Sam ‘Es.Kay’ Karimi
Q. Which interest do you love the most and why?
A: It comes in waves for me. Usually, when I step away from one of my interests for a while, I come back rejuvenated and excited about it. They're all very similar too, because they boil down to my perspective and interpretation of things, so I never really notice what differences I feel when I'm in it. It's kind of one big interest, if that makes any sense
Q. What brought you to start “Quartier is Home”?
A: We started Quartier is Home after our LA RUE INSPIRE X PUMA Summer Block Party in 2019. The response from the community was so positive that we wanted to keep building on it. The idea is to give something to people that represents US and our values.
Clothes are cool, but we want to make sure that we push the message and the lifestyle through the clothes and reclaim our power, rather than give to brands that we don't necessarily know or trust.
Q. When you create your visuals (photography, graphic, etc) what is your inspiration? Do you have a routine or a precise idea of what you want to create?
A: My inspo is life, products, Hip Hop culture, minimalist/ modern design & other creatives. All of those things mashed up into one point of view is my style, and that's what directs my work.
I don’t have a routine at all. Sometimes it's an idea at 2am, sometimes it's hours of attempting something only to fall short of what I want. One way or another, the time is spent with intention. These days, I have deadlines on everything so it forces me to have an output, but other times when I just create for fun, I can live with an idea for years before the execution is where I want it to be.
Q. A lot of artists personify a character, would you say that Es.Kay is a personification of what you lived or is Es.Kay who you are?
A: When I shifted from "Ceas" to Es.Kay, that was my thinking... I wanted to have an artist signature that was representative of who I actually am, not who I want to be seen as. Es.Kay (SK) are my initials (Sam Karimi);
I wanted something more timeless and transparent, rather than "hiding" behind a nickname. I'm still very much Ceas , but now I combine all the parts of me and I feel like I'm a living embodiment of my crafts.
Q. Why did you choose those outfits? Do they describe a bit of who you are?
A: I chose the fits because they make me feel like me. Sporty, comfy and versatile. Nothing too flashy, timeless looks that are not too trendy, but work in any room. Not too many logos because nothing beats a white tee in my books and the Quartier hats cuz you already know what time it is!