With the skateboard industry rolling in unison to an extent, Pass Portal are one of the few who are truly stepping it up and bringing out something that is totally original.
With designs inspired from the 1800’s to the 1970’s, Pass Port is a company aiming to set new industry standards, and that doesn’t just stop with clothing designs, Pass Port is constantly working on new ideas, concepts and designs to achieve it.
Needless to say when i stumbled upon the Passportal blog i was stoked at what i had found!
In the longest email he has ever written, i recently caught up with 24 year old Co-Owner and Art Director Trent.
After attending Design College, working in skate stores, as well as designing for numerous companies and individual Trent was closely working with another company around two years ago when he thought it was time to branch of and start something else, something new that he could put all his time & “soul” into”.
“I wanted a name that really didn’t really have any boundaries and something that couldn’t be boxed into one idea. He sees Pass Port as a ‘vessel’ admitting it is “a place where people can jump on board, collaborate, try something new and test the waters. Basically it is a label made for anyone and everyone who wants to express themselves creatively, with the bigger picture of always having people contributing no matter what it be, I know a lot of people in a lot of different fields and I want to collaborate with them on so many different levels”.
Along with Co-Owner Ben and a handful of close friends working on graphics/ prints/ and concepts, the bigger picture with Pass Port “is to always have people contributing no matter what it be. We have many “passengers” now, be it skateboarders or contributing artists, all doing what they want to do. We have a lot of stuff still in the pipeline and I can’t wait to just keep on releasing newer and fresher products”.
Trent says he draws inspiration from his surrounding opposed to a work by a definitive individual. “Everything from just pushing around the streets, going out to a show, reading a good magazine, reading a bad magazine, old books, new books, friends & there art, films, animation, cutting, pasting, travelling, anything really”
Incorporating Semi-Modern design along with drawing references from design work from everything as early as the 1800’s, the classy 50’s and the experimental 60’s and 70’s, though the designs aren’t just influenced by fashion trends of the past, “ I will see something from some old magazine or some nature book, and I will not be able stop thinking about what i can do with it. I am always keen to throw a bit of everything into the mix, it just depends on the circumstances. But consistency does count”!
“We just try and make the best quality skateboards, skateboard parts and general attire for people who are into something different i guess, no tacky shit. We want to be constantly evolving, and not cutting any corners. Right now we are in the mix of new boards, improving on shapes and construction, constantly working on new graphics, new collaborations, fresh packaging, new concepts, new shirt prints. It’s about setting new standards for skateboarding and all its ties be it the deck design, the clothing or the companies direction and that of all its contributors”
As for what’s next you will have to keep a look out. “I have people
abroad and based in Australia keen to jump on the Pass Port ship”
Trent
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