ASH

For a while now, I’ve been seeing in various stores around Sao Paulo acrylic pins in the shape of a half-adult/half-kid human, looking soporific. Then when I saw a drawn version of him on tags hanging from clothes in the most chic stores, I caught on. Turns out he’s the mascot for a clothing label in Sao Paulo that goes by the name of ASH, created by two artists who used to make toys and artwork and show those off in the city’s premier street art gallery Choque Cultural. But like with any project that has had an initial savory taste of success, ASH quickly grew like a budding rose into a label that now gets all the attention for its painstakingly hand-made prints, mostly with tees as the apparel vehicle. The prints are awash with colors and little doodles, all layered upon another and a bit reminiscent of the result of the free-association crayon play you used to do in 1st grade. Interestingly enough, you can find their goods at both street art stores and some of the more expensive boutiques in town, making it one of the few able-bodied crossover hits I’ve ever come across. The site has photos of models wearing ASH, but most don’t show the greatness of the prints, so you’ll just have to get the gist.