Against the Run with Jeff Staple: When Streetwear Meets FC St. Pauli

00:00:03: I actually never reply to a project brief.

00:00:07: with what kind of product can we make.

00:00:09: It's always, What Kind Of Essence Or Story Can I Tell?

00:00:14: A good collaboration is one plus one equals ten.

00:00:19: If i do a drop and release And none of it appears on StockX or Goat To me that the ultimate win Because That Means Everyone Who Bought Is Using It.

00:00:29: They Didn't Flip Right?

00:00:31: That Is Real.

00:00:50: Hello and welcome back to Against The Run, the one-on-one conversation series by Stance initiated by FC Sankt Paulien Service Plan Culture and directed by Kietz Noa.

00:01:01: In twenty-twenty six stands once again brings together.

00:01:03: people at the Milan tour will see football is more than just a game.

00:01:07: they understand it as a cultural space shaped by streetwear.

00:01:11: By design music subculture social conviction and in the communities connecting these worlds, and the dots And this podcast we meet to people who do not simply consume culture but actively shape it.

00:01:23: We talk about their experiences of the community's The work that you do the value stay stand for and Of course, the moments when they choose not to simply follow the crowd but are being relayed into it.

00:01:37: My name is Amadeus Tuna and once again I have a pleasure of guiding you through next few minutes as your host and resident subculture, Connoisseur!

00:01:45: And my guest today Mr.

00:01:47: Jeff Staple, founder of Stapel & Read Art Department and one defining figures on modern streetwear since launching in New York in just a long time ago and which led us to our very, very great legacy.

00:02:03: Jeff has built brands in collaborations at the intersection of culture on commerce including one of this sneaker cultures most enduring symbols The Staple Pigeon Including One Of The Most Greatest SB Dunks Of All Time Of Course The Pigeons SB Dunk!

00:02:21: Jeff it is great To Have You Here So Welcome To The Show

00:02:23: Thank you Glad To Be Talking To You Again.

00:02:26: Let Us Start With kind of a deep dive at that point.

00:02:29: When did you realize that you don't want to be someone looking on culture from the outside, but wanna be part off-the-culture and give something to it?

00:02:41: Oh

00:02:42: great question because this takes you back now to like ninety four or ninety five when street culture was so small You know I'm talking in New York City there were maybe hundred individual people that were into street culture, right?

00:02:59: And maybe five brands.

00:03:01: Okay and so it was weird because your question is interesting Because if you would want to be a fan of That and just like a patron It's so limited.

00:03:14: cuz there was two stores in Five Brands.

00:03:16: So very soon You will just be oversaturated and done.

00:03:19: I own all the brands i've been To All The Stores and i'm Done all the other ninety-nine people that are into it.

00:03:25: So, It's almost like if you were interested in this culture and stayed with it... You would be a participant not just a spectator right?

00:03:36: And so I would say like all hundred of those people Are now somehow involved In some extension of street cultures.

00:03:42: So..it wasn't even Like a goal Of mine to be like.

00:03:47: i want To get into and contribute to This Culture falling into it.

00:03:54: So, it

00:03:55: happens?

00:03:55: Yes!

00:03:56: You fall into it because like I said how much money can you spend on

00:04:00: this?!

00:04:00: Like...you're done after the first year so very soon i just started to be a contributor of it First from more graphic design standpoint and then into fashion and t-shirts And then into sneakers.

00:04:14: It's been blessing that I've been around doing for thirty years now even in your introduction when you said, we're at the stands conference here with FC St.

00:04:22: Pauli proper Bundesliga like football club and how street wear is a component of this?

00:04:31: Even hearing that was kind of surreal because streetwear so anti-culture and punk an anti establishment That major sports institution embracing it I thought in my head Wow.

00:04:48: How far we've come,

00:04:49: you know?

00:04:49: Yeah but maybe it's the right institution that has to do with

00:04:53: it.

