"Streetwear is mainstream now. Every subculture grows up in the end. "

"Streetwear is mainstream now. Every subculture grows up in the end. "

SHS Introduces... L4L

Before you ask, it stands for 'Lyrics4Lyrics' – "but you can also use Love4Life, whichever you prefer," says founder Paul Allimadi, AKA Bwoywonder. "Basically make it your own. Just like the brand!"

A "fresh label for the youth culture of the world", he started L4L to cater for skaters, but the brand blew up when it grime fans in the early days of the scene took a liking to its bold motifs and distinctive streetwear. These days Paul is not only heading up a successful label, but he's teaching others how to do it too. We caught up to find out more about the guy behind the Lego mask. 

Was it always your ambition to work in the fashion space?

I studied product design at uni and wanted to become a product designer, but I found my passion was fashion when I was introduced to it during my postgraduate years. I've loved it ever since.

Do you think streetwear is still a subculture, or has it gone mainstream?

I believe streetwear is now mainstream. Subculture is like a teenager – sooner or later, it'll become an adult.

Do we still have style tribes?

It's hard to see if we still have style tribes, as being individual in the UK is very difficult to execute nowadays. Unless you wear L4L of course!

 "Subculture is like a teenager – sooner or later, it'll become an adult."

 

Do you think we need to do more to tackle cultural appropriation?

We definitely need to do more to tackle cultural appropriation. People need to be educated by those in the know. If you're not sure whether something you wear is going to offend, ask a few people from that social or cultural group, not just your friends.

Is being an influencer a ‘proper’ career?

I think so. If you're getting paid for your services, it is a job. If you can get paid for those same services for at least five years, it's a career. We've seen influencers buying homes from doing what they do. It's 2018, job/career roles are changing and new ones are being created. We should celebrate it, not frown upon it. Fashion influencers are definitely enhancing the industry. We now know major labels and fashion houses look to influencers to push their product direct to the consumer, which makes it possible for us to let the big guns see what we, the little people, are doing. Of course this will have an adverse effect for PR companies.

Where do you go for mentoring, help and investment?

I am lucky enough to know people who are doing really well in the industry. For mentoring, I go to my friends who have successful brands and started before or maybe even the same time I did. For help and investment there are social enterprise workshops that help young brands and companies with investment, as well as mentoring too. 

 

If we gave you £100k tomorrow, what would you do with it?

I would build a team! Pattern cutters, a seamstress, marketing manager... all the ingredients needed to build a successful brand in a shorter space of time. I would use it to showcase my work at London, Paris, Milan and New York Fashion Weeks.

"It's 2018, career roles are changing and new ones are being created. We should celebrate it, not frown upon it."

What’s your daily routine? 

I get up around 8am, check through my emails from my manufacturers, and my order list. If there are orders I prep them and have them posted out direct from the manufacturer. I teach on Wednesday and Thursday so on those days I will spend a day with my fashion and styling level 2 students. I usually stay behind after classes, which I also use as my studio, and continue designing new colourways or a new collection. I'm a night owl so I continue my work once I get home. I cannot go to bed without finishing my idea, from paper to digital mock-up, which usually means me going to sleep past 2am.

 

How do you get in the zone when you need to feel creative?

To get into the zone creatively, I have to have my motivational music in the background. I'm in love with 80s and 90s R&B, hip hop, pop and soul – none of it inspires my actual work but it does help my mood in creating with gusto and vigour. Easy Lover by Phil Collins will have you going nuts with a paint brush!

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