Rarely is fashion merged with positivity and a sense of consciousness.
Yet coup d'etat brooklyn, has truly bridged this gap.
From the ever popular "teach the babies" tee to the images of Huey p. and Ali, coup d'etat has put an onus on the message.
Daoud Abeid, founder,creative director and a true rennaiscance man with a real positive aura, has decided to bless us with his wisdom and thoughts.
When did you realize fashion was the route you wanted to take?
I have a history with a lot of the people that started the trends in the SoHo scene. From being around Union when it first opened, watching the success of my brothers, Alyasha & Jakuan , knowing the guys from aNYthing, Supreme, SSUR. I was hanging out on the downtown Ny scene before most of those stores were open, in the most part, except for Union. I have relationships with that scene and watched it flourish. I worked at Triple Five in the early stages when it went from Ludlow to Lafayette and it’s like I’ve always socially been around that scene of artists. With me, the brand started, because I got to a point where I wasn’t happy with my options and I saw a lot of T-shirts and things that talked to me artistically and to my style sensibility, as far as color and aesthetic, but the things that were on them did not appeal to the type of person I am. It was kind of a frustration and search to try and find T-shirts that I would be able to wear and feel like they represented me. That’s kind of where the name coup d’etat Brooklyn came from a coup being a change of power from within an established power structure and that’s how the brand started. So far we been doing T's , hoodies, jackets the normal street wear menu, moving forward we are focussing on a more fashion orientated direction, more original pieces, items that will be timeless must haves to add to your wardrobe.
One thing youve managed to do is keep the aesthetic at cdtbk real, never "selling out" to say, what kept you from doing so?
Not selling out is the whole purpose of the brand, it was conceived due to a lack of brands that we felt were not "selling out" or exploiting our culture, so the coup was launched to answer that need, we're all about making statements, positively influencing thought and change, you can't really do that and "sell out" at the same time. our goal is to benefit financially while showing our peers that you can be "cool" or "successful" selling ideas and imagery that we can be proud to represent.
Did you envision the popularity, teach the babies would gain?
Yes, yet i can say that i didnt imagine it would be as popular,so maybe no. The design 1st started as a stencil applied with silver spray paint on a T'shirt, that sample got such a big response that Rasu and i knew we had to figure out a way to mass produce it with a similar effect, and with that thought the foil game was changed forever LOL. Seriously though, Its great to see that people embrace such a necessary sentiment, its gotta happen. If we wanna see things change for the better in out communities we all need to "TEACH THE BABIES" even if just by being a living example of the change you would like to see in them, every bit helps.
Whats next for you, as you are also a director with sushowah films, any projects we should look forward to?
Yes there's allot to look forward to. Movie making is my 1st love, my partner in film making Dahkil and I have a few feature projects that are in development, also our most recent endeavor "Shades of Brooklyn Vol.1" will be airing on HBO starting in feb 09 so you can keep an eye out for that.
As far as coup d'etat Brooklyn is concerned we have allot in store for 09, more art shows, and events, more thought provoking statements, more living to change something and teaching the babies...
Also I'm teaming up for a project with my man Al from The Minority Report to create some fashion events focussing on the style needs of the fashion conscious urban man, so keep ya ear to the streets for that too...
What is cool to Daoud?
Whats cool to me? there a few things, Life, and being happy, i think I'm just now starting to realize how to be happy, not momentary happiness in reaction to an event or a moment in time, but the kind of happiness that stays with you all day regardless of what's going on around you. Great art, i love seeing the work of a thinking artist, who creates with the intent to share and inspire, shout out to G.A.M.E. Rebellion, Livingroom Johnston, Ibrahim El, Concep, Pesu, Lichiban, Rizz22, Fly Lady Di, Spye Design... Dedicated parents, i don't have any kids of my own yet, but i have a few people around me raising kids in a way that i consider cool, they're allowing and inspiring their children to be free individuals, with thoughts and ideas of their own, we need more people like that in the world.. "Live to change something"..PEACE
http://www.cdtbk.com/
