Luke Stedman : Founder of « Insted we smile »
Itw : Pierre David
Picture : Jonathan Hökklo
He isn’t the first or the last pro surfer to have thrown himself into the lion’s den! To start your own brand when you’ve already been in the center of the whole commercial whirlwind …….. with all the pressure of some of the multinationals, you have to be flipping mad! Luke Stedman’s one of them and after 5 years on the WCT, he’s decided to go over to the dark side and create his own label ! Presenting »Insted We Smile » … and Cry never !
-Tell us more about the Brand « Insted We Smile » ! when did you start ?
Ok, so the label hit the stores in January 2012 and i was just banging out tees but it took me forever to just nail them. I was a total novice to it all , I had no textile
expertise at all. I’m a quick learner though and it didn’t take me long before knowing all about enzime washes, garment dying etc. Now i’m selling my new collection. i’ve done shirts, shorts, pants, polos and surf trunks. I’ve been busy , kids.
-What’s the Universe of the brand.
To make super fun and sexy stuff. I want people to have fun with the label. I love it when girls wear my clothes so i’m trying to give it a lil’ universal look. I want to be able to wear « Insted We Smile » to the beach and in the city. And look cool in both places…
-It is hard after a life focused on surfing , to build up and start running your own brand ?
I love creating things. I love bringing things to life and watching them grow. I ‘ve always tried to grow and nurture ideas and this was just an idea, that’s how everything starts though. i try to make my ideas come to life. Running a business isn’t too far from being a pro surfer. You market yourself as a surfer just like you market a label. You’re always looking for an edge,whether you’re starting a business or catching waves. The only thing that’s different is that you have to depend on other people sometimes with a business. There’s only one person you have to worry about when you surf. You…..
“Insight is a cool label. Insted We Smile is a fun, flamboyant positive label“
-Riding several years for Insight , did it influence you for the universe of your brand ?
Insight is a cool label. Insted We Smile is a fun, flamboyant positive label. I’m just making clothes that i would wear myself, pushing the brand in the direction that i’m happy with. I hope that it has individuality and carves it’s own path. I don’t really look at what others are doing, i just do what gets me high and gets me by.
-What about the design and the production ?
I have a lot of creative people around me. I surround myself with them as i find i’m happiest when i’m inspired. It makes me want to create and be creative. Over time i accumulate ideas and directions and before you know it i’ve got this massive amount of ideas and concepts and there’s no direction at all. Everything’s a mess ahahahhaha so i have to then cut it down and put it together so it makes
sense. I’m pretty sure that’s how i do it anyway.
“Fun, Flaymboyant, Positive, Sexy“
-You seem to want to keep the brand small and take your time ?
I’m in no rush. I’m having so much fun doing this and i’m riding the lightening along the way. Every one who’s part of the team has come to me and that gets me psyched to work with them. I dont want to have to hunt for things. When it’s time it ‘ll come to me. Insted We smile in 3 months is already in japan, Austalia and Indonesia, so i think i’m moving quick enough….
-Can you describe your brand in 5 words ?
Fun, Flaymboyant, Positive, Sexy . i just needed 4…
Thanks Luke .
