I'm an artist/ brand who’s on a mission to change the world with my colourful, current, hand-painted streetwear; to spread positivity and bring together a community of young people with good hearts who want to make a difference and represent something really important while also being swaggy af! My audience is strongly rooted in the hip hop community (this year I’ve painted garms for Playboi Carti and Section Boyz) -hip hop informs my brand and keeps me relevant as I’m constantly listening to it in the studio or watching music videos while I paint.
My debut solo exhibition last September, WAVEY THINGS, was a collection of 100 hip-hop ceramics, skate decks and my first batch of hand-painted clothing. The great reception I had made me realise I can do it if I believe in myself, and I saw my clear direction was to focus on clothing and evolving into a brand! However, I fell into a depression for a period after the show.. I knew I had to really look inside myself and draw strength from the experience, and as I came out of it, I had the courage and self-belief to do what I love and had a new, and very clear, purpose for why I’m doing it - to inspire others, make them smile, spread love and be a symbol of hope!
Being a part of culture right now is really exciting; the fashion world is so innovative! In today's instagram climate, when a brand starts to gain popularity, everyone starts to want it (look at brands like Supreme who have cult status) - the idea of that happening to me is phenomenal as it means my message will be broadcast on a large scale, meaning so much is possible in making a difference and changing society for the better. We are constantly exposed to a lot of brands, bloggers and celebrities who idolise money or status, or promote negativity of some kind, so it’s more important now than ever before to have positive role models showing people that it’s cool to be conscious. Despite the fact that it’s a time-consuming process painting each piece, I want to keep them affordable so that everyone has the option of owning something unique, yet still create that high-end streetwear hype through creatively pushing my ideas.
Alongside the clothing itself, I host motivational events for teenagers in London which I’m equally as passionate about. As my brand grows I see this happening more frequently, running ‘Conscious Kidz’ as a charity alongside my brand with the help of a lovely team, and taking that work overseas. Using my platform, I believe a huge amount can be done to inspire and elevate the youth. The top goal on my 10 year plan is to do a collaboration collection with Kanye, have him be the ambassador of my charity, and open youth centres for teenagers in London and NYC where kids have access to music/ art studios, counselling, meditation, and mentors.
My brand celebrates the uniqueness, power and beauty of the individual and staying true to oneself but also celebrates the collective - the importance of being kind and loving to everyone you meet; being loyal, understanding and open; fighting for justice and making strides towards peace! Bans Gang is for anyone who’s about being swaggy and has great spirit! Redefining the word gang into something wholesome and beautiful; changing the way society dictates we should live and elevating each other with this ethos.
I want to be the Lil B of the fashion industry and touch people with my positive message, let them know I am with them and they can reach out to me if they need to; create a real community. That feeling when someone sees my pieces and they are gassed is what gives me the drives to keep going everyday!
Projects
Projects credited in
- Get to know the 10 new fashion brands shaking up the industryASOS, as part of the company’s commitment to supporting emerging talent, launches ASOS Fashion Discovery 2017 for the second year. The competition is open to up and coming fashion companies registered in the UK and aims to find the very best emerging talent. Discover the 10 finalists below. Voting opens at 10am BST on Tuesday 17 April 2018 and closes at 10am BST on Tuesday 1 May 2018. Get voting here.34
- ASOS Fashion Discovery: People's Pick - Voting now closedVote for your favourite ASOS Fashion Discovery Finalist! What is ASOS Fashion Discovery? ASOS, as part of the company’s commitment to supporting emerging talent, launches ASOS Fashion Discovery 2017 for the second year. The competition is open to up and coming fashion companies registered in the UK and aims to find the very best emerging talent. The People's Pick While the judging panel whittles our 10 Fashion Discovery finalists down to two overall winners, it’s time for you to decide who sh32
Work history
B
B
CEOBans Illustration
London, United KingdomFull Time
Artist/ designer with my own brand, hand-painting and designing streetwear with a positive message!
Skills
- Painting
- Body Painting
- Mural Painting
- Apparel Design
- Drawing
- Acrylic Painting
- Photography
- Motivation
- Public Speaking
- Zine Design
Education
U
U
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Fine Art (Painting)University of Brighton
Brighton, United Kingdom
MA Illustration
- London, United Kingdom