Hey, tell us a little information about yourself. Who are you and where are you from.
My name is John Mooty and I am a senior at the University of Minnesota. I will be graduating this spring with majors in Marketing and Entrepreneurial Management so I have been very fortunate with the alignment of what I have learned and how it applies to creating and running Airtime. Although I do not have any official schooling in design, I have been able to teach myself everything I know up to this point.
What is life like up in Minneapolis? As far as music, fashion, and popular culture.
From an outsider’s perspective, I feel like it is easy to dismiss the power of the Minneapolis scene. Although it may not stack up to the likes of LA or New York, it is an extremely tight knit and growing community with a lot of history as well as growing influences.
With the rise of solid local hip-hop artists and DJ’s, new events and initiatives by Twin Cities’ street wear shops, and overall support from the community, we have really been able to find a niche in a city that just needed a reason to be involved.
Tell us a little about The Airtime Collection and the people involved.
We really wanted to create something that looked simple on the exterior but had an extreme amount of depth when it came to the concepts and ideas that actually formed the brand.
Yes, we are a company that makes tees, sweatshirts, and hats but really those elements are just the medium we have chosen to get our message across. If you read the quote on the home page of our website taken from Edward Murrow’s Box and Wires Speech (http://www.rtnda.org/pages/media_items/edward-r.-murrow-speech998.php), you can clearly see the parallels between old-time radio and the street wear industry.
I do all of the artwork but I am not the only one who comes up with the ideas. My close friends are one of the biggest reasons why this concept has so much depth. Through our conversations, ideas, and past experiences, we can each bring unique angles to the table. Most importantly, we have fun doing it.
What are some of your favorite brands out right now?
I am a big fan of simplicity when it comes to brands. Also, I am a tall guy so fit is a determinant as well. My top three favorite companies right now are Undefeated, The Award Tour, and Supreme. I pull influence from many places but watching these three are huge when it comes to setting my own game plan.
What new upcoming events or releases are you currently working on?
We are waiting on our Fall/Winter release right now, which honestly has been a pain as far as production. Our printer has run into more problems than you can imagine so we are playing the waiting game that I, myself am not too good at.
We also just released a mixtape with Pwelbs.com featuring many up and coming artists from all over the country so I am very excited to let people see the music that directly influences our company.
Last, new hat samples, events, and collaborations are in the works so we have both short and long term things to look forward to…which is nice.
What would you say are the most difficult aspects or being in your line of work?
I am a very trusting and positive individual so in my early stages of running a business, this has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, I bring a light hearted and open mind to all points of operation while on the contrary; people have taken my kindness for weakness and in turn, attempt to take advantage of it.
The fashion and music worlds are often tied together…What music artists out right now are grabbing your attention.
This is definitely true in terms of street wear. Honestly, I listen to everything on the map from CCR to Al Green to Sublime, but in terms of what I listen to on a consistent basis right now I would say A Tribe Called Quest, Nero, Kid Cudi, and Wu-Tang. These guys are so incredible and timeless that it never gets old.
