Shareef Mosby was upcycling his own clothes since he was a child, even before he knew what “upcycled” meant. After moving from New York to Richmond as a child, his creative spark led him to numerous careers in the arts, from photography to interior design, and eventually to founding his own label, Victim 15.
“We specialize in pushing different boundaries when it comes to creating our work,” says Mosby, “and I would say our work is very avant-garde. We use a lot of different exotic and unconventional ways to make our clothes.”
Mosby, who has shown his work on runways in fashion capitals like Richmond, New York, and Miami, built his foundation on this convention-shattering ethos for his latest show, “Loading Perfection,” a fall/winter streetwear collection that was part of Art Basel’s showcase in Miami on December 9th.
Mosby says the collection is centered around embracing the idea of ​​rebels in society. “To me, ‘rebel’ means highlighting our imperfections, not hiding them,” he says. “After all, it’s not our job to worry about what other people think of us.”
To evoke a rebellious spirit, Mosby is taking inspiration from action movies and game franchises: “It’s going to be edgier. There’ll be a lot of Mad Max and Tomb Raider elements,” Mosby says.
Victim15 operates from a production studio in Manchester, where Mosby designs clothes, makes samples and photographs products, and he says he’s seen the city evolve over the past eight years, both physically and within the fashion industry, and feels inspired to foster the local fashion community.
“Remaining in Richmond means actively creating opportunities rather than simply pursuing them. … We’ve made great strides in Richmond, nurturing local talent and fostering creativity, which has been personally rewarding.”
For Mosby, the job isn’t about selling clothes, it’s about engaging with other people. “It’s about creating experiences with the people you work with, with your fans and your supporters,” he says. “I want this job to continue to feel more local.”
Source: Shopping & Style – richmondmagazine.com
