Screen Shot: DFKT Clothing

City Based: Lund, Sweden

What inspired the brand name?

Two things. Mainly the message behind it. I wanted to spread the message that everyone has their faults and defects, but you can still do great things and be worth something despite that, if anything that's makes you better as a person in the end. The second thing was graffiti. Back when I came up with the brand name I used to be a graffiti writer, and my tag was very similear to DFKT. One day one of my friends suggested I should try writing DFKT sometime just because it would look cool, and something just clicked in my head and I realized that was the perfect name to sum up the message I was trying to spread with my brand.

At what moment did you realize you wanted to start a brand?

It was back when I really started getting into streetwear and developing my style more. I knew what type of designs I wanted, I just couldn't find them anywhere so I decided to make a brand and do them myself. I've also always loved to be creative and I've always dreamt about someday making a living off of my creativity, so it just felt like that decision made a lot of sense.

What helps you get over creative blocks?

I've actually never really had a creative block when it comes to designing. I can sit down for 5-10 minutes and get anywhere between a couple to over 10 ideas of designs. Ideas just come to me and I usually write them down, so I have a document in my dropbox account with like 30 something ideas for designs, and whenever I want to start on a new design I just pick the idea from the list that I feel like doing/trying the most.

What is the biggest mistake you have made?

Not thinking through my brand and preparing it enough. Back when I started I wish I would have designed at least 2-3 collections before I actually dropped anything and studied up marketing, branding, just how everything works. I didn't and I lost a lot of money and time over that.

What is the biggest success you have had?

Honestly, I feel like just being able to sell products to people I've never even met before is my biggest success. It took me a good while to actually get sales, and it still baffles me that I'm selling my designs to people from all over the world.

A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION PEOPLE MAY FIND WEIRD?

It's a bit hard to explain, but like sometimes I'll just hear sentences or words and come up with a whole design in seconds just off of that sentence or word. It's like a lightbulb pops into my brain and I get it from the most random sentences that has nothing to do with the actual idea. Weird but I'm not complaining.

Favorite color to use?

Green and purple, no doubt.

ARE THERE ANY RETAIL SHOPS YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU BRAND IN?

Probably as many as possible to be honest, not sure of specific ones at them moment. Except for Carlings. That's the only shop that's local to me that I know will almost always have something I like, so it would be super dope to see my brand in their stores.

ANOTHER BRAND THAT INSPIRES YOU AND WHY?

Braindead, pleasures, deadnight and resurgance supply. I feel like they've all got very unique looks that you instantly recognize as theirs, and very dope and impressing branding as well.

Where do you see yourself and the brand in 1 year and 5 years?

In 1 year I see myself working with the brand as a part time job, which I'm not able to do at the moment. Also hopefully stocked in some stores. Also, everything is going to be massively improved. How I run and organize the brand, the designs, the photoshoots, the branding, the website. Everything is going to be leveled up.

In 5 years I see myself working full time with this, and pretty much have improved on everything I said in the last section but just on my much, much bigger scale. It's hard for me to say more than that though. DFKT has changed and improved so much during the last year and is going to change and improve so much in the year to come that I can't even imagine where it's going to be in 5 year, I just know everything is going to have improved massively.

In 5 words or less describe your brand?

Loud graphics with an important message. That was 6 words but I am a bit defect so you'll just have to live with that.