Making It Personal w/ Watch Parts Motorcycles by Pier Five Staff Writer Are you a fan of watches, art, sneakers and/or vinyl toys? If you’ve answered yes to any or all of the above then you very well might be into sculpture artist Dan Tanenbaum, aka Watch Parts Motorcycles. Over the last ten years, Dan has been honing his craft meshing watch parts and pop culture to create some of the wildest sculptures out there. With no two pieces being the same, Dan has created hundreds of watch part encrusted works for collectors, gallery curators, friends and family and celebrities such as rapper Chief Keef and DJ Steve Aoki. Dan has also amassed an impressive following of nearly one hundred thousand people on social media. With an attention to detail that is unmatched and a unique style, each of Dan’s sculptures come with a story. His work is revered by many and coveted by collectors, sneakerheads, artists and the like around the world. Dan started his career as an art director in his twenties and moved on to become a serial tech entrepreneur in his thirties which he still does full time. Early after the transition to tech, Dan started feeling his creative side taking a back seat and sought out to change that, leading to what is now a major endeavour in the art space. “I’ve always had art in my bones and once I stopped working as an art director, I felt myself missing that ability to create and design in that way.” Dan explains. “Then one day I took a trip out to one of my watch dealers in London [Ontario] and came across this box of hundreds of old watch pieces which the dealer said was his box of garbage… so I was like “I’ll take it!” While some of Dan’s most famous sculptures today are his watch encrusted Kaws and KidRobot Dunny figures, it didn’t originally start there. He initially used the pieces he sourced to make cufflinks and then graduated to, you guessed it, mini motorcycle sculptures which is where the name Watch Parts Motorcycles came from. “Once I started gaining traction from the motorcycles, I thought that was it. I was getting really immersed in the motorcycle groups and it was so cool seeing what these pieces meant to some of those people” Dan explained. “Besides using the art as an escape, I think the reveal and seeing the buyer connect with the piece was what I really loved about this and made me keep going”. From day one, Dan has focused on making sculptures that hold a lot of meaning and sentimental value. His favourite sculptures to make are the ones that are customized specially for the collector and this is why every piece that Dan makes, other than his recurring Time Bomb series, is made to order and a unique one-of-one. “I love consulting with a collector to make something relevant to their life.” Dan says. “Oftentimes, I’ll get messages for a Dunny or a Jordan sneaker but I’ll ask them about what else they collect and see if we can think of something that will be more personal to them.” Most recently, Dan encrusted a ski boot for a father to remind them of their time on the slopes and before that, a three foot tall Star Wars stormtrooper to add to an LA collector’s 8-piece stormtrooper collection from artists around the world. In addition, Dan likes to take personalization to another level by often including special watch parts into the piece. Whether it’s a dial from a client’s childhood watch or a strap that belonged to their grandparent, Dan will always go the furthest to make each piece as tailored to the customer as possible. What does a new tailored suit or a handmade bag have in common with Dan’s art pieces? For all of them, there’s always an amazing feeling that comes with getting something that you know took countless hours to make specially for you. From the initial consultation to the documented journey with Dan as he creates a piece for you and only you, the work of Watch Parts Motorcycles is almost more experience than art. “While I might go into the studio and work for four hours at a time without any breaks, I do try to keep the buyer in the loop. I think it’s cool to document the process and I think it adds a lot of value to the final product.” Dan explains about his works. Most of the time, it’s even hard for Dan to part ways with his work after it’s completed. “The hardest part for me is letting it go. Once they’re gone they’re gone.” Dan explains, thinking about some of his recent creations. “I’ve always marvelled at the idea of making multiples so that I could keep one but I don’t think I ever would.” he continues. So, if you own one of Dan’s pieces, consider yourself lucky because he likely had a tough time handing it over. If you don’t, the first thing to do is check out his socials and follow along as Dan encrusts the world in millions of watch parts, one piece at a time. Who knows, maybe one day he’ll turn that Mickey Mouse watch from your childhood trip to Disney World into the coolest thing you’ll ever place on your shelf. For more on Watch Parts Motorcycles, check out Dan’s Instagram below and keep it locked to Pier Five for more stories and interviews with the best in fashion, art, business, food & more. Watch Parts Motorcycles Instagram

A Conversation With Tristan Banning Tristan Banning is a leader in spreading culture. In 2008 he founded Sidewalk Hustle, a music podcast which has since transformed Canada's premier media platform for all things music, fashion, food and art. When he's not overseeing interviews with some of the worlds leading musicians and designers, Tristan is probably cooking up the next stellar fit pic or adding to his more tan impressive collection of rare Supreme accessories. ​ @tristanbanning // @sidewalkhustle From Ziplock bags to Oreos and ping pong paddles, you’re known to be an avid Supreme accessories collector. What are your top 5 Supreme accessories that you own or really want? LOL oh man! Well that all happened by accidentally tbh. I started collecting as kind of a reverse collector, meaning, I really like coffee, and I really like ramen (for example) so when I saw the supreme coffee mugs or the ramen noodle bowl I was like “I want that 😍😍”. So if I were to list my top 5 it would go like this (in no particular order): Honorable Mentions: Although phone cameras are essentially pocket-sized DSLR’s these days, you’re an advocate for film photography. What are 5 tips for anyone looking to shoot with film? Woof… good question. One reason I like film so much is that it’s not instant. In a world of instant gratification we want to take a picture, post it on social and get the likes right away. It spikes our endorphins and makes us happy but also makes us want more. You take a 100 pics and then pic which one you like the most from that and edit it or what have you. With film, you