Kimou Meyer, the Geneva graphic designer who is tutoie converse

Seventeen years of American exile have not released him from his charming Geneva inflections.But if the voice of Kimou Meyer, on the phone, betrays his carougeoise birth, his work has knitted to the balls of New York Street Culture.Landed in the Grande Apple in 1999, at the age of 25, the graphic designer signed, from its beginnings, a professional career without fault, collaborating with all that urban and sporting fashion has big names, from Nike to SpikeLee.

Last trophy pinned at the end of her pencil at her hunting board: Converse.The cult brand has invited him to imagine patterns intended to dress the legendary rising basketball Chuck Taylor.The shoe manufacturer also gave carte blanche to the Geneva designer for an artistic installation in his store in Soho, in Manhattan.Lucky and travelers can contemplate this vast set of wood sculptures, entitled Darwin was a baller, until April 4.

Grand bain de bricolage

This very recent creation constitutes in a way a homecoming for Kimou Meyer."My parents were model makers," he says.They are the ones who carried out a good part of the project of the large model of the city of Geneva.Our house breathed art and culture, and I have been in a workshop and DIY atmosphere from a very young age.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Once his artistic matu in his pocket, Joachim continues his training at the National School of Visual Arts in Cambre, in Brussels.Success picked him during his studies already, when he won, in 1998, the Paleo Festival poster competition."It was a great opportunity, which allowed me to familiarize myself with the design of objects for the scene, for example, or to learn to dialogue with a customer.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Eighteen months later, his talent catapults across the Atlantic.Impressed by his diploma work, a member of the jury, also creative director of the Studio Base Design, offered to participate in the opening of a subsidiary in New York."A kid's dream for me.I was very invested in hip-hop music and in the world of skateboarding, remembers the one who also raged as DJ, at the factory, among others.Going to New York was like visiting Mecca! ”»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Immersed in a hectic universe, Kimou asserts his sleek line as a Swiss graphic designer, strong respected abroad."I was the agency's Swiss," he smiles. Ici, on est vu comme des footballeurs brésiliens!»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» Parallèlement aux mandats institutionnels qu'il réalise dans le milieu du luxe et de la mode, le designer ne néglige pas ses amours alternatives, se liant avec des graffeurs et élaborant, en freelance, t-shirts et skateboards pour des marques underground."At that time, my wife started working for the Alife shop, the first New York concept store," explains the forties.The street artist Banksy passed there and I met lots of people who allowed me to make decisive meetings.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

It is also in this environment that its pseudo is born: Grotesk, a nod to the police of character from which the Helvetica comes, symbol of Swiss typography, doubled in an allusion to certain caricatural situations that the designer lives inThe Fashion Universe.Environment he gets tired of quickly.In 2001, he therefore jumped on the proposal that Graffeur Marc Ecko gave him to become artistic director at Ecko Unlimited, his clothing claw.Kimou Meyer continues to enrich his address book there and develop collaborations with the director Spike Lee or the rapper 50 Cent.

Le temps de la réflexion

After three years, a disenchanted chouïa of Baggy pants, Grotesk accepts a position at Zoo York, a brand of skateboards owned by Ecko."Between 2004 and 2007, I was able to create a fantastic network of artists," he said.This is where I took my first steps with Nike, then converse, while continuing to draw hundreds of t-shirts.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

When in 2007, the company was sold to the Chinese, Kimou, who became a father twice, took the opportunity to blow a little. Après un temps de réflexion, il fonde, avec deux partenaires, l'agence créative Doubleday & Cartwright, spécialisée dans le sport et la culture, devenue fissa aussi prospère que les précédentes entreprises du génial illustrateur – une succursale s'est ouverte à Los Angeles en 2012."It was a key moment in my career.Now, I use Americans who do Swiss design better than me!I found the balance, the job I do at the agency also allows me to have fun in my personal projects.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Like its current mission for the Converse brand.“In summer 2015, I had participated in its Blank Canvas program in Boston, which invites artists to paint walls in disadvantaged neighborhoods.My fresco pleased her, so she offered me the shoes.»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»Biscornnus Elephants, Currency ostriches or pressed taps, Grotesk has notably imagined, of its stripped and punchy line, a Croquignolette fauna although it is strangling to adorn the shoes of canvas.Two patterns, available in royal blue or black, can be assembled variously, in order to personalize basketball.

The bestiary invented for Converse moves away from the urban spirit which constituted the ordinary of Kimou Meyer.A sign of maturity?"I am a little tired of rap and all these little street characters, concedes the resident of Brooklyn.But when we love this culture, we stay teenagers for life ... "»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

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