Tyler Blake, a Creative Director from the South Side of Chicago, discovered his passion for streetwear culture at the early age of 9. Raised in the Roseland Community, street culture, Hip Hop, the Chicago house parties, and house music was a way of life.
After joining a street dance crew ‘HaVoC,’ which stands for “having all victory over challenges”, this crew gave Tyler deeper knowledge on street culture, fashion, Hip Hop culture, and the entertainment industry. Members of HaVoC were featured in world tours with Madonna, Television, and moved around the city frequently attending local events. Fashion was a big part of HaVoC’s ethos.
“We were the flyest dance crew in the city of Chicago.”
Later in highschool, after auditioning to attend dance classes at Gallery 37, an arts school downtown Chicago, this further fueled his love for the arts and fashion. Being a few blocks away from Saks Fifth Ave and Neiman Marcus, after classes Tyler would go to the retailers to feel the fabrics, see the textiles, and get a look at the new arrivals.
In 2018, he founded ‘wake,’ his third brand, a streetwear clothing brand that gained national recognition through press, magazines, and celebrity endorsements. Known for its quality hoodies and aesthetics, today, wake serves as a creative agency with a focus on providing comprehensive solutions to brands in various key areas such as marketing, multimedia, and brand building. Tyler’s vision as a brand builder emphasizes the cultural significance of streetwear as a form of artistic expression and community collaboration, shaped by his roots in Chicago.
“Streetwear isn’t just clothing; it’s a way of life infused with love and connection. It’s a collective effort, born from the vibrancy and creativity of inner-city kids coming together to express themselves through the arts and fashion. Chicago’s culture shaped who I am today.”
– Tyler
Tyler my guy! It’s a pleasure to sit down with you. First question that I always ask. How does a regular day look like for you?
Everyday is day one, a fresh start and an opportunity to do something valuable, I’m just thankful to be here. Growing up without ‘the tools’, my day usually starts with setting an intention that my day will consist of doing something better, as soon as I open my eyes at the top of the morning. It’s a privilege helping others everyday on their journeys building their brands with the tools that I’ve gathered throughout my process.
Can you tell me about what it was like growing up in Chicago, what kind of kid were you and how you spend your time?
Growing up in Chicago was a lot of fun, bro. It was always something new every day. Don’t get me wrong, it was rough as well, but all of the ugliness that came with it built my character. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it. I think too many people focus on the negative stigma that is associated with the southside of Chicago, but we’re more than that.
I moved around a lot growing up. It was when my family moved to the Roseland Community that streetwear culture became even more deeply embedded within the fabric of who I was. Around this move, going to house parties became more frequent. Chicago juke, house music, footworking [a Chicago-born music and street dance culture], and style were an everyday thing for us.
Alright, before we get into it. Can you tell me a little bit about what your background is, and what you did professionally before starting Streetwear of Roses?
In 2016, I envisioned ‘wake’. After two years of building on the idea, my wife and I started it up as a streetwear clothing brand in late 2018. It was a fun journey and we learned tons throughout the process. This was the 3rd brand I started up, but this one was a bit more serious. During 2019-2023, wake gained national recognition, being featured in news, magazines, and receiving celebrity endorsements. Today, wake serves as a full-service creative agency with a focus on providing comprehensive solutions to brands in various key areas such as marketing, design and product development, multimedia production, and brand building. We have a few brands under our roof today, with StreetwearofRoses being one of them.
You know I’m deep into the Chicago drill scene, so I wanna ask you. Seeing that Chicago is home to a lot of gangs and a lot of gun violence. Growing up, was that something you experienced?
Hell yeah. I had three eyes growing up, two in front and one behind me at all times. I see the bright side of it today though. Growing up with one eye always open built my intuition; it taught me how to navigate the world. Looking back at what I thought at the time was normal in high school: fights, shootouts, and losing friends to violence, it was the arts that pulled me away from all of that. It’s taken me a very long time and a lot of work to heal from those things. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
With that in mind, Chicago has a rich history when it comes to hiphop. Artists like Twista, Kanye West, G-Herbo, Cheef Keef, Lil Durk, Fredo Santana, and the list goes on… All that culture, has that influenced you in any way?
I love Chicago and I’ll shout that until my time expires. I actually grew up a few blocks away from Donda’s house, where Ye grew up. Herb was around in the same area as well. I wouldn’t be the creative thinker and brand architect I am today without the influence of Chicago culture.
After joining a footwork [street dance] crew ‘HaVoC’ at 13, which stands for “having all victory over challenges”, this crew gave me deeper knowledge of street culture, fashion, Hip Hop culture, and the entertainment industry. Members of HaVoC were featured in world tours with Madonna, television, and moved around the city frequently attending local events. Fashion was a big part of HaVoC’s ethos.
Style is super important to anyone coming out of Chicago. It was how we navigated everyday life growing up in treacherous environments. So much love to my family HaVoC; they played a huge role in the creative thinker I am today. Much love to my homie Chris Classick too; he owns Classicks studios, home of Smino and where a lot of your favorite music artists record. Spending time with bro early on taught me a lot too.
So at some point you decide to move out of Chicago. Why did you make that decision?
I made this decision in my mind when I was 15, hahaha… but it took a while for it to happen, though. I made the decision when my bro Jron flew me out to New York while he was on tour with Madonna. He wanted me to come and meet and hang out with the crew, to see something new, and it worked. At that moment, I knew I wanted to experience more from the world. I still go back home as much as possible; I have to, I love Chicago.