00:04:53: St Pauli is a good institution

00:04:55: when things are coming together and they form something very special.

00:04:59: at this

00:05:00: point

00:05:00: If I was going for any club there would be FC Saint-Paulis.

00:05:05: Has ever stood in one place where you said now i'm part of culture or bring something on the table at such an important moment like through the things that you kind of just, I say it in quotes.

00:05:21: Just to say that I'm doing graphic right now or printing a t-shirt.

00:05:25: yet That's what i am gonna do and into because when reading your book It seems as if its happening.

00:05:36: How can I say this?

00:05:37: Kind naturally

00:05:38: Yeah definitely Um...I always wanna be student for game And make contributions that matter.

00:05:46: Extractive is the word like where you're pulling something out of a culture and not giving it back, You know.

00:05:53: And in any culture music right?

00:05:56: Like photography art there's always some people that feel extractive or some organizations I feel like they are extracting and not given back... ...and i really pride myself on Not Being That!

00:06:07: The way to do that Is To Always Have The Mindset Of Being A Student & Learning and then after you've learned something, Flabbergasted is the word like.

00:06:43: I was just like.

00:06:44: what me?

00:06:45: Like as one of the top four.

00:06:46: So, when i hear that it's still quite surprising to Me because again if I have The student mentality for another master To be like oh no you're a Jedi in this Is really bewildering to me You know Because I Just want to keep my head down and do the work.

00:07:03: never Really think about the accolades.

00:07:07: Who would look like what?

00:07:09: How would your world Mount Rushmore looked like?

00:07:12: so, but who would be the people you put on?

00:07:15: okay It's four right.

00:07:20: Okay So mine is pretty.

00:07:22: I think it's gonna Be.

00:07:25: oh man wait i just thought of another one probably Hiroshi Fujiwara Virgil Abloh Sean Stucey and Nigo.

00:07:35: Wow,

00:07:37: great combination.

00:07:38: I think so yeah pretty solid for different reasons.

00:07:42: you know what i mean?

00:07:43: Yeah give us the reasons.

00:07:45: um Hiroshi I'll start with Sean Stucey because chronologically Sean Stusey is probably our Adam

00:07:54: right kind of yeah yeah

00:07:56: shaped surfboards put the logo on the surfboard onto a t-shirt and that really kicked off.

00:08:03: this whole thing meets punk, meets hip-hop.

00:08:10: And the longevity of Stussy is amazing.

00:08:12: it's hotter than ever right?

00:08:14: The brand even though Sean himself has nothing to do with it.

00:08:18: he kicked off the domino that started the whole thing.

00:08:21: so he's like responsible for the big bang.

00:08:24: and then Hiroshi coming from Japan was the first person who brought that Cali skate culture to Tokyo which And Japan has always been the greatest patron of street culture, you know?

00:08:40: Like if Street Culture had a financier it would be Japan.

00:08:44: Oh yeah that's framed very great.

00:08:46: Yeah like Staple will not be anything without Japan.

00:08:50: You know they literally literally financed my first orders.

00:08:54: If a store in Japan wanted to order one hundred shirts They'd give me fifty percent deposit where no American or European store would do that.

00:09:02: And so Japan financed my ability to make clothes for everybody else, and Hiroshi essentially also directly and indirectly financed that as well you know?

00:09:13: So he's...and not only was he going the LA with Stussy but he was also in London with Vivienne Westwood and The Sex Pistols and The Seditionists.

00:09:24: He was also going to Harlem meeting major force and like, you know, sugar hill gang.

00:09:31: And all this stuff.

00:09:31: so he was sampling all of these elements and then bringing them back to Japan and then adding that Japanese aesthetic to it?

00:09:38: That's what really defined street culture um...and then you have the two other ones which is Nego.

00:09:45: a lot of people don't know this but Nego in Japanese means number Two because Nego Was The Assistant To Hiroshi right.

