Claw Money Lets Feathers Fly with Nike

Graffiti artist Claw Money is a New York legend, a female graff artist who rose to fame in the early '90s with her signature claw icon. Born in Queens, Claw started her own clothing line in 2002 after working as a stylist and vintage dealer in Los Angeles, and her clothes are known for, naturally, their punchy graphics and streetwise sensibility – think so-bad-they're-good puffed satin jackets emblazoned with logos and chains a la '80s Versace. She's collaborated with Ecko and Calvin Klein, and now, she's teamed up with Nike to produce two limited edition sneakers. The first came out over the summer, and is Claw's rendition of a Nike "Blazer," while the second, a Nike "Vandal" with Claw's signature peacock feather, hits select stores in October.

So tell us a little bit about your new design for Nike.
Well, the Vandal, which is the name of this particular model of sneaker is my favorite Nike of all time. I begged Jesse, "Can I please, please, please do a Vandal," and he was like, "Yeah, let's do it!" So I was really excited to work on my personal favorite shoe.

Was this the first time you'd worked with Nike?
We had a sneaker that came out in the summer, the Blazer, first, but they were worked on simultaneously. So, I guess it's the second time, but, really, the design inception was all at once.

What significance does the peacock feather have for you?
Vivienne Westwood once made a comment how she's not just another bird, she's a peacock, and all eyes on her. I've always kind of thought the same of myself! [laughs] So, I was saying to my friend, "Oh, I'm going to work on these sneakers," and she's like, "You've got to do your peacock!" I kind of had it in my back pocket, and I thought, now is the time let my feathers fly.

How do you think this sneaker relates in terms of sneaker culture, with you as a woman doing it? Have the gates been opened?
I think the gate has been open, yeah, but it's just now, the customer is really being addressed, as in, "This is for you. We know you're out there, and we're giving you this shoe." It's really Nike. I'm just kind of a guest speaker on them, or something. But it's exciting because it's the first collaboration for Nike with a woman artist and for women. I just see women becoming more and more important in sneaker culture.

Do you collect sneakers yourself?
Oh yes!

I know one of the major parts of sneaker culture is the limited availability. What's the most you went through to get a pair?
I collect all sorts of weird things, but really my focus is on sneakers for women, but my most prized pair, of course, is the hard-to-find vintage Vandal from 1979 that I paid over $400 for on eBay, and I was not going to lose!

What do they look like?
It's a silver coated nylon, higher than these [new] ones, there's a thicker strap – it's a red, white and blue strap – and it's peeling, because it's really old, it's almost 20 years old. It's a men's sneaker, but I had to have it.

Speaking on a more commercial level, and how the graffiti art community relates to sneaker culture, do you think that as product collaborations have become more prevalent, has it made graffiti too commercial? Is it totally fine to mix the two?
Well, I of course think it's fine! I think that being a graffiti artist, you can only kind of subsist in that world for so long. Either you're going to take it to the next level, or you're going to fade into obscurity. You just can't live that kind of hectic, subversive life!

Have you done any other fashion-related projects besides sneakers?
Oh, absolutely, I have my own line. I've done collaborations with a few other companies – Calvin Klein, Ecko, stuff like that. But, I've had my own clothing business for six years, and it just was natural. I was in the clothing business while I was writing graffiti too. I was a stylist and a vintage dealer.

What are some of your inspirations as an artist?
I'm really affected by the person on the street. And, New York City is a huge inspiration for me. I get all my good ideas on the subway.

What's your favorite subway line for fashion?
The number 6 train!

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