Female: The next time your parents tell you to get a job, why not open a skate shop. I'm Angelina Koo with watchmojo.com and today I chat with Brandon about how a formerly slacker culture has transformed itself into one of the heaviest hitters of high fashion.
Let’s talk a little bit about the evolution of skate style.
Brandon: It’s still a very young sport., it’s become much more commercial over the last 10 years. From the style and the actual sports, TV, magazines, it became a very large industry. Back in the days, it was big wall shirts, huge 24-inch pants, it was kind of a little more sloppy if you want. There’s definitely a culture that’s been built around it. Big companies arose from this type of occasions and it’s now an industry that’s huge with billions of dollars.
Female: Let’s start off with a little bit with the slacker culture and now it becomes high fashion. So, where do you separate those styles from the actual sport?
Brandon: There is the functional side of certain garments, there is the fashion side and you’re actually riding, skating or snowboarding, it’s important to have both as both sports have become more commercial. The fashion side has been taken over to a certain extent.
Today, customers coming in are not only skateboarders or snowboarders of people. They like the style and it’s more a way of life than just enjoying skateboarding or snowboarding.
Female: So it’s kinda like a Barbizon models either you are one or you just look like it.
Brandon: Yes and I say there is way more people that look like it now than are actually real fans of the sports. There is always the core root of the sports, the leaders and the trendsetters. Those are the real people that drive the industry and then there’s the commercial side of things that make businesses roll with the money on it.
Female: So if you are just starting out as a skater, what are some basic—
Brandon: On a learning level, trying to skateboard with people or snowboard with people that are better that you so you can become better, faster. If you are skateboarding or snowboarding alone, it’s gonna take much longer time for you to get better or get good.
When buying product, it’s important to buy in specialty stores. Now the sports become so commercial, you can find the skateboard or snowboard in a gazillion places. But you won’t get the proper service, you won’t get the proper knowledge, the staff that’s on the floor won’t give you the right information. So it’s important whether being an empire store or another specialty store buy on the specialized store that know what they are talking about.
Female: Are girls skaters super hot or what?
Brandon: There are a few girls that are very hot. Throughout skateboarding, there are some cute girls for sure.
Thank you.
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