Kevin Poon takes the Basquiat-like crown when it comes to collaborations. From Mr. Jean-Michel Basquiat, himself, to Nike and everything in between one of Poon’s projects, CLOT, is always the name to left of the collaborative “x” and always at the forefront of “cool.”
We caught up with the Hong Kong-based genius at his L.A. home-away-from-home Mr. C and quickly hit off chatting up our mutual love for juice cleanses (When on the West Coast, right?) and sneakerheads (turns out he’s buds with Cov-alum Michael Dupouy). KP – we’re on a nickname basis now, okay? – greeted us in one of those “Oh, this?” kind of T-shirt and jeans outfits; but, upon closer inspection, we quickly realized this guy doesn’t do basic Levi’s and AA deep-V’s (read: Saint Laurent destroyed denim, custom Nike kicks, Thom Browne shades… you get the picture). While KP’s business partner, Edison Chen (Google him, stat) may have something to do with it, we’re firm believers in the whole “maybe he’s born with it” mentality; talk to him for five minutes and you’ll understand the breed of cool KP comes from. Cause, like, who else has a line of snapbacks that says “F*CK POON” on them? Side note: A photoshoot featuring Team TC and said hats may or may not have taken place.
KP’s entrepreneurial spirit and can’t-stop-won’t-stop attitude is unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. As we sifted through his stuff, we were treated to a back story behind every piece – be it a sticker, a magazine, a mixtape and even incense (yes, incense sticks.) So it should come as no surprise that CLOT clothing eventually led to a slew of stores, aptly named JUICE across Asia – oh, and a pop-up shop in L.A. at the Scion AV Installation. Because, well, why not? “At the core, we are about friends and creatives coming together and sharing ideas, thoughts, and always creating movements.”
And while we may have come bearing a small token of thanks in the form of a “You’ve Been Coveteur’d” sticker, KP came fully prepared ensuring we didn’t leave empty handed. After showering us with an array of “CLOT x something” gifts – that profanity-stricken hat, included – we chowed down on some room service and chatted about KP’s favorite topic de jour: collabos. Let’s just say this: Coming soon to a Coveteur near you…