00:09:52: So Nego Is Like The Second In Command building, obviously a bathing ape and then now human maid.

00:10:01: And then Kenzo you know like all these other projects that he's done?

00:10:05: Also what's cool?

00:10:06: I remember when the US hip-hop and rap community started to get inspired by Bathing Ape but Bathingape was inspired By them.

00:10:16: it was like a full circle moment where You see Lil Wayne and Kid Cudi wearing BathingApe.

00:10:22: It was so cool That they justified me being Asian too.

00:10:27: they justified something of my culture, you know back home.

00:10:32: And then Pharrell Williams of course... You can't mention Pharrelle without Nego right?

00:10:35: So like just that symbiosis was so dope and so proud for me to see.

00:10:42: Then probably the if you took all this sort research in development and prototyping mistakes an experiment And then you made the perfect version of that.

00:10:58: That's Virgil Abloh, right?

00:11:00: He is The Perfect Manifestation Of All Of That Into One Human Being.

00:11:05: he Is The Steve Jobs Of Our Culture.

00:11:08: Never Not Working Always Combining always You Know Circling and Crossing all The Tees and Dotting All The Eyes and Bringing All These Cultures and People Together.

00:11:16: You know All The Way From Like Kanye West to Rem Kool House To Avion Water to Ikea everywhere, mixing everything together DJing and everything.

00:11:26: And then sadly like Steve Jobs taken away from us way too fricking early but also giving so much.

00:11:36: he's really the prototype of where this could go?

00:11:40: I do feel at the height of Virgil.

00:11:43: street culture stretched to the furthest definition it can go.

00:11:49: in fact when Virgil left that definition contracted a bit, and it hasn't been able to re-break out where Virgil got us too.

00:12:00: So I feel like we're almost looking for... ...a second coming or like a messiah take us back out where virgil left off at you know?

00:12:11: It's pretty interesting.

00:12:12: see what might be the next Person or the next next movement to do so.

00:12:19: Yeah, and what's gonna?

00:12:20: Gonna happen in the nearest future?

00:12:22: because like you said And you guided us through these kind of different eras almost where streetwear is evolving from Like thinking off a printed t-shirt To like hip hop or punk aesthetic into something that Louis Vuitton will show us an honor on a fashion week front roll red carpet moment which is almost as a street wear or something else.

00:12:48: And even if we have, uh... Even different people have different explanations for the term of Streetwear.

00:12:55: in the end In my opinion, Streetwear is always something that brings us structure and feeling of things.

00:13:02: It's not only about products it more about emotions get created through these products and the possibility that culture or subcultures have another way of expressing themselves.

00:13:17: Yeah,

00:13:18: take us back to the phone call you got from Nike when they I don't know if pitched is the right word for that but When They Asked You To Do This SB Dunk.

00:13:31: When you got this phone call and the talks about that, was there a moment when you thought great I can produce.

00:13:40: A product or was it always?

00:13:42: what's the story behind?

00:13:44: What Can I bring culturally to the table?

00:13:49: Was does already in your mind at that point?

00:13:52: yeah That's a good question.

00:13:53: i actually never reply To a project brief with what kind of product can make.

00:14:00: Ironically, it's always what kind of essence or story can I tell?

00:14:06: And then What is the best medium to tell that story?

00:14:10: sometimes at the shoe Sometimes as a t-shirt.

00:14:12: Sometimes there's a print magazine.

00:14:13: Sometimes it's a documentary.

00:14:14: right some times It's a podcast sometimes its a party you know.

00:14:18: but like The media date There's a quote That says like the medium Is the message.

00:14:23: so it's Like i want To Tell this Story.

00:14:28: You know, sometimes when the other side like in this case Nike said we want you to design a dunk dedicated to New York City.

00:14:36: Half of brief is already written because you already know what you have to do now and that particular project I was burdened with this responsibility Of taking In my opinion The greatest city one of the greatest styles in The Greatest Sneaker brand for The Great City In The World.

