Author: Jake Archer
Last week saw the conclusion of something we’ve been working on for a while!
With some of the team heading our to New York a few months back, we caught up with multifaceted artist STASH as we helped him unveil his upcoming ‘Exhibit A’ exhibition and book launch, ‘SUBBLUEMINAL’. Bringing decades of work from his early involvement in the New York Graffiti movements to his burgeoning influence on the fashion scene, we wanted to help take you on a journey through this archive.
In celebration of Stash and his latest book launch ‘SUBBLUEMINAL’, the New York based artist flew over the pond to join us and you, the community for an in-store book signing. With a range of limited edition merchandise on offer and the book itself, a massive thank you must be said to everyone who came down and joined us for what will go down within Footpatrol history as a memorable evening. Many books were signed, many smiles were had.
We continue our Frequent Players series by shedding light on some younger faces in the scene. Rowan Pacey who goes by name of Pacemaker is next in our eclectic line up. Entering the scene with a bang, her uptempo beats and techno vibes have helped her create her own lane in music that knows how to tantalise those senses.
Surrounded by musical influences her whole life, music has always formed an instrumental part of her identity. Now fresh out of University and taking the centre stage, she now takes the decks as a fresh faced female killing it in the DJ game.
Check out the mix below!
Footpatrol: Hey Rowan, it was lovely to meet you at the shoot earlier on today! We would like to start all of our interviews with a simple question of how are you?
Rowan: Lovely to meet you guys too. Thanks for coming over. A simple but very important question! I am good, enjoying life. Feeling grateful to have so many amazing people around me.
FP: For people who don’t know who you are and what you do, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Rowan: My name is pacemaker! My actual name is Rowan Pacey. When I was 15 I told my mate, “when I learn to DJ my name will be pacemaker” and here we are. I try not to take myself too seriously otherwise life gets boring!
FP: Can you tell us a bit more about your journey, when did your love for DJing first start for you?
Rowan: I think I have to give my Dad some credit for my love of DJing – he’s a bit of a party animal. When I was younger, he had a section of our garage designated to his turntables and records. He used to run an old school hip hop radio show with his friends. As a child it was kind of surreal seeing all these middle aged bald men in my house, playing super loud hip hop. The first time I actually had a real interest in DJing, I was about 13. My older sister was playing a jungle tune in the car. I remember being mind blown. Once I got to about 16, I started going out. That was the breaking point for me. I was like I neeeeed to do this.
FP: You also have a shared love for fashion, through your chosen university degree at University of the Arts London, in your opinion, how do you feel like the fashion and music world collide with one another?
Rowan: Fashion is all about identity and expression, exactly like music. The fashion and music worlds are always influencing one another and go hand in hand.
FP: Do you think that there is female representation for women like yourself in the DJ industry?
Rowan: Hell yeah. There’s some sick female DJs right now but there could always be more. I feel like we need to see more all female lineups!!!! Women should be shown from a young age that you can make a career out of music. The people around me that helped me learn to DJ are all men. Giving young women the same sense of confidence in music as men, is so important.
FP: How does your style and genre of music affect the venues you play at, and have you got a favourite place to play?
Rowan: I’ve played in all sorts of venues! My gigs vary at the minute as I’m just trying to say yes to anything. I would say I’ve played the most in the SE London venue, Corsica Studios. I definitely have a soft spot for there. The security are friendly and the soundsystem bangs!
FP: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Rowan: Hopefully happy and with some gigs up north – the motherland. I want to start teaching women how to DJ and possibly, maybe even a record label / collective. Top of the list is to get some bookings with my DJ other half & best mate, Clara. We go by Clarified Pace!
FP: As a young DJ yourself, what advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Rowan: The things that are working for me are putting myself out there and never being shy to ask. You have to big yourself up! No one else will do it for you. The best piece of advice my mum gave me is you don’t ask – you don’t get. Tell the people you meet that you DJ! At the start, say yes to everything (within reason) and you can figure out what kind of a DJ you are 🙂
FP: Before we let you go! Rowan, we like to ask our guests if they have anything they would like to share with the Footpatrol community and readers. Whether that’s something to get people gassed about or just a general message of positivity it’s up to you?
