Hobo Code

Outsiders Episode 01: Souther Salazar from Stay Wild on Vimeo.

Souther Salazar works in an art studio 10 feet from the train tracks. Trains slowly rumble, hiss, and thunder their crazy-loud whistles as Souther quietly creates art that reminds us to stay wild-eyed and aware of our personal relationships with the little things that profoundly impact us. In Souther’s artwork, a pencil polished from years of use, worn down to the hard eraser, can become a spaceship; a burnt-out light bulb becomes a hot air balloon; and a brittle page torn from an old book is the start of a painting about floating down an irrigation ditch in a rubber raft full of dear friends, basking in the sunshine of endless summer.

Nobody understands endlessly floating better than hobos. They’re floating through life, hopping trains with no destination in mind, surfing each gritty metal wave as it presents itself. Hobos live in the moment. Hobos are free. Hobos are wild. Or at least, this is what the hobo has come to represent in our culture. Really, the hobo truth has a lot more heroin needles than bandana bundles tied to sticks. One hobo truth that you should know about is their secret written language, an alphabet of symbols. It’s an old tradition left over from the Depression, but if you look hard enough, you’ll still see these symbols chalked around train tracks. Recently two of these symbols appeared on an underpass outside Souther’s art studio. One was a drawing of a train, meaning this was a good place to hop on and off (trains slow down here). The other symbol had eyes with two crossed lines, meaning it was a good place to camp (the overpass works as a roof, and it’s out of sight from cops). 

The hobo alphabet has been scratched, chalked, inked, painted, and doodled for almost 100 years, but Souther wanted to do it in a different medium. What do hobos carry in their bindles? “Duct tape, chili, oatmeal, and baling wire,” says Souther. “It’s just like the common-man’s tool for everything… twistable strong iron.” So he used baling wire to create hobo symbols, and put them on the tracks next to his studio for the passing trains to smash. Oh boy, those trains smashed the crap out of these symbols! A word of caution: Don’t do this! The train company hates it, and they’ll call the cops on you. They called the cops on Souther! Plus, it’s dumb to play around trains, unless you’re a real-life hobo or an artist making something awesome. 

Thursday-licious

The Rainbow-Colored Awesomeness of Mokuyobi Threads

Photos by Sera Lindsey // portablesera.com 

Julie Pinzur, the creative force behind Mokuyobi Threads, agreed to go to a secret swimming hole for this interview. Because she’s got a history with high diving, we expected to do some crazy cliff jumping together—but instead we made a collaborative patch . While making that patch we learn why Julie makes the most colorful bags and stuff on the market:

If people could eat your stuff, what would it taste like?

Delicious, of course, and very sweet, but not so sweet that you’re like, “Oh, I’m gonna regret this later.” More like, “Yeah, I deserve this treat, go me.” Definitely on the dessert spectrum, but not in a cold ice cream way that hurts your teeth or a hot lava cake that burns your tongue. Just a warm, soft Thursday-licious cake with rainbow-colored chocolate and a refreshing built-in glass of milk to wash it down. Wow, that sure hit the spot! Another bite? Don’t mind if I do!

Why did you start Mokuyobi Threads?

I wanted the world to be just a little bit more awesome. I feel very passionately about color and using it to express yourself in your everyday wear. My favorite thing in the world is designing and sewing bags for people to carry their stuff around in and experimenting with new ways to do that in style, shape, usability, and construction. If one of Mokuyobi’s bags can be your adventure buddy on your journey through the far reaches of your own galaxy, then, oh snap, we’ve done it!

What do you mean you feel passionately about color? 

I think color is a super important and useful tool to convey feelings, ideas, and moods. When I see colors in certain combinations, something comes over me that I just can’t describe, like a visual epiphany. I’ve seen other people experience color in a similar way, but I think it’s so interesting how people experience color differently and the ways we find enjoyment in color. I hope to put a bit more of it out into this world of ours.

What does Mokuyobi Threads mean?

Mokuyobi means “Thursday” in Japanese. Thursday is without a doubt the best day of the week, whether you’re winding up or skipping down. I think it’s something we can all agree on. It’s really all about getting excited about or looking forward to something; the next good thing that sparks your excitement and totally pumps you up! I design usable objects to be the perfect companion to chasing excitement through life. So whatever it is you’re excited about, I hope you bring us along for the ride!

What’s the best and worst part of your recent relocation from NY to LA?

Best is definitely the weather. I very sincerely dislike wearing pants, so being able to wear shorts year-round is pretty much a dream come true and leaves me wondering why I didn’t move West sooner. I’m also able to work with the fine people of Los Angeles to bring multiples of my creations to life in a timely and high-quality fashion! The worst thing about moving out here is a short list, and mostly just has to do with moving a business across the country. Lots of packing tape and cardboard boxes.

Yeah, the West is best, but there must be some epic stuff you miss about living on the East Coast, right?

