“It’s as if it’s the second coming of the band.” In the wake of 13 years of silence and a short break, Mikey Trapstar finally feels like the brand is finally getting the attention it deserves.
In the past 10 years, Trapstar’s transformed from being London’s most secretive and has become the preferred clothing for the next generation of UK fans of grime and rap. The distinctive logo with a gothic design is seen everywhere from rap moshpits at a rap gig and Fashion Week runways, and in September 2019 , the brand was awarded the title of Best Streetwear Label at the inaugural Annual World Fashion Awards. Stussy, Palace, Off-White and Supreme were among the contenders for their category.
It may appear that Trapstar’s rise to prominence has been explosive however, the hard work required to reach this point was long before “streetwear” or resales became an actual thing, or even an industry worth millions of pounds.
It was 2005 when Mikey along with the cofounders Lee and Will determined to make something that could benefit their friends. Three childhood friends were all interested in fashion, sneakers, and music in the late 90s garage and house eras which was a time when brands such as Versace as well as Moschino were heavily incorporated in the society. They first began to create their own t-shirts bespoke to the hope of “out-do each other” and “inject an individual look” to their clothes. The word quickly spread throughout their neighborhood in West London with friends threatening to steal the designs of their friends if they don’t begin selling their bespoke items.
The next thing that happened was a coming-of age discussion with the stepfather of Lee’s who stated that they were “hood stars trapped in society”. Not content with his remarks, Mikey challenged him by replying, “There’s a star trapped in each of us.” At that point the brand took on its name as well as Trapstar as a brand was established.
In the year 2000, Facebook and YouTube were just beginning to emerge and Instagram was a long way off from being fully launched. Making money from online raffles, which give the opportunity to purchase limited piecesof clothing, was not a common practice.
The Trapstar trio needed to think of an innovative method to market their merchandise, and they made use of MySpace the most popular social network that time. It was possible to purchase merchandise by an email or by texting the company’s “trap cellphone” (a reference to the used burner phone). The payment and pickup would be scheduled and picked up at an unidentified location, and placed inside pizza containers, kiosks at the telephone, and sometimes in cars’ boot sales. Trapstar was a shrewd use of their “it’s an undercover” trademark to ensure that their identities hidden – and until this day they do not permit photos showing their faces be published. The exclusivity generated an enthralling buzz, and a flood of orders followed. It was common for drops to sell out quickly and make certain pieces more sought-after.
As Trapstar gradually became more popular and demand grew The guys decided that they would like to expand. This sounds simple but the choice first was met with disdain. “In the beginning, nobody wanted us to be successful,” Mikey explains, “and nobody wanted us to be in the business So instead of knocking on doors and constructing ourselves a.”
Their breakthrough was after Supra director Dylan Alkaff offered them a weekend pop-up. It was the beginning of what would later be known in the name Trapstar Invasions. “Stores will only accept brands that had a significant media coverage. Our whole idea was to be a guerrilla,” says Lee. “We were the underdogs in the streetwear world at a time that there was no difference from those in the UK marketplace and world at large and you had to be able to compete with the big brands”.
A string of “invasions” such as an ad-hoc roadblock at 1948 London along with the much-anticipated Yeezy debut in 2009. This which led to Trapstar opening its flagship shop in Portobello Rd a year later.
Then we come to today and the number of accomplishments is long. A loan in Jay Z’s Roc Nation in addition to a stint as official merchandising designers of Rihanna’s Monster tour and an upcoming Puma collaboration and a signature by South London heavyweight Stormzy – who’s Trapstar underwear was prominently displayed during his legendary Glastonbury show – have all led to the brand’s rise to prominence. “We have never relied on musicians to ensure we were current, but we’ve kept close relationships with them personally, they’ve helped us reach an entirely new market,” Mikey emphasises.
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The connection between streetwear and music has created the connection. The brand has released mixtapes featuring Section Boyz and DJ Logan Sama and most recently, collaborated alongside hip-hop artist Blade Brown on a capsule collection titled “The Trap Revolution Will be broadcast”. “I think we’re experiencing a kind of revival right now, in which there is a UK underground scene has now taken control of what goes on in pop culture,” Mikey enthuses, “It’s wonderful to see musicians earning a living performing something they love. they’re now millionaires, selling their venues and purchasing houses for their moms.”
Although they’ve had a great deal of international success through the likes of A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd and Cara Delevingne wearing their distinctive hoodies and beanies They are aware of the extent to which the UK scene is still able to play an important role in their development.
“It goes beyond the fashion industry,” Mikey says. “It’s more than just that. The reason we’re present today is due to an entire culture has helped us. We started from the bottom and worked to reach where we are today. Now, we have a responsibility to give back. We need to ensure we maintain the spirit of the place.”