Check Out Zachary Crawford’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary Crawford. 

Zachary, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been a creative, energetic person able to merge in and out of different ventures because my interest has always been beyond my current boundaries. I was double promoted early in school while already having a late birthday which could also be a big impact on why I’m so stern and yet youthful at the same time. From early-stage plays, baseball, swimming, karate, fishing, gymnastics, you name it I’ve probably at least tested it out or have given it a nice go for years. my parents were very clear on keeping me creatively busy and open to understanding the world and trades around me growing up. By the time high school came around I knew I wanted to attend Detroit School of performing arts for Acting and Broadcasting, which I was accepted, but once in and soon realized I’d rather go into Film production and video studies. I however joined Mosaic Acting company after school which still allowed me to study acting and perform at the DIA. While attending DSA my teachers made note the exceptional use of the equipment and tools, for my parents had already introduced me to some of the equipment at hand, this gave me an advantage with my studies and grew a great love for the craft. It was the best of the two, Video production and film editing during the school day, and acting and stage performances in the afternoon, all they way until I graduated high school. After turning 17 one month before graduation, I had a big decision to make about college. I moved to Los Angeles to attend Woodbury University for film studies, and to do part-time acting. My adjustment into moving across the US at such young age alone was beyond breathtaking and excitingly edgy. I not only was able to book various extra TV roles, brand ambassador jobs with Viacom, Bet Studios, ABC, Fox Family Networks, walk a few fashion shows, but the network of individuals and opportunities were unmatched. However, winter of 2014 my parents were both diagnosed with breast cancer, this stunned my world and sent me into a deep depression my last months of graduation with my associates. I then relocated home the following fall to ensure the health of my parents and continued my education at OCC competing my second associate and entering a world of unknown. At the time I was still fresh on booking my branding opportunities and acting/television auditions, when I came back to Michigan it was completely night and day. As I have always been a creative individual, I’ve never separated fashion from my everyday life, I just know what I like and its typically what a lot of people find to like themselves. Therefore, after taking months of rethinking and processing how I will readapt back home for a few months while my parents go through recovery the idea to make clothes sparked into my mind. My great friend and business partner to this day was big on brand research and latest trends so the combination was to the moon. After creating a few samples U of M, Noir, and Enspired fashion organizations reached out for us to do a collection during their annual show. After the great response from guests, customers, and online sales the idea to run a brand was forming in the womb. My parents blessed me with an opportunity to purchase a warehouse-sized building on the western side of Detroit. For years I have compiled my various works of arts, from sculptures, paintings, clothing’s and more in any and all free areas at home or where available, at the time so many thoughts were rushing into my mind until I seen in what condition the building was in, I was years in of renovations and hard work and dedication to get my idea of the art studio I was seeing in my head to fruition. From there, not only started the idea of a creative studio and artistic hub but an actual art studio for me to go crazy with any types of mediums. Back and forth from NYC walking NYFW and assisting shows I wanted to better understand the fashion industry and the ins and outs the same way I had did with the television industry. Successful until covid came and brought me back home to Detroit once again and this time put me rite on my butt for two years. For the last two years I have went art/design crazy building concrete bars, exhibits, installations, epoxy and set walls, 3D objects, miniature worlds, you name it, I’ve done it. However, a lot of those things have been in pure free time and for the love of art. I’ve keep a lot of my great works secret and to myself. While compiling a warehouse of intricate valuable art pieces and molding my art warehouse into a creative hub, me and my business partner were also able to outlet our love for art and fashion into a sustainable business. the birth of ” hypewhores ” this one is a long story in of itself, but simply our interest in finding late 80’s to early 2000’s designer vintage wear from JPG, Chanel, Galliano, Dior, etc. has created a big buzz for the past 3 years not only with online reselling but we’ve opened a store inside of my art warehouse that we travel with around the US. We have worked with, and stylist have pulled for big artist and influencers from our store like Bella Hadid, Dua lipa, Detroit natives like Malayatinab, Zola and the list goes on. For the past few years teetering between leaving my home city Detroit and relocating have been a big battle of mines, however over the past 2 years of feeling the need to venture to a more creative environment has slowly started to close in. The city is at paste starting to grow back into the creative outlet it once was. which helps artist like myself feel comfortable and successful ensuring that environment here. I’m sure I’ve covered a lot of my story and still have left out a bunch of intricate details but that seems to be a nice composite of my story to date. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A very very bumpy crater-filled road but with thanks to God, a smooth ride with a few jumps at times. Growing up and having to learn the worlds privilege for certain people, artistic expression, and gender fluidity in an urban community was ruff at times but also helped mold me with the ability to go anywhere and sustain myself no matter my surroundings or circumstances. When I have a goal in place it’s very hard to knock me off. However, my parents both being diagnosed with breast cancer while I was in Los Angeles, and still so young, I lost a lot of who I was building there when I came back home. I went into a deep depression for years that caused me to alter who I was becoming to manage my current situation. but just as it rains the sun follows, since returning back home again from NYC during covid I’ve been better able to identify where I needed to adjust and how I would take those actions. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In complete sense of my collected resume of work, I am a Creative Director & Artist I have done so many things and have been good at them I’m often categorized in multiple places. From growing up as a swim and karate star, to actor and model, to film, to now art and fashion. 

However, I’m a big fanatic for arts of all mediums, if it takes the mind and hands to create, I’m all for it. Starting at photo and video production I’ve not only written, filmed, acted, casted, and edited, my own films but have created commercials and many multimedia promo contents. I love editing softwares from Final Cut Pro video editing to photo editing with photoshop. I’ve built art walls, brick bars, concrete installations, exhibitions, wardrobe closets, and set design, all the way to murals and designing complete haunted house interiors. I paint and do 3-dimensional canvas paintings and wall art. I create patterns from scratch and create fabric sourcing- cut -and sew garments along with researching and sourcing vintage and rare designer archival garments. I create miniatures and small ratios worlds. and lastly, I’m a very very big stickler on organic and natural products I create skin and facial products. when it comes to what I’m known for most people know I’m an artist but have seen me post big accomplishments like my past acting gigs, traveling, assisting during NYFW & being a frequent model during NYFW. I’m often in a lot of space that’s are limited or Vip which has also given me my own sort of identity and agenda for people to follow and support. I pride myself on staying active within the city and amongst the creatives. 

I don’t define myself on my current surroundings or situations, I let my confidence and insurance of knowledge hold me, and that it’s what I think makes me stand apart from others. 

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I’m still in search of a mentor, possibly my shyness or sense of collectiveness has hindered me from finding the rite mentor to help excel my last bits of creative ventures. when it comes to networking that seems to just come to me, my personality draws other creatives close, so when I’m out or pushing a project I often always bump into other either known or newly creatives and link for future collaborations. I call myself very introverted but when I’m out I seemingly know a lot of people from my relations to so many programs, schools, classes, and extra-curriculum activities I’ve taken part in growing up. 

Just being myself, confident, and ready for art has allowed me to shake hands with a lot of great and creative individuals. Every day I am on a quest to learn and seek more which also helps me. 

Contact Info:

• Email: zacharylpc@gmail.com
• Website: www.currentartstudio.com / www.hypewhores.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zacharylpc/

Image Credits
Scott Sprague Photography
Laetitia soulier Photography
TCAS Studio