Smithe One, Mexico City

33-year-old Marcos is a Mexico City-based graphic artist, illustrator, and designer, known for his urban artworks dotted around the city.  He is also co-founder of one of Mexico City’s hottest streetwear stores, Tony Delfino. Founded in 2008 - when Marcos and his friends started out with “just some drawings, some t-shirts, and having fun”- Tony Delfino and its collective of local designers and artists have grown to collaborate with global brands to make unique, limited-edition pieces. In 2014, Marcos was selected as a Mexico City Ambassador for graffiti and illustration for an adidas project with Pharrell, which he says ended because “we lost the connection when they changed all the offices in adidas.”

Let’s start with having you put yourself in a box [laughs] - would you call yourself an artist, or something else?

Well, that depends [laughs] I don't know. I’d say I'm more of a ‘creative’, because I think an artist is more about the craft and the artwork itself. Much of my work is producing stuff, working with my brand, and also working with other people - just being the link and making networks. That’s a very important part of my work; connecting people and making things happen. So, I think the label ‘artist’ is more like a tiny part of my work, rather than the most part of my work.

You started as a graffiti artist, and now you’re running a business, that’s not the typical route, huh? What keeps you motivated?

Just making stuff. Instead of just having thoughts, of having this idea to make something material, of having a product and making it happen. Obviously, it needs to be good, but to turn my thoughts into the material world, that's my key; that's my goal.

This is so interesting. We’ve heard this from lots of artists and creatives – that it’s the physicality of something and being able to see where creative ideas end up is a key driver. It can often be the bit I miss in my job… 

Yeah, man. And when you actually start to work with more people, and you are responsible to make that work for more guys in the project, that's also super good. I think that's my gasoline, every day, putting new stuff into the world, that's the key.

I love that - “That’s my gasoline.” And how would you describe your brand, Tony Delfino?

I think the brand itself is more like street wear with a mix of illustration and design. That's the good thing about these days; labels are diluted a little bit and now everything is a mix.  But we don’t feel like we are high fashion or a posh label or something like that. We just make t-shirts and good quality products. It doesn’t matter about the label - we just want to produce some good shit, and that's it.

Producing good shit is really where streetwear came from … So what’s the streetwear scene like in Mexico City?

10 years ago, there was nothing except mostly big brands, global brands. But the independent network has grown in the past 10 years, with more names into the game. People are interested in making their own brands and also more people are interested in using different brands. I think now it's more important to make your own statement with your clothes and that's the key I think. For us, we just produce 50 or 60 exclusive items. I think it's a new age. The new generation is changing, and I think they’re seeking that; they want that authentication. Just having one product and feeling important. Like, I just want this piece and I know nobody else has it. I think that's the difference with this new scene in Mexico City; more independent brands are doing more stuff, and they don’t care what you’re doing, they just want to do it. 

And what has fuelled this change over the past 10 years in Mexico City?

I think, obviously, Instagram. I think Instagram and all social media networks are changing the game, having the option of seeing how everything is being produced in just one click. Every day I wake up and I check Instagram and it's like, fuck. Every day you see that everybody's producing so much stuff.

It has definitely galvanised the people, hasn't it? Have you got any frustrations with the streetwear scene? 

I think here in Mexico, the problem is the authentication of your stuff. It's difficult. I think for us, now we are getting a name, and so people are like, okay, I’ll buy it because you’ve been doing well for the last 10 years. But for a new brand, or for new guys, it’s difficult because you need to get that authentication and the people here in Mexico City don't trust in what they see. They need to check it out with other people - they’ve validated that stuff? “Okay, I’ll get it.” I think it's a little sad, because people need to trust in their values and what they really care about instead of seeing a cool guy or an influencer have it to buy it.

What's exciting about streetwear culture in Mexico City at the moment?

I think since four or five years ago, everything here has become about sneakers. It's crazy, because here in Mexico originally it was a tiny culture to do with collection, but I think the change is worldwide, the new shift with sneakers. I think now the new guys on the scene in Mexico are looking for that; to have this connection with new, cool shoes. That’s maybe the exciting part. There are two or three shops that are growing, and they bring in all these crazy collections of sneakers and they have these crazy lines, like in Japan or New York.

