Can you share the vision and inspiration behind the founding of CLOSNEA ?

Closnea’s vision has always been, to create a place where people can be themselves and to create a community without being blinded by social norms, a place where everyone can be who they want to be. The inspiration has always been in our environment; it has been essential to us from day one to be aware of it and reflect it in our projects.

How do diverse elements and art forms like fashion to film, art to photography, snowboarding and skateboarding come together to form the identity of the brand ?

For us, it has always been important not to limit ourselves to one art form; we aim to make it difficult for our observers to categorize us and thus demand a certain amount of openness in order to explore our brand in a new way. However, most art forms listed are also used together for specific projects to embody the message we want to spread. Nevertheless, our roots are in snowboarding and skateboarding, where the strong connection to community and rawness lies.

The brand’s concept is inspired by ongoing societal inclinations. In today’s fast paced environment where thoughts and notions are like swiftly shifting trends, how has the collective’s journey evolved since 2019 ? How does this phenomenon impact the creative process ?

We started our journey with photography & skateboarding. Back then, it was more about the experience with friends and sharing those memories; over time, we ventured into the first merch, and that’s how the connection with the clothes started. For some time now, we have been trying to balance these different worlds but are currently moving towards “high fashion” in the sense of trying to build our own language rather than following the “streetwear” rules. Rapidly changing attitudes and preferences have and will always play a role in any creative environment. We, as a collective, try and counteract this movement as well as we can by conducting research and taking inspiration for various projects, not only from the present but also from the past. Of course, we will always be influenced by what trends and thoughts are current at the time, just like everybody else is. The key to not losing oneself is to be aware and to compare personal preferences with the ones one is being fed by the world. Balance it out. The beauty of the creative industry is being able to pick things apart, take what you like, and leave the rest behind.

CLOSNEA emphasizes the interaction between “you are us.” How does this interaction play a role in shaping the projects and ideas for the brand ? How does the brand interpret and respond to these findings ?

It plays a role regarding our projects by setting a base construct that is all about the social interaction of human beings. Our projects involve said topic and can focus on all possible two-party interactions. As already mentioned, the community has played a significant role from the beginning. Hence, the “you are us” hides the message that you make a difference for us and that our brand reflects our environment. It doesn’t mean that we only do things that appeal to the people who follow us, but rather that we address and question specific thoughts and ideas so that something new can emerge.