From The Streets To The Big Stage With Kizmet Change is inevitable but you can’t always wait around for it if you want to find success. For Toronto based graffiti and lighting artist Kizmet, taking matters into his own hands was key. While the general population was taking its time to decide whether or not graffiti art was for them, Kizmet was carving his path through the underground arts and music scene and making a name for himself. From the streets to the big stage, Kismet is a prime example of taking initiative and not being afraid to put in the hours and it shows, big time. Read through the interview with Kizmet below where we dive into his early beginning, what gave him the courage to pursue his passions, what he’s excited for in this ever changing world of art and much more. Hey Kizmet! For those not familiar, can you tell us a little about yourself? Hey I’m Kizmet, and who am I? That’s something I like to let people figure out themselves. Maybe this conversation will help [laughs]. And figure out we shall! What’d you get up to today? I was in my studio most of the day. There are a bunch of pieces I’m working on so that’s keeping me busy. You’ve talked a lot in the past about how your studio space in Toronto is really your comfort zone. What are the keys to a great studio/work space? When I used to do a lot of music, I always wanted a space where I could have all of my stuff and get everything done there. Now, with art, it’s the same way. Kind of like in the Shedders Lair in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie where all the kids are just chilling spray painting, blasting music being creative doing karate and there’s like some dude just offering kids cigarettes. Everyone is just doing their thing. That’s what I want minus the encouraging kids to smoke[laughs]. The key for me is that I could be there at any point, day or night, doing whatever I want and nobody gets mad. Like if I play a drum set at 4am in the morning nobody is going to call the cops. It’s like having a clubhouse. I can get work done or if I wanted I could watch a film on a projector screen or I could play drums or me and my studio mate can Jam or play video games on the big screen. Who inspired the faces that we see prominently across your artwork? I haven’t really shared this formally on many platforms so this will be a first actually. I often don’t talk about the context of my paintings personally. With street or graffiti art, the artist is often anonymous and so the viewer needs to create their own interpretations of the works. That’s what I want for my work. That being said I have always had meaning behind the works so here it is. I’m huge into Sci-Fi. So with the faces, I wanted to create a new reality that would change over time. First they wore glasses, then those came off and you saw there weren’t any eyes, and then the faces multiplied and the narrative kept on changing. And in the end it turns out these faces are a robot tricking you into falling in love with it. It’s all about coercion and one the original presented concept turning out to be one big lie and everything is a connected story. Damn! That’s wild. Did you know when you started the faces that it would turn into that huge story over multiple years? At the time I started doing these I was in this transitional phase with my art and so I started creating these faces and actually built this entire story and knew where I wanted to take it from the beginning. I knew I’d be able to get better over time as an artist which would allow me to develop the characters further and keep making them better so that when it came time to talk about it, it would all be ready. Did you also plan on using them for live events or was that part decided afterwards? Ya so the idea was to be able to bring them to shows/events and tour them around. I’ve always been really big into music and events so I wanted to be able to bring my work there. Also the impact of bringing work to music festivals and seeing people interact with it in person there is amazing. Its something you don't really get in a gallery or just with a mural on a wall. There’s also a ton of elements that you can play with too like with smoke and lights which is epic. How big is that for you? I’ve been doing light murals for a little while. It’s really crazy about how light interacts with colours. It’s not like normal colour mixing. You get these wild combinations of mixing light with paint and what colours will turn into what when certain light hits it and you can play with different elements and make these pieces really come to life. You can make it so stuff is hidden or morphing and people trip out watching it. Sometimes I make the transitions slow so you don’t even realize what’s happening in the moment until the image has completely changed colours. Going back to your roots now. What was the evolution of going from graffiti to this experiential art like? I kinda always knew that this was going to be what I make my living on. The whole tags and street bombing thing is really just advertizing to get your name out there, but I knew to make a living I would need to put more thought into conceptualizing. For me it wasn’t so much of changing the art style but it was me being more serious and that led to the transition which has been a good one. Was there a moment or turning point where you knew you’d be able to make this work out as your career? I got kicked out of high school for some graffiti shit and went to a new alternative school where there were tons of artists. The head of my new school, John Morton, told me “this is a democratic school. If you want to paint the school, cool. Make a proposal and maybe you'll even get paid for it. Just let us know how and when you want to do it and if everyone is ok with it, you can do it.” I was so shocked. I presented it to the school and everyone was hyped about it. Now I don’t even think there’s space left because the entire place is painted up. The school got covered. Once people found out it was cool to do, everyone went nuts. It started in the hallways, the stairwell, the lunchroom and then it just got everything. They even painted the outside of the school. It looked sweet. That introduction of a safe space where I could have an idea and it would be approached with an open mind was what showed me there might be a long term opportunity with this. That’s an insane story. Maybe hard to top but do you have a “greatest story of all time” from your tagging days? Honestly all the days of tagging were just insanity. If you were somewhat tapped into that culture back then you’ve probably had some crazy f**** up experiences. Like everyone is nuts. The lifestyle of being out super late, running from cops, tons of partying, is kinda crazy in itself. I would tell these stories to people that were not part of that culture and they’d all just think I was lying. The stuff