GREATEST: Shane Gonzales
We talk to Gonzales about his start, inspirations and what the future of Midnight Studios might hold.
What is it about midnight? Ever since we started telling stories, this demarcation between days has always held a gripping, if not macabre, fascination for mankind. It’s the beginning of a new day, according to our modern perceptions of time. It’s the start of “the witching hour” in 17th-century European tradition, when black magic is thought to be most potent. In ancient Roman timekeeping, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise—also called “solar midnight”—ebbing and flowing according to the season. Midnight’s mystical allure makes sense: It’s ominously fluid. It’s seductively occult. It doesn’t really exist.
And now, it’s also the namesake reference for Midnight Studios, a particular breed of new wave streetwear that’s equal parts skate, punk and tongue-in-cheek sophistication. Founder Shane Gonzales considers his brand “probably the most authentic representation of rock and roll in fashion today,” which is a bold statement. Yet since founding the brand in 2014, at the age of 19, he has already established himself as a heaping source of references that is equally as evanescent as midnight itself.
Here, we talk to Gonzales about his start, his inspirations and what the future of Midnight Studios might hold.
What are the origins of Midnight Studios?
Midnight Studios first came about from me being miserable with everything else I was doing at the time. I had an urge to fill the gap between streetwear and higher-end fashion that wasn’t quite visible at the time. The idea first struck me in February of 2015, and I believe my first “collection” was available in late April. It wasn’t much—mostly t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats.
Why did you name the brand Midnight Studios? Are you a night owl?
Miles Davis’ “Round Midnight,” and, yes, it seemed fitting, as I truly cannot function or be productive until the sun is down.
What was the moment of impetus to start your own business? Do you have any advice for kids out there who are thinking about being an entrepreneur—in any field?
I’ve always wanted to own my own business. Really. It started in the sixth grade for me, when I was drawing t-shirts and jeans on my homework rather than doing it. I wasn’t paying any mind to what was happening in the classroom. I knew what I wanted, and that I had to make that happen as soon as possible. So, my advice would be to pursue that creative interest the moment it hits you, and don’t give up when things seem impossible or out of reach. In sixth grade, I never would have imagined anything would ever come out of my doodles of t-shirts on my homework. Yet by sticking to it, 10 years later it happened, and those drawings came to life.
Why does the world need another streetwear brand?
It doesn’t. It needs quite the opposite in my opinion. I think once people saw potential in entering the high-end market with nothing less than an overpriced t-shirt or pair of sweatpants, it really went overboard. I support art in fashion in all shapes and forms, but it would be nice to get rid of the brands putting out meaningless merch and designs to make a quick buck.
Do you design for yourself or for others?
I design for a bit of both. If there’s something I really want to wear, but it doesn’t exist, Midnight Studios gives me a great platform to make it for myself. But I keep in mind the consumer who is more daring and outgoing than I am by creating challenging styles that I personally can’t pull off.
Pablo Picasso once said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” How do you find inspiration, or does your work kind of evolve as you go?
I believe I can find inspiration for my collections just about anywhere. One photograph could simply spark 30 designs in my head. I am most inspired by everyday people in the street. I take a lot of photographs of people walking up and down Hollywood and reference them when I am designing. This is the most important part of the creative process for me— documenting how someone who is considered unfashionable or careless decides to get dressed each day and enter the world.
You’re also a DJ. Can you talk a little bit about the connection between music and fashion?
For me, music is everything. It’s why I started my brand, and it’s what keeps it alive. Without music, I would be completely uninspired. If I hear one song I really like, I do my research and see how [that artist] dressed, how people at their shows dressed, etcetera. That gives me the complete vision to what I want my clothes to look like.
Punk is obviously an important reference point for you. Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s son Joe once reportedly burned £5 million worth of memorabilia instead of donating or auctioning it, in a reference to the commercialization of what was originally an anti-capitalist movement. How do you feel about the commercialization of subculture—punk, as well as streetwear in general?
This has always been a sticky situation for me, but at the end of the day, it’s about surviving. If I could afford to make my designs free to consumers, I would. I reference and collaborate with many of my favorite artists and bands and make sure everyone involved is happy. My goal is simply to make authentic rock and roll fashion and not cash in on being a fake.
How did you discover punk rock?
I grew up skateboarding in Southern California, so naturally, rock and roll goes hand in hand. I believe I was around age six when I first heard Dead Kennedys. I didn’t know anything about punk rock at the time, but I loved the song “Police Truck.” As time went on, the older kids introduced me to more and more music. So it started with word of mouth from my close friends, and then came the time where I could get on a computer and look for new music all day. It just finds me as time goes by, I suppose.
What new music stands out to you and why?
Nothing really stands out to me much in modern music. It all kind of sounds the same nowadays, which is why I prefer listening to bands from before “my time.” There were so many great artists all dying to prove themselves to the world with no intentions of getting rich or getting radio play. They simply had a message that they wanted to get across, and stopped at nothing to do so.
In many ways you’re kind of an old-fashioned guy. What do you think it is about the way music, clothes and the like used to get made that makes you love them?
For me, I see so much more passion in the way certain artists, musicians and designers did whatever they did in the past. There was no mindset of “getting rich regardless of talent or interest,” which there definitely is today. I think nowadays people are more interested in starting a music endeavor or brand just to make quick money. You don’t really get that feeling from the creators back then. It was pure passion and creativity.
How do you think the Internet has affected subculture? Is it possible to stand out in today’s post-trend world?
I think the problem today is that there are too many people pretending to be something they aren’t in order to stand out or fit in with a world they have no business in.
I think the problem today is that there are too many people pretending to be something they aren’t in order to stand out or fit in with a world they have no business in.
What do you make of the recent embrace of the pop-punk and emo aesthetic by the hip-hop community?
I don’t understand it. If someone is so inspired and driven by these other genres, why are they trying to force it into the hip-hop community? Maybe it’s happening because the Internet is providing a platform for them to create a version of themselves that couldn’t exist before.
Same question for the skate community: Skate and surf is really where streetwear started. What are your thoughts on models wearing Thrasher tees, for example?
Also confusing to me. Why not pick up a skateboard and at least learn the basics? Same goes with models wearing band t-shirts with no knowledge of the band itself. There are so many other t-shirts in the world. Why pick up something you know nothing about [just because you like the way it looks]? I mean, listen to at least one album. I know I sound like an angry old man.
“Hustle” is probably the most overused term in today’s culture. How important is hustle to you in finding success as a designer and a small business owner?
It’s very important to focus on making your brand profitable while not losing integrity at the same time. A lot of people start a business with one intention, and end up having to convert it to something they don’t want it to be just to make money. So my advice is to find a balance between passion and profit.
What does the future look like for Midnight Studios? Who would you like to work with—brands or people—and why?
I wish I knew the answer to that. I’m living and working one day at a time right now. I’d like to continue building the brand and getting into a constant groove of designing collections and collaborations with artists and people who I love and support. That being said, Daft Punk is on my bucket list.
What are your go-to sneakers?
Chuck Taylors of course, but I am starting to love Jordan 1s— I know I’m late. I never got into sneakers, but luckily I have friends who keep me up-to-date with things like that and put me onto cool shoes.
Who is your style icon?
That’s tough, because so many people come to mind. But I’m going with Paul Simonon of The Clash. He’s the king of cool.
Interview by Douglas Brundage
Photography by Aidan Cullen