I was recently interviewed by Hypebeast for their weekly column called conversations. They set up the topics and I complete the sentences. The feature was met with a lot of support and a few disagreements. I believe that interviews should always spark debate or conversation and I think we accomplished both. I would love to respond to some of the comments but I don’t really have the time. Thank you for continuing to support my journey and look forward to some exciting things moving forward. I will be opening up some dialogue about my thoughts in the future.
Thanks to Hypebeast and Luis Ruano for the great conversation.
My interview below! For the full interview check here
Canada offers a blogger… a lot of opportunity to grow for a number of reasons. For one I don’t think that Canadians have fully embraced the blogging community like other parts of the world, so it’s the right opportunity to come in and make a name as a blogger. Secondly I think it’s taking awhile for Canadian brands, companies and people to appreciate homegrown bloggers so maybe that’s another opportunity to create a new perception. I am very happy being a Canadian blogger.
Formulating marketing strategies… has to be the most rewarding part of this game. Being able to create brand experiences with brands that I love and appreciate has to be one of my favorite things to do. I like pushing the limits of creativity, I also want to experiment a bit and see what works and what doesn’t. It is a pretty stressful part of my life, but I love the challenge and seeing the results.
Social media has produced… a great platform for young creatives to explore, share ideas and thoughts without breaking the bank. Social media has also produced a lot of egos, storytellers and liars. I guess it is a double-edge sword. I’ve learned through social media that people believe what you tell them. I like to look at the positive side of social media, I’ve been able to connect with strangers who have now become really good friends and we continue to create and produce great things together.
Working with a corporate company… teaches you a few things. 1. You get to learn the game on someone else’s dime. 2. Allows you the budget and the resources to make extraordinary things happen. 3. Teaches you what not to do when you decide to be your own boss. 4. Teaches you essential components of the business world and gives you valuable lessons to put into practice. 5. Teaches you the basic disciplines of work life. Some of the most successful people that I know have worked with corporate companies first before they became great on their own. I would also add that working with a corporate company in your own capacity also has its rewards. I enjoy collaborating with corporate companies and giving them a taste of my world!
Streetwear has evolved… for all the wrong reasons. Don’t get me wrong I am all for evolution and progression, I just believe that streetwear has evolved prematurely. I think the growth of the blogs and the access to information can be attributed to that premature growth. It has forced some of these streetwear companies to grown up too fast and alienate their core consumers. Everyday there is a new kid who turns 15 and he can’t relate Yves Saint Laurent, Rick Owens, Damir Doma and brands of that nature. He just wants to wear crazy logo T-shirts, kicks and his baseball cap.
Distinguishing confidence and arrogance… is probably the hardest thing to do. A thing like Twitter has made it really easy for people to reveal an exaggerated sense of their own importance. A confident person doesn’t have to retweet every single compliment they receive or brag about every important meeting they just left or how exciting the future is going to be for them. I think it is really about what people choose to do with that voice. “Bad boys move in silence” always remains true.
Web publications… are now the new standard and everyone seems to have one. The game is getting very saturated, so only a few will be able to separate themselves from the rest. I am very interested in seeing where it will go. I love the creativity of the new set of web publications that have been hitting the web in the past years; they are creating new ways for us to digest information.
The importance of collaborations… is to showcase the creativity of two or more parties. It really gives you an idea of the power of two brands. When a collaboration is done properly you get the best of two worlds. Unfortunately some brands are giving the wonderful idea of collaborating a bad rap because they choose to collaborate with everyone. As a brand you want to be very careful with who you collaborate with, you want to keep it special.
Progression on any front… is the key to life. Never be afraid to progress, a lot of people are afraid to progress from fear of what their peers may think. I think progression is the only way we get to experience new opportunities and a better life.
This was probably 1 of my favorite interviews!
Check this out http://thebkcircus.com/editorial/im-coming-home-again/
There have been many codes documented throughout world history, some that decipher formulas, while others break down the composition of the human body. But when it comes to blogging for a living, Canadian born, Marcus Troy was knee-deep in the platform which has now changed the way people think, act, dress and consume information. Mr. Troy, which has been dubbed the Marcus Troy Experience, has become a household Internet name with brands from all over salivating at the opportunity to apply a piece of his consulting brain to their brand.
