Dec 22, 2014 8 Questions with: Alyasha Owerka-Moore
I was lucky enough to catch up with Alyasha Owerka-Moore recently, and find out about his latest endeavor, North Manual Vocational. A previous Imprint speaker, Aly has incredibly deep roots in the clothing game, having worked at giants like Phat Farm, and Mecca, co-founding seminal street/skate/snow crossover Alphanumeric, all before the Internet-driven “streetwear” boom. He also founded Fiberops, a denim-driven label which defied categorization. He’s currently Brand Historian at P.F. Flyers, and quite recently, he’s launched North Manual Vocational with a partner in San Diego. To be clear, this latest endeavor is not “streetwear,” rather it’s casual men’s wear; inspired by rock & roll. I learned that the label’s name is a subtle reference to the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle, set in a fictional school, which happens to boast the first rock & roll soundtrack of any film. Stay tuned for more from this fascinating project. You can follow Aly on Instagram for the latest on this and many other creative endeavors.
What are you currently working on?
Primarily PF flyers and my new passion project “North Manual Vocational”.
How would you describe your job?
My title at PF flyers is “Brand Historian” what this entails is helping amass a historic archive and then translating that brand history into brand equity and sales. I also do some product seeding and help create/connect a network of existing fans of the brand. Some actual product design and some creative direction. I was a fan of the brand before I worked for them so it’s really a blast! Such a great brand with such a rich history.
What does your average work day look like?
Wake up around 6:30am. Watch Leave it to Beaver and The Donna Reed Show while simultaneously sifting through and reviewing emails on my phone. Get out of bed, make coffee and or juice. Do a little work out. Shower. Then dive into answering the afore mentioned emails. Usually a few phone calls back east. Design work. Errands. Go for a skate if possible. More work. Dinner and a beer. Repeat.
What’s the best thing about living and working in SD/NYC?
The best things about living in SD are:
The Weather.
Quality of life.
Not having to look over your shoulder on the street or in the workplace.
My friends are my friends because they do not care about social status or what I do for living.
RENT!
The Best things about living in NY are:
Accessibility to culture… Art, International Culture. Not so much music anymore, but once upon a time.
The City never sleeps.
Great food.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration though music mostly. Also through travel, books, old magazines, history, my friends, people watching, kids, skateboarding and my mom.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?
As a child, I wanted to be an architect and then later I had aspirations of being a pro skateboarder.
What are you reading at the moment?
The MAD magazine Reader 50th Anniversary Edition, re-reading Wisdom of the Idiots by Idries Shah.
What’s your favorite post-work destination?
I wish I had one.