Jason Dill has been making a dramatic impact on the world of skateboarding for the past twenty years. It’s only fitting that one of the biggest supporters of the culture in the print world, VICE Magazine, recently sat down for an in-depth chat with the legend. Always known to be diversifying himself, Dill has ruffled a few people’s feathers in the past with his Fucking Awesome clothing line, one that showcased some of the less than savory elements of society. Read the choice excerpts below and head over to VICE to read the terrific interview in its entirety.

So, before we get to Fucking Awesome, you’ve been skating a long time, what are the worst things you’ve seen skateboarders wear?
Man, the whole big pants, small wheels era between 1990 and 1992 is pretty hard to look at and live with. Luckily I was young then, so that’s my excuse for dressing stupid. I was massively influenced by Mark Gonzales, John Cardiel and Corey Chrysler, so some days I looked OK–I’d be in a flat brimmed baseball hat and a button up with big khakis–and other days it would be burgundy cords, a striped shirt and half cabs like Gonz.

Didn’t that whole having to wear a uniform thing annoy you?
Ah, I mean it just was what it was, you know? It’s hard to be cool when you’re that young. I just wish I wore exactly what Ray Barbee wore in the Public Domain video, every day. In fact, I should have just dressed like Ray full stop, he looked so sick. Ray should definitely have been on Transworld’s most influential skaters of all time list, not me.

Nah, you both deserved a place on there. You’ve been tight with the Supreme guys for a while too, right? And they were basically at the center of that mid 90s NY skate look. What do you remember about that era in terms of style?
I remember being out front of Supreme in ’94 with zits and a shitty, kinda pompadour, hair style. I was about 17 and just soaking it all up. All the brown girls walking by the shop were all so good-looking and just fucking ruling, but I was really shy so I was just observing everything. I remember one girl–well, she was more like a woman, actually–who was so hot. She’d come by and say hi to all the boys at the shop, and I would just stare at her in awe. She was much older than me, but many years later I spent a few nights with her. It was rad. Anyway, from that first Calvin Klein t-shirt bite, I was wearing the red and white box logo every day, I loved it. Oh, the Muhammad Ali boxing Superman t-shirt was incredible too, and the Richard Pryor shirt was amazing, I wore that one all the time. Supreme made the first stuff, outside of Polo and Nautica, that everybody would wear. It was cool ’cause it was the first time you’d be wearing gear made by people you know, which was inspiring to me.

Awesome. Did you ever help out in the creative process at Supreme or were you just hanging out there?
No, I just always repped their shit because when I first came to New York those guys really took me in and guided me. They were so good to me that I was more than happy to wear Supreme. I really didn’t ride for any big skate clothing companies at the time and was mainly skating in Filas. Man, it was a different world back then.

Obviously you have all the links with Supreme, but I read somewhere you hate streetwear generally. Why’s that?
Oh, it’s just what all that shit represents. The stencil bullshit, the wheat-paste bullshit, the fake skate bullshit. I just can’t believe kids buy into all that. It’s like, “nice Obey hat, bud.” You know?

Ha ha. Wouldn’t you define FA as streetwear, though?
No, I think of it as an idea company. I only make something when I feel like it’s right, or if I have the right materials. I don’t use the internet, I find everything I put out by hand, and sometimes I don’t find enough material, or I make stuff and then I just don’t like it. Also, Fucking Awesome isn’t seasonal, it’s just there when it’s there, and I don’t make much of it. I constantly shoot myself in the foot from a business standpoint actually ’cause I make it for sale but at the same time I don’t want you to have it. It’s a bit of a personality disorder company.

Photography: Karl Hab/Hypebeast

On-and-off brand Fucking Awesome has come to represent some of the most captivating and interesting graphical T-shirts out there. As the brainchild of one Jason Dill, the pro skater and all-around interesting guy has seen his brand endure several hiatuses over the years. But at the core of the brand lies (what we feel like) anyways a strong philosophy that has made the brand such a cult classic over the years. We caught up with Dill for a short series of questions which will probably shed some much needed light on the brand’s background.

The collection in its entirety will be available as of today at Supreme New York alongside the new Supreme Fall/Winter 2011 collection.

When you started Fucking Awesome, what was the reason behind it?
I was all of 23 or 24 years old when I started Fucking Awesome… I didn’t really care at the time… I sure as fuck wasn’t trying to make a “brand” y’know? Fucking Awesome was just an inside joke, I felt that people wouldn’t get the references (I was young and cocky thought it would fly over people’s heads)… I figured people wouldn’t get/be into anything I was making… which just made me want to do it more… I wanted to kinda just throw shit at the wall and see what would stick… really though, I would walk orders over to Supreme New York from my house and be afraid of the shit not selling at all… the possibility of it just sitting there really scared me… I won’t lie about that.