00:15:05: So you have a responsibility to tell from your perspective, story four millions Of People?

00:15:11: Yes!

00:15:12: It's right for disaster.

00:15:13: it is actually right For Disaster.

00:15:15: Actually in any scenario That Is A Failure Project Because How Can I Make Sneaker Heads Nike Heads Sports Heads New Yorkers Happy Like Nearly Impossible Right.

00:15:28: so i think my initial thought was a little bit of fear.

00:15:32: And it's interesting because you always look at the legacy of that project today and what it means, but if you rewind back to the day I got the phone call like fuck the legacy?

00:15:44: Like there is no way.

00:15:45: I thought legacy resell historic product.

00:15:49: I was just thinking how do I not fuck this up right?

00:15:53: Like I could even forget messing it to the consumer, I might fuck it up so early that even Nike doesn't want to make this shoe.

00:16:03: They may be like, yo Jeff we're not into any of these ideas all rejected and they could have killed a whole project.

00:16:12: So if you know now It's also, you know this is... This was two thousand and two.

00:16:32: Like pigeons were not like a cool thing.

00:16:36: Pigeons were-

00:16:37: Not really

00:16:37: A pest that people wanted to get rid of or worse we're scared shitless off right?

00:16:43: So like To then have this major opportunity And say I'm gonna put a rodent as the front of it Or like a pest?

00:16:52: Really had a lot.

00:16:53: even on my own team people were really scratching their heads like, dude nobody likes pigeons man.

00:16:59: Nobody fucks with pigeons Jeff and you want to really hang your reputation on this dirty ass nasty bird?

00:17:07: So you need a certain level of audacity and insanity mixed with other clarity.

00:17:17: that is no.

00:17:18: I see the vision Equal to the pigeon and pigeons are equal to New Yorkers.

00:17:26: They are our spirit animal, And I know on the surface nobody understands that.

00:17:31: but i think i can get this point across through a sneaker!

00:17:36: And when the release date happened

00:17:37: yeah

00:17:38: you had this... The negative side of things is that we are talking about a riot today, because they have been dogs waiting around the corner trying to rip people off and stuff like.

00:17:50: But on other sides there has been so many interested in buying the product.

00:17:56: Why do you think at this point?

00:17:58: We're talking about sneaker culture.

00:18:00: early stage People were lining up for maybe Jordan Eleven's or something Like that.

00:18:06: I mean the SB Dungs got more traction onto.

00:18:09: it wasn't nothing that we've been talking about these days.

00:18:14: Where like all the sneakerheads on every corner and stuff, so was it already your community?

00:18:20: That were looking for the product that Jeff Staples is gonna release at that point?

00:18:27: I wish i had some analysis of this but don't...I do know there's pre-social media.

00:18:33: Twitter isn't even out yet.

00:18:35: It didn't have any

00:18:35: posts or something.

00:18:39: blog was existing and Nike talk existed.

00:18:41: Yeah, but

00:18:43: I was never.

00:18:44: this is a little known fact...I've never been on Nike Talk in my whole life really?

00:18:49: Never once!

00:18:49: Wow people always come up to me think like i'm some Nike talk lord But I have never been it ever so I don't know what It Was Like.

00:18:57: So not like Nicky Diamonds posting the picture of his Tiffany B. Dunks was like, so what is going on now?

00:19:04: People are talking about that was what's happening isn't it crazy?

00:19:08: and I've never been a Nike talk in my life really

00:19:10: crazy.

00:19:10: yeah

00:19:10: sure.

00:19:11: so i don't Really know how It happened but i didn't Know That.

00:19:15: About A Week Before Release i knew that My fear Of Nobody Wanting This Was Like It Flipped.

00:19:22: it was like no Pete this Is Gonna Be A Problem.

00:19:24: like Many people want it.

00:19:27: Our phone was ringing off the hook, people started camping outside five days before.

