“Project Connect” is a four-part video series that brings together a handful of outstanding creatives to speak about their careers, unique experiences, and what connects them. Through these collaborative conversations, McDonald’s demonstrates that while we may come from different places and work in different industries, we have more in common than we think.
“When you think of Joe, I want you to automatically think of Chicago,” streetwear designer Joseph Robinson (a.k.a. Joe Freshgoods) declares, as he kicks off episode one of the “Project Connect” video series.
Freshgoods and fellow Chicago-based surrealist photographer Elise Swopes love their city, and it shows in the special McDonald’s-inspired patches they’ve collaborated on for ComplexCon. “Chi Til I Fry” reads one design cooked up by Swopes, complete with the Chicago skyline reimagined in the iconic Mickey D’s red and yellow colors.
Swopes reveals her process as a photographer, taking a real-life scene and “mak[ing] it magical and interesting.” She frequently injects cityscapes with animals and other natural phenomena (like giraffes and waterfalls) to craft beautifully sublime pieces. Meanwhile, Freshgoods is a master at blending ’90s and contemporary style to create something that’s, well, fresh. A self-described “blue collar designer,” the 32-year-old got his start in Chicago’s DIY fashion scene. Since then, his playful pop culture references have become the pillar of his two streetwear brands and storefront Fat Tiger.
Both Swopes and Freshgoods are taking their talents (patches included) to Long Beach on Nov. 3-4, where they will be selling the merch, exclusively, to ComplexCon attendees.
Check out the first episode of “Project Connect” above, and be on the lookout for episode two dropping soon on Complex.
