Streetwear label JUDAH. was born in Melbourne’s South-Eastern suburbs in 2016 and has since gained a strong cult following, establishing itself as a local brand to watch.
Their newest collection titled Awkward was inspired by stepping out of one’s comfort zone and includes tees, hoodies with matching track pants ($200 for the set), and even Judah balaclavas. We caught up with Judah himself, who shed some light on his process, inspiration, and even whipped up a playlist to celebrate the new threads.
Can you tell us how Judah came about? When did you start the brand and what was your mission in doing so?
Judah started in late August 2016. I remember sitting at the park with Nasty Mars, who is a really great mentor of mine. We were having a long conversation about life and I remember speaking about buying items from brands I could never afford, but would still wear because it was on trend. I decided that I wanted to create clothes and wear something that has sentimental value. From there, I started doing a bunch of research. Fun fact: the first ever Judah piece was an iron-on, printed on a Kmart tee. I think I sold two shirts. We’ve come a long way, a lot of trial and error but we’re still growing.
You’re based in South-East Melbourne, a lot of creative people seem to come from this part of Melbourne. Can you tell us more about the community there?
I feel like Melbourne as a whole is starting to showcase their talents. It’s super cool to see everyone around me doing their own thing and being recognised for it. I think that the South-East in general holds a special place, coming from the suburbs can be a lot harder than if you were in the city, there’s less access but South-East has a lot of heart. The next generation coming out of here is a generation of creatives, here to make a change.
Your latest collection is called Awkward—I can see it in the photography. Can you explain the concept behind this collection?
Basically, this collection is titled Awkward because it’s the feeling I get stepping out of my comfort zone. I actually shot this on my own—I’ve never been the one behind the camera so having to direct the shots, models, and all that jazz. I felt awkward having to tell people what to do, where to go and how to look. I loved it though, it was definitely an experience.
I know you’ve been doing tour merch for artists and recently designed Rejjie Snow’s merch for his latest tour. Can you tell us about that?
Shout out to Elliot and Rago, they’re the homies out in London who helped me link up with Rejjie Snow. One day I got a text from Elliot asking me if I was interested in designing some tour merch. Of course I was down. They had known that I design all the Judah stuff. It’s really about meeting people and making good connections. Help is always around!
What are some of your dream collaborations?
I’ve been so lucky to have had the collaborations that I have had so far. Later down the track for Judah, I want to work with Asics on a shoe collection. Brands like Clarks and C.P Company are in the mix too. There’s a few brands I really respect and would love to work with like Huf, FTP, and Baker.
Who are some of your style icons?
I take influence from everyday life. People everywhere, on the internet and in real life. My dad is definitely a big inspiration to me though. His style is so authentic and reminds me to keep it real. Simple.
You made a playlist for us too. Can you tell us about a couple of the tracks in there and why they represent Judah?
I love listening to music. That has been a big influence on Judah. Music makes you feel a type of way and being able to communicate that through design is special. There’s no track in particular I can speak on here, but maybe if you listen to them you’ll see where my head was at during that time.
JUDAH’s Awkward collection drops at 7PM AEST, June 19th via www.judah.com.au
Use our discount code ‘NUTS’ at the checkout.