Our latest BLUP50 member is digital sportswear designer SETTPACE. Born out of the belief the world’s leading football clubs should embrace designer streetwear to keep up with the times, he spends his time creating on-trend designer kits for the virtual football world.
// YOUR WORD FOR 2021
// WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN ONLINE/INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK/TWITTER THAT HAS STOPPED YOU SCROLLING?
Anything to do with digital fashion or 3D design.
// GIVE US A WHISTLE STOP TOUR OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE
I started off as a conventional graphic designer, fresh out of college and I was looking for the next step, I was trying to find a job but struggling to get noticed. I decided to start an Instagram account in 2013 to document my design journey and build an online presence to aid the job search.
When I started out, I realised that Instagram was saturated with graphic design case studies and I needed to find a niche to stand out. At the time I felt like football kits had become a little stale, and I thought of an idea to create football kit concepts answering the question “What if high-fashion designers collaborated with sportswear brands to design kits for the best football teams in the world?” I love football and I love fashion as I started to create concepts based on high-fashion prints and uploading them to Instagram – the reaction was overwhelming! That’s when I realised that I may be on to something after amassing a following of over 100K, it wasn’t long until the brands started calling for collaborations.
Since, I’ve worked with most of the major sportswear brands as well as working within the e-Sports space with EA Sports and PlayStation. Now I’m looking to move more into the digital fashion/sportswear space.
//WHAT DOES 24 HOURS IN YOUR LIFE LOOK LIKE?
Wake up, walk the dog and work until I go to sleep.
// WHAT DO YOU DO TO SWITCH OFF OR CHILL?
Switch off – what’s that? If I’m not working on client work, then I’m working on a concept for Instagram or trying to learn something new.
// WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR BEST CAREER HIGHLIGHTS?
Having multiple SETTPACE Collections on FIFA or designing the kit for the PlayStation F.C Final at the Estadio Metropolitano.
// WHAT DO YOU SEE IN YOUR FUTURE?
Looking forward to exploring the digital fashion space more.
// IF YOU COULD COLLABORATE WITH ONE CREATIVE/BRAND WHO WOULD IT BE?
Designing a football kit for PSG.
‘Iridescent Rose Gold’ for a Paris Saint-Germain concept.
// WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION?
Fashion trends.
// YOUR FAVOURITE SONG OF 2021 SO FAR?
K-Trap – Street Side Effects (came out late 2020, but it’s still probably my favourite song this year)
// WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SAY ABOUT YOU AT THE END OF YOUR CAREER?
He helped to change the game and move things forward.
// WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO NEW CREATIVES?
Put your stuff out there, you never know who might see it.
// WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU IN YOUR WORLD RIGHT NOW?
Building on what I’ve already achieved.
// ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION?
Follow me on Instagram @SETTPACE to see what I’m up to.
FOLLOW SETTPACE