need to slow down. You need to consider framing, lighting and distance to subject. You need to hold still, you need to breathe. Then after that you need to wait to take the film in, develop it and then see if any of the pics worked. So you need to have confidence in yourself and what you’re doing. And sometimes it still doesn’t work out. But then at least you learned something. So my advice... Get a cheap film camera, a disposable from the local drug store and head out and shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Then learn from your shots. If you dig the process and the outcome you can start looking for “better” cameras on eBay or in film photography groups. Enjoy the ride. It’s a pretty fun journey if you’re down. In addition to Supreme, you’re a big sneaker collector. What are 5 sneakers you couldn’t ever live without? You know the funny thing is I love sneakers and as a result I guess I’m a collector. But I don’t really identify that way because I like to wear my sneakers. So I don’t buy or keep (if gifted) sneakers I won’t wear. So my favourites are… My Nike Air Max 1 bespoke’s I made at 21 Mercer NikeLab. They are literally 1 of 1 and are my dream shoe. Atmos Elephant Air Max Adidas Ultraboost v1 or Ultra 4D v1 Yeezy 700 Waverunner Rhude Vans Old skool / Converse chuck taylor Oxfords. BUT ALSO: Anything in a low with safari print. A classic white Air Force 1 The puma Thunder Spectra Jordan 1 Low 2020’s been a crazy year. What are your 5 favourite moments in pop-culture from this past year? To me, there were 4 that stole the show... I liked when Travis Scott performed in Fortnite not because it was an amazing performance or anything but because it changed the dichotomy on how we consume entertainment. Someone (Travis?) understood where his audience is. ​ Strangely the release of The Last Dance, The Michael Jordan documentary. For me it was cool to see the whole world, give or take, finally get to experience the magic that was Michael Jordan. To understand why he is part of the cultural lexicon. I am old, so I watched Michael play in his prime, so even I got to learn something that I didn’t know about. It was cool to see everyone talking about it together. I also really enjoyed when Post Malone did a live concert from his house that was all covers of Nirvana. For many this was probably the first time they actually heard Nirvana songs, plural. And it opened that music up to a new fan base. And it’s always nice to see artists re-interpret and interpret their influences. I also enjoyed when everyone all of a sudden started playing Animal Crossing, and you would see fashion brands making clothes for the game, record labels etc. Even my mom was playing. ​ Who have been your 5 favourite interviews that you’ve ever conducted? ​ In my travels and adventures I have had the chance to interview a lot of people who I respect and admire. Although I have personally taken a step away from the interviewing, I have found that I am still meeting and talking to people, a little less this year. But last year I was on a preview of an art exhibit in Brooklyn and in the preview I talked to the guy giving us the tour. He gave me a lot of insight into the art and we started talking. I came back the next day to get a tattoo from a well know Brooklyn artist, and while getting the tattoo we talked about how he ended up here. It was a fascinating story that really delved into his experience but also the experience of many around him. It was great. While he was working on my tattoo a member of the band Blink 180 showed up, I also talked to artist Shepard Fairey. So while those aren’t interviews I have had the privilege of talking to and meeting some incredible people. ​ When I was interviewing: Travis Scott (7 years ago) Bloc Party Foals Felipe Pantone (Artist) Tinashe Mayer Hawthorne Cut Copy Finally, this is an important one for us, what are 5 tips for conducting a great interview? ...maybe we should have asked this first [laughs]. ​ Ha! Easy. Do a little research (which you did) Actively listen Actively respond. That will make for a good interview. HOWEVER, the real trick is, if possible, try to get in there and do a little small talk with the person to help break the ice and make it more conversational. Like how a comedian as someone “warm up the room” first. Or an opening act at a concert. Do your best to make a personal connection.

A Conversation With Addam Rodriguez of The Arrivals With the growing importance of digital in fashion commerce and customers spending so much more time online, a strategic digital identity isn't just a nice to have; it’s a necessity. We spoke with Addam Rodriguez, Digital Art Director of New York based outerwear studio The Arrivals, about his process and system for developing consistent visual concepts and a strong artistic language for the brand. @addamrod Hey Addam, awesome to be connected! For those who might not be familiar, tell us a little about yourself. Hey! I’m Addam and I am the Digital Art Director for the outerwear brand The Arrivals. Growing up in LA, I was always surrounded by photography. My uncle was a photographer and was always around taking pictures and had some super expensive cameras which I got really into. When I got a bit older I went to school for audio engineering but I always found myself out taking photos and realized I liked that way more. Out of school, I got a graphic design job at a brand in the arts district in LA but started doing photography for them as well and also worked in the warehouse. It was great to be a part of all aspects of that business because it allowed me to understand the go-to-market and storytelling aspects of the brand which made for better photography and visuals. My next job after that was for this ready to wear brand called Frankie. I worked with the lead designer and travelled with the brand between NY & LA, basically just taking photos of the whole process of the brand. After a few trips, I knew I wanted to come out and live in NY and get better at my photography out here. I met with The Arrivals and they offered me a graphic design role. I was nervous about taking another graphic designer position but I loved the brand and the overall culture. Once I got into the role though, I told them I could shoot too and over time it turned into more of a photography role and now the digital art direction role that I have today. That’s a wild journey but seems like it all worked out. What is your process for coming up with your visual concepts for The Arrivals? We’re a small team so everyone is involved in everything. Early on, I’m in conversations with the designers and production teams so I can get a really solid understanding of the product. Being in the warehouse at my