fashion designer Joseph Janus

Interview with streetwear king and WeSC CEO Joseph Janus

WeSC CEO Joseph Janus can best be described as a cool kid and king of streetwear. He runs the 20 year old streetwear label WeSC – We Are The Superlative Conspiracy – on a daily basis. Since 1999 WeSC has evolved to a well respected brand in the streetwear scene. We spoke this creative mind about his job, inspiration and the importance of streetwear on today’s fashion trends. “I believe art and music are also a big part of the culture and influential to what streetwear is today.”

Cover photo: WeSC

WeSC CEO Joseph Janus

Joseph Janus is not new in the scene. He started his career in advertising, worked at Guess and as the marketing senior vice president at Calvin Klein. A career many can only dream of. We had a moment with Janus to talk about the story behind WeSC, the influence of subcultures on fashion and his current obsession with music and art.

WeSC CEO Joseph Janus
WeSC CEO Joseph Janus with two models wearing the SS19 collection
Thanks for having us! To start: we’re very curious about the name of ‘your’ brand. What’s the story behind the name of WeSC? Why Superlative Conspiracy?
“WeSC stands for “We Are The Superlative Conspiracy”. We value those who have that “go your own way” rebellious creative spirit that continues to evolve the culture around us.”
“WeSC targeted the rebellious youth that streetwear has attracted for over the last 40 years.”

Did WeSC also start by “going your own way” 20 years ago? 
“I guess you can say so. When WeSC started out in 1999, in Stockholm, there were not a lot of counter-culture or streetwear brands coming from Scandinavia; however, there was a subversive subculture that existed. WeSC targeted the rebellious youth that streetwear has attracted for over the last 40 years. This included skate and surf culture, underground music and art.”

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We would describe these cultures as run by the ‘cool kids in town’. How did your clientele develop, now that street wear has become more popular than ever?
“WeSC set out to be a brand that would be a mix of subcultures such as skateboarding, art and music combined with fashionable designs to create products that catered to the streetwear consumer. Over the past 20 years WeSC has become a world-renowned brand that has collaborated with numerous influential individuals and brands who have made streetwear culture what it is today.”

And that’s an understatement. WeSC has collaborated with brands such as adidas, Nokia, Absolut Vodka and the Andy Warhol Foundation, to name a few. With these collabs, WeSC has not only set foot in the fashion industry, but also in other creative scenes. 

“I believe art and music are also a big part of the culture and influential to what streetwear is today.”

You said earlier that you get inspired by other brands, subcultures and music. Regarding the music component: are there any artists you’re interested in to collaborate with?
“That’s correct. Lately, I’ve been very inspired by the art and music scene. I believe art and music are also a big part of the culture and influential to what streetwear is today. Some of the artists I would love to collaborate in the near future are Austin Lee, Oliepp or Chloe Wise. As far as music goes, I am working with an electronic group right now called HU:MAN that I am very excited about with their debut coming up later this year. We also have a collaboration in the works with Galantis that we are looking forward to.”

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That sounds very exciting! Besides the collabs, what will be the design focus of 2019?
“For our drops starting in February, we’re really focused on more relaxed silhouettes in denim, transparent outerwear, and bold prints. Going into our 20th Anniversary collection, for Fall ‘19, we look to expand upon our core and novelty denim, bold neon accents, utility details and elevated fabrications. As well, we’ll be releasing a limited edition Golden Bear Varsity Jacket to celebrate 20 years of WeSC.”

We can’t wait until this drops. What else you can expect from WeSC? Gender neutral streetwear items, different from other brands. WeSC pieces define themselves by some sense of old school feeling, in a modern way. Take a look at the photos and you know what we mean.

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