Z-Boy : An interview with PC Williams & V.S Grotto
When two of our favourite street wear obsessives re imagined our Garfield collection we couldn't resist talking sub culture and movie references. Stylist PC Williams has worked with prolific clients such as Nike, Adidas, and our current addiction Miista Shoes. Whilst Vice approved photographer Verena Stefanie Grotto masterminded the first street style blog in Barcelona, and most notably produced the documentary "Kids Of Grime". You know what they say about great minds thinking alike.... For those who don't know... PC : I'm a freelance stylist based in London. I dress like an American teenager and wear lots of sportswear, most things in a 5XL. VS : I am an Italian girl trying to make timeless images with my camera and my eye. Been living in different places around Europe, such as Berlin, Barcelona and London and luckily enough in New York since the tender age of 17. I like dogs, sushi, and the smell of fresh cut grass. If you want to make me happy buy me a Hendricks and tonic with cucumber. What inspires your creative vision ? PC : Sub-cultures and the diversity found in cities like London. It's got such a raw passionate energy, it's impossible to not be inspired by it. VS : Mainly my instinct and the world around me, by which i mean the world that I see not the one that there actually is! I also like to improvise a lot, because it depends on the relationship that me and the subject build during each shoot. What sub cultures and personal heroes of yours have influenced today's shoot? PC : I had just been to the London screening of the Supreme film "Cherry" and was explaining to V how I would love to shoot an ode to that. We spoke about films like Dog Town and Z-Boys, Beautiful Losers, all the classic iconic skate crew films. We knew we were on the same page because all of our references were linked. We came across this film which is one of the best things I've seen all year. It's by Kilian Martin called Altered Route and its bloody amazing! VS : One of the first ever female skateboarders Peggy Oki inspired me. Happily enough Patricia was on the same page, and she translated it all in the best way through the clothes⦠sheâs a queen. How important is collaboration? PC : So important! But you have to collaborate with like-minded people who'll push your thinking and creativity. This shoot was definitely one of those times! You will never know everything about everything and it's always great to learn something new which you can use then, and also bank for the next time. VS : It is obviously one of the main things. I love to shoot people, whether they're real, celebrities, rappers, models, any person, so the collaboration between me and my subject is the main focus. We love the model, why Meng Z ? PC : Meng Z is buff! We wanted an Asian girl with an edge and she is definitely that. VS : I love shooting Asian girls, i wish there were more represented in London agencies. Meng Z is just beautiful. The cold grey location is a cool departure from most summer story's, where did you shoot? PC : Well i'm a lecturer at Central St. Martins and we're now based in Kings Cross's Granary Square which has great outside spaces full of geometric shapes and clean lines. It was really nice to take a skate inspired story and place it somewhere other than the obvious skate park. If one song summed up the look and feel of the shoot? VS : I would choose Lykke Li , Love Out Of Lust. PC : The Doors, L.A. Woman. Although I like that Oyster Magazine matched it with About A Girl by Nirvana . --------------------------------------------- See the full shoot over on Oyster, and make sure to follow PC William's styling here & Verena's photography here. Shop Garfield in our Get The Look section after the jump.