What are those two or three stores that you see as important in Mexico City? 

Headquarter is a good one. I think these guys have been around since 2008, so they really had a chance to see all of that process. I think they were the first guys to bring these cool brands to Mexico City and have that connection. I think Lust is not a good one. I don't like the stuff from them because I see them as the ‘gangsters’ of stores, because they sell for too much. They are the rich guys, and they are the guys who have these big lines outside, of people fighting for the sneakers and crazy shit. 

So you like Headquarter more? 

I like Headquarter because they're really intelligent with their people instead of just selling. They're more into growing the culture instead of thinking about just the money, and I think that's more important than selling, selling, selling. Instead of selling, just have the connection and have conversations. 

We have heard this a lot – that it’s so important to uplift culture rather than simply push sales. Is there anyone else you know who’s doing exciting and innovative stuff in the culture in Mexico City?

Music is growing here and is having a good moment. Five years ago, everything was rock and now the guys are mixing trap with crazy shit and even folk music I think now is growing. Good artists now are doing good stuff and having their own voice as Mexicans, and that's very important - to have your own language as an artist. You know Hilda Palafox? She's a good one. 

What makes her exciting? I love the fact that you said as an artist, they're finding their own voices and that Mexican voice as well. So, is it that kind of courage to be themselves that’s exciting? 

Yes and that’s the problem with Instagram; you have all of this information and you’re doing the same stuff as you see on there, and so it's difficult to get your own style and your own voice. I think Hilda Palafox is super important because she is growing with her own creative style and you can see that it’s a Mexican voice.

How would you define ‘creativity’?

I think it's the skill of solving a problem.

Amazing. I love that simplicity. And why is creativity important to you, or to other Mexican artists and entrepreneurs?

Where I come from, it's like, okay, we don't have money, we don't have time, there are always limits to being able to make something. And I think that's when your creativity is like, “we need to push the limits to make it happen.”

This is incredibly interesting, and it’s something we hear a lot. Essentially it means that anybody – absolutely anybody – can be creative.

Yes, for me, that’s creativity; imagining things to be able to solve problems. And also, to push you to make something different every day, to not repeat yourself. Maybe for some guys, they trust in their own formula, but for me, I’m more like “okay, let's do something different every time, try to make something different with different people, different processes.” That’s part of creativity; not repeating yourself.

So how do you differentiate between creativity and originality?

Maybe originality is about having your own voice, and not trying to steal a style of a personality from someone else. Obviously, you have references every day - you are consuming that as an artist and you need to see what's happened, what's going on in the world. But in the moment when you have your own voice and somebody on the outside can recognise your work without seeing your signature, I think that’s when you have succeeded in being original; for someone to see any part of your work and know it is you. That’s what’s important – the human behind the artist. When you know the human behind the artist, you make the connection for everything. 

And do you think it’s hard to be original these days, especially with social media? 

I think for me, I use Instagram as a way to see what's happening out there and look at my own mind. I need to push my limits a little bit more or be more intelligent and see what's happening. I tell myself, “just be quiet and don't frustrate yourself.” It’s like, “okay, all the world is producing, and I don't care.” I just think about my own stuff, and that's it.

Love that – “Just be quiet and don’t frustrate yourself!” What are some original things you’re seeing from brands at the moment?

I think these connections we’re seeing, with fewer boundaries, are original. There are more crazy things happening, collections and collaborations. Like KFC with Nigo, crazy stuff. Even for us, in May we released our first shoe with Vans, and it was like, we never had that idea and when we started in 2008, we just started with tee-shirts. And later we have one signature shoe with Vans? It’s crazy.

Congratulations on having a shoe with Vans! Have you had one with Nike?

No. We had a collaboration with Nike, though - they give us 20 pairs and we did sneaker customisation. I was working with Nike five years ago, as an artist, and they are all about the bureaucratic stuff. You need to do global stuff and everything is in contracts and all of that. It’s just the way they work. But in May we did Vans, a full collection - three pairs of shoes.