first job definitely taught me to learn the product cycle well so that I could bring in all of those details into the final visual concepts. Internally we all talk about concepts and once we land on an idea, it’s up to me to figure out how we communicate that to our audience and I work alongside the creative director to bring it all to life. I spend a lot of time looking at data from past campaigns to see what’s working, what kind of things have our audience been responsive to in the past, stuff like that. Once we have product samples I’m then able to start working out the visual flow and moodboarding and we’ll A-B test a ton. I have to create content for everything like email, ads, social and web so there’s a lot of planning since we don’t (and you never should) use the same content for everything. To make things easier, I have built out a pretty robust system for how I shoot to develop consistency and a visual language that our customers will recognize and remember us for. Once I’m happy with the flow, I draft out the final shot list and then work out the planning for production. This whole process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months but it’s always super fun to put together. That system you mentioned definitely shines through. The Arrivals content is some of the most coordinated in the game from campaign to campaign. Why is aligning product and content styling so important for you and the brand? That’s great to hear [laughs]. I have a huge appreciation for what goes into making the garments so I want to ensure the work I do represents all that effort put in by the design teams. Our products are very elevated and with good styling it can become even more elevated. I’ve started experimenting with other mediums besides photo like 6k video which everybody said we didn’t need but it allows for the smoothest transitions and flows that I feel mimic actions in our daily life and make the content so approachable and appealing. The pandemic has really expedited the growth of digital, especially consumer’s adoption/habits of shopping online. What should new brands keep in mind when developing a visual identity for their brand? This is a great question. I’ve tried so many things throughout the years and I think most importantly, it’s important to figure out what you really love and to build on that. Don’t try to be like everything else you see just because it’s popular. Even if what you are working on doesn’t work out right away, don’t give up. Keep experimenting and refining and build a system over time that works for you. A visual identity is like a house. You can design the interior as many times as you want as long as you hold on to the foundation of the building. That’s great advice for brands! What are some tips you’d give to individuals looking to bring their skills to a brand as an art director? Learn as many tools as possible. You don’t need to be the best at any of them but a knowledge of the different tools will allow you to put together initial ideas and then you can bring in the experts to help you bring it to life. Even if you can get the concept to 10% baked, that will help everyone understand the vision and then you bring in the pro editors, retouchers, colour specialists, etc. Another thing I’d say is go big on networking. You also don’t always need to connect with the biggest names. There are so many people doing amazing work behind the scenes that can give you great advice or introductions. This was huge for me when coming to New York. Lastly, it’s important to be patient. Things take time. I’ve been here for about 4 years and it’s all just starting to click for me which is exciting. Now I just need to keep pushing! Totally agree! So now that things are clicking, what do you have your sights set on next? I want to make the shopping experience for our customers even better using interactive video and stronger graphics. I’ve built the house and now it’s time to renovate the interior with new visuals to create a better moment for the customer. I’m all about that moment! Who doesn’t love a good moment?! Lastly, we’re finally starting to see some normalcy again and it’s looking to be a wild summer! What are you most looking forward to doing again in NYC as things open back up? Honestly, just meeting people. It’s hard to stay creative when everything is locked down. I knew so many people who moved out of the city at the start of the pandemic and they’re coming back now. I can’t wait to meet up with them and see what they’re working on. I think we’re seeing a new wave of creatives who are about to take this industry by storm and I’m excited to witness it in person! Check out Addam and The Arrivals on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest designers, artists, activists, entrepreneurs and more.

A Conversation With Cereal Artist Cereal Artist has made a name for herself with her impressive sneaker and streetwear inspired sculptures. Coming off of strong collaborations with Footlocker and the mecca of footwear brands, Nike, Cereal Artist is taking the design scene by storm and crafting some of the coolest, functional, pieces for the streets. ​ @cerealartist As someone who has turned DIY into a career, what are 5 do's or don'ts when starting to "do-it-yourself"? ​​ Definitely start things off easy depending on your technical skills, whether its a simple silhouette or even just sewing straight lines until they're perfected. Don't copy others. Practice a lot and find different ways to make things work until you develop your own flair. Nobody gets it perfect on the first go so don't stress the errors too much. Don't spend too much money up front. Don't think too far ahead. Focus on your current progress and have fun! ​ We love the sneaker-made bags and hats. What are 5 other garments you'd like to make out of sneakers next? ​ It's not 5 but I've got 4 key categories I'm going to be working on. Clothing pieces Definitely some other accessories Wall art Art decor ​ There's a lot to choose from but can you rank your top 5 creations you've ever made? Mc'Nike Set Jelly Dunk Shoe Bag Shoe Hat NikebyYou With all the creativity going around Instagram these days, who are 5 other DIY artists that you're into? @kevinconcepts @hoopfr3sh @miniswoosh @gunuw228 @danielarsham ​ And last but not least, you've spoken out about the importance of mental health. With such a busy career, what are 5 steps you take to maintaining good mental health? Make sure to take time to rest. A good break is important! More work isn't always better. Don't force yourself to take jobs that don't feel right. Connect and socialize with other likeminded creators. Don't consume too much social media. Don't worry about others. Do things at your own pace.

