Screen Shot: Northstock

City Based: Stockholm, Sweden

What inspired the brand name?

It was a mix between Northface which I've always loved since a kid, mixed with Stock X as I used to sell high priced vintage stuff. Now I don’t really look at myself as if I were a reseller doing creative things instead of just selling things at high price.

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

When I was just out of high school (when i was 17/18) I was super lost and had no idea what to do.

My girlfriend sent me an instagram profile at that time in 2017 called @shapesusa. I really loved the idea of creating something like that so then I just had a design done and printed in the following week. I don't know what came over me but a mix of depression, not knowing the future, and fear really just pushed me to try something new.

After that I realized how shitty it is to order stuff from china and create new stuff all the time. I was sick of myself for ordering those china made things that were terrible for the environment. I stopped the idea of a brand for the next two years after my first box of bright orange hoodies. I just couldn't morally support that grind of having everything made for you in a pollutive, cheap, an EXTREMELY unnecessary way. I see anything that is created newly in terms of fashion as basically stabbing earth for money.

I also see it as extremely lazy and not as real/creative as it could be going that direction. I want fashion and clothing to have more value and be viewed as more of an art than the heavily diluted craft it is today.

After that I figured out vintage was a thing and since that realisation I've not bought anything newly made for a very long time (besides some socks and underwear). I have then been exploring every method of changing how already made clothes that were once thrown away can be given a new life which is what I do now.

What helps you get over creative blocks?

I don't have many creative blocks these days but i think what really helped me was a book called the war on art. I read that book and sat on the knowledge it gave me for about a week. I then randomly just decided to do it after watching some random youtube video about bleaching tshirts.

What is the biggest mistake you have made?

Believing that someone else's passion matches mine.

What is the biggest success you have had?

Just starting this path that I've been on for the past 3 years or so has been my biggest success. It has been difficult and hard but I'm sooooooo proud of what I'm creating now as it brings me a lot of joy. It took a very long time to get to where I am now and I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere.

A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION PEOPLE MAY FIND WEIRD?

I think a lot of inspiration for the grind or hustle for me has come from trap/mumble rap. artists like playboi carti, yung lean (and all his crew), and some others. A lot of people look down at this type of music because it's not lyrical or crazy artistic.

What matters to me about this type of music is that they went out and did something. both examples of these artists talk a lot about just doing that thing you've wanted to do. just getting it done instead of talking about it. just creating and TRYING.

Favorite color to use?

i have been obsessed with slime green and icey blues right now for some reason.

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

Not sure, would be nice to be on the racks of a vintage store in some way.

ANOTHER BRAND THAT INSPIRES YOU AND WHY?

sliv.life, asspizza, needle tip, randombastards' merch line, reclmd.la, defective_garments, shapesusa, dogoodusa. Sliv creates crazy dyes that to actually make that well takes so much work and time that only someone who dyes would know. Asspizza feels self-explanatory. just super creative, started something real and new. Needle tip makes beautiful things. absolutely adore his work randombastards is a music group in sweden. they have given a lot to me and I love their merch because I think it's hilarious and fun. good music too (swedish) reclmd.la creates beautiful and simple cut and sews defective_garments just makes crazy unique patterns that I've been trying to accomplish for years. he is the og in bleach dyeing and really made it a lot more powerful. I’m not entirely sure if he uses ONLY bleach but I've finally be able to create the patterns he makes. crazy how simple it was to actually make, but not at all easy to find the method's details shapesusa and dogoodusa just was what I saw that made me want to try fashion

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AND THE BRAND IN 1 YEAR AND 5 YEARS?

i see the brand selling mostly to artists and creative people in a lowkey way. the only direct supporters I've had are from other artists as they aren't afraid to wear colors, value the work put in, and are confident enough to wear it.

IN 5 WORDS OR LESS DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND?

creative upcycled oneoff garments