Every sneakerhead spends at least 20 minutes deciding on what they’re wearing that day, and at least 15 of those minutes are spent just trying to decide which sneaker you’re rocking. Out of the mass of shoeboxes in your closet, you try to choose which shoe you’re going to break necks in on that day. But no matter how much heat you have on your feet if you don’t have the right shirt, hat, or outfit to compliment it, you’re done. It’s equivalent to having 20 inch, chrome rims on a rusted out Pontiac Sunfire. And I’m not saying you have to buy a $200 outfit to go with your $200+ sneakers. I’m just saying don’t have $3 worth of fashion sense to go with your $200+ shoes. Back in the day, people would lay out an outfit and THEN pick out a pair of shoes to match. Sneaker culture has changed the game. It’s changed the way people look at fashion and how they dress. To borrow from Network A and Sean “Paper Chasr” Williams, people are dressing from the feet up.
That leads to us to clothing brands like “8 & 9” MFG Co. Since the rise of sneaker culture, other facets of fashion have followed along: jeans, shirts, hats, and now even socks. But for me I’ve been more intrigued with the t-shirts. Give me a couple of pairs of Levi’s and I’m good. Everyone knows the struggle of finding that perfect shirt and hat to rock with a particular shoe. So now brands are creating designs and colorways that specifically coincide with a specific sneaker release. No company does a better job of designing and creating quality products than “8 & 9” MFG Co., and I was blessed to be able to speak to them in this interview:
SBD/Caesar: Ok, let’s jump back to the beginning. When was “8 & 9” MFG Co. created and who were the key players involved in getting it all started?
8and9: We started in 2001. Raymond Guilbault is the founder, Ed Hume is the creative director, and Ray Figgs [has been on board since] day one.
SBD/Caesar: So the foundation was laid down by the 3 of you but obviously it takes a team to build the level of success that “8 & 9” has accomplished. How hard was it to find the right people to put in place on your team?
8and9: We’ve been really fortunate to attract top talents who share our commitment to personal and professional growth. With some of these guys rounding out our team, filling in our weaknesses, it’s all multiplied to put us in a great place. Regardless of their backgrounds, it’s the common values allowing us to create well. It’s really a family vibe. We work with like-minded people committed to the same growth. We’re grateful for everyone.
SBD/Caesar: That team effort definitely shows. Ok let’s talk about inspiration? Everyone has a source of inspiration that directs them down their path in life, what inspired you all to create a clothing brand?
8and9: We started our clothing brand to provide jobs. We were really young with no experience but our backgrounds had been in retail, so creating a brand was the natural extension. [A natural extension] with greater upside potential.
SBD/Caesar: Ok, simple enough. (Laughs). But besides wanting to start a brand to create jobs, what view point were you all looking at the sneaker/clothing industry that other existing brands may not have been looking?
8and9: We look at streetwear as the expression or pulse of what’s actually happening in the streets. Hustling, music, sneakers, skateboarding; it all inspires our work.
SBD/Caesar: So what exactly do you feel separates you from all other clothing brands in the sneaker industry?
8and9: Authenticity. Our designs come from an honest place of experience. Our interpretation and execution is what sets us apart.
SBD/Caesar: Going back to your name, “8 & 9”, what’s behind it? How did you all come up with that name and is there any type of special significance attached it?
8and9: ‘8’ is infinite. ‘9’ is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, it’s also a number of completion. There’s more to it depending on how deep you dig, it even [depends] which culture or religion you’re from. The numbers ‘8’ and ‘9’ have many meanings and symbolisms but the point is that people are intrigued.
SBD/Caesar: That’s deep. Now if you really get big everyone will accuse you of being part of the Illuminati. (Laughs). So you’re building your brand, at some point you all had to have faced some adversity. What were some of the obstacles you had to deal with early on?
8and9: We had obstacles getting our first production imported from Pakistan. It was in the September 11th time frame and the [political] climate was just really difficult to navigate. The supply chain issues were out of our hands, ultimately forcing us to cancel orders and try to save face with our retailers. Being our first collection it was a let-down, but it allowed us to focus for a few years on marketing, branding, and development. To this day there’s obstacles with nearly every facet of the business, but that’s what keeps it interesting. New challenges and new opportunities to push yourself and the people you rely on.
SBD/Caesar: Damn, now THAT’S optimism. (Laughs). How do you think you’ve grown as a company since you’ve first started?
8and9: Everything [has grown]. We employ more people than ever and our line is constantly expanding. We’re distributed in over 500 retail doors across the world, with tens of thousands repeat customers to our web store. Really we’ve grown in all areas and plan to do the same moving forward.
SBD/Caesar: I would have to agree. I think anyone with eyes can see the growth you speak of. Ok, let’s move on to the product. It’s no secret that the “8 & 9” brand is heavily connected to the sneaker culture. Was creating clothing that corresponded to each sneaker release something you guys were looking to establish from jump?
