Shinsuke Takizawa + Paul Mittleman + Fraser Cooke Nike * Neighborhood * Stüssy - Boneyards Jörg: How did Stüssy and Neighborhood hook up? Please describe the two companies' philosophies... - and how did/does Nike fit into the picture? Takizawa: Stüssy and Neighborhood have been always friends, surrounded by mutual friends for quite a long time. As for Neighborhood's philosophy, we always aim to make clothes that are comfortable and being able to be yourselves. To put simply, it is far from something you will see at a "cat-walk" mode fashion show. Paul: We are all friends, it just evolved over the years and an idea grew. Mutual respect and shared interests. Fraser: From the Nike side we have worked with and continue to have a great relationship with Stüssy. This is the latest in a line of projects together. Paul, Shin from Neighborhood and myself have been friends for many years and so it was a natural organic project from the moment Paul suggested the idea. Nike works with the best in the business who are inspired by us and vice versa. It's a natural exchange. Just as Nike has always talking with and worked alongside athletes, we can find insights from the key "players" in the creative world. Jörg: How is Boneyards related to Stüssy / Neighborhood / Nike? Paul: It is an actual place, but for me it is a fantasy. A metaphor. It is a fiction in my mind of a dark, cruder Southern California. Fraser: For Nike it's really the fact that this was/is a surf and skate place in a raw kind of sense and Nike has been adopted by the surf/skate/street community for many years. We are part of the uniform. It's a truthful and natural connection. Jörg: How was this denotation worked into a line of apparel, accessories, and also sneakers? Takizawa: At the beginning in the planning stage, we were going to have only small collection, but as we started to get into it with Paul and Rob, we couldn't help but to make more items reflecting ideas. I think the theme BONEYARDS is very incredible to put it only for a small line. Paul: In color, style, feel, design and attitude. Fraser: The sneakers followed the creative direction of the line itself. Colour, graphic and style relevance. We left this to Paul and Shin, the creators of the Boneyards collection. Our input was just little changes here and there. We already had created the shoes on which the concept is represented.