GREATEST: PAQ
From weekly streetwear challenges to challenging the status quo within fashion, art and beyond - the collective continues to break new ground.
On any given day, you’re likely to find me frantically scrolling through my to-do list, checking e-mails on my second phone or adding yet another list to my Reminders app. In other words: I thought I was a busy person. Then I turned up at the PAQ headquarters to find Danny Lomas sprawled across the floor, Shaq Keith’s eyes barely open, Elias Riadi talking at light speed and Dexter Black…well, Dexter was Dexter: happy, excited and wearing my favorite color, black. — JULIE ADENUGA
Give me backstory on who you are and what the fuck you were doing before PAQ.
ELIAS: I was doing an apprenticeship on videos. I got scouted and started modeling and presenting for PAUSE Magazine on YouTube. That’s when I decided to end my apprenticeship and make this industry a full-time career.
DANNY: How did you do that? I love that story.
ELIAS: I decided to get a job at the [Warner Bros. Studio] in Watford doing tours, and one day walked up to the car park where they were wrapping up filming King Arthur. All the crew started walking out. A guy walks by, and I just ask him, “Do you have any advice on getting into this industry?” He asked me mad questions about what I do, what I’m studying. He said, “By the way, I’m the producer of the film. Here’s my number.” The next day, went to Starbucks with this producer. He said, “I love that you just walked up to a random person and asked for advice. We need people like you in the industry.” He gave me mad numbers and connections. Then he asked, “What are you doing now?” Next thing you know, I’m standing next to Jude Law on a film set. That inspired me to go full steam ahead. And then I met these guys.
Rah! What about you Shaq? You’re mad chill.
SHAQ: That’s just my vibe. Before this, I was in school. I’m about to graduate in a couple weeks. I was doing computer science at first, but only because I was with some girl.
Shout out to women everywhere for making people do things!
SHAQ: She comes from a very traditional household and believes the man should be the breadwinner. I was studying art, but I cancelled that to do computer science. After two months, I said screw that. I started developing my portfolio and trying to get into art school. I broke up with her and went through a mad depressing phase. Ended up applying at Westminster and got rejected from every illustration department. Then I got a new job at size? and thought I was done—I’d just stay there until my name blows up. That was the goal, but it was mad dead after a while. I went through a mad depressed phase.
DEXTER: My whole life I’ve been in and out of the hospital. I’m a survivor—I got a pacemaker, had the pacemaker removed, I flat-lined. That one changed a lot of my mental. I realized I had to grow up. I was like, Let me get into dancing, performance art, music. Let me switch. That’s how I met Shaq. Things were getting better. I was still finding myself as a person. I started working on my mental health and came to a stage where I really needed to fix up. It was in that period that we started filming PAQ. At the beginning, I had to fake a smile. I was so unhappy inside. Now, I really dig what we’re doing and I’m genuinely happy.
DANNY: I’m from Driffield, a very sleepy town. I went to college to study fashion and started going to [fashion] events in London, which led to an internship where I assisted a stylist on shoots for different fashion publications like T Magazine and AnOther Magazine. After the internship ended, I went back to working at a skatepark.
ELIAS: When I met Danny, we were wearing the same shoes. We’re polar opposites, but I immediately felt like he was the friend I never knew I needed. [The way we are, we just have to] get like-minded people in the room. [Shaq and Dexter] already had a good bond, so we all got together to see what we could bounce around.
SHAQ: Like organize a party with a computer.
I have this dream of being a super artist. I can animate, design clothes, create my own fragrance, do spoken word. I want to innovate what an artist can do.
The big thing is achieving a bigger audience so we can share our positivity. I love inspiring people and making an impact.
So it wasn’t fashion from the get-go?
ELIAS: It was open. Like, What can we create that hasn’t been done before?
Fashion can be bougie. Have you found streetwear to be competitive?
DEXTER: Yeah. Even when I went to L.A., some people will compliment you, but you can see the way they look at you.
DANNY: That’s how we came about. We wanted to add an element of fun, so it’s not intimidating. There’s always going to be someone who knows more than you, so there’s no point in trying to be the best.
DEXTER: When it comes to fashion, people don’t feel comfortable in their clothes. That’s the worst thing you can do!
SHAQ: There will be times when a corner store has the exact same thing a fashion brand is selling. If you’re just into the silhouette, then that’s fine. At the same time, there’s artistry in fashion. Buying for that is respectable and fair.
How have you all dealt with people looking to you for style?