00:19:31: So I knew that like it was no longer an issue of how do we sell these hundred and fifty pairs?

00:19:36: It was now.

00:19:37: How Do We Sort Of Control The Demand?

00:19:40: You Know.

00:19:41: But The Way It Happened...I Still Don't Know.

00:19:43: Honestly!

00:19:44: I remember the day That We Got our Order Like Our Pairs Came In From FedEx And i Remember By the way, we at that point were carrying Nike in the store.

00:19:54: We had lots of Nike product.

00:19:56: this is not the first collaboration.

00:19:57: We've done other shoes before that too.

00:19:59: so you get to box from Nike.

00:20:01: it's got a special Nike tape everybody knows and I didn't know what was on his box.

00:20:05: I sliced up open the boxes like oh these are the pigeons.

00:20:09: they're here right?

00:20:10: Immediately phone rings!

00:20:13: And its like this landline by the way not cell phones hello.

00:20:17: Oh we heard pigeon have arrived.

00:20:20: I was like, what the fuck?

00:20:21: Like is UPS in on this?

00:20:23: that it must be.

00:20:24: You know, like how do you know that they've arrived just literally open a box one second ago?

00:20:28: So when does the release day?

00:20:29: When has released time as an?

00:20:31: I don't know I'm gonna figure out right now But that's really how it happened.

00:20:34: well um i think to some point i am so naive To things because i care so much only about The product development and the design And the actual thing.

00:20:46: I care very little.

00:20:47: or try to invest into raffles and pricing, release cadence.

00:20:55: Those are all like sort of...I leave that to randomness but i just want make sure the product is right.

00:21:02: first and foremost.

00:21:03: you know?

00:21:03: That's why probably have never been on Nike talk did any other stuff.

00:21:08: You do a lot collaborations.

00:21:10: in last couple decades almost.

00:21:14: What would you say is the major point and major lesson?

00:21:17: You've learned through all of these different kind of collaborations because we're not only talking about like sneakers in streetwear There have been a lot of other Different collaborations.

00:21:26: I mean, you released your own book.

00:21:28: It's kind of a collaboration as well.

00:21:29: Yeah

00:21:30: what if you learn then all this kind off things you've done?

00:21:34: A good collaboration Is one plus one equals ten right.

00:21:39: so like It's very easy to do a collaboration because you just need to sit down and start, they have the conversation.

00:21:45: And make something.

00:21:47: but if the two of you coming together cannot Do more than what each of you can individually?

00:21:54: Then What's the point of doing it right?

00:21:56: so you need To be able to like multiply Each other's abilities and I think in all The projects that we do and a lot Of them are unconventional Like their strength or even St Pauli is kind of like A strange project.

00:22:08: But i think Even using St.

00:22:12: Pauli as an example, if you take the community of football and Saint-Paulie and then in a community street culture sneaker culture And now you crash these two universes into each other I actually don't know what's gonna happen But i Know it will be an explosion.

00:22:27: It could Be An Explosion Of Failure Or Could Be An Expulsion Of Success.

00:22:32: but Im Into The Explosion.

00:22:35: I Don't Want These Two Things To Come To You And Be Like Yeah, and I see a lot of collabs out there that is just like logo X logo on a Haynes t-shirt.

00:22:50: And it's like damn!

00:22:52: That's so whack to me you know?

00:22:54: It doesn't tell any story now.

00:22:56: So they are no emotions attached exactly because i'm always saying if There Is A Product gonna create emotions and only emotions are the things that keep you attracted to a product, to brand or person whatsoever.

00:23:12: Because then really want know what's next one is?

00:23:15: Or buy over again.

00:23:16: why we talking about Jordan once forty years after they released first.

00:23:21: so why it still interesting for people who have never seen Michael John play ball because there story behind their emotion I think very important.

00:23:32: but On the other hand, of course we are in an environment right now where collaborations are kind easy.