is truly unbelievable. Are there any stark differences or changes that you’ve observed with graffiti art and culture over the years? The biggest thing now is street art is very accepted and also highly funded. Back in the day it was so criticized like once I was painting a garage for someone and the neighbour came out with a baseball bat and was threatening to beat me up because he thought I was tagging. Recently though I was doing a garage for someone else and the neighbour there came out and was like “what about my fence? I want a mural too.” I was shocked. I thought he was going to be pissed off but he was jealous. He literally said “I’m a taxpayer and I should have my fence painted too”. [laughs]. Why do you think things have changed so much like that? I think it was that the city really got behind it. They finally accepted that you can’t fight graffiti because you don’t know who it is and it will NEVER go away. It used to be that if someone tagged on your business, you had twenty four hours to get rid of it or you’d get fined, so as a result business owners just started commissioning murals to get around the rule. Then programs funding murals came around to deter people from just aimlessly tagging. It’s been a slow transition but a good one. I also just think some people need some sort of authority or what they consider a validated entity to say it’s ok and then they’re quick to accept things. Any tips/tricks that you’d give to young artists of stuff of the trade you wished you knew when you started out in graffiti? There’s this whole starving artist mentality that leads to artists getting taken advantage of by these big companies and corporations who don’t pay well and treat the artists poorly. I think it’s important for artists to know that it’s completely ok to walk away in the middle of the job if you’re not getting the respect or being treated properly. Protect yourself and your representation. Don’t let money control everything you do. I know some artists take jobs and feel like shit after because it was a terrible experience but they wanted to be able to say they worked for that company to feel validated. That’s just so not how art should be. No matter who you are - and I know it’s easier said than done - but stand up to these big corporations or anyone not treating you fairly. Until people do this, nothing will ever change. Once you do this and you start prioritizing yourself, you’ll actually open so many new doors. These great clients and jobs do exist. Be patient and protect your values and you’ll find them. Lastly, what keeps you inspired to continue creating and what are you looking forward to next? The DOCD (Department of Civilian Dance) parties we’ve been throwing, like the raves, have been challenging me to keep being creative and force me to always one up myself and that’s awesome. It’s a pressure that I put on myself but I know if I do so, I’ll keep creating and getting better to the point where I’m surprising myself. That’s the best feeling like “holy s**t, I made this?” [laughs]. I’m also really inspired by all these new faces that are doing great work and that I know are going to be huge. We’re close to a point where everyone can really thrive together as things change. It’s a really exciting time in Toronto right now. It feels like the renaissance of DIY culture and I’m super stoked for it. Check out Kizmet's Instagram to find out about upcoming events and see more amazing work coming from Kizmet and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

Doing It His Way With Rae Mendoza of ICYT They say that pressure produces diamonds and this definitely shows through with Rae Mendoza and I'll Call You Tomorrow, his clothing brand and artist collective based out of Edmonton, AB that has been working hard to put their city on the map amongst the heavy hitters of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. We got the opportunity to chat with Rae about the growth of his collective, how it opened up new doors with his agency Tomorrow Works and tips he has for creatives looking to get noticed. Read some excerpts from the conversation below! Rae on Building Things His Way Being housed and running everything from our home city of Edmonton, Alberta is really freeing for us. It lets us build our community how we want to do it and not as a reflection of something else. We just love this challenge of building new infrastructure and new opportunities for people that resonate with our platform where they don't typically exist. It also just lets us be a bigger fish in a small pond. Rae on Working With Friends I was very fortunate from the start to just always be around just super talented people, whether it was photography, design, music, now tattooing and illustration. Once I started working with them though, I really quickly realized where now as a business owner working with my best friends, it's up to me to set those boundaries of like, "in this space we're professionals working together and I'm holding you accountable for deliverables, and we have a specific function we need to do, and then we can go back to being friends outside of that space." In terms of finding the right people, a lot of it comes down to that gut feeling of knowing that we see things eye to eye, whether it's like good product, good design, taste levels, community, or you just knowing that this person's honestly just a good person. Rae on Finding New Opportunities Tomorrow Works as an agency has this living portfolio that is always constantly putting out new work in the form of I'll Call You Tomorrow. The bulk of our business just comes from people seeing our brand and then knowing that they can do something similar for their brand and their business. It's such a small circle these days of who is interconnected, putting your work out there and just showing that what you can do and how you deliver it at a very high level is the most important thing. Most of those things will kind of just sort themselves out and come to you. Then as a consultant and on the agency side, it comes down to you being ready for those looks as they come. Rae on Passing The Torch We started noticing it happening now as me and my team, we're getting a little bit older, where young kids will come up to our events and our parties and they'll be like, "I'm 22 or 21 and the first pop up or cool art party that I ever went to was one of your events and now I'm starting my own t-shirt line or I want to do certain things in the streetwear and arts community because of that event" and seeing that grow outside of us is some true 'pass the torch' legacy type shit. That's the stuff that keeps me up at night that I love. Make sure to follow I'll Call You Tomorrow and Tomorrow Works on IG for news on all of their upcoming events, projects and clothing releases and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with entrepreneurs coming soon.