I definitely miss some of the restaurants, but that’s just because you get familiar with your city and find all your fave spots. I’m sure I’ll do just fine culinary-wise in LA. I will say that there’s nothing quite like biking over the Manhattan or Williamsburg Bridge on a warm day, or flying up 1st Avenue early Saturday morning when no one is out and feeling like the city is yours.

Your illustrations are freaking awesome! Are there any illustrators whose work you love?

Thanks so much! Going to school for illustration at Parsons the New School for Design, I was completely opened up to a world of illustration that I didn’t really know existed. It was amazing, to say the least. I was always really inspired by the work of Ryu Itadani and the playful way he depicts Japan in his illustrations, especially while I was also being influenced by Japanese culture when I studied abroad in Tokyo for a semester. A few of my other fave illustrators are Hedof, Miss Lotion, Kozyndan, Kate Prior, Jared Rippy, Billy and Alex, and my buddies Paul Windle and Rand Renfrow, who I’ve been working with on some collab stuff for Mokuyobi. Stay tuned!

What do interviewers never ask you, but you wish they would?

What I would be doing if I weren’t a maker or a brand owner. The answer is that I’ve always been really interested in science and how the human body works. It’s such a beautifully complicated, talented machine. I really wanted to be a surgeon growing up, which is basically the same thing I do now—I just operate on fabric instead of humans and my work is less time sensitive and the only fashion involved is the ever-classic and timeless hospital gown. Can’t top that. 

mokuyobithreads.com // @mokuyobithreads

NY & LA Product Parties

We love backpacks and clothes and so do you! That's why you should go check out these product parties by some of our favorite brands.

LOS ANGELES: Our favorite fun color junkies Mokuyobi Threads & Mowgli Surf are having a party!!! You should totally go and check out the awesome backpacks, clothes (for doods & ladies), patches, and collaborations Space15twenty outside Urbanoutfitters September 4th from 6-9pm 1520 N Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028

New York: Do you like freezing your buns off and looking like a ding dong? NO WAY! That's why you should be freaking stoked about Burton's new Fall/Winter line. Thursday, September 17th, 7PM-11PM. "Best of Burton Presents” screening at 9pm. Brooklyn Bowl 61 Wythe Avenue Brooklyn NY 11249 

Virtual Toms

Trippin out on Toms at Agenda

by Hunter Meece

Remember the first time you got on a ski lift? I’m not talking about the bunny hill, but like a real fucking ski lift. One that is so high up you feel dizzy as you stare at the jagged rocks and cliffs below. As the cold and stunning view leaves you breathless, you are suspended in infinity with a terror deep in your stomach as you imagine what may be waiting at the top.

It’s been a long time since my first ski lift, but the feeling of experiencing something for the first time is unforgettable and as I grow older, it’s something I cherish and seek out wherever it may be. When the opportunity came to attend my first trade show representing Stay Wild, I could feel the cables lurching forward and I jumped on a flight to Los Angeles with only a two-hour notice. 

The mountain of brands present at the Agenda trade show seemed infinite as I plowed down the mountain with my pizza fully engaged. It didn’t matter that my muscles were burning or that I probably looked like a kook; the sheer volume of vendors distracted me from my exhaustion.

After about the third run I was preparing to angle my pizza towards the trees to make some yellow snow when amidst the mountain of brands I ran face-first into TOMS shoes. 

Admittedly I was a bit embarrassed because they looked like some real hotdoggers and it was pretty obvious that I was still working on my pizza. It turned out that they weren’t pretentious at all and were stoked to show off their brand. It was jaw dropping. 

TOMS is different from the other brands that were on the mountain. Unlike other brands just looking to make a profit, they have been successful in generating a profit while generously improving lives on a global scale. Sometimes words fail to capture the essence of a style this fluid. I mean, imagine someone doing the splits in the air over a mogul to reach someone trapped on the mountain without boots! Essentially this is what I witnessed when TOMS shared their virtual reality with me. 

For those not familiar with Oculus Virtual Reality – Google or YouTube it. It’s a powerful tool that works with your smartphone to give you a visual experience of an alternative reality. Imagine stepping into your favorite game, being immersed in your favorite movie, or in the case with TOMS, jumping to a destination on the other side of the world. This technology gives you the illusion of being physically present in places you may have only dreamed about. By partnering with Occulus VR, TOMS has been able to allow customers to experience the contributions of their unique brand firsthand. Imagine what it would be like to be in the skis of the person doing the splits over a mogul to help the bootless person – to see from their point of view. Imagine looking 360 degrees around yourself and being able to decide where your attention should go. While staying loyal to the brand’s values, this experience brings marketing back to the customer as an individual. 

From TOMS’ perspective I saw what it could possibly be like to give to people in Malawi, Haiti, Peru, or one of the other 70-some countries where they have an impact. In their virtual reality it was impossible not to be captivated by the expressions on individuals’ faces as they interacted with the TOMS giving team. It was brilliant and made me want to wear their shoes. Interacting with brands the rest of the day was still an adventure, but my experience with TOMS stays with me. It was virtual, but TOMS is the real deal.