A New Chapter With Jason Faustino Of Saucony There's something about empowering emerging talents that really speaks to us at Pier Five and anytime we come across others in their field who are passionate about the same thing, we are immediately drawn to them. This was the case for Saucony collaborations manager Jason Faustino who has worked for the last 17 years to create opportunities for emerging talents, whether that was in his sneaker boutique Extra Butter or on footwear collaborations at Saucony. We got the chance to chat with Jason - hot off of his collab with our good friends Raised By Wolves - to discuss his journey through the sneaker industry, his vision for collabs, business tips for sneakerheads and his outlook on the future of sneaker drops in 2023. Hey Jason, thanks for chatting with us! For those who aren’t familiar, can you tell us about yourself and your role at Saucony? For sure! l'm Jason Faustino and I lead brand collaborations across Saucony Originals and Performance. Ive been with the brand for a little over 4 years. I work on the marketing side and am very involved with product getting to do a little bit of everything. Your history in sneakers goes way back, notably co-founding Extra Butter in 2007. Can you speak about your journey in the sneaker industry from them to now? While I was in school I used to break dance a lot near this mom & pop sneaker store and started working there and was learning a ton about those brands and products. I was doing everything, from stock room management, buying and advising on marketing strategies and without even realizing it, was getting a crash course on sneakers. While I was at the shop, I learned about Magic which is this major trade show in Vegas and used my credentials from the shop to get in. I originally learned about Magic through this shop called Fruition. I told them I wanted to open my own shop one day and they really mentored me on how to build my vision and cultivate a successful brand. Fast forward to 2017 I ended up launching Extra Butter which was a movie themed sneaker store in Long Island and NYC. It turned into a pretty successful business. I found a ton of incredible brands and did lots of collabs, including some with Saucony, and then that relationship is ultimately what led to me going to work in-house at the brand. We've spoken to people at shops on the collab side but how does working on sneaker collabs in-house work? It's a lot of fun. when I started, my main responsibility was marketing and I just focused around what stories could and should be told. Once I started to get my feet wet, I spent a lot of time looking through seasonal catalogues and choosing what silhouettes I want to work with and then figuring out who I want to collab with on those silhouettes. We'll bring in the collaborators and I'll work a lot with the product team and we'll really build everything out together. I was told - and now firmly believe - that product and marketing better be in lockstep with one another to have any sort of success. It's cool though because I have freedom to create the stories that I connect with and think our audience will really love. What’s the process for building out those story for a campaign? The big thing is really thinking about what the brands stand for. A lot of people have this misconception that collaborations have to be this big crazy thing but the most important is just staying true to each brand ethos and going from there. For example, when I was at Extra Butter, we did a collab with Asics and so I really wanted to tap into the Japanese culture of Asics and blend it with the pop culture ethos of Extra Butter and tie in a favorite movie, Lost in Translation, which is how we landed on a karaoke themed collection. Once we landed on that, it was almost like method acting. I was doing a ton of karaoke, observing others do it and really immersing myself into that lifestyle and then the story built itself from there. You’re in the midst of a big collaboration with Raised By Wolves right now. How was the launch party this past weekend? It was amazing! I really wanted to give full creative freedom to Cal and the brand and they brought in some incredible talent to put the creative and party together. I'm really happy about how this all came out, from the shoes to the experience. We've noticed that a lot of recent Saucony collabs are with emerging designers or brands that are in the midst of some serious growth. Is that all intentional? For sure! I try to find those who haven't had their chance to tell their story yet. This is something I've always been about. Even back in the day with Extra Butter, we would often be a brand's first retail partner. I see it like sports and placing bets on people. We might not always know what the outcome will be on the new talent but that's why I like it so much. Somebody's gotta give that creator their first collab and I like to be that brand. I also want to be able to grow with our collaborators and go on a journey together. The emerging creatives have so much to say and Saucony can be that brand that helps people discover them and grow with them over multiple collections. What advice would you give to young sneakerheads looking to get into the industry like yourself? If you're truly about this culture, at some point realize the difference between being a consumer vs. being in the industry and follow those industry paths. Figure out what you really love about sneakers - maybe it's design, maybe it's storytelling, maybe it's sales - and pursue that. There's not a job for just loving sneakers but there are so many cool opportunities that exist that can get you very close to sneakers. Another thing... I often see people idolizing people and obsessing over 1 role model and trying to be like them but that can only get you so far. It's important to bring your own charisma and ideas to the table. With everything that's happening in sneakers and fashion, those new ideas are what will get you far, not just being the same as someone who's already made it. That's really good advice! Before we let you go, what's something in sneakers that you're excited about for 2023? It sounds strange but I feel like the sneaker game overall is a bit stale and that is exciting to me. A lot of people don't realize but some of the launches we're getting are still delayed from the pandemic and there's a lot of the same stuff which people are sick of BUT that means that we're at the point where there's room for newness and innovation and I'm excited to see what we can bring at Saucony and also what other brands bring! Now it’s time to get more exciting and innovate Make sure to check out Saucony on Instagram for updates on all of the newest collaborations and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with incredible designers and creators!