Incredibly humble with an understanding that he still has much to learn, Troy has made a global and permanent impression in an extremely fickle market where with the next 140 characters or post written, everything could potentially take a devastating turn for the worse. What stands out most about the young consulting tastemaker is his etiquette and approach toward his craft. Yes, there are rules to this matrix and Troy has played a quiet, yet pivotal role in the design of it all.
Not claiming to be the originator of what I’d call lifestyle blogging, Troy was definitely one of the first, “Back at that time there weren’t many blogs or websites doing what we were trying to do. Before the Hypebeasts’, High Snobietys’ and SlamXhypes’, It wasn’t long after, but it was definitely before.” The son of West Indian parents, blogging came about very naturally. He happened to land upon a medium where he could touch everyone aside from the people in his immediate circle, “Blogging came about organically; I had a friend who at the time who was trying to start an online magazine. We wanted to let people know what was going on in our city. We partnered up and started an online mag. At first it was really local, I proposed that I come on board and make it global, I’ve always been the guy that tells my friend what to wear, where to go, who to see. So speaking about it online was kind of a natural progression.”
Troy saw the world from a global perspective early on, “I guess first having a love for planes, I would travel to my parents hometown of Trinidad and Tobago as a youngster and I remember driving down to New York and having this fascination with seeing other places.” He discusses an experience that changed it all, “I flew to London and I remember getting upgraded on that plane. They bring you all the accessories that come with a first class flight, the food was incredible and I was thinking ‘Man, this is the life.’ When I touched down in London I was like this is what it’s about, discovering new things. It really solidified what I wanted to be doing and how I wanted to be doing it. That’s when I decided the world had so much more to offer than my neighborhood.” Unlike other individuals who pridefully boast about their native roots, Troy sees himself as a global citizen and sometimes he catches negative feedback for it, “I’ve been able to see Asia, Europe, North America, and Canada and it’s been a great experience. I didn’t feel like I was going to be tied down to Montreal as a city and I get flack for that because people feel like I should be repping my town or my borough, but for me, I rep the world, I would move to Japan tomorrow.”
FULL Interview here http://thebkcircus.com/editorial/im-coming-home-again/
Thanks to the BKC fam for showing love and Dale Coachman for a great interview.
This past week I got a couple of tweets and emails from people who spotted me in the back of The Eye Weekly newspaper with Drake on the cover.
This is part of a phototshoot I did with the Little Burgundy Magazine.
Yes if I were a cat I would be a Tuxedo cat
Details coming soon…
Industry Spotlight is the name of a new series of weekly interviews dedicated to sharing the inspirational stories of key individuals within the entertainment industries.
In this week’s Industry Spotlight I go International. That’s right chaps, the word is out and Mr. Luca is in public demand.
On the day that twitter turns five years old, it’s only fitting that this connection was built using the power of twitter.
Back in 2010 (that’s last year), I came across a lifestyle blogger based in Montreal, Canada. As we all now know, with twitter it is easier than ever before to seek, find and connect with people from all walks of life.
Now here is a tip. Although twitter makes it extremely easy to contact anyone and everyone, remember that everyone else also knows how easy it is to do so. Therefore if you are looking to make contact with someone who may have a large following, use your initiative, with some research, find their email address and send a personal email where you have a much better chance of getting the response you want.
So that’s what I did; I sent out an email to this Canadian blogger named Marcus Troy, explaining in brief, who I was and how I was impressed by the personal brand he had created for himself.
Marcus has a fantastic personal brand. A fashion enthusiast with an obvious passion for style and image (traits which are immensely important for online branding). His story is unique and inspirational to anyone wanting to build a brand and a business online and he is always willing to discuss further opportunities with anyone who shares a common interest.
Without further ado, Mr. Marcus Troy is this week’s Industry Spotlight:
Full interview here
Thanks Luca!
A couple months back, Ronnie told me that he submitted our collaboration with Sebago for the All Gone book by Lamjc. I was pretty stoked on the news, but I also understand how that works sometimes. A couple weeks ago, after Bread & Butter, I got an email from my friend Emily in Berlin. She told me I made the book, but when I looked online I did not see the pics, so I was kind of confused.
