Felipe Fire: the meeting between skateboarding and luxury

Originally from Guaratinguetá, Fire has been a skateboarder for years and mentions that this has paved his way and shaped his way of being. Fashion, closely related to this relationship, has also accompanied him since childhood. The union between "core" skateboarding and the mainstream strengthens Felipe's ties with @gucci.

We talked a little with him about his journey, fashion, lifestyle, luxury brands, and of course, skateboarding - check it out in the carousel. Additionally, a special editorial was created with @felipe.foguinho and @anendfor, celebrating this moment.

How would you describe your journey as a skateboarder so far?

• Skateboarding appeared in my life as an opportunity to be different within the universe I knew, but soon it became competition and remained that way for a good while. It took me to explore the world and experience cultures, which opened my mind. I grew up on a farm in the countryside of SP, in Guaratinguetá, and someone or something had to help me refine my vision. Over time and through experiences, I realized that competition within skateboarding is a negligible part compared to its impact on society and it made me return to what brought me to skateboarding in the first place, the lifestyle.

Skateboarding is one of the most powerful keys to learning and knowledge in today's society, the key to the universe given by the streets. It paved my way, opened doors for my entire life, and helps me evolve as a being.

What role does fashion and style play in your life, especially in relation to your identity as a skateboarder?

• I have always cared a lot about my clothes, since I was very young. The clothes I loved went from body to wash and from wash back to body... Over time I learned to be natural and listen to my body; some days my body craves blue, some days it craves lilac, white, or something just comfortable, or sometimes something super complex, full of accessories and details. Thus, style from my point of view is not strictly about how we dress, but how we feel, walk, speak, behave, gesture, dance, paint, or make any movement. Style is there, intrinsic; style is nothing more than your personality, feeling your moment... Each day you are in a different "mood" and thus we change, evolve, and style changes along with us. The important thing in the end is to feel good; if the clothes bother me, it becomes more complicated to skateboard, almost impossible. It feels like I’m not myself or that I’m not being true to myself; it's not my personality, it doesn't work. When I feel great in my clothes, I even learn new tricks.

How did your relationship with the Gucci brand come about and how has it influenced your perspective on fashion and lifestyle?

• "Nothing comes from nothing." Right after I understood my path within skate and culture, I decided to dive headfirst into this world. At that time, I was living in São Paulo and was recovering from surgery, which sidelined me from skating for over a year. This stagnated me and left me without perspectives in the sport. However, I had a strong desire to contribute to the culture, to not let go of something that brought me so much joy and find other ways to be part of it. So, while I was sidelined, I sought to get modeling representation, began to open doors for other brands besides my sponsor, worked on campaigns (that represented me and wanted to get more involved with skate), visited places and people who taught me a lot and gave me direction on this path, and naturally, things flowed. Then, amidst all this flow on a day like any other, I received a message saying it was from Gucci and they wanted to send me a gift... Hahaha at the moment I was sure it was a hacker, (I thought: Gucci?! Seriously?! These hackers are too clever) but a little nagging suspicion made me seek to learn more. I confirmed it was legit, and we soon started this relationship. This was in October 2020, and that moment was significant in my life.

It proved to me that skateboarding could open any door for me. If I keep believing in myself and respecting everything and everyone, I can reach wherever the mind imagines, and often places that the mind has not even imagined.

How do you balance your identity as a skateboarder with your involvement in campaigns and work outside of skate, such as modeling and influencing?

• In reality, everything is one thing. And when I realized this, everything became easier - none negate the other; on the contrary, they propel each other and present new viewpoints. An example of this is that after I started doing work as a model and influencer, I saw that they were lighter, and I ended up bringing that tranquility to skate, especially in moments of competition. Over time, I learned about how creation and production work within companies and developed even more interest in being part of that connection between "core" skate and the "mainstream," which is precisely the current path of skateboarding, as well as funk, surf, and what rap has been doing for quite some time. I created a creative capsule that I call Flow.er and today I also help partner brands with product designs, ideas, and everything skate teaches me and that I miss in the market's vision, as well as making my own creations, which are shapes and some pieces of clothing.

