G.P.Stud: Kiser Haydar Barnes
So you know those dope ass shirts iLL-Literacy wears with the name Kiser tagged on the back? Well, Kiser is not only a brand, but an actual breathing brilliant bodacious human being! And by the way, one of my favorite people in New York City. (Even though he drags me around SoHo on a sweaty shopping frenzy and has once given me noogies in public.)
Always coming around looking like he’s fresh off a picture off The Sartorialist, Kiser is fashion savvy and keen on his designs-which is why he’s been chosen to collaborate with top name brands such as Chloe and Timberland, before heading up his own line of streetwear designs, KISER NY: which fabulously keeps your favorite spoken crew fitted ( yes, thats right: Kiser is the secret to our freshness).
Kiser’s influences spans far and wide as his personal history: he was born in Nigeria to American parents, and discovered his passions for graphics while attending high school in Israel. He went on to study at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Influenced by hip-hop, African culture and Middle Eastern elements, the Kiser brand represents an original and eclectic twist on visual language.
From the Kiser Website: “Sometimes political and sometimes playful, but always balanced, the KISER line is based on the concept of “Hunt Beauty.” Hunt Beauty is defined as the pursuit of truth and originality. The KISER logo with the crossed AK-47′s and flower represent an uncompromising devotion to this ideal. On a more literal level, AK-47′s are graphic symbols for revolution and the flower represents the creative spirit. The two icons together demonstrate the continued need for change within the world of fashion, graphics and the visual culture that surrounds us.”
