Rob Garcia & CurT@!n$ Talk Kanye, A$AP Rocky and En Noir's Debut Collection

Post Black Scale, Rob Garcia is now devoting his creative proficiency and eye for quality to his highly revered brand En Noir. Coming from a streetwear background, Garcia is able to blend the world of high-end fashion with his roots and the results are seen in the details. From the RiRi-sourced zippers, waxed treated T-shirts, all the way down to the incorporation of leathers, the collection conforms to no particular season and can be pulled from your closet “whenever you want.” Obviously doing something right, the collection has since caught the attention of the likes of Kanye West, A$AP Rocky and Big Sean. In Complex‘s recent interview with Garcia, CurT@!n$ goes in with the purpose of getting readers better acquainted with this exciting new brand and the ethos behind it.

What’s the direction of design for En Noir?
This line was really me designing what I wanted to see in my closet from brands like Givenchy, Rick Owens, and Balmain. I love a lot of the stuff, but honestly some of it can’t be worn off the runway. I was like: “there’s a way to execute those silhouettes and still be able to wear them on the street.” That was it. With me right now I didn’t adhere to the seasons as far as spring, summer, winter and fall. I’m just making pieces you can have in your closet, and you pull them out whenever you want, it doesn’t even matter what time of the year it is. That’s where I was approaching it from the initial stages of En Noir.

Just like Kanye wearing your leather sweatpants in the summer.
I think it’s cool that things are always being done different within the fashion world more and more each season just because people are adapting to the times. I’m not going to say there shouldn’t be seasons, but I mean fall is releasing right now and it’s hot as fuck. The weather is changing so why be so tied to these fashion calendars? If you got a dope piece then drop it. I remember when Kanye did his first women’s line. He had these amazing ideas that he wanted to get out. It doesn’t matter if you buy it in spring and wear it in fall/winter.

How did the Kanye connection come about?
I see some people who are in his crew a lot, but dealing with Kanye is weird because obviously I would’ve given him those pieces — and that’s someone who I’d definitely would want to get feedback from — and it just so happened that his stylist somehow saw my pieces on Instagram and Tumblr. She tried to find me and get a hold of the sweats, so she hit me up one morning and I actually had a sample pair which I’d just been developing. I went over to fit him and they fit perfect. She was like “do you have any other pieces?” I brought the whole collection, and they ended up taking it to Miami to pull from for some videos.

It was just a natural, organic thing that happened and that’s how I want it to stay. I know other brands would try to place it and stuff like that, but even with Black Scale early on, we never placed and it worked out. We ended up getting A$AP Rocky out of this. Everyone has paid for the stuff, which is another cool thing. The only promo I’ve given had been for friends and people that I like, but as far as celebrities go… if Kanye’s paying for this shit, then everybody’s paying for the shit.

The interview in its entirety can be read here.