8and9: We’re sneakerheads amongst other things, so the classic and current releases stay in our repertoire. Outfits usually build from the feet up, so we’re mindful of how we dress in designing.
SBD/Caesar: Seems like nowadays there’s 20 new sneaker releases coming out each weekend. There’s no way you guys can account for every new release. So how do you guys go about choosing which sneaker you’ll base a shirt’s design on?
8and9: If we like the color and we think the sneaker is dope, then we know we need something to wear with it. But very rarely do our designs draw inspiration from any [single] shoe itself. We just make what we think is dope in the colors we like.
SBD/Caesar: Ok, with that being said, how exactly do you guys go about designing your products? What’s that process like?
8and9: The attitude we carry season to season is constant. We typically brainstorm and lay out inspiration as a team; usually over chicken and whiskey. (Laughs). From there, ideas are refined to a board. We spell out the “line” plan and go fill it in. Pretty straight forward. Generate ideas. Specify the objective. Map it out and execute.
SBD/Caesar: Besides the designs, I think that one of the main things that stick out to me about “8 & 9” is the quality of your clothing. Was an emphasis on quality something you guys focused on from the beginning or was it something you guys developed over time?
8and9: Thank you. We’ve always been here to stay, we had no intention of being a one hit wonder. It takes a commitment to quality and attention to detail, in art and production, to stand the test of time.
SBD/Caesar: You mentioned earlier that no particular sneaker was an influence but let’s be honest, sneaker culture as a whole has definitely been an influence. What’s your thoughts of sneaker culture and where do you see it going?
8and9: Sneaker culture is big as ever. Shows like Sneaker Con are really putting it on the main stage. Prices keep going up so corporations outside of footwear are noticing the buying power and are looking to target these consumers.
SBD/Caesar: But is there anything specific that you like or dislike about the culture now? Is there anything you miss about the old days?
8and9: It’s hard to say. [Seems like] anyone can get anything they’re willing to pay for nowadays. Hype spreads quickly with social media. More people are seeing what being a sneakerhead is about and feeling the influence. A lot more people dabble in collecting now. The amount of releases are staggering. The options with Nike iD are crazy. There’s just so many choices. But still, reselling has the game jacked up. Companies are raising prices because consumers show that they’ll pay more. Don’t know if that will ever slow down.
SBD/Caesar: Yeah, me neither. Maybe one day everyone will wise up. You mentioned Sneaker Con. Anyone that has attended a Sneaker Con event knows that you guys make the official event shirts, AND that you make your shirts specific for the city that you’re in. How did your relationship with Sneaker Con come about?
8and9: We were vendors at the first Sneaker Con show in New York City. As companies, our visions aligned and we’ve worked closely with them ever since.
SBD/Caesar: (Laughs). Sounds easier than it probably was. Keeping on the subject, if anyone were to attend a Sneaker Con event and make their way to your table they would also see FreeHand Profit and his collection of masks. How did you guys manage to link up?
8and9: We actually met Freehand at a Sneaker Con. He bought our “Real Heads” tee and wore it for his shoot with the Black Cement 3 mask. The whole look was incredible. Turns out we were both fans of each other so working together was a natural step.
SBD/Caesar: (Laughs). There seems to be a lot of “natural” extension and steps in your company’s history. (Laughs). Whenever I go out now I see a lot more people rocking 8 and 9 apparel, and that’s here in Detroit. But I always felt like once a brand reaches a certain level of success they begin to break away from what made them successful. They feel the need to appeal to other demographics and wind up alienating their core fans. You guys don’t see that in your future do you?
8and9: “8 & 9” is a street brand. We supply what’s needed. Our customers are sneakerheads, hip-hop connoisseurs, and hustlers. People that set themselves apart from the pack. We’re about giving more to OUR market rather than testing new ones.
SBD/Caesar: Speaking of future, you guys started out just making t-shirts and now you’ve expanded your product line to include hats and joggers. Just looking at it from that angle the growth is evident. With the present looking as good as it is, what’s the future look like for “8 & 9”?
8and9: “8 & 9” started as a full collection. The production turbulence forced us to recoup our losses and start over. We did. With all the tees we could afford, we flipped those and started again. After a bunch of flips we could afford a camera, new computers, etc. Then after we had all of that we could afford new items such as hats, jerseys, and jackets. Whatever it may be, we try and expand at least one new category per season. So far so good. As a brand we’re going to keep doing what we have been just on a bigger level. With competition we don’t see much. It’s just about staying true to yourself and delivering what your customer comes to expect.
Big ups to “8 & 9” MFG Co. for giving me time for this interview. If you’re interested in checking out their collection of clothing and apparel you can go to their website at 8and9.com. You can also follow them on Instagram and Twitter @8AND9. #SneakerheadOut #8and9Life.