Rowan: Shameless plug of the insta of course @rowan.pacey and tell ur friends u love them <3
“Did you see the game last night?” A question asked by many, every Monday morning in the UK… For this latest project, we partnered up with Mizuno up for a second time this year, centering our focus on the nation’s favourite sport, Football.
We pay homage to the love of the game with the arrival of the Footpatrol x Mizuno Post Match collection. Designed with both sneaker enthusiasts & football fans in mind, this eclectic range combines seamless astroturf style with Mizuno’s timeless functionality that continues to inspire a new generation of sports enthusiasts.
Kicking off this authentic partnering is our recreation of the ‘95 Mizuno Contender silhouette, arriving in Premium nubuck material in irongate grey that sets the tone to this football focussed design. Premium football boat leather is applied to the toe box – a nod to the Mizuno’s football boots with the same material equipped on the tongue that is further spot-varnished with Mizuno and Footpatrol brand logos. Washed suede outskirts the toe cap and outer heel collar, while reflective detailing graces the lateral heel.
Patent leather is the material of choice for the Runbird insignia, hallmarking the sidewall with some brand heritage, with further Footpatrol branding etched to the heel in gold. Pops of Turquoise outline the Runbird moniker as well as featuring on the insole, inner tongue, and parts of the treaded outsole. To finish, an EVA moulded midsole supplies cloud-like cushioning with each stride.
Championing football nostalgia, we continue our Mizuno ‘Post Match’ collection with the addition of a football jersey sitting alongside the footwear. The jersey takes inspiration from the 2001/2002 Fiorentina kit, which was produced by Mizuno and worn by the likes of Adriano. Arriving in a split grey and black colour combination, our Jersey features an ‘FP’ monogram adorned to the left side of the chest, accompanied by our own recreation of the Scudetto moniker, taking colours from the progress pride flag to promote equality in not only football but all areas of life.
Respective Mizuno labelling adorns the other side of the chest in a turquoise hue with local Soho-based record store ‘ Reckless Records’ acting as a shirt sponsor that is featured across the mid-chest. Additional features include ‘EST. 2002’ lettering that appears on the left arm signifying the year Footpatrol first opened, our bar logo that is printed on the right arm, with a brand lock up logo completing the front with some co-branding heritage. On the reverse, the ‘20’ printed squad number was designed to call out our anniversary year, with inspiration taken from early premier league numbers.
The Mizuno x Footpatrol collection will be launching in-store and online on Saturday 10th September.
With the Air Force 1 being one of the most staple shoes within the sneaker industry, with the likes of Travis Scott and the late Virgil Abloh putting their twist on the silhouette. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the shoe. As this year comes to a close, we are set to see Drakes iteration. Keeping it simple but putting his ‘Certified Lover Boy’ twist on things Drake opts for a traditional Tripe white colour way, replacing its outer sole ‘AIR’ with ‘Love you forever’ and replacing the stars underneath with love hearts. Complete with charms to put your own custom words on the laces this is definitely a grail for the hardcore Drake fans.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
The London in-store draw is now CLOSED!
All online draws will now be housed over on the Footpatrol Launches app which can be downloaded here.
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
Nearing the end of our 20th year anniversary, what a year it’s been! From hosting panel talks and events, as well as adding to our eclectic catalogue of collaborations, we continue to keep our foot on the acceleration pedal to the very end, with yet another surprise up our sleeves to commemorate this special occasion…
Introducing our latest collaboration with American-born headwear brand New Era, working on an exclusive cap offering that pays sentiment to Footpatrol’s identity throughout the years.
As the headwear originators, New Era surpasses its century landmark with innovation in mind, adhering to its high-quality manufacturing practices as well as boasting a timeless slew of designs and collaborations. We believe the brand’s strived efforts of authenticity is also something that Footpatrol takes pride in, therefore we wanted to emulate this through our latest collaboration.
