How Paul Mittleman Went From Stussy Creative Director To Working With Kanye, Pharrell, And Nigo

In this episode of "The Masters" with host Eli Morgan Gesner, we meet Paul Mittleman, the creative mind behind some of the biggest streetwear brands and trends over the past thirty years.

After cutting his teeth by helping run his family’s 1980s New Wave fashion boutique ‘Pandemonium’ on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Paul went on to help a California based surfboard shaper named Shawn to expand his clothing brand -- Stüssy -- from the beaches of Orange County to the streets of New York City. In doing so, Paul helped fuse two previously opposed cultures. From there, he went on to co-found Phat Farm (with Russell Simmons, Alyasha Owerka-Moore, and Eli Morgan Gesner), paving the way for everything from Rockawear to Sean John.

More recently, Mittleman went to work at Adidas Originals. When he arrived, Originals was Adidas’ heritage line -- devoted to celebrating the brand's long legacy of athletic achievements. After Paul, Originals was transformed into the home of Pharrell’s Adidas footwear line, as well as Yeezy by Kanye West.

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The Masters is a wide-ranging interview show created and hosted by UPROXX Founding Style editor Eli Morgan Gesner. It is essential viewing for anyone looking to better understand the intersection of hip-hop, streetwear, and culture in the late 90s. Check it out, comment, and subscribe!

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Apple -- http://applepodcasts.com/TheMasters

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