Hey all, this is Nick from SlamxHype. The fellas at FRSH asked me to do some guest blogging here on the site, so here I am. On SlamxHype, I write a lot of stuff pertaining to sneakers, apparel, contemporary and street art, and other random street culture info, so on Be My Guest, I plan on getting a bit more personal and creative with the entries.
To set things off, I interviewed a colleague: Marcus Troy. Marcus Troy’s site is something you should get familiar with if you are not already. A known trendsetter and lifestyle journalist, Marcus offers his perspective on style via his refreshing outlook, and he keeps readers coming back with his reviews, opinions and the ever-important exclusive content component that has made his site what it is.
Nick: Hey Marcus. How are things going?
Marcus Troy: I’m good man! I feel blessed and fortunate. I trust that all is well with you?
Nick: Can you give the FRSH readers a little background information about you and your site?
Marcus Troy: Well I’m known as Marcus Troy and I started writing/blogging online about 5 years ago when I co-owned wrg magazine which was one of the first online magazines/newsletters for our lifestyle. About a year ago I started marcustroy.com, which was meant to be an extension of who I was and deliver fresh new content to my readers based on what I liked. Most sites and blogs out there, deliver all the news that is available without filtering, I deliver information only on things that I like and that I am passionate about.
Nick: The thing I appreciate about MarcusTroy.com is the fact that there is a real personal touch to your site. It’s not like the other street fashion-oriented sites in which the same information is put forth from site to site, but more so what you think about it; it really invites the readers to experience and appreciate stuff you are into. Was that your idea the entire time when starting your site?
Marcus Troy: It was my idea the entire time! Just like everyone else I read a couple dozen blogs a day and its unfortunate that most of the blogs all have the same exact information. In my early days of blogging we tried to work with brands to get exclusive information or a different angle than other sites. The more popular you get, you start receiving press releases that get sent out to the same 100 sites. It’s become a copy and paste business where everyone just has the same information. The other problem, which must be super frustration for the big guys, is they post something and then all the smaller sites just scour their page and re-copy word for word. I really wanted to only talk about the things I like. A lot of brands reach out to me to talk about their product but if I don’t feel it, I don’t talk about it. Marcustroy.com is not a news medium it is truly about my personal touch and feeling as a cultural participant.
Nick: What brands do you find yourself covering on a regular basis?
Marcus Troy: I cover a lot of Visvim, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Converse and Nike.
Nick: Do you find yourself discovering a lot of labels in your pursuits and travels?
Marcus Troy: I pride myself on paying attention to what is going on. When I travel I love “shopping retail” which does not mean actually purchasing, but visiting all types of stores to see what buyers are purchasing, seeing new collections and seeing the merchandising. Every city I visit, I try to cover all price points at retail from a Target to a Louis Vuitton and everything in between. It is how I stay sharp and then I am able to consult brands and companies on what is going on in the market place.
Nick: Do you travel a lot on behalf of the site?
Marcus Troy: I’ve been fortunate and blessed to be able to travel because of the site. A lot of brands see the value in having someone like myself cover their events or product launches. As more companies become comfortable with bloggers, as opposed to traditional magazines, I see a huge opportunity for those who want to get into the game and work closely with brands. I recall 1 year when I was invited to the All Star Game in Las Vegas and I showed up to the media table and I told them I wrote for a magazine and they asked me if I had a camera man and a journalist? I pulled out my little point and shoot Sony camera and said: Here I am. The guy did not look too impressed especially because he was ushering me on the red carpet next to BET and MTV and there I was in between both of these huge media outlets as a blogger covering this star studded red carpet event with my point and shoot camera.
Nick: What is your fondest memory/experience from your travels?
Marcus Troy: One of the most exciting experiences was my visit to Beijing China for the Olympic game launch. I got to hang on the Great Wall of China and visit so many cool spaces because I’m a blogger! I think it was pretty incredible, I always wanted to visit Beijing but I never thought it would have been under those circumstances and during such a momentous time.
Nick: I notice that you keep track of trends that you notice while out and about. What are some you have noticed or encountered in recent times? Are there any out there at the moment that will have lasting power?
Marcus Troy: Right now I see a lot of people on this nautical, preppy collegiate look and I think it is pretty cool. I’m also noticing the “I ride fix gear bike” look. I’m seeing a lot of brands catering to the lifestyles rather than cater to trends and the stuff that is coming out is pretty awesome. The youth sub-culture has to be up on things for a very long time and when it came to dressing for that particular lifestyle I believe a lot of improvisation was happening. Now there are brands who cater to you if you are a participant in a certain lifestyle.
Nick: American work wear is certainly making a lot of waves. I personally have always enjoyed it. My dad and grandfather used to wear it, not for fashion, but for actually working. I always admired it and I think it is cool seeing brands that I like put out offerings inspired by traditional work garb. What are you thoughts on it?