Then you start Streetwear of Roses which is a hybrid of fashion, music, media, communications agency and motivation platform. Can you tell me about when and what sparked the initial idea for the brand?
So, right now I live in a city called Sioux Falls. It’s in South Dakota, still in the Midwest, about a 7-8 hour drive from Chicago to give you an idea, we run our business here. My wife and I creatively directed a fashion show out here in 2023 that sparked a lot of controversy, lol. After all that, I started StreetwearofRoses as a resource to educate rural Midwest America on Street Art Culture, Hip Hop, Fashion, all of it. Honestly, I’m not sure if Sioux Falls is tapped into the rose though… it kind of took on a life of its own around the world.
So when did you start having an interest in fashion and music?
Probably when I discovered my ears and hands as a child. Artistry and making things are just a part of who I am. My mom says I started building things at age 2; I can’t turn it off. I grew up listening to Outkast, Dipset, Ye, Jay Z, TLC, Lauryn Hill, India Arie… the list can go on and on. Age 9 for sure is when I got my first favorite outfit though, it was FUBU. From that moment forward, style and artistic expression through what I wore was a very important part of life.
What’s next for SWOR, any projects in the pipeline? And what’s your future vision for the brand?
The goal for SWOR was always for it to be a digital resource where artists and creatives can find valuable information, get their news, connect with others, and find inspiration to grow and continue on their respective paths. Building things isn’t easy, and we all need that love. My heart is for the culture, and I want to see my friends win. We want to continue doing that, holding space for artists as a place to find pieces to the puzzle they’re building, collaborate with other artists and agencies, brands, and produce more original content. Love is free, and I think in today’s climate where information is limitless, it needs to keep being given away. Heart of Roses, why hoard information?
Thinking back to the beginning. What has been some of the biggest obstacles in building SWOR? And what has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?
Initially, a lot of people tried to control the narrative on streetwear, arguing against the fact that streetwear emerged out of hip-hop culture in the 70s and 80s and is still heavily influenced by hip-hop today. I’ve done my 10,000 hours, I’ve done my homework, and I always encourage others to do their due diligence.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned, whether right or wrong, is that it’s important to keep a dialogue going with the goal in mind of improving the world. If people aren’t in discourse, nothing is moving forward. This is why art is so important to the world at large.
What is your future vision for SWOR. Where do you see the platform in let’s say 10 years? and what would be your dream goal?
My only dream is that the rose encourages someone on their journey, whether an artist, designer, creative, engineer… I just want people to find value through the rose and create a better world.
How do you deal with creative blocks?
Hmmm, good question. If there’s a creative block somewhere, that to me is an indicator that something is stagnant. I get outside. Breathe. Smell the roses, life is for living. If there’s a block somewhere, I’ve gotten away from living.
Btw, what’s the story behind the name “Streetwear of Roses”?
I grew up in the Roseland neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago. Those times of my life were everything to me, when I got my start in everything creative and design-focused with intention. Roseland got its name from the residents’ tidy flower gardens. Throughout time, our neighborhood began to flourish into a diverse community with the development of the nearby Pullman Factory and was once considered one of the most important commercial areas outside the loop [downtown Chicago].
Not long ago you started THEYSELF. by wake, and wake. Tell me about that. What’s your vision?
So Wake started out as a streetwear brand. The way I look at it today, really what it was, was my journey through everything I experienced growing up. The brand was based on building a better relationship with self, self-awareness, and mental health. We always knew we wanted to start other brands under Wake; that’s who we are, brand builders and storytellers. It was always more than t-shirts and hoodies for us; today, Wake is about building things, creating things for the world around us. THEYSELF. by Wake still carries that ethos of self-awareness, in the space of media, getting media and stories out to the world.
I know that you’ve recently become a father. How has that changed you? And has it influenced or affected your creativity in any way?
Mann, it’s the most important thing to me, bro. I have to be the best version of myself because I need her to see that. It took a long time to get where I am today, growing up without those that example, like self-awareness. I want this world to be better for her, so the energy has been at an all-time high.
What motivates you?
God. That this life was created for me to live. Just having a peace with that within.
How would you describe a perfect day?
That today is today. I just keep that in mind when things aren’t looking perfect, hahah.
In a parallel universe who would you be? and what would you be doing?
Mann I would be Jimmy Neutron or Davinci bro, just trying to figure out how everything works. I’d have the robotic dog and everything.
Can you tell me a story about a time when a connection with someone had a big impact on you?
Back to what I was talking about earlier, my bro Jron. He’s one of the founding members of HaVoC, the footwork crew I was in growing up. He flew me out to NYC when he was back-up dancing for Madonna on her ‘Sticky and Sweet tour’ when I was 15, to meet the crew. That changed everything for me. Changed my life.
What qualities do you find most important in the people you choose to spend time with?
Independent thinkers. Someone that has their own opinion, rather than what they’ve been told.
Alright Tyler. I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. The first is. What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
Interstellar by Christopher Nolan and Forrest Gump by Robert Zemeckis. They both are great examples of just knowing it’ll all work out.
The second is. What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?
I’ve been listening to “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman a lot recently; it just sounds like my life. Makes all this stuff we’ve been talking about this whole time feel special.