Nico, Berlin

We spoke to Nico, an events organiser and brand consultant from Berlin, about inclusivity, sustainability and what adidas can be doing and where in Germany to be more involved in street culture. Nico Adomako mainly works as a DJ for the creative collective Einhundert, who  have been organising events, exhibitions and parties as well as making clothes for the best part of a decade, with events in Tokyo, Paris and LA already, as well as in Berlin. Besides that, he also works in brand consulting and research for adidas and other brands,  as well as being a curator for galleries in Berlin and and LA. He found time in his busy schedule to talk us through his work and the challenges that brands face in today’s world

You’re so busy! What do you love about what you do, and what keeps you going?

I just love the creative freedom that I have in my jobs. I also enjoy the networking part of it, meeting new people from all over the world. You never know where you will end up and I love that. I’m also a big fan of producing and making my own stuff and having the complete creative say on them. I learn a lot in the many jobs that I have. The whole communication and branding process of brands is very interesting at the moment. Social justice has been a huge topic of late as well. It’s both positive and negative in my eyes. Of course it’s a very important issue and I’m happy that it gets the attention it deserves. On the other hand, I sometimes feel as if the discussions go too far, hindering or boxing in the creative process a little.

Who do you see within the culture as being on the cutting edge? 

Total Luxury Spa from LA is a brand I definitely want to mention. They truly represent the LA heritage and lay a huge emphasis on the manufacturing process of their garments. When brands think outside the box, when they do things differently to others. That can be within the designs or the message of the brand. I like edgy brands that are not too PC, that aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo and might even step on a few toes. Total Luxury Spa have such a hyper-local approach that I find quite disrupting and pushing the boundaries of what I’ve seen so far. 

Then there’s of course Brandon Babzien from Noah NYC. Their transparency when it comes to sourcing in pricing is unmatched and while it's risky, I think it has really paid-off for them. I also need to mention Virgil here as he is one of the few people that can approach common topics in a new, more abstract way. It's really unique for him and I don’t think anyone can come close to that right now.

What are the personal qualities or attributes you’re proud of possessing that help you do what you do? 

I’m really proud of what we did with Einhundert. Diversity is such a big part of us as a collective. We have such a mixed team from all backgrounds which ultimately reflects onto our audience. We were also never shy of saying what we think. We always want to communicate that you don’t need a huge brand or a lot of money to do what you like.

You said that your own collective is drawn from a mix of backgrounds, and one of the dominant topics in society today is around inclusivity, what does it mean to you?

Inclusivity for me is to always have an open door and mind for the people within your community or the community you target as a brand. For me, it’s also about providing a platform for whoever needs or wants it. Listening to constructive criticism is another thing that I would associate with Inclusivity. Being approachable is also a factor that plays a huge part in inclusivity. If your brand or group is too exclusive, you will never stand the test of time.

How inclusive or diverse do you find the culture you’re in?

I think you have to differentiate here. The culture itself is very diverse. Especially in Berlin, that’s the case I feel. The industry not so much. They just recently started to incorporate the idea of diversity. But I definitely want to see more diversity in brands, agencies and companies in the future. 

Who’s leading those discussions in your industry? 

The leading role in the discussion is the community in my eyes. The industry and brands usually just follow what the community are doing. Within the community, I think it’s the women that are the driving force in those discussions. They are the ones that form collectives and start the dialogues. 

The social justice movement has definitely been a topic that never silenced, even during the pandemic. I think a lot of people produced some truly original stuff even in lockdown which was amazing to see. Virgil Abloh for example created an amazing virtual runway show for Louis Vuitton. I also loved how musicians and DJ’s coped with the situation of being in a pandemic and the ideas they came up with to still engage with their community.

I think that the Coronavirus pandemic has forced us creatives to rethink and come up with new ways of approaching and thinking about things. For example, I feel like there’s been a new wave of coming together and crowdfunding. At the same time, the sole fact that topics like social justice have entered the discourse is quite an original thing in my opinion. 

How do you see adidas playing out in this area? 

adidas has always been supporting people within the community, good people, people that raise their voices. There is a huge difference between the brand in Berlin and the people that work there, and understand, and the culture in the city and the brand itself as a company that makes the decisions at the end. Aadidas is a 50/50 thing for me.

And what about Nike? 

