November 05, 2021 by Joey Birch Kick Game meets EVI132 When did you start EVI132? I started EVI132 exactly 10 months ago in Geneva, Switzerland. I launched my first collection named “Kids From The Sky” in January 2021. It all began in June 2020 when I first came out with twenty sweatshirts where I embroidered and printed by designs. They sold out instantly. I then met Celeste, my manager with who I decided to start EVI132 a more concrete brand producing more quantity, different colours and designs. Your artwork is vibrant and intriguing, where does the inspiration behind the pieces come from? My inspiration comes from literature, mythology and psychology. All these inspirations form my art, my messages, the symbols I create and convey in my paintings. My main message is the quest for peace and freedom while using a lot of colours in my paintings. My art is intimately linked to the power of the gaze, transmitted through the eyes which serve as a mirror of the soul. Through the paintings of my two collections: "Colombo" and "Depth of the Soul", I evoke the emotional feelings felt by the human being through different studies made over the past years. The “Colombo" collection features a dove, conveying peace in different forms. As for the "Depth of the Soul" collection, it is the result of long studies on several people that I have been able to work with and study. You describe EVI132 as providing time to reflect whilst also being born from ambition. What does EVI132 mean to you? First of all EVI132 is a code meaning “Eyes Never Lie”. The message can be decoded by the representation of the “E”, “V” and “I” which are in the first, third and second position in the words Eyes Never Lie. I came out with this brand name many years ago with the ambition to create a brand but also an empire with many other products, a little bit like Walt Disney. Eyes Never Lie is a saying that I say a lot because you can see sincerity, truth and passion in a person’s eyes. EVI132 is first a code, but also a name that is mysterious a little bit like the eyes, they are always hiding something. Therefore, EVI132 represents to me an empire still to be born while keeping the same artistic direction through the years and using the existing brand logo, an eye meaning the power of sincere love. Your garments are made of 100% organic cotton, has quality and sustainability always been a priority when creating your brand? Yes! Since the beginning of the brand is was crucial for me and my team to produce garments made of 100% organic cotton, in Europe (Portugal and Italy) but also they offer the highest quality on the market. The northern Portuguese textile industry is one of the most recognised sectors in the country, highly valued by diverse international stakeholders. The transparency and responsible labour practices, know-how, environmental craftsmanship make it one of the best hubs for fashion production. You can be seen on your Instagram, sporting high-end fashion pieces such as Dior and Louis Vuitton as well as dabbling in a more streetwear based aesthetic. How do the two resonate with you and influence your work? For me art, our surroundings ultimately inspire fashion and the combination between high-end fashion and streetwear is now very trendy. I like to put looks together where I can mix high-end brands but also give it a twist with streetwear pieces, it balances the look and gives it a cool and trendy vibe. I get inspired by a lot of other brands, designers, old fashion collections and I like how streetwear pieces and high-end fashion can be combined and mixed together. The combination of streetwear and luxury brands also influence a lot of the pieces I design for EVI132 because I get to mix these two styles. What is your favourite sneaker and why? My favourite sneaker is the Air Force 1 Low MCA. The Air Force 1 has always been my favourite sneakers but I especially like these because of their vibrant blue and because of Nike's collaboration with Off-White, I could wear them with any outfit. What can we expect for the future of EVI132? EVI132 has much more to give during the next months and years. I am coming out in a few months with a never-see before sweatshirt very hype but also luxurious. As mentioned before, I plan to transform EVI132 into an empire with multi-sources revenues acting in different sectors such as art, fashion, toys, stationery, sneakers, NFTs, video games, etc. I already started producing small toys as well as the next clothing collection for the debut of next year but for the rest, like we say, one thing after the other. Moreover, the brand is expanding on new markets with big projects coming on and we are also hiring new members to join our work team.