00:23:38: There's nothing special.

00:23:39: We see these triple collaborations and all this And there is a lot money going on.

00:23:46: How important it is to be part of that.

00:23:49: it's the root of all evil.

00:23:51: So you ask why some of these collaborations happen, and why do they do well?

00:23:55: And why don't people care?

00:23:56: It sometimes is because of resell value, and they sell out... They know that there are some demographic that has demand for that.

00:24:03: so people buy it and then resell it.

00:24:07: There's this perception that things are going well because things are selling.

00:24:12: but I said this earlier in another talk like if i do a drop at release and none of it appears on stock X or goat to me that's the ultimate win because that means everyone who bought is using.

00:24:26: And they didn't flip right?

00:24:29: That is real usage.

00:24:31: you know not this like whole, you know flipping flipping flipping in.

00:24:36: You made a thousand pairs but all the pairs are in a box on a shelf somewhere.

00:24:39: no warehouse waiting for finally at the end of the rainbow some idiot to finally pay ten X put it on their shelf in there vault.

00:24:49: And that's exactly when people are asking me if I'm a sneaker collector, i always say no because collecting means you buy stuff and put it anywhere else and you never wear or whatsoever.

00:25:00: um into really using the product.

00:25:02: That is what most fun...I mean everyone should do whatever they would like to but at the end of buying car watch or sneaker?

00:25:11: You shouldn't use them otherwise There is no way that you can show the people, have fun with it and reason why.

00:25:20: This an

00:25:21: interesting thought I've never thought about until right now.

00:25:25: there's this expression in America called out of sight-out mind do know?

00:25:31: The saying if don't see something outside comes from your mind.

00:25:38: If this notion hiked shoes You never see them on people's feet.

00:25:43: They just, you see them in the internet and then they're just stocked in shelves.

00:25:47: And that out of sight out-of-mind thing is true.

00:25:50: I know about this but i've never actually seen real people wearing it.

00:25:53: Then look at what happening with Nike & Jordan now their performance.

00:25:57: It makes a lot sense The struggles going through because stuff that people want apparently sells out But don't really see on streets.

00:26:07: so it becomes out of sight, out-of-mind.

00:26:10: Whereas now you actually see people wearing Solomon You're looking for and buying it whereas like you happen to be wearing fragment union Jordan Ones super rare shoe I never seen the shoe being worn right?

00:26:34: So I know that's a cool thing, but because i don't really see people wearing it.

00:26:39: It just is like not in my you

00:26:41: have no connection to No

00:26:42: You don't Really Have A Connection To It?

00:26:43: You Know.

00:26:44: so That'S A Really Interesting Theory.

00:26:45: it's Like Nike Got The Way They Were Because I saw Michael Johnson Michael Jordan.

00:26:53: you know Venus was like Wearing the Thing and Like it Became something that I really wanted to absorb.

00:26:59: And then the best player in my high school was wearing that shoe and i want to be like, That guy you know?

00:27:05: The cool kids under the High School Player started wearing this shoe.

00:27:09: now me as a nerd...I'm like..i think need black cement.

00:27:13: Jordan threes

00:27:14: Of course!

00:27:14: But if none of those kids are wear....if they're all just wearing Crocs

00:27:18: and

00:27:19: Pool Slides Now Then You're Just Gonna End Up Wearing That.

00:27:22: Yeah, definitely.

00:27:23: I think we just solved

00:27:25: the problem for Nike.

00:27:26: hopefully let's see i mean but it's interesting to see that um We always talking about a problem.

00:27:32: uh when we're talking about Nike because Honestly of course they losing a lot of money and I don't want to say that It's not a problem But they coming from a really high yes And they are all They always managed To kind find the ways to come back.

00:27:48: So I really believe that the brand is gonna manage, managing that even if the media says Sounds silly.

00:28:06: that on is now investing in football and I was like but it's a sportswear brand.

00:28:10: Yeah, they did running.