SHAQ: I think everyone wants to come to the spotlight for fashion, but we also share with people that it’s okay not to know [about top brands]. It’s fun to be authentic. I wear giant hoop earrings, for example. My mum wears the same ones. [Laughs] I personally think it works for me.
ELIAS: I did want the responsibility because when I was getting into fashion, I always felt judged. I thought it would be so sick to get to a position where you could actually make people feel comfortable.
DANNY: I literally wear the same stuff I did when I was growing up. That’s why I’m so confident in it; I’m not trying to spend the most money to change my style or keep up with fashion.
Where do you think you’d be if there was no PAQ?
DEXTER: I would love to pursue music. But if we’re talking about where my mental was, I got to be real. I’d probably be nowhere. If I’m being honest, PAQ saved my life. I still have dreams of doing graffiti pieces, music, my own comic—and these things can come—but I needed an eye-opener, and that was definitely PAQ with three of my brothers.
SHAQ: I would probably still be in uni, or I would have dropped out by now. My mum brought me and my older siblings up alone. I remember saying since secondary school, “I’m not destined for this. I want to do something big to give back to my mum and siblings.” They brought me up as well. The biggest motivation was when my mum told me about my dad’s abuse. It goes deep. I’ll never forget the day I walked into a court hearing because my dad didn’t want to pay child support. I had to listen to him saying I wasn’t his, he’s never seen me in his life. My mum was crying so much. For me, this is literally all for my mum. I knew for a fact I’d do something that will try to put me on. If it wasn’t PAQ, I’d be hustling something else that would lead back to art.
ELIAS: I would have been trapped in a system. I spent four months in my house, just applying [to jobs], going through so many interviews, getting close but never getting it. I hit real lows. My metaphor for when people are going through stuff, it’s like a bow and arrow: You have to be pulled back to go forward. I think success comes from gratitude. If you’re not appreciative, the universe won’t bless you with more.
DANNY: I just want to be happy. If I wasn’t doing PAQ, I’d probably be working for a company I love. I’d rather make terrible money doing something I love than get paid well doing something of no relevance.
Being from the ends, I was always interested in making something of myself, righting my wrongs and showing people you can do anything you want.
I literally wear the same stuff I did when I was growing up. That’s why I’m so confident in it; I’m not trying to spend the most money to change my style or keep up with fashion.
Is there going to be an ultimate PAQ fashion challenge, winner-take-all?
DANNY: Nah, we never treat them as a leaderboard type of challenge.
DEXTER: I will say, there were conversations about a leaderboard, and [Shaq] was the most passionate about not doing it. He wants it to be genuine, and I respect that.
SHAQ: I never pay attention to the leaderboard. At times, it’s not a rightful win. I’ve talked for ages to end it.
DEXTER: Shaq is an artist, and he approaches the challenges that way. I think your illustrations are amazing, but I actually think you’d be a sick designer.
SHAQ: Really? Damn. [Laughs]
Let’s run through some of your most memorable moments.
ELIAS: Converse episode was the first time working with a big brand. We blew more than the budget. When I walked on set, I saw a private jet, two classic Ferraris, a stuntman from Star Wars, 40 crew members and big rigs. It was crazy.
SHAQ: Mine would be New York. Elias and I woke up at six in the morning and took a skateboard and bike out on the road. I couldn’t believe we were actually there.
ELIAS: I remember cruising, thinking, We’re taking this worldwide. It was mad.
DEXTER: Shaq and I remember one night [in New York], me and Shaq were sitting in this park, looking over everything. Sitting there together was so surreal.
DANNY: The one I always think about is the pop-up store. We had kids there from eight in the morning. The line went for a block and a half. We were just like, This is crazy! This isn’t numbers on a screen anymore.
What’s in the near future for PAQ?
DANNY: I can’t ask for anything else. I’ve achieved so much that I wanted.
ELIAS: The big thing is achieving a bigger audience so we can share our positivity. I love inspiring more people and making an impact. All of us want to do Art Basel. I can’t wait to release my own line of sunglasses, too. I’m just waiting for the perfect opportunity.
SHAQ: I want my own art show, that’s on my bucket list. I have this dream of being a super artist. I can animate, design clothes, create my own fragrance, do spoken word. I want to innovate what an artist can do. Dexter and I even did MiniSwoosh’s fashion show yesterday. To see two 5’ 10” black guys doing that creates mad hope. If it’s not art, I’m glad it’s PAQ.
DEXTER: PAQ has given me confidence to push the barrier and extend my creativity. Being from the ends, I was always interested in making something of myself, righting my wrongs and showing people you can do anything you want. No limits.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICKY GROUT AND INTERVIEW BY JULIE ADENUGA