SLUMS is the streetwear brand pushing the next generation to live different

“Simply. Living. Under. My. Standards.”

That’s the message SLUMS founder Big Slummy wanted to get across when he first launched his Bay Area brand back in 2014.

But that message has grown to be much more than an acronym.

It now stands for a mindset of kids everywhere who know they don’t want to conform to the lives waiting for them if they just settle for mediocrity. SLUMS represents the next generation of creators who understand one thing: there’s more to life.

But even more than that, it’s about doing what they love and leaving an impact.

This is a movement that’s looking to push street culture further by making events and shows for the people, by the people. Where gentrification continues to grow they are staying true to their roots and holding on to their culture.

They ain’t your average start up streetwear brand either. They got some character. SLUMS is not trying to be another clone. Just a quick glance at what they have on offer proves that. We spoke to Slummy and found out a bit more about them.

We know what the acronym SLUMS stands for but what does it mean to you?

The whole acronym gave me direction and helped me realize life is lived at one’s own accord so please yourself, not society. Growing up it could have been easy to live the whole peak at high school life and live the routine zombie life after it, but I wanted something more out of life and to leave my impact. I didn’t fuck with the whole trying to fit in and morph/mold into people’s expectations or what other people wanted because at the end of the day it’s you left with your decisions so I choose for myself not off anyone else’s standards.

Do you feel like kids in the Bay Area are represented well enough when it comes to music, style and overall culture?

The Bay area fasho supplies a lot to the culture and barely gets any credit for it, the youth out here be getting slept on. The Bay area is having its lil creative renaissance right now a lot of the shows being thrown be all independent no men in suits paying for it. It’s still developing and growing but it’s becoming a battle against gentrification making it so hard to find spot to throw these events for shows/artshows.

Your Grimey Hooligan design is clearly based on early cartoons so do you plan on making that a staple of you brand?

Yeah the Grimey Hooligan is damn near the mascot of the SLUMS. I want to have him drawn in so many different styles, the old vintage cartoon style is just one of his iterations. I have so many versions of him in the vault just waiting for the right time to drop them. Regardless of the style it can be anime version, Simpsons, etc. You can tell it’s the Grimey hooligan ’cause the essence of him from lil traits, for one you’ll always see the shit head. It’s a little timeless thing to do I kind of learned from Babymilo and KAWS there’s certain characteristics they did that can be remixed with all these different variation of characters.

Are there any brands that you look up to or would like to work with down the line?

I always told myself that my idols are either gonna work with me or work against me, be my friend or be my enemy type shit. I grew up watching that Team Ice Cream volume one skate video so that’s what sparked my interest to this whole streetwear shit so I’ll say BBC and Ice Cream got a special place in my heart. Other brands I really fucked with are shit like Old HUF when Benny Gold did graphics, Mishka NYC, BAPE shit but like early BAPE shit like 2011 and earlier. Collabs from brands would be cool but that’s something I haven’t really thought of. I’m more for getting them licensed from my favorite things (shows/games) or artists that I favor.

How do you feel about exclusivity in the streetwear world and how do you plan on working that idea into your brand?

Sometimes the concept sucks because shit be so overpriced cause of this whole “limited” stock shit but designs/production don’t even live up to the price. But it’s pretty vital to have in a clothing brand the whole exclusive shit makes people feel like they in a secret club, so far for exclusive shit I just don’t restock so you get that one chance while it’s out. I’m trying to throw more events hosted by the SLUMS brand soon so making exclusive merch for the events is something that’s on my mind.

What is the vision for SLUMS?

Shit all I know is 10 years from now I want a flagship store that I can throw shows at, a getaway for creatives to get shit done, and be settled with life chilling.

SLUMS is all about community and while they’re local now, Slummy has the vision to make this something that blows up and stands the test of time.

Check out some of the lookbook for their latest collection below.