Marcus Troy: I think it is fantastic! Who would have thought the clothing our grandparents wore for work would be fashionable? I once had a lengthy and heated discussion with a good friend of mine to why things like this happen. He did not agree with me, maybe some of your readers will. I believe some of the early trends started because of socio-economical reasons and also for functional purposes rather than trend or fashion. I believe the white tee become popular in the inner cities of America especially New York because they were disposable and inexpensive. Back in the day you could walk anywhere in NYC and get 3 tees for $5. If you could not afford the brands it was easy to pick up a white tee at the corner and just wear that instead. When these same guys became rappers and did not have more money then you and I they wore it in their videos, as their popularity grew it became cool to wear a white tee. Then you have all the kids who could afford the brands but a cheap white tee instead. Brands got hip to that and started producing the expensive white tee. Akademiks, Sean John and Rocawear all created the $30 white tee when that look was in demand in the urban market. So the guys with money would wear the Akademiks white tee and the guy from the street could wear the 3 for $5 and no one would see the difference. I think the same thing happened with the famous Chuck Taylor All Stars. The inner city kids wore them because they were cheap and affordable before they were a huge fashion trend, now they are a must in everyone’s wardrobe. The fisherman or the guys who worked on the docks wore the same pea coat and work boots everyday, they went to work in that gear and went home in that gear, I would not be surprised if it was the only clothing they had, now that look is a huge trend. I think that it is great that fashion and culture have finally caught up, that you could be a guy on your way to work at the factory wearing overalls, Red Wing boots and a Carhart jacket and be considered just as trendy as the guy on his way to a his boutique wearing the same brands. The only difference comes down to how you wear it!
Nick: People say that shoes complete the outfit. I tend to agree. I have seen some poor shoe selections ruin a pretty sharp kit. What do you think truly completes one’s outfit?
Marcus Troy: I think the perfect outfit gets completed with how you wear it and how comfortable you look in it. A lot of people try looks or styles that are just not for them. It would look sick on someone who can actually pull it off but some things are not for everyone. You could have the right shoes, pants and top but if you don’t have style of even the comfort level to pull it off it might look really bad.
Nick: Let’s talk more footwear! I love it and I am always on the prowl for shoes. What are you feeling at the moment for casual wear and/or sneakers?
Marcus Troy: When it comes to sneakers I am getting really bored these days! I’m not seeing a lot that impresses me except for the classics like Jordans, Stan Smiths, Gazelles and some Nikes. I’m a huge fan of Visvim, Sebago, Sperry and Common Projects. Clean silhouettes and minimalistic patterns are what I’m feeling these days. I think Supra is doing some really cool stuff but everyone is copying their heights and patterns it must be so frustrating for them. I recently came across Android Homme, which look pretty interesting, I can’t wait to get my hands on a few pairs to check them out. High-end brands such as Gucci and Louis always put out a decent shoe I can rock with, but the pricing is just way up there at times.
Nick: Did you catch Air Yeezy fever? I know you got some from the good folks at Nike. Do you think the shoe was worth the hype?
Marcus Troy: To be honest I did not really catch the fever! The hype was enormous and people were going crazy over them. I had gotten a phone call a couple months before the first colorway came out and it was a call from a District Attorney swearing me to secrecy and discretion. I did not think anything of it until they showed up in the mail and there was only 3 to 4 people reported as getting them at the time and it was Don C, IBN Jasper and Kanye West himself. They are super comfortable and I think the second colourway was the best one. Was it worth the hype? Not if you waited in line for 4 days and paid $600 for them. If you were able to get a pair at the suggested retail and you are a fan of Kanye yes it was worth it.
Nick: Well, Marcus, it was a real pleasure having this discussion with you. Let’s end things on an interesting note: Can you compile some images of product you are feeling for this Summer season?
Sebago boat shoes are amazing. I really love this grey colourway done by David Z.
Alexander McQueen duffel is pretty much the cadillac of duffels. It is the perfect carry on for all my gadgets and travels.
Dita has some really interesting designs and looks! They blend vintage aesthetics with modern sensibilities. (dita challenger sunglasses)
Rugby Ralph Lauren always has great oxford shirts. This solid university oxford is lightweight and pre-washed and distress for the frayed look.
Ransom Cargo shorts, can’t go wrong.
Ransom Mod Parka with the fishtail back is really fresh. I own it in blue and simply love the fit and styling.
Silver plated engine belt by Ralph Lauren. I love the colour of the leather and the quality of RL belts are unmatched.
Timex Pilot watch is pretty cool. I love the black on Black colour.
That concludes my interview with Marcus Troy. I plan on doing some more interviews and what not, so be sure to stay tuned!
