Interview: Brain Dead

Co-founder Kyle Ng made a trip to The Garbstore to chat about upcoming collaborations, his typical day and the story behind meeting business partner Ed Davis.

C&TG: Where do you live?
K: Los Angeles, California.

C&TG: Best thing about where you live?
K: The amazing creativity all around.

C&TG: Please describe your typical day.
K: Get up, drink a shit load of coffee, hang with friends, freak out that I need to do work, hang out with more friends, work, eat, work, eat, work… hopefully sex.

C&TG: Where do you draw inspiration from?
K: Everything. I am a nerd and I love everything. Art, comics, music, books…you know name it…I love it.

C&TG: What was the first thing you ever designed?
K: A window display.

C&TG: How did you and Ed meet / come together? Where did the connection first start with you two. Fashion? Art?
K: We first met online. He was making crazy bootleg T-shirts and I had a brand called AXS Folk Technology (carried at The Garbstore). We had mutual admiration, and we loved all the same things. Next thing you know…we started Brain Dead

C&TG: Do you share a studio space?
K: We see each other maybe twice a year.

C&TG: We heard you go to Art book fairs?
K: I love going to the New York and Los Angeles Art Book Fair…We are inspired by all the creativity as well as the amazing work.

C&TG: What other brands do you think are particularly interesting at the moment?
K: I love Engineered Garments & SasquatchFabrix.

C&TG: Do you have a design process with Brain Dead?
K: There is really no process…when we both get inspired we start to discuss and throw ideas around. If we both love the idea we then make it.

C&TG: You produce a lot of collaborations with Brain Dead, are there any more coming soon?
K: We have a shit load of collaborations. We think that the brand is all about the idea of working with likeminded people. We have A Vans, Gimme5, NTS Radio, and a few others that we can’t talk about just yet…

C&TG: Tell us about the filming you’re currently doing with Red Bull, it looks mental. How did it come about?
K: I got asked to host a weird, funny TV show about men’s style. I have been traveling for 3 months learning all about random shit. It comes out in September…so get ready!

C&TG: Can you explain how yours and Eric Elms’ Powers Label came about?
K: Eric and I are friends and I really wanted to help him create some products that were birthed from his visual language. The dude is a genius and I love his work…it’s great to see it out in the real world!

C&TG: Any other careers you would have liked to pursue?
K: Food and film.

C&TG: Favourite item in your wardrobe?
K: A good pair of cropped big pants and some skate shoes.

C&TG: Favourite place in the world?
K: JAPAN!

C&TG: Favourite decade?
K: NOW!

Shop Brain Dead