So What’s Next For Cult of Individuality: THE GW TETE-A-TETE WITH LEGENDARY STREETWEAR VISIONARY:RON POISSON
Owing to its peak eye for design, appreciation of the best fabrics and luxe approach to sportswear, the 13-year-old denim cult brand continues to ride the crest of streetwear relevance. Weathering and sandblasting processes, along with rip-and-repair house tropes plus personalized denim and leather set new standards (and profit margins) for Cult of Individuality. How will its creative director, designer and co-founder Ron Poisson build on three decades of cuttingedge cool with his revolutionary, all-American streetwear brand ?
GW: American fast-apparel visionary Ron Poisson, your certified cult classic, Cult of Individuality, is way past its cool-of-the-moment expiration date–so why is ‘Cult’ still sizzling in the
marketplace?
RP: The only constant thing is change. The creative minds at Cult of Individuality never rest on their laurels. We are always trying to push the boundaries of the contemporary streetwear market. Never ones to play by the traditional rules of fashion, we strive to break and reshape them whilst exploring collaborations with other artists and musicians.
GW: I hear the first Cult of Individuality brick and mortar store is opening. Incredible news! We pray it will be in Soho, New York City.
RP: The flagship will be home to all Cult categories: denim, activewear, t-shirts, hats, swimwear, backpacks, slides, socks and underwear.
GW: Tell us about your Summer 2023 drop-of-the-season, with Cult of Individuality x Guns N Roses to tie in with their latest stadium tour.
RP: We like to collaborate with artists that come onto the scene and make a generational impact, whether with the Bob Marley family, the Jimi Hendrix family, or the Guns N Roses family. We all share one thing – rebellious style. Our collaborations pay homage to these musical pioneers and the cultural impact they’ve had on society.
GW: Slash had better be sporting those looks onstage at Met Life Stadium this August.
RP: Hopefully the denim jacket from the collaboration screams “’80s hair band!” It’s replete with studs, patches, prints, embroidery and zip-off sleeves. Also featured in the collection are vintage t-
shirts with novelty glitter appliques, prints and embroidery and a sweatshirt accentuated with studs, embroidery and an aux chord for a draw chord.
GW: How did a surfer dude who studied Marine Biology at the University of Rhode Island become one of the greatest American retail gurus who’s still at the top of his game?
RP: I am a unique individual and the brand has undertones of my personality woven through it. The brand brings a beach and surf meets urban city hipster vibe. Growing up in Rhode Island, I was artistic and loved to surf. As fate would have it, I landed a job with one of my favorite companies, Ocean Pacific, in the early ’90s. Mossimo, another iconic California lifestyle brand, taught me a vital lesson that I used to create my brand and still uphold today. That is, to inspire and captivate, make them want to be a part of what you’re making. There has to be a lifestyle attached to the brand that resonates with who wears it.
GW: From piquing Generation Z to what we hope will follow in Generation Alpha, is the Cult still ready to rock the zeitgeist?
RP: I’ve always made strategic decisions to bring in younger designers to work with me who have different and fresh perspectives on fashion and on the desires of our target audience. The same approach applies to our marketing: always have a pulse on what that customer wants and is searching for.
GW: You are famous for saying, ‘’Denim is the backbone of American fashion.’’ Flesh out that thought.
RP: I started this brand in 2009 with eight pairs of jeans: four relaxed fits and four boot cuts. I chose denim because I love its versatility and treated it as an artistic palette. There are no rules; the only limitations are what we can think of. Denim is the backbone of American fashion. Everyone has at least a pair of jeans in their wardrobe.
GW: The backbone of your brand, the skinny jean, is now dead for any fashion head. R.I.P. skinny jeans.
RP: We’ve returned to the board with a more relaxed fit and our classic take on the bootcut jeans. Over the last 13 years, we have constantly pushed the envelope regarding fashion and fit in our jeans. The skinny jean will never die–it’s just taking a back seat. I did super skinny jeans in stretch for my artists ten years ago when nobody else did it. In fact, the retailers were initially apprehensive about buying because they were seen as feminine or women’s jeans. So I was relegated to giving these jeans away to influencers and musicians who could appreciate them at that moment. Fast-forward ten years, skinny jeans have become the staple for the fashion-forward skater, rockstar and artist. All consumers seek stretch in their denim, but my experience over the last 30 years has shown me that fashion trends are like a pendulum—when it swings one way, it often swings back the other way.
GW: Are there any plans to revive your Bob Marley Collection x Cult of Individuality to coincide with the upcoming Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley biopic in 2024?
RP: We are currently on our second capsule with the Marley family. Bob Marley was the first collaboration with an artist we did and would be difficult to outdo. Bob Marley is one of the few artists with universal appeal and recognition. His message is of the utmost importance, and the sound he used to convey that message really resonates with the brand.
GW: Your eye for culture is as on-point as ever, because right now an homage and reverence for Native American indigenous cultures is about to sweep the zeitgeist. As ever, the visionary Ron Poisson.