On offer, is the 9FIFTY Snapback cap that pays continuous ode to the cultural landscape of our store. Landing in a dual-toned cotton construction, doused in a relatively black and grey colour scheme. Cap details include an embroidered Footpatrol monogram logo on the crown, signifying Footpatrol brand heritage to this otherwise muted construction. Other adornments include a hand-drawn ‘20’ graphic in a felt design that reiterates our landmark year, further accentuated with an embroidered lamp post graphic sitting near the strap-back closure.
Other highlight details include the Footpatrol Rat mascot graphic created by Brooklyn-based designer/illustrator Dirty Dermot hallmarked on the back – culturally nodding to the vibrant streets of Soho. Completing the list of cap details are the words ‘Twenty Years Deep’ appearing on the reverse above the adjustable leather strap debossed with Footpatrol bar logo detailing, and embroidered tally graphic totaling to the number 20 indicating the anniversary year adds the finishing touches to this bespoke fit.
To celebrate our latest project with New Era, we wanted to work on a design we could keep exclusive to Friends & Family of Footpatrol and to many of those who have supported Footpatrol over the years. We decided upon creating our iteration of New Era’s staple 59FIFTY silhouette.
The design arrives in a stealthy black colour scheme, accentuated with the Footpatrol monogram logo (designed by Kingsley Hayward). We referenced several classic Baseball monogram graphics during the design development stages of the project. Cap features include a lamppost graphic sitting next to the Footpatrol monogram on the crown. This graphic is a reference to the lamppost that is situated outside the Footpatrol London store, but also an ode to the lampposts in and around the Soho area. We’ve always wanted to have a team mascot at Footpatrol – we decided upon a rat as our mascot character as a reference to our city’s central dwellings. Footpatrol London is situated amongst alley-ways and side streets, all areas you could imagine a street rat to wander around in! The Footpatrol mascot sits proudly in embroidered construction on the left side of the cap
Just before you see the mascot patch, there is an embroidered, hand-drawn ‘20’ patch graphic signifying the anniversary year. To the right of the cap, we have Footpatrol and New Era branding in white, and at the back of the cap are the words ‘Twenty Years Deep’. The final external detail on the Footpatrol 20th Anniversary F&F 59FIFTY is the exposed top button. The Footpatrol Gasmask logo is laser-etched onto the natural colour metal finish, giving the design a very unique look.
Internal design details include an tonal embroidered tally graphic on the under peak chartered in a ‘Kelly’ green hue. The luxury satin lining graphic inside the cap features montage images taken over the last year of the Footpatrol London team.
Whilst over in New York recently, we couldn’t stay away from the bustling art scene that has been dominating the city and its streets for decades. With that said, we recently linked up with Harlem born, NY based artist Kip Omolade. Beginning his career on the streets as a graffiti artist whilst interning at Marvel Comics and The Center for African Art, Kip’s work has been shown across the globe. Having studied at The Art Students League of New York, Kip’s work has flowed effortlessly from Good Morning America to Juxtapoz, Nike and even the Versace Mansion.
Take a closer look at his work below from when we caught up with the artist himself.
Footpatrol: Hi Kip, hope you’re well, firstly thank you for taking the time to let us come by the studio and see the work up close, we really appreciate it. Could you please tell us a bit about yourself and the work you produce?
Kip Omolade: It’s a pleasure being featured in Footpatrol. I appreciate what you are doing. Your program combines two of my loves: art and sneakers, so this is awesome.
I am a product of New York City. I was born in Harlem and lived in the Bronx, the Lower East Side and midtown Manhattan before spending most of my life in Brooklyn. I attended City-As-School high school which was the same school Basquiat attended. I also attended the School of Visual Arts, the Cooper Union Saturday program, The Children’s Art Carnival in Harlem, and The Art Students League of New York. When I started oil painting from life, I lived down the block from the Brooklyn Museum where I would visit often to study African and European art.
My work is a product of those experiences. The use of chrome is connected to my internship at Marvel Comics where I was influenced by shiny, metallic characters like the Silver Surfer. The bright saturated colors are influenced by my graffiti writer days. The sculpture and oil painting techniques are from my training at SVA and The League.