A Conversation With Obra.Jay Jonathan Rodriguez is the creator behind Obra.Jay, a creative outlet focused on vintage sneakers, fashion & DIY streetwear with a quickly growing, international audience. Coming off the recent release of his 1.0 Obra.Jay sneaker, Jon is making a big splash in the game and when he's not designing, collecting vintage kicks or vetting IG fit-pics, Jon is also a wedding photographer and barista in his home town of Albuquerque, NM. @obra.jay As a leader in fit-pic curation, what are 5 of the hottest poses right now for a great pic? The leg cross Hands together or crossed arms with a nice slouch Leg up with foot on the side of the wall The “candid” walk pose Straight up model shot with the face mask. A big one during these times! What are your top 5 sneaker silhouettes of all-time? Jordan 1 Air Force 1 Nike Dunk (High or Low - both are perfect) Converse Chuck Taylor High (Old model) New Balance 990 (any version!) Once COVID lightens up and we can travel again, where would you love to travel to? I'd love to spend a summer in New York. Just do the NY thing! I also have some friends living in Madrid, Spain so I'd love to get out there to see them. Iceland is beautiful. I'd love to shoot some landscapes out there. The Swiss alps would be sweet too and then of course, I'd love to go to Japan to experience the fashion, food and sneaker culture out there! If you could only have 5 shoes for the rest of your life, what would they be? Jordan 1 1985 'Neutral Grey' Nike Dunk High 'Neutral Grey' (with a blueish tint) Any grey New Balance model Nike Air Force 1 w/ the green Swoosh Jordan 1 1985 'Black/White' Lastly, we know the culture's changing all the time but what are 5 trends you love or hate in sneaker culture right now? I LOVE that the faded/worn look is in. Vintage tees, worn shoes and painter pants. I HATE the resell market. I'm a part of it but hate that I have to be. I HATE bots (but can't say I haven't tried checking it out. I LOVE the bootleg Jordans trend. It's such a fun way to mix things up. I LOVE & HATE the popularity of dunks. Love it because I love dunks. hate it because prices are going crazy! For more on Obra.Jay, check out his Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

2024 Recipient: Bruized Explore the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund Introducing Bruized, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2024! Founders: Monique Chan & Justice Walz Location: Toronto, ON Discover Bruized online: Website // Instagram About Bruized Bruized is a women-led company on a mission to fight food waste through education and sustainable snacks. They rescue surplus food and upcycle it into plant-based, gluten-free treats like their Pulp Crunch clusters and freshly baked cookies. To date, Bruized has saved over 5,642 lbs of produce, working with partners like FresHouse Juicery and Village Juicery while selling their products through local retailers and farmers' markets. They’ve secured $70,000 in grants and have been featured in outlets like the Toronto Star and Elle Gourmet, as well as speaking at events like COP15. Beyond selling snacks, Bruized aims to inspire collective action toward reducing food waste and embracing imperfect ingredients. How will the fund make an impact with your business? We’re currently stuck in the day-to-day operations of crafting and selling our products, leaving us without the capacity to focus on strategic growth or the educational and community aspects that inspired Bruized. With high demand for our sustainable snacks, our biggest challenge is breaking this cycle by growing our team to meet product demand while creating space to expand our mission. This fund will allow us to hire and train a part-time team member, increasing our production capacity and ensuring ethical pay. This additional support would help us fulfill larger orders, reduce more food waste, and dedicate more time to engaging and educating our community. What is your long term goal for the company? A long-term goal for Bruized is to expand beyond selling products by focusing on education and community-building through initiatives like ‘fulCircle,’ Toronto’s sustainability collective. This year, we hosted Supper Club events that used surplus produce, partnered with local chefs, and sparked meaningful conversations about food systems. Moving forward, we aim to partner with farmer’s markets to rescue surplus produce and create Bruized Boxes—affordable packages of fresh, local goods that prevent food waste. By fostering collaboration and education, we hope to strengthen food systems and reconnect people with the stories behind their food. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2024 recipients here.