A Conversation With Liz Beecroft Liz Beecroft is a practicing mental health therapist and licensed social worker residing in New York. She has grown a large following on social media through the crossing over of her therapy practice and passion for sneaker culture and basketball. Liz is also the founder of MENTL , a space that advocates and educates around matters of mental health and wellbeing. ​ @lizbcroft Mental health is super important and awareness around it has become increasingly high during a pandemic. As more people start to understand how much mental health matters, what are 5 mental wellness or self care routines people can try to help them through their day to day? Listen to your body and your mind. If you need to rest, rest. Try and get outside. Get fresh air and exercise. You'll build up endorphins which will help with your mood. Be mindful of what you’re putting in your body. Unhealthy food and drinks can leave lasting effects leading to depression. Mindfulness is key. It doesn't always have to be meditation but something that forces you to focus in that moment - ex baking or cleaning. Check in with your support system. Stay connected in the best ways you can with your friends and family. You’ve done a number of collaborations with some well known brands where the partnership was centred around mental health awareness & giving back. What do you think are 5 important things brands can/should do to advocate for these causes all year round? Keep in mind that mental health is 24/7-365. Don't just highlight it for the big mental health holidays to be relevant at that time. Start from within. Brands needs to practice what they preach. Employees need to be trained on how to identify symptoms and know when to take breaks. Brands also need to give resources to their employees to help them when they need it. Consult with professionals if you’re going to talk about mental health. There is right & wrong language that can be used and it's important for brands to be cognizant of that. Understand your resources. Have some component of giving back. Thing about what this is actually doing for mental health outside of just saying it's for mental health. Similar to the previous point but consider a giveback piece. Donate to a non-profit with the earnings. ​ What are your top 5 sneakers in your rotation right now and why? Reebok Question Mid. I'm from Pennsylvania and Allen Iverson is my all-time favourite. Reebok Answer 5. I remember buying that pair in a Mens 9 when I was younger. It was way too big but I didn't care. It was still super cool to me. Jordan 17. In 5th grade I was begging my parents for this pair from the Eastbay magazines. They got them for me in the summer but by the time school started I had already grown out of them [laughs]. Funny enough I got gifted a pair last Christmas so it was a really cool full circle moment. Adidas T-Mac 2 "All Star Pack". Love T-Mac and love these shoes. Jordan 1. It's a classic and there are so many good colourways. You’re no stranger to the court and we know basketball is a big part of your life. Who are your top 5 basketball players (dead or alive)? Allen Iverson Jason Kidd Dikembe Mutombo - I met him on a Disney cruise in 7th grade [laughs]. Shawn Kemp Michael Jordan - As an AI fan I didn't love Jordan growing up but he's gotta be in my top 5. ​ Mental health is sometimes seen as a touchy subject but you’ve made it a very accessible and inclusive topic for others by merging information with creative design and sneaker culture. Where do you find inspiration and what are 5 resources or tools that you look to to expand your knowledge? I look at who I am as a person. Mental health doesn't always have to be pink and green pastels (not hating on pastels!). I want my information sharing to reflect what I'm thinking. I linked up with Christian Gonzalez for MENTL. He understands me and mental health a lot and is super open about it and such a good help for me to get my thoughts out. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) & colleagues in the space that have similar interests. Psycology Today Alyssa Petersel is awesome! She founded a great site called MyWellbeing which helps match patients with the right therapists. Non-profits like the JED Foundation are always inspiring and very great resources. ​ What are five brands that you think are doing great things for mental health and self care that you’d love to work with? Chintatown Market - They're awesome and I'd like to work with them to add credibility to their mental health work. Brain Dead. Such a great brand. They're awesome. Disney - they don't talk about mental health but I love Disney and think that’d be really cool New Balance And for #5, I have 6 more people who are all dope haha Jerry Lorenzo Salehe Bembury Jeff Staple Billy Eilish Lil Dicky Post Malone (his album is about leaving LA because it was superficial). Lots of mental health references in there!

Shaking Up An Institution With Colin Li of Hong Shing The restaurant industry is cut throat and one that is constantly evolving, which requires drive, creativity and an attention to detail and consistency to stay alive. For Colin Li, owner of Hong Shing, one of Toronto's most well-known Chinese restaurants, this challenge is one that he loves and his ability to innovate has led him to great heights. Since taking over the restaurant from his parents 8 years ago, Colin has built Hong Shing, a 25 year-old institution, not only into a notable location for Chinese eats but also a locally recognized brand and we got the chance to sit down with him to learn about his journey. Read through the interview below! Hey Colin, thanks for having us into the restaurant. You took over from your parents 8 years ago and the growth has been incredible since then. Can you speak more about that journey? The pleasure's all mine. It's definitely been a pretty wild 8 years and I'm really proud of that growth but the real accomplishment is that Hong Shing has been around for 25 years. When a restaurant, especially a Chinese restaurant which do not often stick around this long, gets to that point, it becomes an institution and being a part of that has been incredible. I came into this with no formal restaurant training but have been working hard over the last 8 years to learn every aspect of the business, from dishwashing and serving to everything in the kitchen and bar, to ensure that I can run a tight ship and turn Hong Shing, not only into a known restaurant, but also a well rounded brand. Can you speak more about Hong Shing the brand and what that entails? Yes, of course. Once I took over the restaurant, I started doing some research and came to understand that people really only think about restaurants at 11am and 6pm, right before meals when they're hungry. This means that for all of those other hours during the day, I needed to find a way to be top of mind. This is where stuff like the merch or the basketball team sponsorship comes in. I've always been into fashion and the merch idea first come from just wanting to re-invent my staff's uniform to be more casual, comfortable and approachable and it has become a really fun project that I work on with my team. For the basketball team, we sponsor a youth girls team which has been an awesome opportunity to get more involved in the basketball community and watch these girls grow into great basketball players and human beings. Wanting to uplift youth seems to be something you are passionate about. It definitely is, especially with young chefs. In the Chinese restaurant industry, almost all of the chefs are over 50 years old. Traditionally, Chinese restaurants only hire based on experience, like how many years do you have behind a wok, so no young chefs are getting into Chinese restaurants and if they do, older Chinese chefs are not normally so welcoming so young chefs out of culinary school choose to go to fine dining restaurants or other European cuisines. I'm really trying to break down those barriers and support young chefs in the Chinese community. Many of them are more experienced in the kitchen than I am but I believe I have a lot to teach them about running a successful restaurant. It's great that you take on that mentality to share your knowledge. Did you learn that from your time as a kid growing up in your parents restaurants? Not at all actually. My parents never used to speak with other Chinese restaurant owners. They would undercut each other and just tell me to focus on myself. There wasn't anything wrong with them. There was just a real sense of competition in the Chinese restaurant community back then. I wanted to change that once I took over so the first thing I did was put all Chinese chefs that I knew, young and old, into a group chat to exchange ideas and learn from each other. We can only grow so far on our own. Building this together is what will really take things to the next level. I always tell my managers "what's the point of being in first class if your friends aren't with you?" We couldn't agree more. What is something you did learn from your parents that you think was very valuable? There's a saying that my parents used to say which was "You need to learn how to be a human before you can run a business." If you know how to be a human that is kind hearted and respects others, then you will run a good business. That's a good one. Before we let you go, what are some things for the restaurant that you're looking forward to? There's a lot. Lunar new year is going to be big this year. I've spent a lot of time designing a menu that draws inspiration from my childhood which I think our customers will love. I'm also working a lot more on our retail business, so creating products for grocery stores like pre-made frozen meals and spices and sauces. As we continue to expand, that will become a huge part of our business. Lastly, we're also about to completely redo the bar area which is going to be great. It will allow us to expand our drink offerings, such as focusing on baijiu cocktails, and make for a better space to throw events this year. I want to make the space one that different creatives and groups from the community can host their own events here. I think that will be a great way to expose new people to Hong Shing but also continue to uplift other creatives which I'm passionate about. So stay tuned for that! Make sure to check out Hong Shing at 195 Dundas St. West in Toronto and check out their Instagram for updates on the restaurant and HS brand and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews with entrepreneurs and creatives just like this!