It’s been a few seasons since FA released anything, what have you been up to since?
I only make FA when I am certain I like it… I have made whole seasons before and threw it away because it wasn’t good enough… I only make it when I have the materials at hand that are suitable for making a whole FA line… also being in love with drugs and booze over the years… pile that on top of psychotic behavior and season to season… umm, shit… yea, I just wouldn’t make it… I don’t really make it season to season… I want to, kinda. I wanna do it for the people who tell me they love FA… I don’t really work that way though… I dunno… we’ll see… I wish I could make cigarettes.

Where do you usually get all your photos?
I find it all myself… no Google, no internet… not one item I have ever made is with a photo off the internet… not a fucking one… that’s the only way I can live with FA being out there… I have to find the shit with my eyes and hands, physically seek out material… If I like it I keep it… it’s on paper in its original form before I make something out of it… I have found things that I have used in abandoned houses in Australia… I find things all over the map… but yea man… no internet images at all… I love Fuck This Life by the way.

What’s been your favorite graphic to date as well as your favorite design from this season?
This season is OK… I won’t lie… without a couple of em’ in there that I really like I would have thrown this season away… the “raise your hand” shirt is pretty bitchin’… it’s an amnesty international poster I found in the street in NY… it just worked… I put an FA sticker on it to block out a couple of the words… I like the way that one came out a lot… I dunno… I just needed to put something out again… there are new kids out there who kinda grew up with FA… I just wanted them to have at least some new shit for them to run while I work on the next shit… I give this season a C+, or C-… my “favorite graphic?” (laughter) Shit… people sure did bite the living shit out of “Booze and Shoes” huh? The “god only knows what I would be without booze” was rad, pet sounds font and colors… that was a banger… the shirt we did with Aron… “Dill vs. the Don”… and of course the stuff me and Dash did from a few years ago is very close to my heart.

You recently worked on a new book, what’s the background behind that?
I was approached by some people in japan to make something… I said “make what?” and they said “make anything, whatever you want.” So yea, thanks to Tower Books, BEAMS and One Gram… I made a book… without support from them, I wouldn’t have done it on my own… I never really thought that I would make an actual book outta the photos I had taken over the years… I moved house in New York about a year ago and that forced me to actually organize all my old photos… once it was all in front of me I figured “fuck it… I’ll make a book.” It’s called Dream Easy… I doubt anybody will buy it.

Anything else you want to say?
Mass appeal is a scary thing… if everybody else went out and bought it… then that’s more reason for you to go out and get something different… also… you shouldn’t give a flying fuck what I think or anybody else thinks… running out of places to hunt… running out of places to hide.

DEFRAG delves into the mind of Skateboarder extraordinaire and Fucking Awesome co-founder Jason Dill with this informative interview. Citing early influences, the conceptualization of Fucking Awesome, to his philosophy on skateboarding; Jason Dill demonstrates his longstanding mark on skate culture.

Check out the video here.

Director: Ryoji Kamiyama

Fucking Awesome drops a new series of t-shirts as the brand brings to the table some of its ever-recognizable pieces such as the Fucking Awesome logo. Also in the mix are a handful of photo-print t-shirts which can all be seen at select Fucking Awesome retailers and online at Reserve.

Coming out of hibernation this season, Fucking Awesome offers a look into their collection which has begun hitting stores. With brand founder and professional skater Jason Dill no stranger to controversy, the releases include some provocative imagery which should come as no surprise over a series of solid t-shirts and hoodies.

After receiving a preview of the samples back in June, the collabo between Fucking Awesome and Etnies Plus finally sees itself into retailer accounts. Having Jason Dill join the Etnies team last year made this project a natural choice, seeing as he is the owner of apparel label Fucking Awesome. The shoe itself features a low key black/white/gum color scheme with an over-sized logo providing most of the design’s focus. The kicks limited to 715 pairs are now available at Caliroots.

Pro Skater Jason Dill’s clothing brand, Fucking Awesome, was started in 2006 with a series of logo focused tees. Since Jason signed with etnies this past year, it is only logical for them to collaborate on some sneakers. The shoes are all black, bearing the F.A. logo on the back heel. These are set to release in early fall of this year.

Source: Complex

For Jason Dill’s Fucking Awesome label, the brand offers an edgy authentic approach reflective of Jason’s unique personality and philosophy. The long-time Etnies rider came together with the skate brand’s sub-label Etnies Plus to create a special Fucking Awesome x Etnies Plus design. The black upper with gum sole is an infallible equation in our opinion, with the not so subtle branding starting at the middle of the upper and wrapping around the heel in classic FA fashion. Stay tuned for more details regarding the release.

Info/Image: Crooked Tongues