Dancing Through The Yarn With Trish Andersen Follow your gut and take chances. It will take you everywhere. Such is the case for Georgia based fiber artist, Trish Andersen, whose tufting work has caught the attention of the masses. After over a decade-long career working in a corporate design job in New York, Trish dropped everything to focus on a solo freelance career and follow her entrepreneurial spirit. Years later, after taking a hard look at her jobs and deciding she wanted even more independence, Trish would drop her client work, move back home to Georgia and pursue a daring career as a solo fine artist in rug tufting, a very niche art form that she had little knowledge of at the time; but something about it just felt right. Fast forward to today, Trish is one of the best known tufting fine artists in the game, appealing to the fine art and interior experts all the way to streetwear heads and hypebeasts. All of this success is attributed to Trish’s ability to keep a level head, follow her gut and never stop exploring and we got the chance to go through all of this in a very special conversation. Hey Trish! The first question we have for you is, what was it like moving from New York back to Georgia. It was definitely a little scary because there’s so much opportunity in New York but it just felt right for me. Turns out, Dalton, which is only a few hours away from Savannah where I live now, is the rug capital of the world so the fit isn’t so bad [laughs]. They produce something like 80% of the world’s rugs there which is insane. Wow that’s wild! What do you think it was about tufting that got you hooked (no pun intended)? Tufting is super free flowing with the gun because you can go in any direction you want. You can really jump around your canvas and it was like painting for me which I love. It’s like a dance working with the gun. It also lets me focus on the fine art more and then I can bring in the functional aspect, like with the line of products I have inspired by my fine art, such as the wool rugs and runner rugs, as I want. One of our first discoveries of your work was actually the Runner Rug through Hidden NY, a curation mood board catering to art and streetwear fashion enthusiasts. How does it feel to see your work catch the attention of subcultures like that? Honestly, it blows my mind! I made the runner rug with no intention of selling it. I thought it was cool but not that cool [laughs]. I had no idea that it would catch the attention of consumers in these other groups and I never cared about what people were going to think of it when I made it but it’s really cool to see everyone so into this art form and the pieces that I make. It’s very hard to always fight that evil voice in your head asking “will people like it?” or “is it good enough to share?” but I think because I got into this just for me, I’ve been able to get away from that voice. I’m constantly trying to remind myself to just make what I want to see in the world and tell myself that there are people out there who will be into what I make and eventually I’ll find them. Very true and clearly there are a lot of people who are liking what you are putting out. How did it feel, as someone who’s been making rugs for so long, to see so many people get into rug making during covid? I think it’s super cool. I’m a big “community over competition” kind of person. The process for me has been so beneficial and it’s really great to see other people embracing it. Everyone has their own voice and I think there’s room for us all. It’s been super cool to see how people like Tim who runs tuftinggun.com has grown such a big community and business in the last two years and how social media has really helped it take off. At the end of the day, if we can all add some more softness and joy to the world during quarantine then that’s amazing! What’s your design process like? Do you typically draw things out first and have materials/colours in mind? It’s a little bit of planning and a little bit of free flow. I usually sketch out designs on Procreate which I love. I always had some trouble sketching on paper so working on Procreate on my iPad is amazing and it lets me scale designs which is super helpful. For the colors, I’ll usually have a palette in mind but I'll pull all the colours I think I'm going to use and then visualize them and move them around. Once I’m working on the canvas, I really try to move feely and respond to the piece in the moment. If I plan colours but then don’t think I want to use them, I’ll change them. It’s definitely like a dance. I also like, however, that you have to be decisive as much as it is free flowing. It’s always a challenge because you can only pull out things you don't like so many times before the backing is compromised so it's a mix of free and calculated. How many rolls of yarn do you think you have gone through in the last 4 years? Ha! I have no idea. It must be thousands. I’ll use all different types of wool and I’ll source yarns everywhere. It’s all a precious exercise of locating yarns. I’m using so many different colours and materials which I think creates great texture. Back in September you launched your first reproduced collection which gave general consumers the chance to buy your work. How was that experience for you and were there any learnings that you’ll take with you for future releases? So far the feedback has been really good and the experience has been great. I set things up for the e-comm site so that the orders go out to a factory that makes and ships the items so luckily I don’t have to deal with that. I am still getting familiar with how to handle the customer support side of things the best way possible but so far so good. I think one of the biggest learnings was really around, once everything launched, seeing how much work it can all be for one person and understanding the importance of having a good setup throughout. If I was packing and shipping everything myself it wouldn’t be scalable and would slow down the creative side. I’d say to anyone, make sure you think about the process all the way through before going live. Otherwise, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Luckily now that I’ve done this though and things are running smoothly, I can start thinking about launching new lines! Oh! What other lines are we talking about? I have a ton of ideas. I’m going to be collaborating with my husband who’s a painter on something and some other projects as well. I’m not a big planner though [laughs]. I kind of just follow what feels good. Living with your husband who is a painter must be super cool on the collaboration side! Ya, it’s super