Methods NYC Profile

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Methods NYC

With its headquarters residing in Brooklyn, New York, Methods NYC has become the one of the global leaders in original urban gear. Streaming from ragga-jungle, DNB, and hip hop all the way to movie and sport stars; originators Dave Gee, DJ Vandal, DJ Odi, and Jedi have created a worldwide phenomenon. Recently, I was able to speak with Dave at the store and was lucky enough to get this exclusive look inside the Methods pandemic.

When did Methods start up and how long has the clothing line been around?
We started Methods in the Spring of 2004. So, we are in our fifth year.

What was the vision of the line and has that stayed on track over the years?
The main goal of the company was to showcase original artwork from young artists all over the globe and push their works to the masses. Over the last five years, Methods has featured artists from Germany, France, Portugal, Brazil, Spain, the UK, Puerto Rico, and all over the US. The brand ships to accounts all over America and is steadily expanding its international fan base.

I would say that we've definitely stayed on track over the years. We've always done a lot with a little. We take baby steps and are very careful not to get into situations where we are in over our head. We've seen a lot of the competition come and go. A lot of brands are created by people that work for other lines and are just doing it on the side to try to make a quick buck. We form long-standing relationships with our artists and are in this because of our love for art and music. We're not throwing in the towel if we have a bad season. This is our life and we're not going anywhere.

With amazing designing artists from all over the globe such as Frost, SuperBlast, KOA, and Bishop, it's no wonder the line has had such great success. How does Methods go about seeking out artists? How did you come across some of the ones you have today?
A lot of the artists that we work with are friends of ours. We typically look for artists that are making a lot of noise on their own already and are looking for a new avenue to promote and spread their art work. We have found some of our artists on the internet and in magazines. We really just look for artists that are putting out dope shit and want to be part of the team. The internet has made a lot of what we do possible. For example, I've never even met KOA (France) in person, but he's been on the line for four years and we talk on AIM all the time.

"Tomorrow Is Huge" is what you see when you go to the website. Is this the motto of Methods?
It's not our motto, but it could be. That is just something that I would always say at the end of the day to everyone in the office. When you have big goals, there is always going to be a lot of work to do. I also feel that in order to be successful, you need to understand the importance of tomorrow. The graphic you're referring to is actually the back print of one of our shirts called "The Light" by Vandal.

Methods sponsors some of the biggest artists in underground music from Goldie, RAW, and DJ Odi; not to mention the line has been repped by 12th Planet, Rukso, Noah D and the likes. Can you list out who currently is sponsoring Methods worldwide?
Methods is not just a clothing line, but a movement. In the same way that we support visual artists, we are also deep rooted in the music world and support recording artists in numerous genres. In the past several years, we have worked with major hip hop artists Jeru the Damaja, Smif N Wessun, C Rayz Walz, Jahdan, LIFE LONG, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Body Count, Heltah Skeltah, The Beatnuts, Adam Deitch of Break Science, and Afrika Bambaataa just to name a few. In the past year we've been working with world renowned DJs: Rusko, 6 BLOCC, 12th Planet, N-Type, Stenchman, Noah D, DZ, Borgore, Reid Speed, JS-1, Evil DEE and DJ Hype.

All partners and employees at Methods are DJs and / or producers. We also throw numerous events each year in NYC and have been responsible for some of the most memorable authentic hip hop shows in the city over the last five years. Methods has also become one of the primary dubstep and drum & bass promotion companies in New York City. Don't try to pigeon hole us though! You will also catch hardcore bands, reggae artists, athletes, and movie stars rocking the gear. We are one of the few brands that can make that crossover into different subcultures and we are very proud of that.

What does the future hold for the line? Any new series we can keep an eye out for?
Yes, each season we come up with a new theme and all the designs are relevant to that theme. Our Fall 09 line is called "Around the World in 90 Days". Every design on the line has a traveler's vibe. We've also got some ill weather-proof DJ / laptop bags coming out for the holidays to go with the line. They're perfect for those out of town gigs, or just running around the city with your laptop protected from the elements.

Does Methods handle online orders?
Of course! About 80% of our retail business is on-line. You can find all of our designs at www.methodsnyc.com We're also on a bunch of other sites, but why not buy directly from us?! We also have older designs on our site that you can't find anywhere else. The blog on our site is also a great place to find out what is going on with the brand and what kind of events are going down in NYC.

Is there anything you'd like to plug, any shout outs, or anything you want to discuss that you feel we missed on?
If you are in the NYC area, you can check out our Flagship Store at 162 Huron St. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The store was opened in June of 2008 and has become quite the cultural hub. It has been host to dozens of art shows, video shoots, and in-store performances since its opening.

Be sure to check out the Methods NYC crew on October 23rd when they bring in dubstep sensation, Borgore to COCO66 in Brooklyn, NY. Supporting the Methods family will be Reid Speed, Dave Gee, Trigon & Eshin, Human?, and MC Diggadee.