FP: One thing that specifically captivates me is the image within the faces, is there a reasoning behind each mirrored reflection?
KO: Usually, the image within the face is determined by my curiosity and self-challenges. “What would this chrome face look like in the snow?” “Could I paint images of Times Square in the face?” Sometimes a model’s face will dictate which direction I’ll go. Some sculptures look better enclosed in a space while others look better with the outside environment being reflected in the face. Other times, the choice is more conceptual, like when I did several paintings with graffiti backgrounds. With the Luxury Graffiti project, I wanted to establish my graffiti roots in an organic way. I also saw some of my favorite artists like Takashi Murakami and Jenny Saville use graffiti with their work and thought why not? I was actually a part of the movement that they were referencing.
FP: I’m curious why just the face? And why expressionless?
KO: The face is universal across time, place, and culture. It’s what we are all attracted to. We look for faces in everything, even the surfaces of the moon or Mars. We are wired to recognize faces as a way of survival and communal living. The faces were a way to unify people- to show our similarities despite racial differences. I wanted to disrupt racial constructs and show humanity. As a result, make-up artists from Russia, Japan, and India, etc. have used their own faces and cosmetics to reproduce my paintings. They see themselves in the work.
I don’t see the faces as being “expressionless”, but I think I know what you mean. I prefer a neutral expression because it’s more iconic and timeless. Ancient Ife sculptures, the famous headpiece of King Tut and The Mona Lisa have subtle expressions. Another reason for the look is that I want my use of color and lighting to elicit an emotional response from the viewer rather than from an overly dramatic expression. However, some of my portraits do overtly show emotions. The Kittys seem happy, the Karyns have a sense of melancholy and there are some others that even have wide smiles.
FP: Why do you choose to continue to paint your work? Do you consider diving into a virtually creative side of it? Or like to keep it as raw as possible?
KO: I love to paint! I love the challenge of mixing, blending, and applying oil paint to canvas. It’s deeply satisfying to create an image using real life tactual tools. I appreciate digital work, but brushes, paint and canvas are centuries old technology that allow me to still make discoveries. Ironically when I first started the Diovadiova Chrome project I was attempting to use traditional materials to make images that looked like digital avatars. There is also an amazing satisfaction knowing I hand painted something that looks three dimensional physically and conceptually to the viewer. In person the work has a level of depth, color and texture that conveys a sense of transcendence.
FP: Can you elaborate on the process, from casting to photography to the final painting?
KO: The process is about different uses of time. The casting is the most interactive part- collaborating with the model while my assistant and I work quickly. This is a time when I don’t know what someone’s face will look like when the cast is finished. Once I have the cast everything slows down. I sculpt the eyes and prepare the sculpture for chroming. The photography stage speeds up again as I take hundreds of images of the sculpture. This is the most experimental part. I’ll try as many approaches as possible. Everything slows down again as I ponder which image to paint. Lastly the painting process is the slowest part as I apply layers and layers of paint to achieve details and form.
FP: Are there any subjects you would love to cast specifically?
KO: I would love to cast LL Cool Jay, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, and other Hip Hop icons. We should have our own Mount Rushmore. As Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, we need works of art that reflect our rich history. My way of giving flowers would be to create large-scale paintings of our icons.
FP: Does your day to day mood influence your artworks? Perhaps in the colours or graphics? How much of YOU is also In the works of art?
KO: My day-to-day mood is pretty much the same. What influences the work are questions. It’s about: “Why do this piece?” or “How could I represent this idea?” My love for beauty, my calmness and my spirituality manage to seep into my work. Somehow the paintings seem to show my personality. My actual image is in the reflections of many of the works. When I do this it’s like an elaborate selfie.
FP: You’ve amassed an extremely healthy client portfolio from the likes of Nike, Sony and RedBull to name a few. Who is at the top of the collaborative wish list currently?
KO: I would love to partner with Nike or Adidas to make a chrome sneaker like the Dada Supreme CDubbz. I think my use of chrome and color would be super impactful. My work could also easily translate to fashion. From streetwear companies like Supreme or high fashion houses like Louis Vuitton I think there’s an organic place for my work.
