Interview with Sprayground founder and street artist DBD 0

Sprayground Hi Daniel and welcome. Tell us a bit about yourself.
DBD: Hello, I’m David Ben-David, “DBD” from Miami. Co-Founder and Creative Director of Sprayground bags in NYC.

And naturally, you’re running a fashion business. What is this about?
DBD: Fashion moves faster than life. To be on top of the game, I have to forecast the future every season… every day.

You have created some unique backpacks based on a concept that I believe it’s very appealing to artists.
DBD: We have single-handedly changed the bag market with the Hello MY Name Is bag and Graffiti Utility Backpack and have started a new market of conceptually designed bags.

We first started as a blank bag company that can hold spray cans; after those bags sold-out, I expanded the idea to make cool, cutting-edge designs on bags.

How did you come up with the idea?
DBD: The market is full of “black bags” and “repeat-pattern bags” and saw an opportunity to transform this category into a major accessory that people now need to wear to match with their outfits. Just like what Skullcandy did to the headphone industry, Sprayground plans to transform the bag industry.

Who is the typical customer that would love your products?
DBD: All ages, everyone needs a bag to carry their shnit. The beauty about Sprayground is that we cater to a crossover of customers. We make bags for the skater kid, for the hip-hop kid, the graffiti kid, and the hipster kid, etc.

Did you get support or recognition from other artists? How does marketing work for the fashion business?
DBD: We did some collaborations already with artist Cope and photographer Henry Hargreaves. Our “Graffiti Utility Backpack” is used by all the top graffiti artists. Regarding marketing, we have gotten bags onto celebrities thru their stylists and building relationships with them.

Talking Baby from Sprayground on Vimeo.

As an artist, what was the most rewarding about creating a line of backpacks?
DBD: To me, the reward is about how a little company with 2 employees managed to sell to the best retailers and changed an industry…and the most rewarding is when I see someone in New York City walking around with my bag on.

What are the main ingredients for creating a high-end, stylish and functional product?
DBD: First comes the design, then the style of the backpack. You need all the right ingredients in making a durable bag for today’s tech kid to fit his skateboard, laptop, iPod, iPhone…the list goes on an o, but we are there to hold his life in his bag.

Sprayground

Thinking about artists, I think one of their challenges is that they can’t only focus on the artistic part but also need to make “art that sells.” What’s your view on this?
DBD: Yes, that is the most important key in this business.if the art is whack, then none will buy it. You gotta find the right concept for the right consumer.

What about protecting your products, brand, and so on? Is this something to worry about? Any advice for other artists?
DBD: Fashion changes so fast, so there is hardly any protection, but the best thing to do is copyright the art that a designer is using.

I had a look on your site, and your products are available at select retail stores in NYC, LA, Miami. Can you name a few locations, and how was the process of getting your products there in general?
DBD: Amazing shops like Kingston, Nordstroms, Bodega, Shoe Gallery, Atmos, Goliath, Karmallop.com…to name a few

How did the crisis-affected your market? Or better said, what were the main factors that assured your success?
DBD: The accessories business has been strong thru this financial disaster mainly because people usually buy 1 or 2 bags a year..we just gotta make sure it’s our bags they are buying.

What about the future? Planning to expand with other product lines?
DBD: Just grow into an iconic bag company that is involved in all types of bag categories for men and women.

Any final words you would like to address readers?
DBD: Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life!

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