Andrew Richardson has thrived on the fringe. His portfolio is impressive in both its depth and its breadth: from his early days as a stylist on sets with photographers Steven Meisel and Terry Richardson, to his work on Madonna’s infamous Sex book, and his presence on the Downtown Creative scene, Richardson’s work largely speaks for itself. Lately, the British-born creative has been hard at work, overseeing both print and product (or hardware, as the brand’s ubiquitous Staff tees read.) According to Richardson himself, his early work was very much a reaction to “the celebration of the low-key” that he noted in the grunge era. Richardson Magazine sought to lift up and elevate the raunch. When deciding the direction of the mag, Richardson notes that he “used to listen to Howard Stern a lot when I first moved to New York and he would have pornstars interview other porn-stars——that’s the only way I found out who Jenna Jameson was.”

Meanwhile, Richardson’s clothing brand (also eponymous) focuses on subtly elevating the basics. The line itself came about almost as an afterthought—Supreme’s James Jebbia is a long-time friend and collaborator, and when the two came together to work on a collaborative line of tees, the clothing just seemed like a no-brainer. However, once Richardson focused on the intricacies of fit and construction (“I made my own terry cloth because I didn’t like the options out there,” he says), he noticed that the brand was “big in Japan.” A cease-and-desist letter from American Standard, the toilet and urinal company, was but a “rite of passage” for the designer.

Check out some highlights from the sit-down below and be sure to Listen to Andrew Richardson’s episode in full on HYPEBEAST Radio.