No other brand understands the internet, meme culture, and streetwear as well as Mike Cherman and his team at Chinatown Market. Founded just four years ago, the LA label can already look back on an array of unique products and collaborations. In addition to our interview, we picked out our five favorite Chinatown Market items and asked Mike to tell us more about them.
When did you found Chinatown Market?
The brand was founded in November 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
What was your main motivation?
I was in the transition from moving from New York to Los Angeles and looking for an outlet to creatively profess my love for being a maker. Chinatown Market allows me the outlet to be overtly creative in whatever direction I want, making items such as basketballs, t-shirts, and ping pong tables. Iāve always strived to create a platform that nurtures the idea that creativity is constant exploration.
What makes the brand stand out?
The way we move on social media sets us apart from the rest of the streetwear community. We move more like a friend than a clothing brand. Kids these days are just being advertised to left and right, we realize we are more than just a brand and have created a platform of like-minded humans who appreciate our approach to brand-building.
What kind of collaborations have you done?
Grateful Dead, Erykah Badu, Mike Tyson, Converse, Crocs, Puma, Lacoste and more!
What are the criteria when you select partners for collaborations?
Weāre always striving to work with brands and people that can challenge us to be better and push the limits of what’s possible.
What do you think about the streetwear industry these days?
While it is more mainstream than ever before, the opportunity for marginalized communities and people who never been able to use their voice and demand to be acknowledged is bigger than ever. I think it’s an amazing time of open-source creativity and things being pushed to the extreme in all directions.Ā
Letās talk about some of the favorite items on StockX from your brand:
Chinatown Market Monochrome Smiley Rug
The monochrome smiley rug is one of my personal favorites. When we made our classic smiley rug, I loved it, but my dog max would roll around on it and instantly get it dirty. From there, we developed this monochrome Smiley Rug which doesnāt look all messed up when the puppy starts rolling around. Beyond that, the ability to make something so fun and happy that wouldnāt clash with someone who has a nice bedroom is great! We wanted to make this rug for the discerning person who wants to add the cherry-on-top to the room they spend the most time in.
Crocs Classic Clog Chinatown Market
This is probably one of the bigger sleepers from our three Crocs collaborations. This one was actually meant to be an Urban Outfitters exclusive because I always wanted to democratize a release with a bigger retailer instead of making something that nobody could get. We were able to still create a Croc that is reselling for over $250 with a retailer that most people would argue does the exact opposite of what a brand wants when they look for a āhype drop.ā We continue to do things like this because design speaks first. The fact that we work to give people access to our products shouldnāt affect the desire to wear a great design.
Chinatown Market Smiley Boxing Gloves Yellow
One of the more iconic products weāve made is the Smiley Boxing Gloves. Before our collaboration with Mike Tyson these were special, but once Iron Mike put the gloves on they became immortalized. Also, thereās nothing funnier than getting punched in the face with a pair of Smiley Face Boxing Gloves. Good luck finding a pair.
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star 70s Hi Chinatown Market
The Chinatown Market UV Converse Chuck 70s were my favorite collaboration of 2019 for many reasons. First and foremost, this was a huge moment because over 70% of purchasers were first-time Chuck buyers. These shoes are fun to keep in your closet but A LOT more fun to actually wear and show your friends. Iāve always hated the idea of just collecting objects meant to be worn. With this design we really pushed the wearer to truly use and showcase their shoes, creating a viral piece of apparel with the perfect storm of UV & Converse classic design.
Lil Wayne Chinatown Market Tee Black
Lil Wayne is my favorite rapper of all time, so this was an amazing project to work on with his team. I had one of our designers, Blazzy, work on the graphic and cook up this crazy piece. We definitely didnāt let Lil Tunechi down with this tee.
