WeFJ Shoot: teamed up with Converse to celebrate Converse X

Next gen.

This month we’ve teamed up with Converse to celebrate Converse X, a collective of young creatives who are united by their passion for style, art, music and culture.

The Converse X crew are always seen repping the iconic One Star silhouette – the sneaker which represents being unapologetic, gritty, unique and not afraid to challenge the status quo. Through the collective, Converse aims to give young people a platform to express their creativity.

Since launching in Sydney in late 2017, Converse X members have gained ongoing priority access to unique experiences, masterclasses, music festivals and even overseas trips. The movement’s just launched in Melbourne (and about to go global), so we caught up with four of the members to see what makes them tick.

Panashe Nathaniel Mugayapi
@panashenathan
My personal style is… vibrant and ever-changing. I was born in Zimbabwe but raised in England, so my style consists of the many different places I grew up. I’m heavily influenced by Tyler, The Creator and Odd Future.
Working with Converse is… an amazing experience. I’ve had the chance to work with so many creative, talented and fun individuals. It’s allowed me to really stretch myself and add a whole other dimension to my work.
For work I… am a retail assistant at Platypus Shoes. I’m studying Business and IT at Swinburne University of Technology. I also juggle some small passion projects.
In my spare time I… like to hang with my friends and work on my projects. We make music and work on concepts for photos and clothing.
I express myself… through my clothing. How I’m feeling will usually be a big factor in how I dress. I also express myself through music – I love to go home, play the piano and produce some beats on FL Studio.
Converse One Stars are… iconic, I grew up wearing OG Chuck Taylors. I loved when the One Star silhouette was re-released – the design is so innovative, fresh and creative. I’m also heavily inspired by Tyler, The Creator so when the Golf Le Fleur line came out, I was extremely excited.

PANASHE WEARS
CONVERSE FIELD WINDBREAKER JACKET SHORELINE BLUE $130, HOME PACIFICO EVERYDAY CHINO $180, MODEL’S OWN JACKET AND BUCKET HAT, CONVERSE ONE STAR PREMIUM SUEDE LOW TOP RED $130

Olivia Escuyos
@oliviaexcuses
My personal style is… dependent on my day-to-day mood and my personality. It always changes and I love that it does because it also reflects [the mantra] I try to live by – to constantly evolve and be unapologetic.
Working with Converse is… pretty wild. This opportunity came to me from my friend @rinidawg who randomly asked me to come with him to one of Converse’s meetups. From there, it’s been endless opportunities for me and other young creatives like myself to get a chance to share our craft!
For work I… am a vocal artist, vocal producer, writer and vocal coach!
In my spare time I… spend money on things I don’t need.
I express myself… through music. Singing songs or creating music used to be the only way I could fully express my thoughts and emotions when words couldn’t. The reason why I say that is because growing up, I used to be really bad at socialising and making friends. So, singing was a way for people to notice me and start a conversation because of it! Also, my style is a huge way of expressing myself. Music and fashion have always worked hand-in-hand with each other because they both express who you are and what you believe in.
The most creative thing I’ve done is… being involved in a writing camp in Miami for Austin Mahone. We were lodged in a big mansion surrounded by palm trees and wrote as many songs as we could in one week.
In the next 12 months I hope to… release all this music I’ve got that’s been waiting to be released!
In the next five years I’ll be… hopefully number one on the charts and collaborating with some of my fave artists.

OLIVIA WEARS
GLASSONS SEAMLESS RIBBED BODYSUIT $19.99, STUSSY HOLT TRACKPANTS $89.95 FROM GENERAL PANTS CO., CONVERSE ONE STAR METALLIC LOGO LOW TOP PROVENCE PURPLE $130

Juliette Langois
@jewelthealternative
My personal style is… very dynamic. I love trying new materials and pieces one usually wouldn’t put together. One day might be space cadet vibes, and the next ’90s or early 2000s inspired.
For work I… do loads of shoots for startup brands (styling and modelling), mainly Melbourne-based. I also waitress in a family business where I love contributing to creative ideas and marketing strategies.
In my spare time I… sample clothes and create my own pieces. I also love shooting in 35mm for artists at rap or alternative music events.
I express myself… through creating. Whether it’s bringing a shoot idea to life or making clothes I’ve designed myself.
In the next 12 months I hope to… complete a diploma in Fashion Styling and put out all the clothes I’ve been working on.
In the next five years I’ll be… getting my own brand up and running and still styling, modelling and shooting.
Converse One Stars are… super comfy and allow me to shoot all day with ease.

JULIETTE WEARS
HANDSOM JUMBO CORD WORK JACKET $235 AND JUMBO CORD ZIP MINI $169, SUNDAY SOCIAL YELLOW STRIPE TOP $79, GLASSONS BUM BAG $19.99, ROC EYEWEAR SNAKEBITE SUNGLASSES $50, MODEL’S OWN EARRINGS, CONVERSE ONE STAR WOVEN ERA LOW TOP UNIVERSITY GOLD $130

Justerini Sandoval
@rinidawg
My personal style is… very easy going and comfortable. I like to wear vintage clothing and match colours. I draw a lot of inspiration from the ‘90s when it comes to my style, but I’m not afraid to try something new every now and then. I love to wear clothes that are slightly bigger and a little loose, it’s more comfortable for me that way.
Working with Converse is… amazing! I honestly did not expect to be part of this project, but I’m super glad and grateful that I am. From meeting new faces, hearing new stories and getting new kicks. I love what they’re doing with me and other young people. They’re giving us a place where we can tell the world who we are and what we do.
For work I… am currently a salesperson at a retail store, but at the same time I’m an artist. I make music (R&B/soul) and I also do live performances around Melbourne.
In my spare time I… like to write, read, produce/ compose, go for runs, hang out with the boys, window shop, play games on my PS4 and watch Netflix.
I express myself… through my music. I love to write down what’s on my mind and tell the story through the sounds that I make.
The most creative thing I’ve done is… my own project that I put out at the start of last year. I made a self-titled album/mixtape consisting of nine original tracks all produced and recorded at home.
My biggest achievement to-date is… probably getting over half a million streams on Spotify. The song ‘For The Last Time’ featuring South Korean producer Snaggle Owky was included on more than six of Spotify’s major playlists. This might not be a big amount for some, but for me, just having over 100k streams is super crazy and I’m very happy that people are actually listening to my songs.

JUSTERINI WEARS
HANDSOM RELAXED PANTS $169, HOME PACIFICO PRIMERA COACH JACKET $180 MODEL’S OWN BEANIE AND TOP, CONVERSE ONE STAR WOVEN ERA LOW TOP BLACK $130

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