Interview With Escape76 From Formula Werks

May 23rd, 2008 Posted in Interviews

RF: Where did you grow up?
Escape76: Whenever anyone asks that, “C.R.E.A.M.” always pops into my head…which makes no fucking sense ‘cause I’m not from New York. Anyway, I pretty much grew up everywhere. Born in Washington State, lived in Dallas, the Quad Cities (your readers might have to look that one up), went to most of university in northwest Indiana, and have lived in Chicago for the past nine years. Oh, I went to school in Paris – twice - as well. More or less a nomad, and I’m always trying to go somewhere else. Travel is my heroin.

RF: What were you into growing up?
Escape76: A vast array of shit. Seriously. I skated for a long time but gave that up around the time that I doubly fucked up my knees/ankles and realized I wasn’t very good at it anyway. I love the sport, though, and I’d say that I have more respect for people who skateboard than any other sport. I also did some BMX for a while, but found I was better at mountain biking. I painted, traveled, and played up ultimate nerd status by spending my time learning languages instead of playing with toys. I was making clothes and selling them in the hallways of junior high when I was maybe 14, 15 years old, but stopped when I went to France for school and realized that drinking and other unhealthy activities were more fun at the time. I guess I came full circle on that one.

RF: What do you worry about?
Escape76: Probably the same stuff that everyone else does. Paying the bills, rent, whatever. I used to work in the music industry, and I think the life/business lessons that I learned from that pretty much covered things like me ever worrying about whether or not anyone likes me or whatever. All I really care about is making shit that the crew and I dig – be it art or clothing – and if people like that, so be it. So far, it’s seemed to work out pretty well for all of us. On a side note, I guess the only real bitch about this whole thing, which doesn’t worry me as much as it annoys me, is how aggravating it can be coming from a city like Chicago. Most press and fashion-related opinion wizards out there tend to think that every “cool” brand must come from Cali, NYC, Asia, or Western Europe. There are obviously ill brands in all of those places, and I do love Chicago, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a bitch being stuck between the two coasts.

RF: Which brands have you done work for?
Escape76: Formula Werks / Scumbag Nation is our main gig. We founded it in 2003, and I now run it with my co-creative director and business partner Joey Potts (who is also an amazing artist). We sometimes fool around with our other sub-labels (Sleepers Die Slow, WRKSHP – our Amsterdam label, and a couple others), but for the most part, it’s FWX all day. We’ve designed for a couple of other labels but it’s not a big thing.

RF: How did you become a designer?
Escape76: As aforementioned, I did this stuff back in junior high school. In 2003, I was toying with the option of going to MBA school overseas. In the midst of visiting schools, filling out applications, and taking the GMAT, I started making shirts for myself. I never really planned on doing anything with them, but people started asking me about the gear every time I would wear it out and about. I was like, “You know what? Fuck it. If I go to grad school, I’ll just end up back in the corporate world and I can’t take that lifestyle anymore.” I turned down all the schools and started Formula. As ridiculous as it sounds, the only thing I really feel like I passed up was the opportunity to learn another language and live abroad again (for international MBA programs).

RF: Which brands have you had a hand in starting?
Escape76: Formula Werks / Scumbag Nation and our sub-labels. Sometimes I’ll be in the shower, or on the deck smoking, or in the car, and I’ll come up with another brand idea. Then, someone from the crew will remind me of how much extra work and money and energy it will take to do another label along with what we already do. At that point, I’ll send an email to myself with notes or some shit and decide to maybe do something like that in the future.

RF: Are you easy to work with?
Escape76: That question and that answer are both totally loaded. I could say that I’m easy to work with, and then all of my partners will tell you that it’s complete bullshit. Or maybe not, who knows. I like to think that I’m fairly diplomatic, and a good listener. I like making people happy as well. On the flipside, I’m very much a perfectionist and have extremely anal-retentive tendencies. I try to look at those traits as a good thing in this business, though. Shit should be done right or it shouldn’t be done at all.

RF: Do you like everything you do?
Escape76: All in all, I do. It can be a headache when dealing with manufacturers and logistics, but in the end, it’s fantastic. I wouldn’t trade this for a stable day job, ever. I’d honestly probably rather shoot myself in the head than go back to sitting in an office, making some stiff rich.

RF: What’s your favorite place?
Escape76: Are we matching our preferences for a date or something? Haha, just kidding. I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe, so my answers all lay over there. I love Amsterdam (we have a satellite location there), and Paris because I lived there, and the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen is definitely Prague, which I go back to as often as possible. I’ve still never been to Asia though, and I have a feeling that I might never come back once I make that voyage.

RF: Who or what inspires you?
Escape76: I’m definitely inspired by traveling, no question. I do my best design work when I return from a trip. Another huge motivator for me are simply my friends and coworkers, all of whom are artists. We participate in a lot of art shows and go to them regularly, so seeing other people’s work – friends or otherwise – always motivates me to get cracking and up my game. The visuals I see through things like skateboarding, graffiti culture, and tattoo culture are big for me as well.

RF: What, if any, other designers do you like?
Escape76: My most favorite designers and artists are the guys from our crew: Joey Potts, Revise CMW, Brian Morris, MAD, Sket One, Jose Garibaldi, etc. I’m also a huge fan of Tycho Veldhoen (my tattoo artist in Amsterdam), Mitch O’Connell, Jim Mahfood (Food One), Veggiesomething, Jim Koch, and some others. I’m definitely more inspired by artists than I am by other brands, but I really dig a lot of the artwork coming from Fiberops, Rockwell (Parra), Bounty x Hunter, Devilock, In4mation, Sixpack, and of course everything involved with Upper Playground, which is always amazing.

RF: Outside of work, what do you do for fun?
Escape76: Outside of work? Umm…I didn’t know there was an “outside of work” haha. I’m a vicious workaholic in every sense of the word. Outside of that, I like to travel, drink coffee, paint, watch skate videos, go to art shows, and watch soccer. I’m not nearly as exciting now that I work 24/7. Looking to change that up at some point, I suppose.

Thanks to everyone at Robust Flavor…those who don’t read the blog and shop there should be drawn & quartered. Sorry y’all, that’s just the way it has to be.

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