FP: Finally, we would like to open up the floor for you to praise or even set on blaze anything you believe can help the current arts industry.
KO: We are in the best time for artistic expression. Never, in history, have artists had access to as much information about creating work. In the past you would have to travel and work as an apprentice or go to college to gain skills that you can currently learn online. We can share our work worldwide with the press of a button. We can learn about art movements around the world in real time. Of course, this doesn’t replace the real-life experiences that I had. And of course, this means that it’s even harder to stay focused on one’s own path, but now artists can draw from so many different sources to make educated choices about what to do.
This week, we’ll be hosting a special event in collaboration with OPEN BOOK and Two Times Elliott for Disability Awareness Month. In-line with our recent rollouts, we’ll be opening up the conversation to help normalise the conversations around disabilities within the footwear community.
As an extension to this, we also worked alongside a pair of young creatives, Jacob and Hannah McMillan, who assisted us on creating this memorable design that will be available exclusively at the event.
Join us this week on 02.12.22 at Protein Studios. To attend, please RSVP to RSVP@Footpatrol.com
With ‘Exhibit A’ now in full swing until Saturday 3rd December, please take a look below at a digital walkthrough of the exhibition and the things you can expect to see. With a whole host of exclusives, samples and never before seen documents, this archival document of Stashs’ work provides a real insight into the history of street culture.
Area 1
MTA Subway Map Painting ‘Lafayette’
Medicom Kubrick x Stash Box Art Poster
Medicom Kubrick x Stash 1000%
Medicom Be@rbrick 1000% Stash x Lafayette
Area 2
Nort x Kobe Nike Tee
Nike Air Zoom Kobe 1 ‘Nort’ Sample
Nike Air Zoom Kobe 1 ‘Nort’ Signed
Kobe Documents
Area 3
Nike Air Force 1 High L/M LDN
Nike Air Force 1 High L/M Sample
Nike LDN Packaging
Nike Air Force 1 PRM ’07 PRTY ‘One Night Only’
Nike Air Force 1 Fat Cap Black *Sample
Nike Zoom Force 1 Fat Cap Black
Nike Air Force 1 High 3M Sample
Nike Air Force 1 High 3M *Production Sample
Nike Air Max BW ‘Artist Seires – Stash’
Nike Air Max BW ‘Artist Seires – Stash’ Sample
Nike Air Max 95 ‘STASH’
Nike Air Max 95 ‘STASH’ Sample
Nike Air Force 1 Low Premium IO ‘STASH’
Nike Air Force 1 Low Premium IO ‘STASH’ F&F
Nike Zoom Spiridon ’16/STASH
Nike Zoom Spiridon ’16/STASH Sample
Nike Zoom Spiridon ’16/STASH Sample
Nort flyers and paperwork
4 Recon pouches
Training pad wallet
2 Chenille patches
Fat Cap swatch
Stance x Stash Sample
Keychains assortment
3 Apple iPods
Nike CD
Nort Shopping Tote
Nort ‘Blue Pack’ Tee
Nike Air Promo Tee ‘BW Release’
Nike Air Max 95 ‘STASH’ Baby Sample
Nike Air Force 1 Low Premium IO ‘STASH’ Baby Sample
Nike Air Force 1 PRTY *Baby
recon stash toy sample
Recon Stash toy
Tron Game Console
Area 4
Yeenjoy Studio x Stash Spray Can Incense Chamber F&F
SilentStage Resin Spray Can
Medicom Wooden Cans (2)