A Conversation With Titi Finlay Titi Finlay is a Scottish creator and artist residing in London, UK and currently holds the position of Social Media Manager at LacedHQ, the UK's top resale sneaker platform. Titi has built a following through her artwork, impressive sneaker collection and advocacy for women's empowerment in the sneaker and fashion industry. ​ @ttfinaly You received a lot of recognition recently for a quote “ We don’t need women's exclusives. We need inclusive sizing .” and we couldn’t agree more that the sneaker world definitely has some catching up to do when it comes to inclusivity. Besides inclusive sizing, what are five things you think brands could do to make footwear more inclusive for everyone? Make everything unisex. Get rid of women's exclusives. The brands right now are giving women different (often times worse) shoes but we want the same shoes the men do. There's no need to keep styles separate. Innovate with sneaker models. Shoes like the new Nike Fly Ease Go which is a "hands free" shoe make cool sneakers more accessible for people with disabilities. I'm curious to see how they develop styles around that to give everyone a cool shoe. Storytelling should be diverse. We're always seeing the same women or men in campaigns. It's always a celebrity or popular hypebeast but what about the mum in Manchester with a huge Airmax collection? Increase representation of African Americans in sneaker media. There's no denying that most of this culture comes from black culture and it should be represented as such. Reconsider how you run gifting programs. Similar to point 3, it's always the same celebrities receiving pairs from brands. I understand the influence big celebs have but brands should also seed to the creators and collectors actually into the products. ​ Bonus thought : Overall there's too much gatekeeping from brands but also the community as a whole, telling young people they can't be into Jordans because they didn't see him play or telling skaters they can't rock SB's. None of that matters. If you like the shoes, that's what matters! We definitely need to talk about your “Power to the Female” AM90 which was so purposeful and amazing! What were five things you wanted to achieve with this collaboration or get out of the experience? I wanted to make a shoe for the female sneaker community to celebrate and enhance the conversation around the topic of women in sneakers. I wanted to give other women a platform with the promotion of this shoe. I was lucky enough to be able to collaborate with a lot of my friends and women in the space on some content which I think really helped grow the conversation. I wanted to make it unisex that anyone could wear. I used the slogan "By women. For everyone" to sum that up and I think it worked well. I wanted to show people that it wasn't only the big influencers that can create. Hopefully this inspired young up and comers to keep working and show them that anything can happen. Lastly, this [sneaker design] was a new discipline for me and it was awesome to get my hands dirty and really learn the ins-and-outs of the process. ​ What are some things you love or dislike about the UK sneaker scene? LOVE : The Community - I've made so many friends through social sneaker groups in the UK. There's something called Pickup Days where the raffle winners go get their shoes from OffSpring and it's such a fun time meeting everyone, before COVID that was. LOVE : Sneaker culture really blossomed in the UK so there's a ton of history. For example, it's all Adidas in the North of England but if you go to London everyone loves Air Max's. LOVE : Lots of small pockets in the UK that you wouldn't expect actually have a dope sneaker scene. Glasgow has Sneaker Laundry, Edinburgh has some wicked skate shops and Dundee has a great sneaker hangout spot even though it's a small town. DISLIKE : This one isn't so UK exclusive but there is a lot of gatekeeping in the space. We need to be more open and not let the history or the "OG's" keep people out. ​ You’ve done a great job building the LacedHQ brand on social and helped foster a strong sense of community with the #lacedcommunity. As the Social Media Manager for LacedHQ, what are five tips you can give to a brand or individual trying to build up their community on social? Create content that people can own themselves. For example, my quotes are content that resonate with others and that they can share on their own stories and feeds. Have a solidified POV. Have personality and stay true to and support your opinions throughout. Create something that can be engaged with. Posting polls for people to vote on is fun and builds engagement. Give a platform to other creatives and showcase their work. The LacedHQ feed is fully on regrams and it's a great way to build relationships and get intro'd to new creators. Data is everything. Use your insights to see how your content is performing. ​ Bonus thought : Don't forget to pay attention to the aesthetic of the full feed and not just the individual posts. Being an advocate for inclusivity in the sneaker industry, who would you say are 5 other people that are really paving the way for change within within the sneaker community/industry? Liz Beecroft - Pier Five Alum!! She does an amazing job blending mental health with sneakers and streetwear. ( READ PIER FIVE <> LIZ BEECROFT INTERVIEW ) The Air Vegan - He's a co-creator of the Business of Hype podcast and also runs a platform called FutureVVorld which shares information about how the sneaker industry can be more sustainable and more earth friendly. _womeninsneakers - Steph who leads the page works for ON Running and on her page showcases everyone from female influencers to designers at the brands that are doing awesome things in sneakers. Coco Mell - She used to work at ASOS and is now a freelance stylist for sneaker brands. She is really campaigning for black women in the sneaker culture and has been doing clubhouse chats with women in the industry (ex. Jazzy Ray - OG in sneakers) Arielle (A_ebz) - She's a colour designer for Nike in Portland and has worked on making colourways more inclusive and pushing against women's exclusives and men's exclusives. ​ Lastly, we need to speak about your puppy! How has having a dog changed your perspective on life? It's been amazing, like having a therapy dog full time! Maple has really helped with my anxiety throughout COVID. It helps me take my mind off of things and relax. Having a dog helps maintain a routine. Things like needing to go for 2 walks a day really force you to wake up and start your day. I try to look through her eyes and see how simple life can be. It's a great way to stay calm and level out. I think I've become smarter and more productive thinking about how I use my time for myself and with Maple.