fun. I don’t think I could be with anyone who’s not an artist. We both live and breathe art and we learn a lot from each other too. Any tips for young artists trying different mediums to express themselves? I’d definitely go back to the idea that you have to try to get away from comparing yourself to others and caring what they think. It’s hard with social media but it’s very important. I always say that social media should be for connecting, not comparing. Everyone has their own voice. Follow your gut and what makes you happy and explore that. Find a creative community that you can be a part of. Try to work with other artists. Observe others. Get out there. Be patient and keep putting in the work. Eventually, you’ll get to a point where you can really dictate what you want to do. Lastly, take risks and don’t be afraid of making bad work. It’s required in the art world but that’s also what makes it fun. That’s great advice! Lastly, for those looking to start tufting, where should they look? Honestly, the first thing to do is just Google tufting and watch a ton of videos. I’m actually going to film a workshop next month with Domestika which will be super fun, so watch that too [laughs]. Another great site to check out is Tim’s site that I mentioned earlier, tuftinggun.com. There’s an awesome forum for people posting about their experiences, where they get materials, etc. Everyone is super supportive and willing to share information. It’s a great community! Also, if you are looking to buy gear you can use my code "Trishtufts" for 15% off :) Make sure to check out Trish's Instagram for more news on upcoming projects and releases and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

Showing Up With Liz Beecroft After twelve very interesting months, we got the chance to catch up with one of our earliest guests; psychotherapist, LCSW, founder of MENTL.SESH and style queen Liz Beecroft. Liz has been on a roll since our last conversation, building and launching her private practice, making big moves with brand collaborations, leading in-person events promoting mental health and some of the best fit pics on social media. After a year of uncertainty but much excitement, it was only right that we catch up with Liz to chat about how she's feeling coming out of the pandemic and everything she has in the works. Check out the highlights from the conversation below! So, Liz! How have you been over the last 12 months? "Really good! There have been a lot of amazing opportunities that have been coming in. It's been really busy with a lot of restructuring with the team but all good and we recently had a great activation at ComplexCon and with MSG for Women's Empowerment featuring MENTL.SESH. I'm really spending a lot of time now trying to position MENTL.SESH properly so that we can do more in-person events which is really exciting!" Everything with MENTL.SESH lately has been really awesome! "We have a lot of exciting opportunities this year where we can quite literally meet people where they are and teach them how they can bring mental health into these spaces. We actually want to give you skills and get something for your mental health out of these experiences." March is the month where all the brands bring out their "Women's Empowerment" content but we keep an eye on who continues to do the same year round. May is the same for Mental Health. How are you looking at this when you see companies posting about these causes? "I’ve been doing a lot more trainings over the last year where I'm training companies internally on mental health in the workplace and I think that has given me a really good look at what brands are really doing it the right way and starting internally first and then going externally with that message. Having people who are not only really good at their jobs and talented in their respective craft, but who also have passions about a diverse range of causes, is really important because when you look at leadership, you want to make sure that those people are walking the walk and modelling that behaviour for other people. That’s also going to seep through to different teams and throughout the company." Liz on how to approach the world re-opening again. "Just like it was a huge adjustment to go into lockdown, it’s now going to be another huge adjustment to get back into what we've known. Our bodies and our minds have all adapted to slowing down. It’s OK to feel like you don’t really have the motivation and energy to do something all the time. It's normal." (LISTEN BELOW) TALK NICE TO ME! "If you aren’t feeling it, don’t force it. Listen to yourself, give yourself grace, be gentle and really start talking yourself in a nice way. We have to start first with ourselves because of the way we speak to ourselves matters. We need to really talk nice to ourselves and when we do that, everyone else and can also talk nice to us because we will be kicking ass!" You've mentioned that you don't just want to be known as the "Sneakerhead Therapist" anymore. How does tying into where you're at and what you're interested in to your brand? "I think it's all about growth. We have to be self aware and know what we do and don't want for ourselves because that's how we can set different goals and go after them. I've grappled with this for a while but I know that I can still love sneakers and I don't need to have a collection of 270 pairs and that does not take away from what I do and don't know about shoes." Lastly, we know you have a big wedding coming up! Any big plans for that? Yes! Can't wait to be together with all of my family and friends again. Crocs is sponsoring! White crocs for everyone! ...and I have a plan to get Post Malone to my wedding! (Watch Below) Make sure to keep up with Liz on Instagram as well as MENTL.SESH and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

