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So for our first article we thought we give you a better insight into Fruit Salad and how it all began and about the brand by interviewing the creative mind behind the label, Richard Forey.
Q.So Richard tell us little bit about yourself and what you do?
Q.Cool okay, so how did Fruit Salad start off then?
A. Well basically we started of in a shop in Camden, London selling hand made apparel. To be honest we started off as a Nu Rave brand (for those who don’t know, Nu rave was a neon dress trend which emerged in the UK). It was an insane time, we were making all the prints by hand at home during the night, and selling them in the shop during the day. We had instant success, beyond what we could of ever imagined. We were working around the clock and I was living on an average of two hours sleep a night. We was on a constant adrenaline rush, because we was doing so well, but I knew what we had, was something that could be taken to the rest of the world. I decided to shut down the shop, and to get everything properly manufactured.
Q.So how did the brand transform from a Nu-Rave brand to a lifestyle brand?
A Well after I shut the shop, I taught myself how to design on a PC (I’m a PC, GAY!) on a programme called Paint.Net, and started to create sneakers. I not sure how it happened but things just took shape on there own, and eventually the brand was born.
Q, And how did you come up with logo.
Q.and the name Fruit Salad
A.Hahaha yeah again that was my bro, snooze you loose pal. He just came up with it, and I nicked it.
 Q. One thing I find is never covered in interviews with brand owners is the actual process of getting a product manufactured, so tell us about that?
A.Yeah that was a nightmare. I had absolutely no contacts with any manufactures or anyone in the sneaker game. I just travelled to Guangzhou (Industrial city) in China, and found a massive market that where trainers where on wholesale. I approached about 40-50 companies, but none where interested because we were not ordering 10,000. Eventually we managed to persuade one company to produce the sample, by paying a huge deposit, and eventually we got the kicks made.
Q. Great sounds like you had fun
A. HA, yeah I spent eight months travelling back and forth to China, and when the samples were made, the guy tried to f**k us by saying he didn’t want to produce them for us, but that’s another story.
Q.Okay, so tell us in your words, what is Fruit Salad about?
A Well like I said it’s a life style brand, and that’s because we are trying to convey a way of living through our brand. A way which is outgoing, up beat, and creative. Not sticking to any code or practice which dictates a set route, but just doing what you love, oh and certainly not being some ‘I wear cool kicks, so my head is stuck up my arse’ kid. Just not taking things so serious, really.
Q. Who would you say the brand is aimed at?
A. Anyone really, I didn’t sit down and say to myself the cliché ‘I’m going to try and bridge the gap between formal and casual footwear’ or ‘it will be about REAL street wear! That’s good for the hood’ or some bullshit like that. I just design what I thought was creative and would bring something new to the market, I think that’s a cliché isn’t it, ahhh crud fish?
Q.So just to wrap it up anything we should look forward too?
Q.Anything else we should know?
A.Yeah, be sure to keep checking our blog daily. As we are going to be doing loads of creative projects, and stuff, just keeping it interesting, and always remember to EAT MORE FRUIT SALAD!
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