Alpha/Beta: The Next Chapter With Raised by Wolves Our friends at Raised by Wolves sent us some pieces from their upcoming collection to check out. The 200 piece collection is made entirely of upcycled, reworked and repurposed garments from overstock, samples, returns and leftover fabric from a decade of past seasons, with the purpose of giving old pieces a new life. We connected with Raised by Wolves owner and mastermind behind the collection, Cal Green, to learn more about the inspiration behind Alpha/Beta, the all-natural design process and what he thinks a collection like this can mean for the future of the brand and fashion industry as a whole. Lookbook Photos: William Smith Model: Marisa Gallemit 2 Years of Planning. 10 years In The Making. One day I was in my office and saw this wall of boxes behind me. Over the last ten years we had overproduced certain collections, had accumulated a ton of samples, held onto returned items or defects, etc. When COVID hit, most of our factories shut down so we knew we needed to find a way to make do with what we had and find a way to sell all of these older clothes by repurposing them. The first project was making face masks in Ottawa and that's what sparked the idea to create a full collection which would become Alpha/Beta. Where does the name Alpha/Beta come from? The name is in reference to the hierarchy of a wolf pack. The Alpha line gets access to the most interesting materials and older samples. It's more experimental and is a lot of outerwear and pants. The Beta line is made up of derivatives from the Alpha line and are more simplified. This will be things like tees and sweatshirts. We've also built out a Delta line which is some homewares and other accessories made from scraps, like keychains, coasters, wooden and incense holders. With this new thought process behind production and design, how is Raised by Wolves thinking about its ecological footprint? I'm hypersensitive to overproduction now. It definitely won't be an afterthought anymore. I think with this, Alpha/Beta will evolve over time. With this collection, we've produced maybe 200 pieces but that's just scratching the surface of the inventory we had. I ended up donating about forty-thousand dollars worth of clothing to local youth organizations in Ottawa. I figured it was better to give the product to someone that will value it than get rid of it another way or destroy it, which was never an option. Created by hand around North America The majority of the pieces in the collection were all reworked by hand and treated with natural techniques to give unique looks to each garment. Black bean dye Beach dye Rust dye Flame finishing on demin Hand-stitched sashiko Apparel by : @atelier_dnhn (Montreal, Quebec) Quilts by : @e_patton (Dayton, Ohio) How will this collection play into the future of Raised by Wolves? I've thought about doing something like Patagonia's Worn Wear program that encourages people to send their gear back when they're done with it and then we repurpose it for Alpha/Beta. It doesn't even have to be Raised by Wolves product. It could be vintage denim or band tees. Ever since I've started working on this project, I've seen a lot of brands that I really respect doing similar programs. So, I definitely think we're headed in the right direction, for sure. Big shoutout to Raised by Wolves for giving us an early look at the new collection! Check out the Pier Five Instagram for more content on some of the incredible pieces. Make sure to keep up with Raised by Wolves on Instagram for more information on the Alpha/Beta collection dropping this month and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

Keeping It Authentic With Katherine Johnsen As the opportunities and the audience grow, it can be easy for one to find themselves being pulled in a million directions with outside influences taking over. For Katherine Johnsen, creator and VP of Growth and Partnerships for Counter Culture agency, she has learned the importance of staying true to herself and ensuring that you grow with authenticity and passion. This has led to countless incredible experiences and the creation of lifelong relationships that Katherine attributes to her happiness and success. We got the chance to speak with Katherine about all of this and learn some of her secrets to building the next generation of opportunity for creators and brands. Read the full conversation below. Hi Katherine! Thanks for chatting with us today. For those who don't know, can you tell us a little about yourself? Excited to chat! So, my name is Katherine Johnsen and I'm the VP, Growth & Partnerships of Counter Culture agency which creates culturally relevant program with creators and for brands, amongst many other things. I've been with Counter Culture for 2 years and before that I spent a lot of time leading partnerships for some of the biggest tech and startup conferences in North America. I'm also a creator myself and on the brand side, have worked with tons of brands in tech, fashion and footwear, food and CPG so I like to think that I know the landscape pretty well and that can really help our partners. Throughout your time in the tech partnerships world and now at Counter Culture, has there been anything that you have learned that is a common thread across it all? Definitely! The biggest thing is that your relationships are everything. I spent a lot of time with company founders in the tech space and bringing that time into partnerships, I've seen how much those connections that you build can lead to success. I'm constantly trying to expand my network and stay connected with those who are close to me. That's a great point! As the network builds, how do you always stay in touch with so many people? I travel a lot and one of the guys I worked closely with at Microsoft who was one of the Top 5 People To Know in the NY startup scene used to tell me to divide my flights into 5 minute intervals and use that time to reach out to as many people as you can, just to check in on them. Just give when you need nothing and then when you need to tap people, they're more than happy to help you because you maintained a relationship there. With all of the different projects and travel, how do you stay organized? My calendar is everything and I'm a big advocate of time blocking. I allocate different blocks of time in my schedule to focusing on certain tasks without distractions and that's very helpful. I also make sure to prioritize. We all have so much going on but if you can prioritize 3 tasks for the week and get them done, then that's a win. I love this quote which is, "you don't always have to climb the whole staircase. You just need to take the first step." Oooh love that! As a creator yourself and a coach so many other creators out there, what is one piece of advice you stand by? I'm a firm believe that if you like something, then it's cool. I think it's so important to shed the weight of other people's opinions and just focus on liking what you like. A through line to all of the coolest people in our lives is that they are all authentic to themselves. What we often tell creators is that, by just looking at what other people are doing and looking at other trends, you will fall flat. We always say just listen to "what makes me excited to wake up in the morning?" and if you share that, I think it builds authentic community. That definitely shows in your content! For sure! My channels are really just an extension of my daily life. I like to share what I'm doing as opposed to doing things to share them. Love that! Lastly, on the business side, what advice would you give to creators looking to make a living out of this? 2 things! The first is when working with brands, be mindful of your value and your identity and always stay authentic to that. Brands will often come in with their own idea of how they think something should look and will try to use money to push that forward. The key is finding a way to make it your own - that will be the sign of a good partnership - and not being afraid to walk away if it's not a good fit. Secondly, it's important to think about your long term goals and understand the best ways for you to build your community and ultimately drive revenue. Partnerships are just one way to make money but there are so many other ways to expand your channels and revenue streams. Maybe that's building a mailing list, maybe it's connecting through events or selling product. At the end of the day though, the biggest thing is always prioritize your community. The people out there that are able to do all of these cool things as their full-time job are able to do so because of the community that they built. Make sure to check out Katherine and Counter Culture on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with cool creatives and industry leaders!