A Conversation With Estudio Niksen Montreal-based fashion studio Estudio Niksen has been making a huge splash lately as curators and importers of some of the best international (mostly Korean & Japanese) fashion out there. Recent success has meant things are moving very quickly and as that continues, founders Andres and Gaby are mindful of moving at a pace that’s right for them and taking time to breathe. In comes Niksen, the “art of doing nothing”, a practice that the two have put at the forefront of their business to avoid burnout and ensure that they are creating a hub that fosters creativity while prioritizing wellness and inclusion. We got the chance to speak with Andres & Gaby about balancing passion and business, being a fashion label without an overt home-base, building international partnerships, how to do “baggy” the right way and of course, the art of doing nothing from their lens. You’ve spoken about the importance of finding a balance between making for yourself and making for them. How do you do this and have you found it difficult to accomplish as you grow? It’s definitely not easy. As you grow the business, it’s hard not to be swayed by the audience feedback and start thinking about what gets the most likes or engagement. A lot of people fall into the trap of creating for likes and not for yourself. We try to be very disciplined about this and try to make a habit of critically thinking about the moves we make. This is not to say that we just disregard how our audience might react to what we do but we just want to make sure that when we look at what the business has become in 5 years we aren’t too far about why we started this whole thing. How do you think about this balance from a financial perspective? Obviously we love everything we put out but we know there are products that will sustain the business and that customers will always come back for, while others that we get a little crazier with might not always sell the most but are fun for us. We obviously have to think about money but we try not to let it impact our decisions too much. Although Estudio Niksen is fairly new, you’ve both been in the design and art scene for quite a while. What made you want to go out and start your own project? Andres: I’ve always been really into Asian design and have spent a long time learning how to source pieces from countries like Korea or Japan. My friends used to start asking me to help them find pieces because they didn’t know how to find good designers out there and there was really nowhere here that you could find good and somewhat affordable stuff like that. Having been in fashion for a while I had often thought about starting my own project, mostly thinking about launching a brand, but I decided instead that my project would be curating these great pieces from around the world and bringing them to North America. I love putting people on stuff that I think is cool so this was the perfect opportunity to do this at a bigger scale. Having Gaby with me has been huge for Estudio Niksen as well. Her background is in art history and museology and she handles all the design and art direction in the homewares part of the business which is super important for the brand. What are the best and worst things about running a fashion business out of Montreal? The best thing is that it’s small so word spreads a bit more easily and everyone is super tight. I guess that can also be a bad thing though sometimes since you can get boxed into a small scene. Since we’re importing and selling domestically and internationally though, we don’t really get labeled as a “Montreal brand” but people do think it’s cool when they learn that we’re based here. We’ll sell to people in Los Angeles and they have no clue that they’re shopping on a Canadian site until they get tracking from Montreal [laughs]. It’s interesting what you say about not necessarily needing to stake your claim as a “Montreal Brand” and we can see this in how diverse all of the work you put out is. Absolutely! We have roots from all over, like I’m from Venezuela and live in Montreal and love Korean fashion. We’ve kind of found our land in this no-man's-land. Gaby is the same way. We’ll try to mix things up as much as possible with different models, different languages and different styles. Estudio Niksen is meant to be a hub for people with shared passions and diverse cultures so it doesn’t really matter where we’re based. Especially with social media and the internet, we can share things with people all over the world, no matter who they are or where they’re from. Can you talk about the process of connecting with small/independent designers around the world to bring in products for Estudio Niksen? For sure. It’s a pretty crazy experience. We’ve probably spoken to over 250 small creators around the world and bought from maybe 40 of them. We’ve learned how to communicate with them and get deals done which took some time. Really a lot of it just boils down to money overseas. If you can pay for an order, that’s what will open doors but then once we’re in, we really try to build and foster relationships with the designers. The brand's name Niksen comes from the “art of doing nothing”. Why was that important to you and the project? Andres: I’ve been an extrovert my entire life. My dad used to always tell me that I had to learn more about being with myself. I do like doing a lot but I’ve also learned to enjoy having my own time and space. A few years ago I discovered the idea of Niksen “doing nothing” and I’ve been following it ever since. I think it’s super relevant along the lines of mental health and entrepreneurship, saying that it’s ok to take time to reset and that you don’t always have to be going at full speed 24/7. Niksen flows into the products we curate as well. The clothes are comfortable and approachable and we lean on the living space designs as well to create comfort in our daily spaces. Can you give us a 5 step guide to “doing nothing”? There isn’t really a guide or one way to “do” Niksen. It’s a mindset that you practice and design for yourself over a long time. That being said, I can share some tips that might help someone looking to start. The first thing is curating an environment that you feel comfortable in alone and without distractions. That space could be your home, the park, the movies or wherever but make sure it’s someone you always feel good in and can relax in. Once you’re in your space, put your phone down, get away from the distractions and just do nothing. I know it sounds weird and it might be strange to do at first but you just need to do nothing without purpose. Niksen isn’t something you achieve. Once you find what works for you, keep at it. Practice makes perfect and overtime it will feel more comfortable and become more effective. We will definitely be trying this! Next question; can pants be too baggy? Haha, that is a great question. We definitely have some big pants on the site which we love but yes, pants can be too baggy. If you’re going to wear baggy, be intentional with it. Understand the environment that these baggy styles come from. Think about what shoes and what tops look good with baggy pants so you can get the outfit right. Overall, we’re super excited that baggy is becoming more accepted. There has always been a stigma around baggy pants, associating it with sloppiness and people always thought tighter was better. We’re glad to see more people wearing baggier clothes. It’s more comfortable and, if done right, can look really cool. So true! Lastly, what are you guys excited about next for Estudio Niksen? With covid restrictions loosening up, we’re very excited to get people together and start doing more events. We often think about how we would be able to connect with people and run the brand if Instagram or the internet didn’t exist. It’d be in person, face to face interactions. That’s what we want more of. We also have some exciting new collaborations coming up with Canadian talent before the end of the year. The first one of the batch just dropped with Wayhome which was some really cool hand sewn patchwork pieces. More stuff at that caliber is coming soon. Oh, and more wide pants [laughs]! For updates on new releases and events coming from Estudio Niksen, follow their Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

