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San Diego

Krave & Kulture- The Next Great Gay Brand for Men’s Clothing

by Ryan Shea

Krave & Kulture, Manhattan Digest

In recent years, gay men’s fashion has been primarily designated to one or two different companies who keep coming out with the same tired formats for the same tired types of guys.  Luckily, there is a new west coast brand that in a short matter of time will be making quite the buzz on both coasts and internationally as well.  This is called Krave & Kulture, which is based in San Diego, California.

Krave & Kulture, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Krave & Kulture

Krave & Kulture was recently started by business partners David Quintanilla and Bryan Miller, who took clever print designs and is turning them into something that will become red hot in the ever popular world of T-Shirts and accessories.  The bold and unique concepts are perfect now that the weather is finally becoming warmer in the east coast, and will be a topic of conversation at many upcoming gay events such as Bear Week in Provincetown and all the circuit parties here on Fire Island.  What is even better is that Krave & Kulture doesn’t discriminate when it comes to body size, something that other brands tend to do (yet they never admit it).  Their sizes run from Small to XXL and are designed to fit each and every type of guy.  Smart advertising if I may say so myself.

I sat down with David & Bryan to discuss Krave & Kulture as a whole, the concepts behind all of it and its hopeful future in 2015 and beyond.  Take a look.

Krave & Kulture, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Krave & Kulture

So tell me how the concept of Krave & Kulture started for both of you?

David- I’m a photographer and a graphic designer by trade.  I wanted to come up with another way to put my designs on something other than a canvas or gallery wall so I started coming up with a concept of making clothing with my images.  Bryan and I had been friends for quite a while, and when I was sitting down with him and picking his brain about the business, he had a lot of really good information to offer.  He had just left a corporate job from a major corporation and slowly we started developing a business plan which organically turned into a partnership.

When you start any type of a brand there are usually people or companies that inspire you to do this line of work.  Who were your inspirations?

David- That is something that makes us a little bit different is that the inspiration for Krave & Kulture isn’t really other designers or brands.  We get inspired by art, and being in the gay culture we are inspired by masculinity, testosterone and being around men.  Also, we started off with the idea of the west coast culture and kind of lifestyle here which is why we decided to do ready to wear as opposed to going down other avenues.

How did you guys come up with the name “Krave & Kulture”?

David- Krave & Kulture was basically was one of several names that was trying to embody what we are trying to do.  The idea of doing something fresh, bold yet casual and easy for guys.  We developed this around a subculture of men who wanted casual clothing that was really cool but easy.  Not to endlessly figure out what goes with what, but just throw on a top and go to the beach, bar, coffee shop or a nightclub with it on for instance.  So the idea of craving that kind of culture is where that came from and we decided to spell it with K to add a little flare.

Krave & Kulture, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Krave & Kulture

Sometimes gay brands tend to skew towards a skinnier and much more lean demographic, yet I noticed that your sizes run from small to XXL.  Did you have a strategy from the get go to include all different sizes for the gay community?

Yep, absolutely.  That was the whole goal from the beginning is that if we were going to do this that we would create designs for guys who felt comfortable in it.  There is a big bear community not only in San Diego but in the entire country and we wanted to identify that.  The clothes shouldn’t be just designed for the Abercrombie & Fitch type model, there are regular guys who wanted to be seen in those cool types of shirts. 

An average gay brand would carry extra smalls, smalls and mediums whereas we decided to start with small and work our way up to XXL, just because for the bigger guys it is more about comfort and is designed to fit them perfectly.  I am a bigger guy myself so I like my shirt to be tight on the arms, tight on the chest but a little bit of room in the stomach area.  I designed them selfishly I guess because I wanted to feel as comfortable in them as the rest of the guys who were trying them on.  This also carries to our accessory line as well, because there is a lot of times where guys have bigger wrists.  We have two sizes available- standard and thick, so we want to have guys who have thicker wrists feel welcomed as well to try them on.

How do you guys go into designing the shirts and accessories?