Bape x Stash Cans (4)
Vintage cans (2)
Gshock x Stash
Spray Candles (2)
Medicom can sculpture
Bape x Stash big can
Coleman x Medicom x Stash lamp
Cap Dispenser Sculpture
Silver Southpaw
Nozzle Metal
Train Tape
PD Mug
Training Tag Tape
3D Printed Can
Area 5
NFS Training Pad
Stickers
London Tube Maps
Training Pad Sleeve
Clothing Brand Tags
Original Documents with Flyer for Contents Under Pressure
Recon Tee
Recon Jeans
Stash for Supreme Tee
Mad Hectic Tee
Contents Under Pressure Tee
Hectic sculpture
Recon Printed Bandana (2)
Subware mouse pad
PD Zippo Knife
Subware Token Belt
Subware Token Belt Mold
Recon Clock
Assorted keychains, pins, accessories
Medicom Fabrik x Stash x Coleman Bottle Cooler
Medicom Fabrik Stash Bike Chain
Hysteric Mini Anniversary Necklace
Gravis iPod case
Nike Air Zoom Talaria ‘Nort’ Hyperstrike
Nike Air Zoom Talaria ’16 ‘Stash’ Sample
Nike AF-X Black
Nike AF-X Olive
Nike Dunk Low ‘ID’
Nike Dunk Low ‘Colette – Tools of the Trade’
Nike Dunk Seamless Laser
Nike Paul Rodriguez Zoom Air Elite ‘Stash’ Signed
Nike Air Max BW STASH *Alternate Sample 1
Nike Air Max BW STASH *Alternate Sample 2
Nike Air Max BW STASH *Alternate Sample 3
Nike Dunk High ‘Hawaii 5-0’
Area 6 & 7
Rust-oleum Tee Signed
Phillies Blunt Long Sleeve Tee
Bape ‘Command Z’ Tee
NFC ‘Circle Graf’ Tee
Subware ‘S_ ‘Tee
Undercover x Stash Tee
Stash for Bape First Tee
Subware ‘Turning Styles’ Tee
MC Serch Tee
Stash for Bape Tee (MC Serch inspired)
Subware Crewneck
Kyrlon Tee (Hand-printed)
Stash Piece on tee
Sketch set pictured
Nike HH Stash Tee 1
Nike HH Stash Tee 2
Nike HH Stash Tee 3
Fabrik x Stash wallets (2)
Subware Pouch
NFC First Hat
GFS ‘UPS’ Hat
Phillies Blunts OG hat
Subware Hat
Nokia Phone
Ericson Phone
Gshock Mr G
Casio SL-410
Nike Watches (3)
Seiko Multilingual Translator and World Time
Medicom Be@rbrick 100% ‘Ariel’
Casio QV10
Fuji Battery Charger
Leica D-Lux 1
Gshock Iconography of the Spraycan Movement LDN
Personal Cassette
Stash Piece Tee
Stash x Futura First Tee
Phillies Blunts Beanie
Physical files
Area 8
Medicom Be@rbrick 400% Nort
Medicom Be@rbrick 400% Levi
Medicom Be@rbrick 400% Fat Cap
Medicom Be@rbrick 400% Blue Fat Caps
Medicom Kubrick 400% Prototype Nozzle
Medicom Kubrick 400% Stash
Medicom Kubrick 400% Prototype
Medicom Kubrick 400% Recon Red + logo
Medicom Be@rbrick 100% Green 100%
Medicom Kubrick Green 100%
Medicom Kubrick Silver 100% Custom
Medicom Kubrick Nozzle Prototype Clear 100%
Medicom Kubrick Recon Red 100%
Medicom Red logo
Medicom Green logo
Medicom Kubrick Colette 100%
Medicom Kubrick Recon x Relax 100%
Medicom Kubrick x Stash 100%
Medicom Kubrick Nozzle Prototype Color 100%
Medicom Kubrick Nozzle Silver 100%
Medicom Be@rbrick Bape x Stash 100%
Medicom Be@rbrick Stash 70% keychain
The Air Jordan 5 joins the label’s latest partnering with the music legend himself, DJ Khaled, on top of a range of apparel with the basketball brand. With a two-piece shoe collection on the charters, offering you that extra bit of it spectacle to your rotation, while also serving classic b-ball cues that have made this hardwood gem, the legend that it is today.