2024 Recipient: Shawish Market Explore the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund Introducing Shawish, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2024! Founder: Amanda Bernard Location: Toronto, ON Discover Shawish Market online: Website // Instagram About Shawish Market Shawish Market is an Indigenous, fee-free platform - similar to an Etsy - empowering entrepreneurs by eliminating vendor fees and fostering sustainable growth within communities. It stands out for its rigorous vendor verification, ensuring authenticity and direct benefits to Indigenous communities. The platform incorporates Indigenous Ways of Knowing, responding to community feedback, and has reintroduced trading, a key cultural practice. Recognized as a 2023 MIT Solve Fellow and featured in several public platforms, Shawish Market supports Indigenous creators while fostering meaningful connections with customers. How will the fund make an impact with your business? With the Mastercard x Pier Five Fund, Shawish Market will invest the $10,000 CAD into hiring an Indigenous employee to help scale the business, focusing on marketing and vendor relations. This will not only create meaningful employment but also strengthen our capacity to support Indigenous entrepreneurs. Additionally, Shawish will allocate part of the funds to implement key feedback from Indigenous communities, such as integrating AI tools to streamline the platform for vendors and adding PayPal as a payment option. My ultimate goal is to ensure Shawish Market evolves to meet the needs of its vendors, as the platform is designed for their success. What is your long term goal for the company? One of my long-term goals is to transition to working on Shawish Market full-time. I currently work at a foundation supporting Indigenous youth, but my dream is to dedicate myself fully to growing Shawish Market and expanding its impact. I also aim to expand Shawish Market to include Indigenous artisans from around the world, creating a global platform for showcasing their work and cultures. I envision adding a feature that allows customers to filter products by specific Indigenous communities, fostering global connections and economic empowerment. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2024 recipients here.

Thheme Where: Vancouver, BC What: Designer Tom Robinson is the brain behind Thheme, an independent brand focused on making premium quality headwear, based out of Vancouver, BC. All of Tom's hats, from the crown to the brim, are made by hand using deadstock and reclaimed materials. His intent is to bring life to fabrics that may have been overlooked or sitting around awaiting their disposal to the landfill. We came across Tom through some local connections and were immediately obsesses with his work, knowing that we had to bring him in to make something special for the grant project. Why are you excited to be a part of the grant project? I think it’s a great opportunity to showcase creators and local talent throughout Canada and beyond. This in turn gives emerging makers/creators an avenue to see that starting your own business is a possibility and can be done with the help of this grant. It could be the little jumpstart that you’re in need of to get your business off the ground. Can you tell us about the pieces that you've made for the grant? These hats were a collaborative effort with Pier Five to showcase the diversity of reused materials and fall in line with a fun summer aesthetic using greens which are the Pier five colour palette. We pulled a mix of plaid, cotton and canvas, corduroy, suede and leather for these ones; really taking the material mix to the next level. The red button up top is my signature and I think it adds a nice hit of colour and contrast to these caps. See All Designers Lookbook (Coming Soon) Shop (Coming Soon)

2022 Recipient: Barbet Introducing Barbet, one of the five recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2022! Who: Andrea Grand & Katie Fielding Where: Toronto, ON Instagram / Website Barbet was born out of a real need by sisters Andrea & Katie. When Barbet co-founder, Katie, who has epilepsy suffered from a seizure in March of 2020, she decided to go 0% ABV for a period of time. She didn't miss drinking, but she did miss the connection and feeling of inclusivity that came along with it. All the good times when friends came together to share a drink didn't have the same sparkle because the zero-alcohol options at the time lacked the same magic as their alcoholic counterparts. With a pop or a soda you would have at the kids table, the options out there weren't aimed at the modern human. Barbet is a sparkling water brand that aims to put alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on a level playing field. With a strong attention to flavour, design, brand values and charitable donations to local causes, Barbet is a big-time brand to watch in the non-abv drink space. How has the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund helped you? With the fund, we've been able to be out in market doing samplings in stores. Having those 1 to 1 interactions with your customers is extremely important but also very expensive so that opportunity has been a game changer for us. "I think the biggest thing that small business owners need is access; access to capital and access to information. The idea that you're going to know everything that is going to come with running a small business is a naive one. Being able to have an experience like this where we can tap into mentors who are there to help guide us and enable us to create our own path has been so impactful." "We think the future of small businesses in Canada is creative and promising!" Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2022 recipients here.

