Famous for his graphic collaborations with Fendi and Harrods, artist Joshua Vides speaks to L’OFFICIEL about his hallmark graphic métier and new project with Converse and MCA Chicago.

Creative talent <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/save-the-date/woolrich-joshua-vides-snow-room-new-york">Joshua Vides</a> is having a much-due moment in the art spotlight. Over more than a decade, he has parlayed a talent for illustration into his signature black-and-white marker aesthetic. In the process, he cultivated his own key niche in art and fashion with nods to comics, pop art, and graffiti. &ldquo;My art career began and exploded in 2018,&rdquo; says Vides, who previously founded streetwear brand <a href="https://clsclife.com/">CLSC</a>&mdash;pronounced classic&mdash;at the age of 19. &ldquo;I found self-expression by creating products and collaborations. Being rooted in streetwear culture and being able to relate to objects&mdash;from gaming to sneakers&mdash;has catapulted me to the position I am in today.&rdquo;

Vides&rsquo; fast-rising art stardom was affirmed with his recent installation at the <a href="https://mcachicago.org/">Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago</a> (MCA). Titled&nbsp;&quot;<a href="https://hypebeast.com/2020/9/joshua-vides-museum-of-contemporary-art-chicago-collaboration-info">Forever Hallway</a>,&quot; the 40-foot, hand-painted installation marks a new achievement as his longest scale mural to date. &ldquo;Through this project, my focus was on rewriting the expected relationship between an artist and a museum. I was thinking about going beyond the usual experience of art and how I could extend that conversation, how I could bring my background in <a href="https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/joshua-vides-sneaker-sketches/">sneaker culture</a> and hype into the art world,&rdquo; shares Vides. &ldquo;The idea was to create a fresh, new dialogue where your mind starts to shift towards&mdash;what else can I do?&rdquo;

It was a desire to find his next-level pursuit that led to a philanthropic venture with iconic sneaker company <a href="https://www.converse.com/shop/joshua-vides">Converse</a>. Benefitting the MCA&rsquo;s community-focused mission, 30 special-edition pairs of Chuck 70 sneakers will be auctioned online from November 6 &ndash; November 13. Each unique set was designed directly from Vides&rsquo; &quot;Forever Hallway&quot; and will be encased in its own custom spray-painted box. While this is not the artist&rsquo;s first collaboration with the footwear brand&mdash;last year, he designed a <a href="https://hypebeast.com/2019/7/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-joshua-vides-chinatown-market-collaboration-unt1tl3d-release-info">sneaker</a> with interchangeable, Pantone panels&mdash;this project is decidedly meaningful because it allows him to pay-it-forward to the creative community that fostered his own art career.

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&ldquo;It is surreal to have opportunities like this because I still feel like I did five&nbsp;or 10 years ago, I am just trying to create,&rdquo; says the artist. &ldquo;I come from a low-income neighborhood, my parents are immigrants from Guatemala. This isn&rsquo;t supposed to be happening for me, but I am so grateful that it is. I need to give back to show other people that what is supposed to happen for them isn&rsquo;t necessarily what their lives will become, that they can also rewrite the story.&rdquo;

Well beyond the arts, the Southern California native has also made his mark in fashion. Beginning with CLSC, the artist has focused broadly on developing his creative prowess. &ldquo;I think art is constantly evolving. <a href="https://lichtensteinfoundation.org/">Lichtenstein</a> and <a href="https://www.warhol.org/">Warhol</a> would probably have a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/drake-fashion-instagram-nike-certified-lover-boy">Nike</a> or <a href="https://www.lofficielmalaysia.com/fashion/what-you-need-to-know-about-prada-x-adidas-originals-second-release">Adidas</a> collaboration now. The commercial route was frowned upon at that time, it was not even a discussion then,&rdquo; explains Vides. &ldquo;While artists are still keeping a foot in fine art, they are now showcasing their talents in different worlds. I would like to use my example to inspire other artists. I didn&rsquo;t go to art school but how you succeed is being completely rewritten and I am out front showing what is possible.&rdquo; In <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/fashion/a-first-look-into-fendi-s-california-sky-pre-fall-2020-collection">recent projects with Fendi</a>, he has applied his sketch stylings to 3-D, tromp-l&rsquo;oeil ready-to-wear and &ldquo;double F&rdquo; accessories. Notably, he has also partnered in creative design projects with the <a href="https://twitter.com/freshtapemedia/status/1018972312857661440">MLB</a>, <a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/tiktok-x-ntwrk-x-designer-joshua-vides">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.licenseglobal.com/apparel/sony-pictures-consumer-products-announces-ghostbusters-x-joshua-vides-capsule">Sony Pictures</a>&mdash;and even a redesign of Harrods&rsquo; London <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/a28260084/fendi-cafe-pop-up-harrods/">Fendi Cafe</a>.

In spite of his many successes, and the years of effort behind these milestones, Vides takes a level view of the acclaim that has come to him. &ldquo;When I think about the future, I think about how I grow, not only as an artist, but as a human being. The time during the pandemic definitely made me reevaluate. I think everyone had that moment&mdash;thinking about the things we hang onto and what is really important. At the end of the day, what really matters to me is family, that&rsquo;s my drive,&rdquo; says Vides. &ldquo;I would like my family to have opportunities that I didn&rsquo;t. I also want to show my children my process&mdash;how I begin and how I finish, the idea of hard work. I show them my path because I feel that is a story I need to tell.&rdquo;

L’OFFICIEL EXCLUSIVE: Joshua Vides’ Latest Fashion Connection Helps the Creative Community

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