As a big company, Nike has definitely been at the forefront of diversity, at least when it comes to the visual representation. Nike was ahead of the curve here. They have always known how to approach people and get them on board, they have been working with cultural leaders since forever. adidas had to compromise in that regard and go for creatives with a smaller yet highly natural and organic reach. 

How can adidas do a better job in these areas do you think? 

The biggest problem that adidas faces is the Herzogenaurach effect. The company makes their decision in a small town that is not properly connected to the diverse world of today and they’re not connecting to the people that could help them. They don’t understand their audience properly and aren’t connecting to the people that do. Another problem is that they never claimed their status as a German heritage brand properly and advertised themselves as that. It's a shame because it's the biggest sportswear company in Germany and I think they should speak more about that fact rather than trying to compete with other brands for international status. 

Moving on from inclusivity, what role does sustainability play in your industry?

For me, sustainability is about two things, the manufacturing processes and the impact that a brand has on the environment, and sustainability in the context of community. How does a brand want to change itself and how can a brand support sustainability and sustainable projects from its community. 

What responsibility do fashion and streetwear brands have when it comes to sustainability? 

Sustainability is probably the key word here. Brands like Nike and adidas need to step up their game when it comes to the manufacturing process of their garments. They need to communicate that differently as well and make sure that their audience truly understands that their approach is not just a marketing move but truly a step towards sustainability.

adidas needs to use its platform and reach to talk about sustainability. They need to support the right projects and people and truly stand behind the topic rather than just picking it up for marketing purposes. Nike definitely uses its visual language to talk about the topic of sustainability. They have always been very clear about what they want and they have always worked with the right people. 

How can adidas do a better job, do you think, in terms of how they show they are taking their responsibilities seriously moving forward?

They need to be more fearless with their marketing, voice and overall appearance. adidas for me is very PC so I would like to see some edginess. And again, adidas needs to listen to the specific cultures and markets within a city rather than making all of their decisions from their offices.

People that are original and are immersed in the culture are usually cool and open minded people. If your brand is original and the people in your team are original you will almost automatically do the right things which would then also include topics like inclusivity and sustainability in my eyes. Brands need to use their reach and platforms to give the right people the audience and voice they deserve to speak about the issues we face today.

When you talk about brands providing a space and platform, what do you envisage?

It’s pretty simple. Spaces for people to express themselves within a city are slowly disappearing. The big brands have the resources to either keep those spaces alive or to provide new ones for people to use. Brands could set up workshops and event spaces. I think a youth centre from back in the days is a good reference point. Brands should stop thinking about how they can start the conversation, but rather provide spaces and platforms for their community to start them. The people don't want to be spoken about by an outsider. They want to lead the dialogue themselves.

Are there any brands that you think are doing this already?

I'm a huge fan of Patta when it comes to originality. They use their platform in the right way and also produce original products that are true to themselves. They just understand where they are as a brand and who their customers are. Patta is not just about commerce. They are part of a community and don't just want to sell to it. 

Looking at the culture of streetwear, how connected do you see adidas as being to that culture?

adidas and culture go hand in hand. The classic tracksuit plays a vital part in the streetwear culture. adidas and Kanye West have also influenced the culture massively in recent years. I think they can always do more and better things. That needs to be their goal. I think adidas needs to claim the German market and really showcase how diverse their consumer base is in cities like Berlin. 

They need to claim Germany and all the cities within it. They need to focus on the topics that actually affect their consumer base in Germany. They need to give their platform to people who resonate with their consumer base. adidas is definitely a brand with a huge legacy which makes them legendary, especially in Germany. The three stripes are probably one of the most legendary things within the streetwear scene. Adidas should position themselves rather than waiting to be positioned by the culture or community. They wait a bit too long and are not proactive. They need to use their voice properly. 

If adidas isn’t doing it, which brands do you think are owning streetwear culture in Berlin?

The one brand that comes to my mind is Ravani. A young and authentic brand from Berlin that knows and understands its community and consumers. Ravani just understood how the streetwear scene in Berlin works and how to influence it. Ravani is a truly original brand.

If Einhundert had the chance to be on the adidas team, what would change ? 

We would definitely be a bit more radical. Also I think we would focus on the local rather than the global market. Support young and upcoming collectives. adidas could also just provide a huge space for people.

What challenges do you think brands face most moving forward?

Definitely the Social Justice debate. It's going to be interesting to see how brands and companies will apply the changes they have promised. Just having a pride flag during pride month is definitely not enough. I think the brands started a discussion that they can't get out of now. They will have to stick to what they said and preach.