Pier Five’s 2023 Food Drive: Supporting Community and Fighting Food Insecurity This holiday season, Pier Five partnered with local business Lost & Found in Toronto to launch a community food drive, addressing the pressing issue of food insecurity. With the collective efforts of both communities, the drive successfully gathered hundreds of food items, filling14 shipping boxes of food and raised $170, all of which were donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank in December 2023. This initiative is a testament to Pier Five’s commitment to building a strong community of entrepreneurs and small business owners while making a positive impact on those in need. We want to thank everyone that donated to the drive, shared our campaign and helped raise awareness for such an important cause. See you in 2024 to do it all again!

Writing History With Sam Le Roy of Hartcopy Holding on to the past isn't always a good thing, but in the case of Sam Le Roy and Hartcopy, it couldn't be cooler! As one of Instagram's best new(ish) sneaker pages, storytelling around the coolest pairs of new and old sneakers from around the world, Hartcopy has taken the world by storm with its ethos of embracing traditional print for the digital consumer. We got the chance to speak with Hartcopy's Creative Lead, Sam Le Roy, about what got him involved in "The New Print", where he thinks sneaker culture is going, what it's like diving head first into new creative projects and the importance of confidence to get yourself into your dream position. Read and listen below for the convesation! Getting Started. Hey Sam! Thanks so much for chatting with us. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got involved with Tim and Hartcopy? So before I got started with Hartcopy I was writing for another publication call Sabukaru - great read by the way. I found Hartcopy pretty early on when it launched and then I saw Tim post on Facebook that he had started the page. I sent him a message like "Hey I'm a writer. Can we work on this together?" I wasn't expecting money or anything. Luckily Tim saw my message and I think because of my experiences at Sabukaru, he gave me a shot. This was around March or April of 2020. Damn, just like that? All about shooting your shot! My entire creative journey is all from sending that DM. All opportunities that I've had have been because if sent that message to the right person. I just found a lot of people online and now I can call them friends. Definitely don't be afraid to shoot your shot! (Listen to more below) The Execution. Hartcopy has published nearly 1,400 posts now in not that much time. Firstly, how do you choose what to write about? The biggest thing for Hartcopy is looking into the past and telling the stories of older pairs and silhouettes. A lot of people really fell in love with Hartcopy from our coverage of older grail pairs, older dunks and Jordan sneakers but we really just cover whatever we think is cool. It's really an extension of our own tastes so as long as we think it's cool then we'll post about it. Second question. How do you find the time to do all of this AND pursue a full time career? Luckily, we have a pretty good formula now for creating the content so it doesn't take that long. What is starting to take a lot of time is all of the other partnerships and projects that we are starting to do. I actually just gave my notice this week and will be doing Hartcopy full time now, which is really exciting! Oh wow! What was the thought process like behind that decision? I think it was inevitable at some point for this to happen. I have so many plans for Hartcopy in the future but they would never become a reality if I didn't take the jump now and try it. I had a moment at the Foot Patrol event where I knew that not capitalizing on this would be a massive waste. (Listen to more below) The First Book Signing. Just recently Hartcopy launched its first ever physical print sneaker book with a killer launch event at Foot Patrol in London. What was that like getting to connect with people over Hartcopy in person after being a digital first platform since the beginning? Seeing that many people come together for a product that we made was incredible. It was an amazing feeling and I definitely want to see that again. There's something really charming about bringing people together for a physical product. We've gone through so many followers and likes on Instagram but I can't visualize that. Meeting people in person creates a feeling that I really can't describe. (Photos: Foot Patrol) What's Next? I'm planning books two, three, four and five. Book two is going to be more focused around people than product, but obviously still connected to products. Book three I can't speak about it yet because it's going to be completely out of nowhere [laughs] and I wan't it to be a surprise. Looking forward, now that I'm full time, I want to also be doing things like merchandise like clothing releases in addition to the book releases. I really want to have people getting Hartcopy in hand and a big focus for me is to keep it affordable. We have a lot of things in the works as well that I can't speak about yet but just know we're going to be very busy! And lastly... a reminder from Sam to wear your shoes! Make sure to keep up with Sam and Hartcopy on Instagram for all the best sneaker content and news on their upcoming projects and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.