While I was out in Vegas this week, I walked into the Sebago booth and there was Ronnie with Michael from Lamjc previeweing the book and guess what? Bam! There it was, my Sebago Collaboration. I’m really stoked on this one! Thanks Ronnie & Michael for the love.
Dope!
Week 6 of my complex column is up! This was a really dope piece!
Kobe Art Work
What: Crazy “paper mache” of Kobe
Where: The Nike Vault Los Angeles (Staple Center)
When: 6pm Sunday 30th 2011
We had some intimate time with Kobe Bryant and director Robert Rodriguez after the game at the Nike Vault where they talked shoes, movies and Kanye West. We were then allowed to walk into this private room where I got to see this pretty amazing artwork of Kobe’s face in 3d. I’m not sure if this constitutes as paper mache but I do believe the pieces were stuck together with glue. Nonetheless the artwork was pretty dope.
Check out full column here!
Marcus Troy is a well-known name in the fashion industry. He is a lifestyle blogger based in Montreal, he is also columnist for Complex Magazine and has been working with many major companies such as Levi’s, Sebago and Nike developing special projects.
It is very pleasant for us to have him answering our informal interview, we consider him a genuine influencer.
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Superman or Batman? Garamond or Helvetica? Bloody Mary or Dry Martini?
Superman. Helvetica. Neither.
What is your favorite book, magazine and blog?
Book: Ask and You Shall Receive. Magazine: GQ. Blog: rapradar.com
What do you like/dislike to wear?
I like to wear jogging pants / I also dislike wearing jogging pants.
What would be your last meal?
My mothers Christmas West indian dish.
Name two things you would like to be good at?
Blogging and photography.
Who is the most played artist in your iPod?
Jay-z has to be the most played artist.
What did you have for breakfast today?
I had nothing and I am starving, I just got back from a trip and I have to answer all these emails so work comes first.
How did your blog idea came up?
A natural passion for sharing cool things.
Tell us a little bit about the way you work? Places, people, tools, knack…
I like to work alone in a quiet place with people I care about and love in the background.
So far, what’s been the hardest part of bringing your blog idea to life? Do you have any advice for those who are starting?
The advice I would love to share is to be a content creator not a content aggregator. The hardest part of doing the blog is actually just doing it. A lot of people want to start a blog but the problem is they never start.
What is the most rewarding experience you have had with your work?
Being able to travel the world to connect with new and interesting people. I love engaging and connecting with people and I think Travel is the most rewarding part of what I do.
How would you like your work to be remembered?
I want to be remembered has someone who tried. I want people to know that I tried to kick down all the doors possible for the people who do what I do.
Full story here
My friends over at Dr.Jays picked my brain about 2011 Trends. They spoke with Trey Songs, Stylist Luke Storey, Jason Jacobs and myself.
Check the interview below.
When it comes to bloggers you need to know, the name Marcus Troy should be in the top of your list. As it’s simply stated on this Montreal native’s Website, he is “a lifestyle blogger and a curator of thoughts and ideas.” Most recently, Marcus teamed up with Nike for the “Mavericks Project,” a microsite and mobile application where his audience can share defining moments and stories of mavericks from around the globe.
What is your general consensus on menswear going into 2011?
“I think this year more guys will feel comfortable dressing up everyday. Ties, blazers and bow ties will become a part of the everyday uniform.”
Designers we should look out for this year?
Spurr by Simon Spurr, Creep by Hiroshi Awai
What is your favorite accessory for spring 2011?
“Spring is going to be all about my yellow rain coat; I am trying to have less accessories in 2011.”
You favorite city to shop in?
“Tokyo, Japan.”
The best watch you’ve spotted for this season?
“Every guy has to invest in a man‘s watch, and you can’t go wrong with a classic ROLEX or a more affordable Breitling. In terms of watches that peek my curiosity, I have to go with Meister. They are doing some cool things over there.”
Full story
I had a pretty in-depth interview with the folks over at Goodies Mag. They chose my friend William Yan & I for the cover (my first cover) and spoke to us about Blogging. The title is very faltering and very humbling. They reinterpreted the famous Andy Warhol & Basquiat picture for this piece.I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the interview.
Check out the full interview here
* Hit full screen to get the best look.
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