I have a strange obsession with the maze that is the New York city transit authority and all the history attached to it, especially when it comes to graffiti.
GORE-TEX Studio: This one is getting harder and harder these days - but how would you describe yourself in 1 sentence max?
Post VSOP: I’ve been GORE-TEXin to death... rockin ice with special effects... it’s obvious I was destined to rep. vsop
GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us a bit about your city’s climate. What are your three favorite spots - in the summer, in the winter (outside)? What is your favorite method of transportation and why? How do you prep for bad weather if you spend time outside?
Post VSOP: I'm from New York City… one of the best cities on earth… and one of the most diverse… culturally and also weather wise…
Everywhere in NY is my favorite spot. Manhattan is my favorite borough. It’s always live never a dull moment.
The subway is my favorite method of transportation. I have a strange obsession with the maze that is the New York city transit authority and all the history attached to it, especially when it comes to graffiti.
As for foul weather I mainly rely on waterproof shells and pants, boots also. And of course everyone of those items is made with GORE-TEX technology.
GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us a bit about your professional life and do you draw a hard line between private/professional? What were your most memorable moments professionally, your biggest achievements?
Post VSOP: Well, I'm an artist in many ways and I make a living off of it in many ways. It could be a logo for a brand or company. It can be a campaign I’m featured in. It could be me selling my own work to collectors. Designing products and clothing, directing videos, co-producing music etc. etc. There’s not much of a hardline between private and professional. What I do is basically private hobbies and things I love doing in my private time that I get paid for professionally.
There are many big achievements. One of my favorites was being in a mini-documentary for The North Face x Gucci – being a part of fashion history imo. Iconic situations like that are dope to me. Seeing my artwork or direction, garments, album covers in magazines I love all of that.
GORE-TEX Studio: What are you wearing today, why are you wearing it, did you have a particular weather scenario in mind when choosing this piece? What do you love most about your GORE-TEX product?
Post VSOP: I’ve always been a North Face guy but today I'm wearing an Arc’teryx Alpha SV GORE-TEX shell. First Arc I’ve ever owned. I like the fit and how light the jacket is – yet it’s so durable and super reliable in the harshest elements.
[I had] no weather scenario in mind other than some light rain that will smoothly slide right off the GORE-TEX exterior. What I love most about this product is that all of the artwork on it including GORE-TEX logo-ing (which happens to be one of my all time favorite logos) was drawn up and placed by me. So it's a one of a kind jacket that only I have.
GORE-TEX Studio: Where and when did you get this… Do you have any special memories connected to this item? If you could go anywhere, where would you like to take this piece?
Post VSOP: My friend Avi Gold who owns Better Gift shop did a project with Arc’teryx and wanted my style of writing on the hood of all the jackets. So of course one of the jackets was offered to me. Instead of the other artwork on the jacket besides my lettering on the hood for Better Gift shop I said I’ll take a jacket but I want everything on it to be of my own design.
I’ve had this jacket for about a year. This is my first time wearing it out so the only sentimental value attached is the fact that it’s a one of a kind designed by me. Funny thing is the jacket isn’t even finished. Anyhow I’d like to see this jacket on the streets of Tokyo at night. Why? – I don’t know, I just think it would look cool there.
GORE-TEX Studio: How do you define the term “comfort” in clothing, in particular technical apparel?
Post VSOP: I'm well known for wearing GORE-TEX apparel my entire life. Head to toe…
Comfort in clothing for me is movement… and durability. What I mean by this is I like pants I can swing my legs around. I like a jacket with room to breathe and it has to be durable. This is one of the main reasons I always loved GORE-TEX products aside from the logo. It's just fly, fashionable but rugged and durable at the same time in all types of situations. I can be free navigating the city scraping up against concrete and all types of rough objects, get wet, be in the cold and not worry about my jacket or pants. They are built to withstand harsh elements. That’s comforting to me – my mind can be elsewhere instead of thinking about a stain or water ruining my jacket. And I still look technical and fly in the streets.
GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us about your current and upcoming projects… what are you looking for in the next six months and what challenges do you see that you’re excited about?
Post VSOP: I can’t really speak on the upcoming projects I have in the works because they aren’t set in stone. But one of them most definitely involves GORE-TEX and I hope it happens. What I’m looking for in the next 6 months is more money and more fly shit. That's what I'm known for. Also more traveling and of course MORE GRAFFITI. One challenge I’m excited about is creating a few items of clothing on my own from scratch and also getting into beat production. Other than that… just out here takin’ GORE-TEX steps.