The eclectic collection starts with a ‘Crimson Bliss’ paint-up. Arriving with bold ‘We The Best’ embroidery on the left heel and Nike Air labelling on the right, this collab is loud and proud. The ‘We The Best’ message is also located on the translucent outsole and the left insole, while premium leather on the upper works in unison with techy mesh panels and synthetic eyestays. Jumpman logos sit on the tongues, with branded lace jewels offering the classic representation of heritage. Visible Air units sign off the shoe, delivering premium comfort all-day-long.
Second to the motivational link-up is yet another cult classic; the ‘Sail’ colourway. Featuring a tumbled leather construction, the silhouette’s traditional mesh window adorns the midfoot while a quilted satin lining confirms comfort. Positive affirmations are enlisted on the inside of the tongue and carry the story to the heel of the shoe with embroidered ‘We The Best’ text and Nike Air labelling. Air technology in the mismatched sole units offers supreme cushioning while Jumpman logos adorn the tongue for a final branded touch.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
The LONDON IN-STORE draw is now CLOSED!
All online draws will now be housed over on the Footpatrol Launches app which can be downloaded here.
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms. These WON’T be available in-store to sign up on. In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email winners will be given a set of dates in which they much collect their win from our London store To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid government approved photographic ID. This much match the name on the winners email. NO ONE will be eligible to collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will result in failure to purchase your win.
This week see’s us closing out our four week relationship with ‘Sounds of Craft’. As you are all aware, Frequent Players is our music division within Footpatrol and offers an insight into those engrained within the music industry and those who are emerging within the scene.
These last four weeks have seen us team up with Sons of Craft, a design lab who claim ‘craft is their religion’. They too have started to explore the world of music with thanks to their record label Sounds of Craft. This felt like the perfect opportunity to explore our two worlds and explore their world and their artists.
To close out these four weeks, we speak with Prncss, a DJ, producer and performer who takes us through her journey so far, growing up in Zimbabwe all whilst laying down our latest Frequent Players mix.
Footpatrol: Hey Prncss! Thanks so much for letting us come by today, we like to start off this interview with a simple question of how are you?
Prncss: I’m great thank you
FP: For the people who are not familiar with who you are and the work you do, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Prncss: I am a producer , performer and DJ. I previously have been in a band.I am part of a creative collective The Blackfish Experience. I have a solo project coming out next spring and I am just out here creating vibes.
FP: A multidisciplinary artist and a music producer, I am sure this didn’t happen overnight! When did your love for music all start for you?
Prncss: Well growing up in Zimbabwe we listened to the radio alot in the house and we always played old records of African music. When i moved to Ireland I played the drums in church , then I started a band which opened me up to other music genres. At home we would always watch mtv and channel U which expanded my taste iSo I like very eclectic genres of music.
FP: How would you describe your music/ DJing style and how does this reflect your identity?
Prncss: My style is heavily influenced by electronic music. I think where all the genres i listen to cross over thats the commons thread. Whether it be African electronic music, to chicago juke, to UK bass that is the element that they share. I am also a fan of heavy bass and drums.
FP: What has been your favourite venue to play at so far?
Prncss: My favourite venue to play has been The Cause. The sound system there was absolutely delicious
FP: Have there been any challenges that you have faced on your journey so far?
Prncss: There many challenges definitely I have faced , in terms of promoters not wanting to pay creatives accordingly, also the lack of inclusivity for female and non binary DJs on bigger platforms. Its alot better now than 10 years ago when I started. Also now with technology becoming cheaper it makes DJing accessible to many people which has its pros and cons but theres too much competition in the sense that if you refuse a show based on low offer for a gig theres always an inexperienced DJ who would take that gig and that doesnt improve the financial standard for DJs who have been grinding alot longer.
FP: What advice would you give to young creatives trying to make it in the music industry?
Prncss: In terms of DJing I would say be a great selecta first of all, learn how to mix and blend your tracks and know your value as a creative.
FP: Prncss, it has been such a pleasure to meet you! Before we let you go, we like to give all our interviewees the chance to sign off the interview with anything they’d like to share or a message of positivity. So by all means take it away!
Prncss: Thanks for having me Footpatrol and lacing me up with these fire sneakers! To everyone out there you already have all it takes to be who you want to be you just need to step into your greatness no matter how challenging it is!
