You may have seen billboards that ask “WHO THE F*** WEARS TRUE RELIGION” lately. And the truth is, a lot more people than you’d think. The brand has reworked elements of its early-aughts heyday, bringing equal parts of nostalgia and innovation to fans, while leaning on collaborators and quick drops to develop a devoted following. This year, True Religion has tapped four collaborators, dubbed the True Creators, for interactive programming at the brand’s booth at ComplexCon in Long Beach on November 19 and 20. The Creators will be bringing pieces from their collections for sale, as well as holding demos to showcase some of the process that went into them, and creating customized merchandise for guests. To learn a bit more about the Creators, we had the pleasure of interviewing them ahead of ComplexCon. Read on to get familiar.
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Madeline Kramer’s designs are influenced by her time in New York City, where she studied fashion while working retail in SoHo during the neighborhood’s streetwear boom. With the launch of her line, she’s been able to create freely, borrowing from nostalgia and melding it seamlessly with Downtown vibes. Today, her denim creations and ready-to-wear pieces have brought her multiple partnerships with True Religion as a Creator. This time, she’ll be creating custom tees and babydoll tees at Complexcon.
Do you remember your first time being introduced to True Religion?
As a teenager in upstate New York, I really only saw True Religion on celebrities or online, and it was a very aspirational brand at the time. Later in life after starting my brand in New York City, I came across a pair of True Religion jeans while thrifting for denim to rework. I ended up creating a stacked denim look with them and posted it on Instagram. To this day it’s my most liked picture and people still request the style on a daily basis.
What does being part of ComplexCon mean to you?
When I was in college, I worked part time at a sneaker store for two years. At that time, ComplexCon was a new thing, and everyone wanted to travel to California to go to the convention. As a full time student I couldn’t afford the trip at the time, so now being able to attend ComplexCon at this level is exciting and humbling to say the least.
Peder Cho
With a degree in finance and a childhood spent focusing on basketball, you might not expect Peder Cho to be making 1-of-1 custom clothing, but here we are. Cho was working as an accountant when he dipped his toes into learning to sew. While he initially started reworking his friends’ old clothing out of financial necessity, upcycling remains central to his designs today. At ComplexCon 2022, he’ll show attendees how to make custom pillows.
What inspired you to become a designer?
I never really was a fashion kid. I grew up dedicated to basketball and never cared for art or fashion. As I grew older, I took a career in accounting and immediately knew this just wasn’t for me, but I prepped my whole “adulthood” to be an accountant with a degree in finance, so I never knew how to become my own boss.
During four years of accounting, I would get my suits tailored from my father’s tailoring services, and they eventually taught me how to sew. Once I started making things my friends and even some random people wanted, I was convinced this could be my outlet to become my own boss. So I went deep into it and made it happen!
Where do you find motivation?
Being a self-taught designer, in a world that dawned on me at 25, my motivation is endless. I feel like I’m always at the surface of the iceberg. So I always welcome challenges and try to one-up my last creation. And as that grows, I find motivation in telling my story to other people who may be stuck in a corporate job they no longer have passion for. I want to be a beacon of hope for others to know that at any point in life you can switch up!
Everyone
Elijah Popo’s work is a study in how pigments can transform fabric. Drawing inspiration from color palettes and textures in his hometown of Atlanta, his dip-dyed, bleached, and washed down pieces have been a part of True Religion’s Creator’s program for years. Expect to see Popo explaining his process for dyeing custom pieces in the label’s booth at ComplexCon come November.
What inspired you to become a designer?
I remember being in college and dropping out. Being around my friends, who were all artists or creatives inspired me to make the decision. I owe it to my cousin and my close friend—and True Religion Creator—Blu Boy for being my mentors when I first started in this industry.
What is your favorite piece of clothing you’ve ever owned, and why?
My favorite piece of clothing that I own is a custom denim basketball shoe that I made. It’s one of my favorite silhouettes, and it was cool to put my own twist onto the classic design.
Blu Boy
The multi-talented Blu Boy’s output is defined by much more than what he makes. His zeal is evident both in the products he designs, but also in the sheer volume of different mediums he works in, which range from paintings to clothing to bags and even jewelry. Blu’s enthusiasm will be on display at ComplexCon, where he’ll be creating custom screen-printed tees.
Do you regularly release collections on a schedule, or are you mostly working as a collaborator?
I do it all. I release my own collections, take on various collaborations, release artwork, and NFTs. Any way I can get my artistry out there, I’m on top of it. As an artist you need your audience right in front of your work in order for them to grasp your artistry to the fullest, but as a designer you can live in my art. I don’t have to bring my sketchbook to you.
What facet of being a part of the True Religion booth at ComplexCon are you most excited about?
Seeing all the people who have supported me over the years in one place. I get a ton of love online, and think it would be amazing to just embrace everyone.
For more information about the True Religion booth at ComplexCon, click here, or buy tickets here.
