From where we’re sitting, STÉPHANE ASHPOOL has it all. The 42-year-old Parisian design pundit transformed his homespun storefront into household streetwear brand Pigalle back in 2008. Described as “the best of both worlds” by the designer, the brand celebrates Stéphane’s roots in the world of basketball as well as the chic Parisian flair synonymous with Pigalle’s namesake neighbourhood in which he grew up. That beautiful blend of style sensibilities he’d fostered in the brand sent him on his way to land an iconic collaboration with Nike, which saw him construct the vibrant fashion-meets-sports landmark, Paris’ Pigalle basketball court. He can also happily call A$AP Mob, the streetwear innovators and Hip-Hop legends, avid admirers of his brand and frequenters on the front row of his shows. Championing Pigalle in the streets of New York since its birth, the style disruptors now credit themselves, in part, for the brand’s global success.

2024 has brought him joy in abundance as he became a first-time father and a first-time representative for his country, having landed the role of a lifetime as the Creative Director of the Paris Olympics’ French team – a role through which he’s designed the athletes’ locally produced uniforms in collaboration with Le Coq Sportif – ahead of the games heading to his home city this year. Even thinking about his extensive achievements feels like a workout, and there is no doubt that when it comes to a race against his competitors, he’s the first one with his foot over the line. This might lead you to ask, ‘What else could he possibly want?’ For Stéphane, the answer is simple: more. “I want to keep hungry because I want to push boundaries. I love the journey, so I’m happy to feel that there are a lot of ways to climb the mountain. It keeps me alive.”

He’s going for gold, with a trophy case behind him that’s bulging from the weight of his previous accolades. And when he sits down with long-term collaborator, fashion pioneer and OG member of A$AP Mob, A$AP Nast, their catch-up centres around the hurdles that lie ahead, rather than the ones they’ve overcome. So if you’ve ever mulled over the question, ‘What is the true meaning of success?’ Consider your philosophical search over. The old friends jump on a cross-continental Zoom to unpack this very concept, as they lace up for another victory lap in their careers.

A$AP NAST What’s up? How are you feeling?

STÉPHANE ASHPOOL A little bit jet-lagged; I’m in Japan. When I knew I was talking to you today, I thought about a day back in 2019. I dropped you a text through DM and I said, ‘Friend to friend, can you tell me how you see my work?’ You came back to me with a super nice message.

AN I do remember having that conversation and I said something really nice back. I remember we bonded over it.

SA You gave me some love back and I really appreciated it because it was the first time someone abroad gave me awareness and it was someone I was looking up to: A$AP Mob, you and the crew. For us, coming from Paris, everything that happened in theStates looked 10 times bigger for some reason. I was really happy about those words. And also the chat we had the other day in the car about success asking, ‘What is the meaning of success?’ I spoke to my lawyer the other day, Carol. I said ‘I don’t know what I’m feeling but I always want to keep going,’ and she replied, ‘Stéphane, you need to breathe because you just became a dad and you just worked for your country [as the Creative Director of the Paris Olympics’ French team] so you need to be happy and enjoy the moment.’ I was like to her, ‘What is next? I want to keep climbing the mountain.’ She was like, ‘Yeah it’s nice but enjoy the moment.’ I don’t know what you think of it?

AN For me, success is just what you make it. I think some people can get that confused. They’re inspired by all the wrong things and when they get what success actually is, they don’t realise they got it because they’ve been led by so many different things. Just in general, my idea of success is [having] less care in the world. Just becoming comfortable within yourself and the decisions you make in your life, whether it’s creative or just in general. So success can mean many different things for many different people. Do you feel like you’re successful now, or do you feel like the bar can be raised?

SA It depends on the day or even the time of the day. Sometimes I’m just on my bike and I’m smiling by myself and I have a happiness crisis. I’m like, ‘I do exactly what I want. I can travel the world. I’ve been true to myself. I’ve been helping people I love,’ and stuff like this. And then after a bad sleep or for some reason I’m like, ‘Fuck, true success is a big [fashion] House calling me or true success is being followed by millions of people,’ and then that leads you left and back and forth. So I don’t know exactly, but I think the difficulty in it is what the world showcases to you as a success. [The world tells you it is] being known by the most people and being hired by a big House… Let’s see. Some days I’m so happy and other days I’m like, ‘Ah!’

To read the full interview, pre-order the issue here.