This Saturday, Joe Boots and WRK Clothes are debuting their spring line in grande fashion. Make sure to check it out!
A-Jaxx: Firstly, tell us about WRK Fest and what we can expect of the event in its entirety.
Joe Boots: Ok, so WRK FEST began like most great happenings, just an idea. We were kicking around the idea of our spring 2012 launch party after the success of the party at Blasfome for our fall 2011 drop.
http://blasfome.com/blasfome_x_wrk_clothes_pop_up_store/
http://bootprintscrew.blogspot.com/2011/10/wrk-clothes-pop-up-shop-recap.html
And with that being so good, we decided we had to throw something even bigger for spring! Springtime in the burgh is a beautiful thing! So basically, the event is at the 5020 PENN AVE and we’re kicking off the day at 1pm with an art show and the unveiling of the WRK Clothes Spring 2012 collection. The art show and daytime activities are no cover and artwork as well as clothing will be for sale! There will be food and drinks (food by “uNIQuely Served” , beverages by Vitamin Water) so everyone should check that out. Around 5pm is when the DJs start. People will most likely be coming and going the entire afternoon. The Get Down Gang (local break-dancing phenoms) will take the floor around 7 while people start to gather because around 9 pm, the performances start. Around 7 pm we are going to start charging, the cover is only 5$ to get a wristband and feel free to leave and come back! The alcohol will begin being poured at 9 pm sharp!!
The VARSITY SQUAD with Deejay Drastik will be kickin off the night, followed by the worlds smartest rap duo TIME CAPSOUL. DOS NOUN is also one of WRK FESTs founders and has had his hand in the planning of this event since day 1. There will be a set by BILLY MAYO of the 58s doing his FIRST SOLO PERFORMANCE EVER! This is going to go down in history!
To close the night out there will be a set from Pittsburgh super party band MEGA-DEF, I’ve only had the pleasure to see them live two or three times but I have NEVER been disappointed with their set, they really know how to rock a party. After the performances DJ HANK D and KEEBS will be spinning an incredible dance party to close out the night!
From the time the DJs start and throughout the end of the night we have an all star cast of DJs: BAMBOO, RANDOM SAMPLE, NICE REC, DRASTIK, AND TOM DOUG
There will also be a POGO STICK exhibition by yours truly. We are in talks to get one of only 20 female sword swallowers in the world in town to do a sideshow act. We are having a little bit of a hard time with zoning and such to get the elephants to parade through the place, but fingers crossed. Overall it’s going to be a day of mayhem, music, art, and fashion!
AJ: Word, it sounds like quite the menagerie. Lemme shift gears here for a moment, how do you feel about the spawning of so many independent clothing companies here in Pittsburgh? Is there anything you aren’t feeling at all?
JB: I think its great! The more people doing shit with them, the better, not to mention I print at my other job (boot prints) for like 70% of local brands. I am naturally all for it! 10 years ago when I started making clothes (hand painted a la miskeen) there was maybe one or two other people making clothes on any kind of level. There has always been merch for bands and such but until recently the hip hop community has had weak merch to offer. Boot prints set out to change that and did. There are brands I’m way into, and brands not so much, but I’m like almost 30 years old so stuff that kids are making is sometimes just not in my style. I can tell you this: everyone that’s out here grinding and trying to carve out their own little niche, I have NOTHING but RESPECT for them.
AJ: Every designer kind of has a specific demographic and I suppose a theme, a look they want to convey with their wear. With WRK, whom are you trying to reach? Is it specifically targeted more towards hipsters, or what?
JB: WRK CLOTHES is geared toward everyone in the world. WRK CLOTHES is a household pairing of words, everyone that ever had a job since the beginning of time has owned and worn work clothes to go to work. So I guess its for everyone, except those that have been “lucky” enough to be handed everything in life and never had to WRK for anything. Those worthless rich kids can fuck off with their silver spoons up their ass. We aint here for them.
AJ: Lemme ask you this, could your line exist with out hip hop?
JB: Most definitely, although I personally don’t want to exist without hip hop, haha. Hip hop is only one side of our deal. The WRK crew comes from similar yet different backgrounds and it shows in our designs. Graffiti culture, hip hop, punk rock, hardcore, reggae, BMX, skateboarding, these are just some of the influences we come from and we show through our actions and graphics. Not to mention, a blue collar, hard WRK ethic that has been instilled in us since we were kids.
AJ: Do you have any plans to venture outside clothing? Better yet, have you tried something different before? Rapping, perhaps?
JB: WRK CLOTHES will be here forever and will always be involved in anything thats popping with people that are grinders. Lazy fucks need not apply. And anyone that knows anything about Pittsburgh hip hop should already know; Joe boots priceless muh fuckin fam. South side hip hop, we get down.
And don’t be surprised if Joe Boots starts poppin up on a stage near yinz! I got new shit I’m working on and I’m ready to show out guarantee it’s one hell of show. Looking forward to seeing everyone at WRKFEST ’12!