Rob Dyrdek Interview | On the dawn of his latest DC collaboration
We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with professional skateboarder, actor, entrepreneur, producer, and reality TV star Rob Dyrdek on the day of his new DC collaboration release at DC HQ in London. Me and Juice were able to ask him some questions and check out the awesome apparel and shoe collection.
TUM: So exciting shoe realise! Which one is four favourite colour-way, or are they like you’re babies and you can’t choose?
Rob: Well you know it comes standard in sort of the more commercial colour-ways in black white grey, and the red and for me i get them all custom made so i have like 30 custom pairs that i make and they ask me not to wear the ones that are out cos I instagram them all and then i make up all these random names and thy were upset with me!
I love shoes so much I just tooling around with the colour-ways but as far as these it’s got to be the red one.
TUM: Okay cool! We like that! Going slightly away from the shoe now and talk more about you- You’ve been named one of the most influential skateboarders of all time but who influences you?
Rob: Um… you know me for I think for me I look at great skateboarders since I’ve been a skateboarder for so many years and then now I went on to start the streetleague and the NBA of skateboarding I really look at the Nyjah’s and the P Rod’s and Chris Coles and these chiefs of the league who are quite a lot younger than me but I really look up to.
TUM: That’s really cool to know, I guess you keep things very modern you’re not looking up to people who are older than you you’re looking at the younger, fresh but very successful skateboarders right now.
Rob: I’ll tell you why because skateboarding is this relentless profession so it’s hard, you respect and love the past but you loo at the what kids are doing today it’s mind boggling and things you would have never expected possible 10 years ago you know they do first try.
TUM: That’s what’s so exciting about the sport right!
Rob: Oh yeah! It’s limitless by design and driven by progression.
TUM: I like that! That’s very cool.
DC started in 1994 you’ve been with them since 1995, does it feel more like a brand you’re a part of rather than just a brand you’re affiliated with? Also you started Alien Workshop so which is home for you?
Rob: Phew man it’s been such a long journey it’s hard Alien Workshops a little different it started where I grew up in Ohio um but DC you’ve got o think of so many things that have spawned off of DC from you know revolutionising skateparks and building the first Skate Plaza, that was where I did the first street league that turned into the league that it is today. To doing the security skit in the DC video that led to Rob & Big that led to the Fantasy Factory that led to ridiculousness! So you know on top of the fact that I’ve had 25 plus signature shoes and 20 years of product its unlike anything relationship between a brand and an individual ever. It’s like I hand sketched the very first shoe and I didn’t think it would amount to anything! DC was nothing then it was 2 shoes at the time and you know for it to get as big as it’s gotten and for it to go on this journey it’s remarkable.
TUM: So it must make it more exciting for you as a skateboarder being able to design the shoes rather than just skate for the brand?
Rob: Well yeah I’m… I’m a bit of a hustle you know so in the early years I would design like a third of the entire line. I went through the same process as the designers and every design everyone that got picked I would get a royalty on. So at one point I had like 30 shoes in the line and no body even knew I just got paid off of it so when they did the deal with Quiksilver they were like woah why is one of our skateboarders getting paid all this money? And he has 30 shoes, like everybody else has 1 shoe! So they kind of stopped that so my influence with the brand has been for years has been very deep behind the scenes too.
TUM: How about Alien Workshop that was your project that was kind of like you original sponsor?
Rob: Ah it’s so different and very painful right now cos I bought it you know what I mean and went through a lot of financial troubles with it.
TUM: It’s still close to your heart?
Rob: I mean it is, forever, I was 15 when I helped name it you know they moved it to Ohio to start it where I grew up. Much different much more core to exactly who I am cos I’ve known those guys since I was 11 so its a much different sort of thing but very similar! You know 20 years a piece, well Workshop probably more 25 years but very long time.
TUM: Cool its very cool to know they are both still so close to you’re heart.
So going more towards the street wear scene which I know is very important to you. How do you feel street wear and skate wear are right now in regards to it being such a big fashion movement?
Rob: I think street wear specifically is just more of an evolution of… what modern street fashion was, it was divided up before where it was kind of urban, and skate where streetcar kind of mesh it all together right. Where it used to be these little pockets of lifestyle street brands and now the leaders in the street wear space are sort of en capsule all that whether its collaborations with artists, musicians or other brands they’ve all kind of met in the middle in sort of the evolution of what street wear is today. But its fickle I think and it’s one of those places right now where it’s trending you know and it’s going to be interesting to see who shakes out and who becomes a real brand and for the long term who’s just sort of the hot brand for the time.
TUM: And how do you think it effects the kind of thing you do with DC, do you think it crosses over at all?
