions eye?
London! Absolutely no question, it’s such a cultural melting pot that I think with the strength of up and coming brands and already established brands like Labrum, A Cold Wall, Nicholas Daley amongst many many more, London will have it’s time in the fashion eye again.
As a Londoner, what would you class as the quintessential London style?
It’s a mixture, similar to how New York style is influenced by heritage being brought to the city. London is such an eclectic city and the style reflects that with it’s reclassified, repurposed style brought from multiple continents. It’s a mix!
It would be rude not to ask this, what’s been the best sneaker release of the year and why?
Oh god… I’d have to say the adidas 4D  Futurecraft. It’s heavier than what you’d expect but we’re looking at one aspect of the future in 3d printing. It truly is revolutionary and the most interesting original idea so far this year. There’s a lot of stuff that’s come out, but it gets soulless as it is almost daily there’s a new drop, re-release etc. You’ve got something like the Span II and that doesn’t get any attention from the kids, and that’s just disappointing. There are a lot of kids just jumping on things because they’ve seen celebs wear it, this stuff is artwork it can take time to age and be defined and yet things do unnecessarily flop. Recent sneaker releases don’t have the same weight to them as ‘back in the day’ you can work out hype to a show months in advance by who ‘likes’ this or that, it’s not like the old days with your Air Force 1 or Air Max series, they took time to be adopted by the sneaker community, it was organic.
Similarly, what’s been the best Re-Release in clothes or sneakers this year?
(After a brief glance through his Instagram @kishkash1…)  The BEST sneaker re-release of the year was the Mizuno Wave-Rider. I had my ear to the ground on this one and knew something was in the works I never gave that shoe the time of day back in 98, but it’s the right place right time for this to come back.
 
What’s been the most slept on release of the year?
 Oh definitely the Spann II.
Finally, Is Football coming home?
 Football has always been home!
You can find Kish on Instagram as kishkash1, The All City Show on Soho Radio and any late night ramen eatery.

Leave a Comment