“I want to be Michael Kors, but on purpose,” says normcore’s most hardcore, Telfar Clemens – the designer for whom homogeneity is where it’s happening. With a helping hand from creative director Babak Radboy, this year he’s hacked into Dazed Digital, collaborated with Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch, and sent out some of New York’s strongest streetwear in memory for his American mass market-inspired SS15 show.
What was your defining pop culture moment of 2014?
Telfar Clemens: Every US pop artist made a trap-pop song, I guess.
How would you sum up what you do in a sentence?
Telfar Clemens: Designer of all things.
What’s your favourite song of 2014?
Telfar Clemens: I like bits and pieces of most songs in 2014. I pay more attention to songwriters and producers – people like Future, DJ Mustard, Future Brown, Dev Hynes and Arca to name a few.
How do you think that style and pop culture will change in 2015?
Telfar Clemens: I see a general progression in terms of the two meeting more harmoniously and evolving at the same time in the similar ways. I think there will be little differentiation between what people consider ‘stylish’ and what is ‘popular’. It’s really a frame of mind kinda thing.
Sum up what we can expect from you in 2015.
Telfar Clemens: NEW – CLOTHES, PRODUCTS, CONTENT and lots of SMILES.
What new skill did you learn this year?
Telfar Clemens: Patience.
Who’s an unsung cultural hero that you discovered this year?
Telfar Clemens: I would say my creative community and peers from NYC.
What’s the most surprising thing we’d find out if we looked at your phone?
Telfar Clemens: Yikes. It’s an Android. LOL...and I don’t really take pictures.
Who should have been at number one on the Dazed 100?
Telfar Clemens: Shayne Oliver :)
Twitter: @TelfarGlobal | Instagram: @TelfarGlobal
Lead image, photography Collin LaFleche, all clothes by TELFAR
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