NTS Interview: discover Block® Office - Tattoo Shop and Studio

Recently, NottheSamo talked to Luis, who is responsible for Block® Office, the tattoo shop and studio that has been bringing great news for fans of streetwear and skateboarding in Brazil.

Hey Luis, how are you? Tell us a bit about yourself.
No big deal, I live in Porto Alegre, but my place is really the world; I love what I do and I know it's just the beginning, there’s still a lot to come.
About Block Office, where did the idea of creating an online store that meets the expectations of Brazilian consumers come from?
I’ve always liked brands, clothing, and quality items. I think that is the foundation. I had a previous experience with another streetwear e-commerce that didn’t work out too well, so I took a chance on starting my own business. It worked out. Brazil had a very large gap for original imported products in our segment; after all, after Tyler, you have a counterfeit five panel from Supreme on every corner bought for R$100 (and there are those who believe it’s original). So, we came to provide access to that product that everyone always desired but was only bought by those who travelled or had good contacts abroad.

Supreme, Palace, and Bape. It’s not just anywhere that we find these products available for immediate delivery. Is there more work to keep the stock of these brands up to date?
The work at Block is a bit like being a “dealer”; we have various contacts spread outside of Brazil that we manage to always keep in stock the products that people desire most. Reselling is not an easy game; you need to be careful about who you associate with and who your contacts are.
Do you have any motivation to keep the business afloat? Someone you can perhaps draw inspiration from.
Money, networking, and creation. The 3 form our Tri-Block hahahaha!
Block Office has just completed a collaboration with High Company, a brand that is currently winning over many consumers who previously only looked outside the country. What is that like for you?
It’s really awesome! The guys came to spend a few days in Porto Alegre and we went out during the night with William (the model skateboarder from the collab) to produce the Lookbook and the video. Several situations happened; it was a crazy night, fires in skate parks, surfing in the car, tagging, and other things. Regarding the pieces and the collaboration itself, I think it was a big step; we're not used to seeing Brazilian brands doing collaborations in capsule collections with this style of material.

It turned out really cool! To finish, is there any project for 2016 that you can share with our readers and Block's customers?
A lot of things are coming! We are bringing in some new, more underground brands for those who are really fans and keep up with the work. We are going to start producing some skate content and there is a collab that I can't talk about yet, but it will make a lot of noise!
Block Everyone Else!

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A large part of the products offered by Block are exclusive and very rare to find available for immediate delivery; all items are available at the online store.
Check here for the complete collection from High Company in partnership with Block® Office.
Photos by: Hálex Marinho
Block® Office
Tattoo Studio • Streetwear & Hyped Store - R. Anita Garibaldi, 410. 203, Porto Alegre