Jeff Staple enjoys being a bit of a renaissance man.
The New York-based designer, who founded The Reed Space shop and art gallery and the creative agency Staple Design, took a slight departure from creating clothing and footwear this year to enter a new category. After collaborating with brands such as Nike, Timberland and New Balance, Staple designed a pair of headphones for Beats by Dre.
“[Beats] has only been around for three years, but it’s already become such a part of pop culture,” Staple said. “When you go in the subway, [the headphones] are like a standard uniform for young people.”
Hoping the limited-edition headphones, which launched earlier this month, will connect with streetwear consumers, the designer also is putting a bigger focus on projects for his own Staple clothing line. “We really want to open the minds of everyone,” Staple said. “We want to bring so many other elements of street and sneaker culture into the mix.”
Here, Staple shares how he likes to mellow out while working and where he likes to grab a slice in New York.
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When designing, I listen to:
Jazz. “I don’t want music to be too overbearing. I want it to relax me.”
Fashion inspiration:
Riding the subway. “I love going on the subway and watching all the human interaction that happens. It’s dope.”
Actor who would play me in a movie:
Jet Li. “We look similar, and maybe he could win some of the fights I lost as a kid.”
Best pizza place in New York:
The Original Rays on Prince Street
Favorite vacation spot:
“I don’t really take vacations, but Tokyo is my second home.”