David- The designs on the shirts for this Spring and Summer collection are four collections. One of them is nautical, we wanted to design around the sea and the ocean.  If you look at some of the stuff, we reference old school tattoos such as anchors amongst others.  Another collection is Popart, so like a balloon dog with a Ken Doll on it.  Like a fun conversation piece with a bold graphic on it.  The other two collections are phrases, whether they are funny or conversation starters.  The other side of it is that we offer full print photo shirts.  So I take my photography and manipulate it and make some pretty cool graphic on the shirts.

You are based in San Diego, do you have a storefront there or are you based remotely?

David- Our business plan is to sell wholesale to retailers.  As of right now, we don’t have any plans to become a storefront, however we just want to make this available for the general population of the United States and internationally, so we started with the online store.

Krave & Kulture, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Krave & Kulture

What are your hopeful goals for Krave & Kulture going into the rest of 2015 and beyond?

Bryan- We’ve got a plan in place that is going to help us not only create a presence on the west coast but hopefully everywhere.  We started speaking out to different retailers, some that have picked us up, and our goal really is to expand it as far as we humanly can.  When that business picks up we want to expand our line and do more than T-shirts and accessories.  We don’t just want to be known for just those things, we want to be known as a lifestyle store and work with those guys in the demographics that we discussed to be able to have some really  cool and edgy items to wear in their everyday lives.

If you happen to be in the San Diego area today, Krave & Kulture are having their first launch party at Urban Mo’s located at 308 University Avenue.

For more information about Krave & Kulture, check out their official site as well as their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

Filed Under: FASHION, LGBT, LIFESTYLE Tagged With: david quintanilla, krave & kulture, krave and kulture, manhattan digest, San Diego

Charlie Harding- On “Proxy”, Transitioning and More

by Ryan Shea

Manhattan Digest, Charlie Harding, Proxy
Charlie Harding, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Charlie Harding

 

Charlie Harding is someone who has truly made a name for himself and his brand over the past couple of years.  Dominating the gay adult world, he is loved by thousands of his fans for his stunning looks and great performances, in many different ways than one.  On top of being a great performer in the adult world, he is also a fabulous writer and an all around smart guy who knows how to take lemons and turn them into lemonade.

Now that he has made his mark on the adult world, he is transitioning himself into the mainstream world with his first big role in the Brandon Deyette directed “Proxy”, which is set to be released later on this year.  As a fan of Charlie Harding’s, I couldn’t wait to sit down with him and discuss the vital things that are going on in his life.  He discusses everything from transitioning out of the gay porn world, his influences, how nervous he was when doing a role like this and why his future seems to have no limit in terms of his amazing abilities.  Check it out.

So, your first mainstream role, that’s really exciting!  What made you want to transition out of porn and go mainstream?

Let’s go back to the beginning. I always knew I wanted to  be a performer, and the adult industry gave the quickest and easiest route to get started. I was able to create a loyal fan base, become a celebrity of sorts and then use that fame to springboard to other projects. It just feels like a natural progression as I grow as an entertainer and actor to transition from adult roles that are mostly physical acting to adding the depth of emotion and soul that mainstream projects call for.

Growing up did you ever have any icons that you looked up to on the big screen?

Well I have to say Julie Andrews has always been a huge icon to me. She takes performance to such an amazingly high level and always has such confidence in her roles. Sean Connery is another. Again, totally captivating in his efforts on screen, and has just an amazing persona. Of course others from more modern fare include Anne Hathaway, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana and Peter Dinklage all are amazing performers I enjoy watching and hopefully can learn from as well.

Proxy, Charlie Harding, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Brandon Deyette
How did this movie fall into your lap?

Well, I am very active on social media, and my fans and friends are always chatting me up about things. I made a Facebook post about starting to look into mainstream opportunities, and one friend passed me to another who happened to be Brandon Deyette the director and writer for PROXY (www.proxyonfilm.com).  We chatted about roles, personalities and such, and it all just fell into place.

Manhattan Digest, Charlie Harding, Proxy
Credit to: Brandon Deyette

Tell me about your character in the movie and what challenges he faces. 