You don’t need to tell me about Nike being political, they’re the worst… Congrats on Vans though, that’s fucking cool… And what about adidas? Interested in a collab with them? 

Absolutely, we're open to it. If we are on the same page of making something cool, let’s do it.

Speaking of adidas, where do you see adidas as sitting, in this modern-day realm of streetwear? 

In the 80s and 90s, adidas was super good, super crazy. But I think now in 2020, they’re losing it a little bit. I think they need to understand that it's gonna be a crazy, crazy 10 years and they need to prepare for that race.

And how do you think they can do that, prepare for that race?

They need to make better connections. Maybe they should be more punctual with their ambassadors, because I think that's an important part of the brand. As we say, the ‘faces’ of the brand - it's super important.

That word is super interesting - ‘punctual.’ And how about in Mexico City, specifically?

They need to hear what is actually happening in Mexico, because they always just bring in global stuff, and they need to start to have that conversation with Mexico at that level. I think it could be with music, maybe with the streetwear brands, or maybe just cool random guys or producers. There are a bunch of guys who are doing crazy, crazy, good stuff here in Mexico, and that's where adidas can start to make that connection. Because Mexico always has that passion and those fanatic people – super-crazy, fanatic people. And it's super crazy because I always see that when a tourist comes to Mexico City we are like, “Hey, come on, thanks for coming, blah, blah.” And we're super, super happy about those guys, you know, and why? We are Mexicans. We need to be happy about our Mexican guys, not tourists. It's crazy that we have those feelings.

adidas has actually made Mexico City one of their key cities…

That's very good news, because as I said, I think adidas - well, every brand - needs to talk at the level of the people they're selling stuff to. If a brand came and talked the same as the Mexican people talk, it would make a super good connection.

What do you think adidas would have to be careful of in Mexico City, to be appropriate, and not appropriate? 

Make baby steps and don’t grow too fast. Instead of coming in with bigger muscle,  come in a little bit and make a little history and make some tiny successes within each history. That will be more authentic. I think in every circle it’s the same. You need to make the connection with the humans instead of the brands. And I think it’s about the success of each small step. For us, when we collaborate with friends for our brand, we always do that; we feel okay with them and we have that energy and the same vibes. They even tell us, “don't pay me, I'm just doing it for fun!” Obviously I know adidas should pay people, but they should also know that this friends and family sentiment is key for relations in Mexico City.

Going back to what we said about ‘originality’; how do you think adidas could build a brand around the idea of enabling originality to make the impossible possible? What does this imply?

“Try to make a life of what you like.” I mean like, with your passion, with your own skills. If you’re an accountant or a doctor, anything; try to make that life and make it happen for you, with that passion. Is that so impossible?

And if they wanted to progress streetwear culture in Mexico City through original thinking, what would you expect them to do? 

I’d expect them to talk with real people - not a marketing person, not a salesperson. I’d expect them to try to make that link with the guys who are actually doing the culture in the Mexico City scene. I think that's the first step. Makes sense to me. 

Who would be the correct person in Mexico City?

Obviously me! [Laughs] Well, there are a bunch of guys from skate, there is a group called Ultra skateboard, they’re super cool guys. Actually, two of them are sponsored by adidas. In music, maybe they should go more for another genre, because they are already in hip hop now, but maybe they could change that - another genre like electronic music or more underground stuff. [Note - we got a whole list from Marcos of people we should be working with, actually - and, importantly, we would suggest working with him]. 

And if you had to summarise your words of warning, of advice for adidas.

Don’t treat it all as a contract or something like that. Do it in a human way - like you're in a relationship with them. Like I said about what happened with me and the Pharrell project, if the approach had been different, we might still be working with adidas. But they shut down the communication, and it interrupted the progress of something. The same happened with Nike. We worked with them with an agency in London and they made all the strategy there, and we worked from here in Mexico, but they couldn’t see really what was actually happening here. That would be my good advice - don’t lose those connections.