Illicit Bloc began with two brothers whose interest in fashion took them on a journey in which they saw a high-end streetwear label brought into existence. Although their time in the industry so far has been short, the attention attracted by the label makes it likely that we will be seeing them around for a while. Luckily, we were able to send some questions their way, this is what we found out.
So who is leading ILLICIT BLOC at the moment?
"Two brothers (Arran, Josh Stewart) with a passion for retrofits and streetwear. It sounds very cliche but Our aim is to combine high-end fashion with streetwear that is affordable also appealing to the masses."
What first got you into creating designs for garments?
"We are both into our art & design and ever since we can remember have both been into our fashion. Josh has always been talented at drawing/designs and photoshop and I have always had a huge interest in fashion, fits and trends, so naturally, we put our heads together one day and started drawing up ideas for logos, names and designs. We would find ourselves going shopping and having a strong image in our head of what we wanted to buy but found ourselves let down by the over-saturated male high street market. So, we saw a genuine gap in the market for a brand. We just thought, If we couldn't find it we could create it."
Who are your biggest inspirations when it comes to creating?
"We are inspired by the likes of Jerry Lorenzo, Virgil Abloh and aAlexander Wang. Jerry Lorenzo because he created such a strong unique image with the oversized fits mixed with the sports culture. He managed to incorporate sportswear with high-end fashion and create a trend that took off globally, so you gotta love that. We're also big fans of Virgil Abloh and Alexander Wang mainly for their collaberations with the likes of nike, adidas and even H&M, their minimalistic approach to fashion definitely taught us that less can sometimes mean more."
What's your biggest aspiration?
"our biggest aspiration would be to be globally recognised as a brand."
Who would be your top 3 people/brands to collaborate with during 2019, and why?
As we have just started a new year, what are your aims for the next 365 days?
"Our Aim for this year would be to continue to grow as a brand by combining high end looks with everyday wearable streetwear, our ultimate goal would be to be stocked by the likes of ASOS, S?ZE & Urban Outfitters. we've religiously shopped on the stores and to be stocked by them would be surreal to see. It's a goal we've set ourselves from the off."
What's your advice for those who are looking to break through in the streetwear scene?
"Come up with something unique and different, doesn't have to necessarily be the quirkiest product, you can find new original ways of marketing your brand. stay true to your own personal style and it will be far easier to design and sell."
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If you could only pass on one message or lesson to your brand's followers, what would it be?
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"One message to everyone following would be if you've got a passion for something, follow it, you'll be surprised what can happen by putting some hours into a genuine interest you have in something."
So far, what are you most proud of creatively?
"Probably our shoot for our second collection as we managed to sneak into a derelict quarry and get some mad photos of the model floating on the water in a colour coordinated rubber dinghy, it just to come together exactly how we pictured it and rounded off a very successful shoot and second collection for Illicit Bloc. "
What's next for ILLICIT BLOC?
"We've got a big shoot planned for a next micro range which features a heavy theme throughout, it's going to be a smaller range consisting of five items and a couple of accessories. We've got some big things planned for illicit bloc this year, and look forward to releasing it to the streetwear market."
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Love the image of this brand very nice
Good luck with getting stocked I’m sure you’ll get there.
These clothes look so good
Nice to know the companies perspective on things, I love their products.
Fresh gear
Bloc looking sharper