00:28:11: then there this tennis.

00:28:13: so why isn't strange?

00:28:13: They're doing football know because one was always at the forefront for technology and you can put technology in almost every sport.

00:28:21: Exactly,

00:28:22: so that makes sense.

00:28:23: it's not like a brand who has like credit for being That cultural product.

00:28:28: now they're doing complete opposite exactly.

00:28:30: So I don't understand the kind of conversation at that point.

00:28:34: i'm more interested.

00:28:35: In fact we have many different brands working out very well At this time?

00:28:45: this will be my question to you.

00:28:47: There are so many people out there wearing different kind of things at that point and then don't have the focusing, um... And I'm talking about time where it was only John once in Yeezy's know he can wear almost everything.

00:28:59: yeah It is a little bit more interesting for us.

00:29:02: but come its coming into a point.

00:29:04: were People tend to be a little bit lazy, I would say.

00:29:09: Do you think the mixture will get more better at that point and we maybe stop just scrolling on social media for next trend but doing our own thing again?

00:29:35: which is a good cross-section of just human beings, right?

00:29:40: Because it's not you have rich.

00:29:41: You have poor office workers finance bros artists everybody all in one.

00:29:46: so I always look at the feet and i remember time where ninety eighty percent was Nike or Jordan Right And then actually The other twenty percent Was Timberlin.

00:29:55: That was New York.

00:29:56: Yeah, that's New York right?

00:29:58: But now I love it that look on a train and there is no one brand has more than twenty percent market share of the subway.

00:30:08: you know thats what i love.

00:30:09: its creates competition innovation it create taste because to me footwear ultimately informs like rest body in the look.

00:30:19: so because someone wearing Doc Martens, Crocs or New Balance upper looks as well.

00:30:26: Whereas if everyone's wearing Jordan and Nike, then everyone has the similar look.

00:30:32: so I like the variety that we're seeing.

00:30:34: now.

00:30:34: your point about... The comeback of Nike is really interesting.

00:30:38: So are you buying lots of Nike stock right?

00:30:40: Would You Are you or would?

00:30:43: You can't talk about your financial portfolio.

00:30:46: I'm not that much into the stock exchange, but if someone is performing well then of course a lot people are already buying it.

00:30:57: so price point is really high.

00:30:59: and if brand isn't doing good than they buy in to it.

00:31:02: But you have to hope for better.

00:31:05: but i do think Nike will come back.

00:31:11: they proved us many times.

00:31:13: Yeah, I recently was on my phone and i was looking at the Nike stock price.

00:31:19: it was like in the thirties dollars dollar and it used to be at like one twenty five right?

00:31:24: And so i was Looking At It!

00:31:25: And I had The Shares & I Had The Buy Button Blinking Ready To

00:31:29: Go!!

00:31:30: And I Was Like...I don't know man..i Don'T Know If It Can Do It.

00:31:34: I mean, i can't give financial advice at that point.

00:31:37: There's no financial advice in this podcast?

00:31:39: Of course there is a disclaimer.

00:31:41: but um...I do think the brand has enough power to come back if they really would like too.

00:31:46: because im always saying If you only put people uh..in office who are good with numbers thats great.

00:31:52: But its not just about numbers Its all about culture and storytelling.

00:31:56: You have make sure right peoples doing their jobs In germany.

00:32:00: we know it will be more division kind of things for Nike, not the people who are coming from that culture working on it.

00:32:09: And I don't want to blame anyone but its tough if you wanna talk with someone from Nike SB who knows nothing about skateboarding which is crazy to think off You know?

00:32:21: If i have a broken car ,i would bring into mechanic and not garner For me, I mean...I'm a person standing outside like observing these kind of things.

00:32:33: And of course i can say yeah Nike if you do this and that Ofcourse it's gonna get better.

00:32:37: but im not the CEO for company makes billion dollars..and have to take care off lot of workers & families etc.