Well Tristan is a very frustrating guy. He cares immensely about his friends, and stinks at communicating effectively with them. He has his own demons and insecurities and drinks to much, but is a genuinely good guy inside. There are significant parallels to my own life that I pulled from when Brandon and I created Tristan’s back story. I developed the character all the way back to high school in Tristan’s life to piece together moments that would have been motivating factors in decisions he makes and reactions he has.

From my previous article, it looks like Brandon really has a lot of love and faith in you.  How did it make you feel when you read that?

I cried. Literally. Brandon has an amazing talent for making you want to do great work. And going into this process, I was scared shitless. “Was I good enough?” and “Will anyone take me seriously?” are questions that kept me up at night. I worked hard to get into this role and truly become Tristan, and I’m so proud that Brandon is so excited about what I gave on film.

You recently uprooted yourself and your lovely partner from Atlanta to San Diego.  How has that been going?

Amazing. San Diego is such a great fit for us. It’s the perfect mix of beaches, gorgeous weather, friendly people and relaxed attitude that we needed. We both feel revitalized and energized being here, and now that I’m only a short drive from LA, I can pursue this crazy acting dream more whole heartedly and without so many geographic boundaries.

Charlie Harding, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Charlie Harding

 

Very few porn actors have been able to successfully transition themselves outside of porn and into the mainstream (Colton Ford is a shining exception in the gay world, its mainly ones in the straight porn world like Ron Jeremy, James Deen & Tracy Lords).  How do you plan on following suit and making a name for yourself outside of the world you have been in for years now?

Well, hopefully my fan base will follow me over! Plus now I get to try and win over an even bigger number of folks to my team. I’m just a genuine guy, trying to make a dream come true, and I think people appreciate that. I keep getting told that I’m very relatable and easy to understand. I hope to do many more movie roles,  super excited about the television show Brandon has in development, and look forward to being an entertaining addition to tons of creative projects.

Looking back on it, was your experience in porn more positive or negative?

It had both positives and negatives. The negatives: I get stereotyped constantly as trashy or of less value as a person because I did porn. The industry takes a toll on you and is not overall a healthy environment. It’s hard to overcome the stigma attached to porn actors and be taken seriously. Some people are put off as to how comfortable I am with my body and openly talking about sex.

The positives: I’m more sexually in tune with myself than I would be otherwise. I get to use my celebrity status to promote social causes and constantly raise money for charities. I’m someone folks seem to be comfortable talking to about all sorts of issues including STI’s and HIV, relationship advice, work out tips and more. I keep getting told I need to host an advice talk show! Without adult films, I wouldn’t be able to take this leap into my dream future!

What are your plans now in the movie biz?
I want to shoot more movies! And I am hoping to do television as well! I want to explore different sides of my personality and translate those into the characters I get to play. I’m currently agent shopping and looking forward to see where this all takes me. Currently I am looking for more projects, and serious inquiries can be made to [email protected] .

What are you hopeful for now that your future is looking brighter than ever?
WORLD PEACE! I’m hopeful I can be a source of inspiration and create quality entertainment for those who see my work. I want to promote the idea that I’m a serious actor no matter where I started. I want to have a voice and be a spokesperson for other people in the world.

You always have a lot going on business wise.  Can you tell me about any side projects you have going on?
Well if you live in Southern California you should Facebook search “The Instigators Present.” We throw parties and social engagements, usually with a charity donation twist.  I’m also about to release my first vocal single “Sex on the Dance Floor” on iTunes with the music video and multiple dance remixes soon to follow.  I’m the spokesperson for www.charliehardingpresents.com a great source for readers of gay romance and erotica.  I’m a spokesperson for the Tshirt company www.unicornmuscle.com (use code “HornyCharlie” for a VIP discount).
And my partner Scotty Rage and I are about to relaunch limited additions to our exclusive clothing line RAGE T’s.

And that’s just the stuff I can officially talk about!

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, LGBT, MOVIES Tagged With: atlanta, brandon deyette, charlie harding, proxy, San Diego

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