If you are at all familiar with Rob and Big or Fantasy Factory, you will definitely recognize the owner of Young & Reckless. Chris Pfaff a.k.a Drama was and is a mainstay on both of those shows, and when I heard that he was running a clothing line I knew I had to get a chance to interview him. Honestly I didn’t know what to expect, and really wasn’t even sure if he would take the time to do the interview.
Not only was Drama cool enough to do the interview he really showed me that he cares about what he is doing and isnt just some celebrity trying to make a quick buck off some t-shirts. Hope you enjoy the read and make sure to check out his site at: www.youngandreckless.com
First off I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time out of your hectic schedule to do this interview! If you could take just a quick second to introduce yourself and what you do for Young & Reckless.
My name is Chris Pfaff a.k.a. Drama. I’m from Akron Ohio, and you most likely know me from Fantasy Factory on MTV. I am the owner and creator of Young & Reckless.
When did you decide to start Young & Reckless and what was the inspiration for starting your own brand?
Its something that I had been interested in for a long time but never really had the proper resources. Once I got with the right people and we started shooting Fantasy Factory I just realized that there was no better time then that moment to do it and I went for it. That was about 8 months ago. My inspiration comes from all over the place, but I’d have to say that the biggest influence to me is the whole streetwear vibe and culture that is huge here in LA. My goal was to create something with a similar vibe but be able to have it fully available to the mainstream unlike most of these brands now.
Between Fantasy Factory, your music career and Young & Reckless things have to be crazy how do you manage your time?
Yes!! Very much so. I’ve just became conditioned to it. 99% of my time is spent working on one of those 3. But its gotten to the point where if I’m not working or I’m just sitting around I go insane. I always have to be making progress in something.
How would you describe the Y&R brand to someone that hasn’t seen it andwhat do you feel makes your brand standout?
Streetwear style clothes. A lot of bright colors and designs that stand out. Right now we are still very logo driven but I plan on moving away from that into more artistic designs in the near future. I think the main that makes it stand out thing is the color and design choices. Its real loud and easy to spot.
Do you actually design the tees yourself or do you hire out artists for the designs?
I work directly with a few different artists. I like the combo of that true design knowledge with me creativity and overall vision.
What are some brands that you have looked up to while building your own?
Most definitely all of these streetwear brands like Rogue Status, Diamond, Crooks & Castles etc. Also brands like Famous Stars & Straps and LRG that have been able to really break into that mainstream market and be huge.
What has been the most difficult and most rewarding parts of running your own line?
Most difficult is just the time involved and trying to just get over the regular speed bumps of the business. Getting people to believe in ur project. Most rewarding is every single time that a move or progress is made. Any piece of product placement or new store or anything. Seeing this thing that has been built from scratch grow and turn into something real is unexplainable.
I see you guys just teamed up with Diamond Supply Co. Can you talk a bit about that collab and how it came together?
Ive known Nick Diamond for a while just from the skate industry and mutual friends. I also used to wear Diamond a lot before I had my line. So once my line was to the point where it was ready I just reached out and it was a no brainer for both of us.
So what can we expect from Young & Reckless in 2010?
Big things of course!! Got a big episode coming out about it with Ocho Cinco on the new season of Fantasy Factory. Acting verryyy Reckless. A lot of new collabs, parties, placements and just a lot more Recklessness!!
Make sure to check out Young and Reckless at: www.youngandreckless.com