00:32:43: So ofcourse its easier for ME to say so.

00:32:46: But looking from the outside and seeing what the history is in almost every brand When Kanye West kinda left Adidas or however you would like to frame it.

00:32:58: People were, okay, Adidas is done now and its not so.

00:33:02: I think there's a lot of happening in the market that great for someone who likes things are

00:33:12: changing

00:33:14: somethings happening out there because then we have our stories.

00:33:21: Nike to come back to the glory days.

00:33:23: I loved those glory days that made me who i am.

00:33:26: so, Just want to say on the record i desperately want nikey To come back too the way they used to be.

00:33:33: Now that you're asking Me?

00:33:35: I think it's going to Be very Very difficult because two main reasons.

00:33:39: number one The genie is out of the bottle.

00:33:43: yeah, nike use this magic mm-hmm That now every brand kind Of understands a good portion of that playbook.

00:33:52: So they can replicate that and their doing it, making dope shit right?

00:33:57: Like.

00:33:58: the second reason is... It goes back to what you're saying about like real passionate sneakerheads.

00:34:05: And if you are looking for an improvement on your automobile You wanna take into guy who lives in breeds That car & maker Right!

00:34:14: I think whats happening now at Nike And at many other brands is that the brand loyalty and the diehard nature of being a sneakerhead has now gone.

00:34:26: People just sort of like clocking in, clocking out making sure they get their bonus listening to recruiters on LinkedIn seeing what are there opportunities or our other places?

00:34:36: They're just sorta like nothing wrong with this!

00:34:38: Just wanna make whats best for their lives.

00:34:40: whereas twenty years ago people were tattooing swooshes It's

00:34:46: true.

00:34:46: Yeah, no one

00:34:46: would fucking do that.

00:34:47: now you know and it's true.

00:34:49: And I think while I don't promote people tattooing logos on their bodies i think there's a certain like gusto That was like yo just do it or die?

00:34:59: Because that's what got them to where they are and I feel Like they're.

00:35:02: just isn't that passion anymore You know.

00:35:03: it's just like uh, it's a job.

00:35:05: Now

00:35:06: coming back to just able the person The brand and the podcast name is stands against the run.

00:35:12: So it shows what its again, which means there's something with.

00:35:17: we are for that we're working or staying for?

00:35:21: What would be before just able

00:35:23: to positive part?

00:35:24: Are you going get into a negative partner now?

00:35:26: if he wouldn't like me can of course start with a negative and then turn in some positive light.

00:35:31: yeah no will stay positive.

00:35:33: I think the positive part about what i do Outside of whatever it is that I make, what i want to show people especially young people Is you can come from nothing.

00:35:48: You don't have to be born into some great family or come in money.

00:35:53: You could a below average student A child with immigrant parents A college dropout Not so handsome and good looking You can be not so athletic and you could do all these things because I am.

00:36:10: All those things, you could even be the guy that asks your favorite girl to the prom And she said no to you right?

00:36:18: All of these things can happen.

00:36:21: Look at me now like you can still overcome all of that and Do this despite everything being against you.

00:36:30: and That's really what i want to show by creating the things that I create, it's not about you should design a t-shirt or make a sneaker.

00:36:38: It is if really fuck with what do to core doesn't matter.

00:36:44: society places at like your GPA score financial value credit.

00:36:51: for me all of was shit somehow overcame and no genius magician.

00:37:00: only thing did right was find my passion and do it to the maximum.

00:37:05: That's all I did, that's the only lesson that i want to teach people.

00:37:09: Jeff many thanks for sharing the insights!

00:37:12: And like you said The Passion...I think is one of the most important things we can have.

00:37:17: so Many Thanks For Taking Time.

00:37:19: My Name Is Amadius Tuna.

00:37:20: This Was Stance Against Iran.

00:37:22: We See & Hear As In The Next

00:37:25: Episode.

00:37:27: Thank You Very Much.