Rob: I think all aspects of a brand like DC they trend in and out of it you know what I mean? I think especially for me its my own collection and DC is what I like to call skate athletic that DC sort of created right in the sense of the skate athletic heritage that DC has and I kind of stay in that lane and I think streetcar influences it depending on the seasons but still at its core its still athletic based.
TUM: Cool, ok so we want to ask you a question that’s quite personal to us; we’re women who love skate wear and street wear, how do you feel about girls wearing your stuff? Is that where you wanna see it or is that totally off key to you?
Rob: Uh I guess I don’t really think about it but I wouldn’t think about it in a negative way you know I would think it was cute!
TUM: he hehehe (me and juice giggle a lot)
Rob: You know so yeah I think it would be cool but you know ultimately I would prefer if I had some girls stuff made but i don’t think DC would do that but its cool.
TUM: You don’t mind girls wearing baggy teeshirts and skate shoes, you think that can look cool too?
Rob: I meand it depends on how they do it. You know what i mean! I appreciate the way you do it you know! You know flirt it up a little, you know get some rolled up sleeves and some leather jeggings.
TUM: Yeah I mean we love mens collection.
Rob: Yeah I mean that’s your personal style and its cool!
TUM: Thanks! Ok so now we have some quick fire questions for you:
Sneakers or skate shoes?
Rob: I see them as the same thing, I mean I haven’t worn anything but DC for 20 years! So they’re the same thing to me!
TUM: Yeah we get you. Spaghetti or Noodles?
Rob: Man isn’t spaghetti noodles?!
TUM: Not in the UK! Spaghetti is Italian and noodles are Chinese.
Rob: Man that is so technical! So I’m gunna say probably chinese. Although I don’t really have it. I have a very strict diet. I drink 4 juices a day and 2 protein meals a day and that’s it.
TUM: Wow that’s pretty intense! We need to start doing stuff like this!
Rob: You start to feel like a superman, yeah super clear body, clear mind.
TUM: People keep trying to put me off juices, telling me there’s too much sugar in them, but it depends what you put in the juice right?
Rob: Yeah like you don’t get it all like strawberries it’s like greens, and roots and proteins. So I don’t even eat any noodles!
TUM: What about zero noodles? Have you heard of that? They are like rice noodles.
Rob: Oh yeah I’ve had that before and it’s like gluten free and it’s really tasty; so we’re going yes to noodles then!
TUM: Haha cool! Do you not get cravings for anything, like do you treat yourself?
Rob: Yeah but this year I’ll eat like popcorn and I have alcohol that’s my vice but I haven’t had anything like pizza or a burger you know…
TUM: We wish we could have that dissaplin!
Rob: It’s like what you do is you start to gain this momentum and I have these super intense work out schedules too. You gain this energy that you don;t ever wanna leave cos you’re smarter your better with people you get more done and your happier and you get addicted to that and the only way to maintain that is being super disciplined but also… it’s like having literally 4 people to help you maintain it from a full time trainer to 3 assistants so people bring you meals so I don’t ever get caught with like the mini snacks in my house cos if I ever caught you know it’s like being in a hotel its too tempting!
TUM: Ok so we need assistants! Haha.
Rob: You do!
TUM: Okay so another question; 5 panels or snapbacks?
Rob: 5 panels or snapbacks? I’ve never seen a 5 panel that wasn’t a snapback?
TUM: Haha we get you but we categorise them over here so it’s like the soft 5 panel or the stiff snapback style cap… You know?
Rob: I don’t like 5 panels, I know it’s so funny like all you’re questions are so close together. I can’t wait for the next one!
TUM: Haha that’s kind of why we did it! So… Sweets or chocolate?
Rob: Okay so what’s the difference with that!?
TUM: Haha I knew you were gunna say that; it’s like hard boiled sweets or just chocolate.
Rob: Okay so sweets!
TUM: Cats or Dogs?
Rob: Dogs, I have 2 bulldogs.
TUM: Oh yeah they are super cute! I love bulldogs, I love French Bulldogs too, do you like French Bulldogs?
Robb: I do but I just love the English Bulldogs cos it’s like literally having 2 fat old people and they go every you go and then just like they don’t wanna do anything just be fat!
TUM: It’s true! Haha yeah yeah. Sexy or Sophisticated?
Rob: Sexy. Good question but I actually wouldn’t mind them both!
TUM: And favourite colour?
Rob: Man I’d have to say blue, sky blue, royal blue.
TUM: Cool I like how you specify it. Well that would be all our questions today! Thanks for having us.
Rob: And thank you!
Shop the new RD x DC collection here.
The Unisex Mode 