It's been a busy week. On top of the contests this week I am back on track with the interviews as well. I've been talking to the homie Ed French who runs Minus61 based out of the UK. Is it just me or is the UK killing it right now? Ed's brand is fairly new but Ed himself isn't new to design. He has been working on his brand for quite some time and he does all the designs himself. I am honored to have the opportunity to chat it up with such a talented artist and all around humble dude. Here is how our talk went, oh and we also did "this or that"...
First just, in your own words, introduce yourself and your brand..
Hello my names Ed and I'm the founder of Minus61. Minus61 started late 2010 My ideas come from everyday things, pictures and sometimes events which have happened. I then try to manipulate them into something weird and wonderful whether it be a line drawing or a collage.
wow 2010? you've had some quick success. tell me about your feature in front magazine.
I basically knew the only way to gain as much exposure was to bombard magazines with emails explaining who MInus61 are, sending pictures of the tees. Eventually i got a response from one of the guys at Front and he really like my designs and wanted to add me in the magazine.
I like your style. How did you come up with the name?
It was a hard one really! I came up with a couple and mentioned them to my mates. Thankfully they were really honest with me. So it was back to the drawing board. I have always liked a DJ called David Holmes and his style of music being quite broad. Was similar to how my art work is in a way. A track called Minus 61 in Detroit was one of my favourite tracks. I kept saying Minus61 over and over again and it kinda stuck. I get a lot of people commenting on how they like the name so in a way it was a good choice.
Nice, I think its clever.
Cheers, i think hardest bit is thinking of a name. You can over think things sometimes.
Has your design approach changed at all since you started selling tees?
A little, at the moment i am trying to stay with the line drawn style of design with a few new designs i working on. The first designs i put out where really to test the water and see what people responded too. Some people would say a risky thing to do. But because my style is quite broad in a way i wanted to what sort of direction i could take. No let other people decided for me, but see what people liked. If that makes sense?
what approach, other than email blasting, have you taken to spread the word on your brand?
Flyers in music shops, sending them to friends abroad, getting in touch with DJ's over twitter and sending them my tees. I have done a couple of local music festivals and market stalls in London. I am also selling my tees in 3 shops around the UK too. And that massively helps.
if you could sit and have a few beers with anyone in the world; who would it be and why?
That's a tough one! If i were to pick a film star it would be Gary Oldman...that guy is a legend especially in Leon.
what are you most proud of?
I think the fact that i have always kept my interest in design and making a go of Minus61 by sticking with it even though it's only been 10 months or so. Pushing myself and not letting stupid things get me down.
What is your ultimate goal for your brand?
My ultimate goal would be to open my own shop in the future. The hundreds brand in America opened a really cool looking shop. But for now to let my imagination take me where i want to go with my designs. To keep the same quality if not better for the t-shirts and print. Enhance more on the ladies side of the brand. To keep providing great customer service and build a great following
You up for a quick round of "this or that?"
Let's do it!
Ken or Ryu?
I will always choose Ken - My mate always used to be Ryu and i never beat him. Just pride i suppose. Ha Ha
Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers?
Ninja Turtles
Nintendo or Sega Genesis?
Nintendo N64 - Golden Eye best game ever. Even if the graphics are crap now.
Early mornings or Late Nights?
Late Nights
Burger or Pizza?
Pizza - the hotter the better
Energy drink or Espresso?
Espresso - Love the taste.
Lisa Turtle or Kelly Kapowski?
Kelly Kapowski - Schwing!!
Summer or Winter?
Summer - BBQ, Booze, Festivals.
Date night or Night with the homies?
Night with the homies, but don't tell my girlfriend that!
Socks or No Socks?
Socks!
One more thing: Use the code WORD for 20% off all tees!!
Check Minus61 out at:
Website minus61clothing.com
Twitter @Minus61dotcom
Facebook Minus61
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