Its A Lifestyle

MATTHEW FORD: I was like every other young kid. [You] just see all the shit that you know is good quality, and add that to your style. I like Jean Paul Gaultier jeans, I got the Diesel jeans, I got the Seven jeans, stuff like that. I like that, so I just add that in.

IAL: A lot of people don't realize that D.C. is a very fly city.

M F: These days, man, niggas is really getting on their fashion shit. Niggas want to be unique. That's one thing I've been on since I was in highschool, when I was really shopping shopping, doing my thing. We might have some bright colors on like we're down in Miami or something, but we in the City. I got a keen eye for colors, a keen eye for what's fashionable and I think niggas would like. If they don't like it, then we're setting a trend, and that's another thing that Still Truly Fresh is about; setting trends and having niggas like "Damn, I never thought of something like that!" Thinking outside of the box, so niggas will be like, "Man, I want that. I want to be different." And we got the colorways, [where a] shirt might be, in one colorway, maybe five shirts made, so if I sell half in DC, some online, some people in Florida wearing them, then you're never going to see another person with your shirt. That also gives it that added exclusivity.

IAL: How is it running a D.C. based label, and spending 9 months out of the year in Florida?

M F: Like Nas has a New York state of mind, I'm a DC state of mind type of dude. I love the City [of DC]; this is just where I'm going to school at. I'm using college for what I need it for. I'm getting my education, I'm selling these clothes, I'm throwing parties, I'm doing these fashion shows. I wanna get at least the City behind me. I've sold a lot of shirts in DC; I've had white dudes in Adam's Morgan buying my shit, I've had niggas who just got outta jail down in South East buying my shit, so it's love. I know it's a bunch of haters in D.C., but like my man Wale said, "Hate is the new love." If you don't got no haters, you not doin' nothin' right. Basically, being from DC, I'm not your typical DC streetwear [designer]. You're gonna see the black shirts with all different color stitching, I'm straying from that. I never liked that type of stuff, but I got mad respect for those dudes for finding their entrepreneurial spirits.

IAL: Washington D.C. is known for its independent labels. It seems as though a new street brand pops up every week. What's your take on the fashion scene in D.C.?

M F: Youngin's like the Solbiato, they like the Shooters and stuff like that. I mean, it's all fine and dandy, but that's not even my style. I like shit that's different. I don't like to be part of the same thing everyone else is a part of. I like to jump on my own lil' echelon and do my own thing, make shirts that I would wear. Shit that I created outta my mind, some crazy shit I might have thought of, jotted the idea down. I'm really out to make niggas buy unique clothes, have my stuff on, set theyselves apart, be fresh themselves. That's all the brand really stands for, is being unique, nah mean? Setting yourself apart from everyone else that's out.

IAL: How do you feel STF sets itself apart from other streetwear labels?

M F: We pride ourselves on thinking outside the box when it comes to our designs, our colorways of our shirts, stuff like that. Really in everything we do, it's just thinking out of the box, being unique, putting people on the freshest shit out, just being out there. You don't gotta be big-headed, but whether you say it or not people know what you got on it unique and is the eshit. Like, "Damn, I fucks with this shit, I'mma get some more shit." Keeping youngin's hooked on what we got out here. It's about being the best at what you do. That what i'm striving to do every day.

IAL: Describe yourself in five words.