As a skateboarder, we live in the streets, we live the "core"; whether we like it or not, we see things happening before they happen, and the skateboarder is still an observer, rebellious and innovative; he has always been a transgressor. This is why creativity and creation are latent in a skateboarder's mind.

What were the main challenges you faced when expanding your presence beyond the world of skate?

• Challenges were only internal - like the fear of how people would see or judge, of not being good enough, that it wasn’t something for skateboarders, and more. Clearly, I didn’t listen to my insecurity. They spoke and they still speak, and if I cared about others’ opinions, I wouldn’t be here today. Besides studying a lot and talking about the history of skate with older Brazilian skateboarders and those from abroad, I discovered that skate has had a strong impact on fashion and society since its first day of life, starting from Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Mark Gonzales, Harry Jumonji… to Dilan Rider, Lucien Clarke, Peter Bici, Kith Hufnagel, and so on! So it was completely the opposite: I had zero challenges. The skateboarder is essence and freedom, but with elevated barriers, rigid and often closes itself off from the change that's already happening! Many want the knowledge we have from the streets of the world. My father used to say, "knowledge is expensive," and we have what everyone is seeking: experience, coffee in the pot, cultural connections, and respect. That is what college does not teach you, and a diploma does not provide; it’s what happens in the here and now, life unfolding in the collective, in community and union; it’s life that teaches! And the fact that skateboarding is in the spotlight is because we don’t talk much, we simply live, we’ve always lived. Society is respecting our vision and getting inspired more and more, it’s only fair that we are in the midst of it all, reaping the fruits of years of dedication to skateboarding. And thus… through the collective unconscious, society learns to live by our example, living and being more, talking less! Speak the essentials!

The market has always needed us; fashion is inspired by the streets, has been inspired, and has even used us. In fact, skate is a source of transformation.

How do you see the role of street fashion and skate culture in the luxury fashion industry, especially in the Brazilian context?

• Streetwear is and always will be fashion. Not undermining those who create art and concepts in clothing beyond the streets, but in general everyone wears streetwear, and when everyone wears it, it inevitably becomes fashion. This is due to three crucial aspects (for me) of streetwear: comfort, utility, and style. Respecting your body with clothing that doesn’t compromise your well-being and allows you to move freely; that is comfort. Clothing that supports your day-to-day, whether practicing exercises, hanging out, skating, or in any moment where a detail in the clothing makes your life easier, such as fabric type, pockets, seams, straps, buttons, accessories, and all those details that make a difference - that is utility. Last but not least, it must have style, color palette, silhouette, prints, and so on. Skate is at the center, and the luxury fashion industry knows it; they are always looking to bring innovation and profit. Skate unites everything they need, with a perspective they don't understand and the consumers’ desire to be part of street culture, combined with the aspiration a luxury brand carries. It is the perfect recipe, which is why they are bringing people who live this lifestyle into their companies. This has been happening abroad for several years and is now happening in Brazil as well. After all, Brazil is rich in creativity and designers who have this background to explore in streetwear, and the strength of this vision is immense. That’s why national brands or those that don’t respond to any foreign headquarters are gaining respect and space both here and abroad, bringing originality. An example was “Je M’appelle Brasil” that took place in 2023 in Paris.

Skate is at the center, and the luxury fashion industry knows this; they are always looking for innovation and profit. Skate unites everything they need with a perspective they don’t grasp, and the consumers’ desire to be part of street culture, paired with the aspirations that a luxury brand encompasses - it’s the perfect recipe.

What are your aspirations and goals for the future, both in skate and in fashion?

• To continue evolving and learning, diving headfirst even more into creation within brands, doing something impactful for people, that opens the mind, showing that life can be lighter, passing on my learnings in the form of clothes, accessories, films, and everything that helps me convey the message. And skateboarding... nothing has changed, and I am sure it will not change; it's on top of it that I can see things from another point of view.