Chillin’ with Atlanta designer Chilly-O
It was a nice warm day in June when I went to visit Chilly-O at his office in midtown Atlanta. I had the opportunity to accompany him while he was conducting a photo shoot. As he was styling model/ future BMX bike rider, Jimmy he states, “Go with the future.” He then proceeds to flip and bend the brim to Jimmy’s hat up, pointing towards the sky. “This is it Bikes, clothes, tricks, and urban style,” Chilly-O tells me with a smirk.
Believe it or not, Chilly-O has a talent and fascination with BMX sports, which has a lot to do with his inspiration and vision for his Summer line 2009, Grudge for Peace.
I ask Chilly-O to explain to me what exactly is Grudge for Peace? He tells me that Grudge for Peace is “living without a sense of luxury.” He wants to urbanize the grudge look and blend in the street culture of BMX riding along with it. Its about “taking what you got and making it work”, he states as he goes on telling how he is sick of not getting credit for having one of the most REALISTIC urban brands in the fashion industry.
He supports BMX riding and is in hopes of helping Jimmy to get a sponsorship. Chilly-O has been riding bikes since he has been a young child. As a matter of fact, his first bike was a Hutch-Pro rider.
Chilly-O has a very calm spirit, and peaceful soul. He is at peace with what he believes. So what inspires Chilly-O to design I ask and he states, “ pop art, everyday street visual, sex, music, drugs, and alcohol.”
Chilly-O brings a subculture of people together that is not just black or white, but a street culture that express themselves through skateboarding, BMX riding, tattoos, sneakers, music, and art.
He has an urban line that was created not only for the streets but from the streets. The clothing line is an universal brand and easy to get when you know how. He wants to keep Chilly-O exclusive to the genre of people that appreciate what Chilly-O represents.
This year’s line will “raise the bar on how urban really is.” Each line that Chilly-O has created has shown a different chapter in his life. “I believe that fashion is history and it tells stories”, Chilly-O expresses as he takes his hat off to show me his step up box hair cut.
Chilly-O is a maverick in urban expression. He uses he sensibility of the arts to create a unique line of clothing that the creative world can relate to. As the new Lupe Fiasco is playing in the background, he looks at me and puts a variety of colored rubber bands and Chilly-O sticker around Jimmy’s bent rim
and calls it his “thinking cap”.
Chilly-O is now going into the next chapter and are no longer just going to be an urban t-shirt line. In Fall 2009, they will expand into women and men’s wear.
Of course Chilly-O has a team that he works with, so he wants to give special thanks and shout-outs to Ce, operational administrator, and Will “Icon”, creative director.
Go get your Chilly-O tee and support Summer ‘09 Grudge for Peace. T-shirts only $25 for the summer.
Want to support Chilly-O check out his events in the future:
go to chillyo.com.
Carolyn Stephens
Examiner.com