A Conversation With Florence Tang of Lot Stock & Barrel Florence Tang is a co-founder of Lot Stock & Barrel, one of LA's premier design studios and clothing stores with a specialty in chain stitched designs and vintage garments. Florence is a Toronto native with a background in graphic design and relocated to California to continue her studies and pursue a career as a visual merchandiser for Levi's before starting LSB. ​ @florencewtang // @lotstockandbarrel LSB has put together some really cool projects over the years. What are your 5 favourite you've worked on? ​​ The most interesting projects would be: Coachella LSB x Mastercard Collaboration ASOS x LSB Collaboration Lucky Brand x LSB Collaboration Nike x Carhartt launch ​ Each of these projects were so interesting, combining all of our teams' talents with product that really shined. ​ What are 5 keys to a successful collaboration? ​ Theres only ONE and that is letting each team do what they're best at! Meaningful collaborations combine talents to create innovative product, and should be the ultimate goal. We have been lucky enough to work with some great partners that have allowed us to showcase our craftsmanship and have respected our creative processes. ​ Besides all of the great stuff LSB does, who are 5 designers or brands you're really into right now? ​ This one is really hard, there are some great brands out there, doing really innovative stuff! Heavy hitters that continue to impress are Stone Island, Jacquemus and Sacai. Nicole Benisti has beautiful quality outerwear and I'm also a huge fan of Ruslan Baginskiy headwear. ​ Who are 5 brands that you would you love to work on a project with next? The dream client pool is large, but top 5 would include: Prada Maison Margiela MSGM Alyx Proenza Schouler ​ Lastly, everyone starts small but it seems like you have figured out a thing or two. What are your top 5 tips for growing your business? Be clear in your vision Be able to adapt quickly Treat everyone with respect Foster and cultivate your team. Your company is only as good the people who make it what it is. Don't be discouraged when things don't go as planned. Put your head down and keep working!

Getting To Know Hotpot Variety Amongst all of the creative businesses that launched during Covid, one of our favourites has to be Hotpot Variety founded by Toronto crocheter Jess Papp. What started as a fun hobby has since turned into a full time brand that has caught the attention of fashion enthusiasts, influencers, designers and retailer buyers around the country. As she takes the headwear game by storm with her unique crocheted hats, we caught up with Jess to chat about her recent growth, taking Hotpot Variety full time, getting into a major retailer, where she hopes to take the brand over the years and much more. Take a listen to some of Jess' quotes and read through below to learn more about Jess and Hotpot Variety. On taking Hotpot full time… "As of this fall, I’m officially doing this full time. When I started Hotpot Variety, I realized that was my passion. I was like, maybe I should focus my energy and efforts into something I love doing instead of working in a 9 to 5 job and coming out of it like “what did I just do all day?” Put Your Work Out There You never know what might come of it! So Holts DM’d you? That’s how the deal came around? Ya, I got a message from the buyer like “hey, who do I reach out to about partnership options?”. I only had 500 followers on Instagram and not a lot of my work was on my feed so I thought maybe they’re just contacting me about a pop-up or something. We had the call and they’re like, “do you have a line sheet? We want to stock your hats in our store.” and I’m like “Ya, I have a line sheet” while I’m googling what a line sheet is [laughs] and then they sent over my contract and my hats were going to be stocked in Holt Renfrew. It was crazy. On collaborations… I’m doing this by myself so I’m trying to make sure I’m not saying yes too much or biting off more than I can chew. Every project is different. It’s important to make sure that you understand what the scope of the partnership looks like and make sure you’re both aligned into something that’s going to be great for both sides. On dealing with burnout… Make sure that you’re listening to your body. If I’m tired, I need to sleep. If I’m hungry, I eat. If you can’t focus, you can’t be productive. Don’t stress about the things you can’t control and focus on one thing at a time. What do you want 60 year old Jessica to look back on and be proud of? I'm a first generation Canadian. My mom immigrated here from Vietnam. My family fled from their country to build something for us and give us more opportunity. I want to look back when I’m 60 and know that I built something out of an opportunity that my family has given me and be something inspiring to people going through the same thing and hopefully building some sort of an empire where I can support other people’s interests and talents. Checkout Hotpot Variety's Instagram for news on their upcoming releases and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.