In Conversation with Rapper EMBY.
In late June fresh off of performing at festivals like AVA, we got the chance to sit down with Belfast based Rapper EMBY, (known to his friends as Alex) to talk about all things style and sustainability.
Lucinda: Do you wanna introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do?
EMBY: Yea sure, so my name is Alex, I go by a stage name 'EMBY', and Im a rapper, singer, musician among other things I guess.
Lucinda: "You have an amazing sense of style, how would you describe it to someone that doesn't know you?"
Emby: "My style.... emmm.. sort of whatever I can find and put together, I really love stuff I wear to have stories behind it, so I tend to shop in like charity shops a lot. I mean, don't get me wrong there is the odd il Prada thing that I really like and want but just never buy, but I try and not buy expensive things for months on end, because you can get more for less in charity shops and vintage shops. the story behind the clothes is the driving factor for me, I mean I'm sure this tie (points to hs own vintage silk tie) has a lot to say for itself in its past life. Yea I just like mix and matching things together.
Belfast is kinda weird isn't it like, anytime you wear something minutely off the cuff you'll get kids shouting at you down the street and I actually want that ,because the more people shout a you and the more they give you grief and your mates think you're strange - then you've won, and then I guess I've achieved what Im trying to achieve."
Lucinda: SO, chat to me about who would inspire you dress wise, or what kind of era or styles would you look to for inspiration?
Emby: Okay so more recently it would probably be the likes of Steve Lacy, The internet, those vibes? Rick Owens too for sure. Probably before that it would have been the whole tyler-wave stuff, but i think the music I listen to now is a bit more irreverent rap. And then now I'm sort of getting more into fashion, I'll be actually watching and looking into the gap van, like, outstanding, and they're all dressed in cowboy outfits and I think, how can I recreate that in my own way.
It's always through music, I've actually started to take a bit more inspiration from women's fashion, when I'm in London I like to go to Dover Street Market and specifically look at womens dresses and think - *@&*! this is class! SO yea, just trying to be more, well, less butch I suppose about what I'm wearing than I was the last 15 years. Just let it explode man, don't be too rigid over where you take your references from.
Lucinda: Does Sustainability and buying things second hand matter to you?
EMBY: Oh for sure. There's just so much stuff out there and they don't need to keep making more of it. I've only started really charity shopping ad thrifting in the last two years and when you begin to realise what's actually out there and what's available to you it's like, why would you go back? (To regular shopping habits)
So, (laughs) I mean it's just finding ways to not go overboard with it, because if you separated the environmental impact of the fashion industry and set that aside, you have the chance to give an amazing piece of clothing a new lease of life! Let it live and make new memories for another 20 years or whatever. I think a lot of people don't care enough, but maybe if we reshape it and pitch t to them this way they might learn the new clothing possibilities.
All looks were created by EMBY using Haru stock.