Earlier this year, Australian brand Ksubi made waves online with the release of its capsule collection with rapper Trippie Redd, presented in February during New York Fashion Week. Collaborations between musicians and brands aren’t anything new, but you only need one quick look at Redd’s Instagram account to understand all the hype and anticipation around the joint project.

“Main Character Syndrome,” reads his IG bio, followed by a series of pictures that are a full plate for any streetwear enthusiast. Think colourful locks, floor-length fur coats, grills, and tats. Even in toddler pics, Redd proves himself a master in the art of self-expression through garments, accessories — and collection designing, apparently. Combining Ksubi’s canvas of authentically worn luxury pieces with Trippie’s distinct iconography, the 21-piece capsule collection draws upon the renowned punk-inspired aesthetic rooted in both the brand and rapper — think skeleton-printed hoodies, distressed denim with a twist, and oversized fits from trousers to sunnies.

“When it comes to both music and fashion, I never like to be put in a box. I express myself fully without any boundaries, which is why it made sense to link up with Ksubi,” says Redd. “I wanted the collection to feel authentically me, and I’m excited to bring new designs to Ksubi that aren’t typically what they’ve done before and to bring that vision to life.” Here, we caught up with the rapper to discuss creative processes behind the collab and how the collection imprints his personal style. Keep reading…

How did the collaboration come about?
So, I first worked with Ksubi during the campaign shoot for the first Juice Wrld collab they did. I loved what they did for Juice [Wrld 999] so wanted to explore what we could also create together. 

How is your relationship with fashion? Have you always been interested in it?
Of course. As a creative, I just see it as another outlet where you can push the boundaries and do something different to what everyone else is doing. I always express myself to the fullest whether that’s music or fashion. 

How would you describe your personal style, and what do you aim to communicate with it?
I don’t care about trends or brands, if I think something is fire then I’ll just wear it without hesitation. So my style is just whatever I feel like wearing that day. I like people not knowing what I’m going to wear next.

What was your starting point when designing the pieces? Did you have any ideas in mind that were non-negotiable for you?
I just didn’t want it to have any boundaries, I wanted each piece to be distinctively different and to be reflective of me as an artist. Having range and versatility was very important for me. 

How did you infuse your personal aesthetic into the collection? What was most important to you when it came to the design’s essence? 
Everything I wear has been selected purely because I love the look of it  – so I wanted every piece in this collection to feel like a statement piece on its own. I didn’t want the collection to have this one theme as that wouldn’t represent me as an artist. 

How did your personal style and identity influence the design process?
Because what I wear is just a bit of everything and can’t really be defined, this gave Ksubi total freedom to design and create some really out-there pieces with all these bold graphics and silhouettes that I would personally be drawn to, because they’re just so different to anything else that is out there.  

Talk me through your creative process behind some of your favourite pieces of the collab.
For me the pieces had to be versatile – encouraging people to style the pieces in their own personal way and not be confined to wearing it in just one way. This way of thinking really influenced pieces like the Maxx Zip Off Cargos which can be worn as full-length jeans, jorts or ¾ length jeans, or the Cosy Boy Jacket which has 2 length options. So it may be the same piece but can look totally different from person to person depending on how they style it. 

How do you see this collaboration bridging the gap between music and fashion, especially when it comes to streetwear?
The collection bridges the gap because it was made with the same thinking as behind my music. Made with no rules and is a product of whatever I felt like making in that moment which is what streetwear should be about. 

What part of the process was most enjoyable for you? What are your main takeaways from the collab?
The presentation we did during New York Fashion Week was fire. Just seeing your thoughts and ideas come to life on a stage and it being exactly what you wanted it to look and feel like was the pinnacle moment for me. Main takeaways would be to not be precious about an idea and allow it the space to take a different shape and evolve. 

Are there any specific references or personal anecdotes embedded within the designs that fans might find interesting?
Yes, each piece offers a personal anecdote but I’m going to leave it to the fans to figure out what those are.  

Can fans already expect a second drop from this collab, or are there any plans for future releases that you can share with us?
There are always plans but you’re just going to have to keep a close eye to find out what those are…