IN CONVERSATION WITH COLD F33T
It’s difficult to say just one main place I get inspiration from, because I feel like there are so many. Music is definitely a big one, before I did this I used to make music. That has inspired how I create work. When I create, I can’t really do it without listening to music, so it tends to reflect how I am feeling and the type of work I put out too. Growing up in London was also a big inspiration. Being surrounded by so much culture from a young age. I remember always being obsessed with what people wore. I’d constantly be looking at peoples clothes or shoes, looking up brands I’d never heard of, or searching through piles at charity shops to find unique vintage pieces that I hadn’t seen before. At school I would often just be sat in the library at lunch, reading the latest copy of Vogue or NME. I’d say fashion and music were always big influences in my life.
What inspires you as a person?
Aside from fashion and music, just everyday things really inspire me too. It might be the way a shadow falls on a wall or the way the sky looks from my window. I take a lot of photos when I am out and about or at home, then use them later as reference in my work. I really love the shapes, patterns and colours you can find in nature.
What does Cold F33t represent?
I’m not sure if I can say exactly what Cold F33t represents, because I often don’t really go into creating work with any real intention. A lot of it is just impulsive. Its definitely a reflection of my own mind. But, ultimately it isn’t something I can control, it often feels like a lot of my work just comes out of me when it needs to.
How long have you been doing this?
Growing up I was always creative, whether it was music or art or fashion, I was always obsessed with making something. I remember drawing on t-shirts with fabric pens and gifting them to my family when I was younger. Cold F33t didn’t start until 2019/2020 though. At first it was just an account for me to post my digital art, then a few months later I got an airbrush. I knew I’d always wanted to make clothes so I just decided to start airbrushing onto clothes. I started posting pieces I’d done and slowly as my body of work grew so did my following. I just loved it so much I never stopped. I do get pretty obsessive when I am working though, sometimes I have to remind myself that a world outside of my work exists. I’m learning its important to have time off too.
1 piece of advice for someone who wants to be an artist?
The biggest thing that always held me back before I started making art is that I hadn’t gone to art School or fashion school. For a long time I felt that made it impossible for me to have a career as an artist or designer. So I think my biggest piece of advice is to just create. Putting yourself out there can be really scary but you don’t need a degree or anything fancy to be an artist, just create within your means, even if that means starting small. Just enjoying the process and not overthinking it.
If you could design a 1 off piece for any person, who would it be and why?
I get this question a lot, and there are definitely lots of musicians or celebrities I would love to see in my stuff. But I have been thinking how designing clothes for a character in a video game would be really cool. I’m watching the Last Of Us at the moment, and I think it could be funny to see Ellie or a zombie in some Cold F33t gear.
What’s next for Cold F33t?
Honestly I’m not sure, I want to keep making as much as possible. Im looking to get a new studio soon and scale up so I can have a bigger space and hopefully make even more. I also have some plans to do a pop up in London. Everything I have done so far with my work has pretty much been online so it would be cool to do something in real life. I’d love to have a proper fashion show one day too, but not just a catwalk, something super weird and out of the ordinary.
In your own words, describe what individuality means to you.
It’s difficult nowadays to be perceived as truly individual with social media and everything. I feel like more than ever we are constantly trying almost too hard to be ‘unique’ or an ‘individual’, whatever that even means. I think especially when it comes to art and fashion, it’s about letting go and not overthinking the outcome. Just allowing yourself to create and exist in a way that makes you happy.
Listen to Cold F33t’s curated playlist of sounds
she works to here.