Gareth Skewis

Gareth Skewis is a London-based entrepreneur and the co-founder of Palace Skateboards, the skateboard and streetwear brand he launched in 2009 alongside Lev Tanju. He was born in May 1977 in London. Before Palace, Skewis was a co-owner of Slam City Skates, one of the city's most respected independent skate retailers, which gave him deep roots in the local skate community and a retail perspective that would inform how Palace approached its own distribution and brand identity. At Palace, Skewis operates as co-owner alongside Tanju, who serves as creative director. The brand's early association with Slam City Skates and London's Southbank skate scene gave it an authenticity that proved difficult for larger brands to replicate, and Skewis has been instrumental in maintaining that credibility as Palace has grown into a globally recognized label. His background as a retailer — understanding what skaters actually want to buy and wear — is widely credited as a key factor in Palace's ability to translate subcultural credibility into commercial success, including major collaborations with Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, and Formula 1.