I got the chance to get to understand
Manifest clothing with the founder Derek, in perhaps one of the most detailed interviews I've ever received. It's to know how dedicated some people are to the culture. Manifest clothing is more than just a brand, it's one hell of a story itself.
Here are my favorite Manifest designs.
You can buy everything Manifest
heresightRIZE: How did Manifest originate?
Manifest: I started the Manifest brand 9 years ago out of my house. no investors, no partners, nobody bu myself. it was and still is a labor of love. i created all the art and tought myself how to screen print with the most ghetto setup ever. homemade one station screen print press, wood frame screens, grow light, bathroom with no windows and cookie sheets in the oven for curing the ink. that is ghetto but it worked and helped me realize what goes into screen printing and that i don't want to do it in large amounts anymore! having a dedicated printer working for you is a great great thing! as for the reason for starting Manifest, i have always been an artist and a music lover, especially the hip hop i grew up on and listened to in high school in the early 90's. i saw a few people trying to do what i had in mind but nobody was doing it good enough so i created a few shirts for a few friends and myself and then it grew into stores being interested and 9 years later we're still running!
sightRIZE: Out of the all the Manifest designs, which one is your favorite(s)? What is the inspiration behind this design?
Manifest: I would say my favorite Manifest designs would be the simple Manifest logo t's but the fans always come running for the c.r.e.a.m., wu members and a few others that we've kept bringing back for years. off the top of my head my personal favorites would be the biz markie shirt, the tribe (ramones shirt), the we got the jazz, the boyz in the hyundai and the ripper tee. but the one t-shirt that is my personal favorite hands down would be the "listen to paul's boutique" shirt. that shirt sums up the Manifest brand. representing a classic album and trying to spread the word that you need that album in your collection as well and very clean and minimal design. and i guess the inspiration for that shirt comes from the shirts years ago that said listen to black sabbath or listen to bob marley. always loved those so i decided to bring that into the hip hop world.
sightRIZE: Complete the sentence. The current state of hip-hop & the culture is...
Manifest: Well i have to say i am so not in the new "cool" music group. i mostly listen the the classics: tribe, de la, etc or some of the mixtapes on the Manifest website. i'm a sucker for classic hip hop mixtapes. do yourself a favor and check the site and click on the mixtapes link and sit back and enjoy for a few hours. all the classics represented there! i am really missing the sampling and actual dj's in the new hip hop. i know that costs money but come on, that's what helped build hip hop to what it is and now people just drop it?? most of the new hip hop all sounds the same and i can't get down with it at all. the only new hip hop i actually can listen to would be little brother, the roots and other cats like that. i do not own any lil or young anything. no thanks.
sightRIZE: Hip-Hop & Manifest seem to relate. What are some of the albums/mixtapes you're currently bumpin?
Manifest: Actually right this second i'm playing a teddy pendergrass mixtape that's pretty decent. it is sad to see teddy p pass on but he left alot of great music that will live on. other than that, i've got my stable of must have mixtapes: the rub-1992 & 1993, dj jazzy jeff-hip hop forever, pretty much anything from dj neil armstrong (espcially original), pipomix-we got the jazz, vinroc-reconstruction, dj excel- juice mixtape. there are so many but those jump out everytime and are must haves!
sightRIZE: The 11 questions section on your site. How did that come about?
Manifest: Well that section is all about giving some shine to people doing good things and or have inspired me. there are so many other people i'm trying to reach out to, just gotta get more time! it's so amazing to have some of the guys on there that have had a bug influence on me take the time to answer my questions. i got to hang out with cey adams and bill adler in new york last year and that was 100% amazing. those dudes are living legends in the fields and have so many great stories from way back in the early days of def jam. would love to spend more time with them and just listen!
sightRIZE: What influences manifest?
Manifest: I take all my inspiration from classic music, pop culture, graphic design, movies, websites, pretty much anything that inspires me. also seeing some of the other brands i dig cranking out new designs inspires me to keep working and try and get better every season.
sightRIZE: What can we expect from Manifest in the near future?
Manifest: Well i just finished up the Spring/ Summer 2010 catalog and have started sending it out to the stores and be on the lookout for that season to hitting the shelves in mid march. the hats and wallets are a must have as well as lot's of new graphics that i know will be instant hits and some classics brought back one more time.
sightRIZE: Anything you'd like to end with?
Manifest: I would like to say thank you for reaching out to me and letting me talk about the Manifest brand. it's all about the old school and the culture of that time and hopefully we are inspiring people to pick up a copy of paul's boutique or low end theory or raising hell and see where the classics came from. there is to many good albums the young kids need to hear!
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