Meet Tristan Morris (UKNOWTRIST) | Designer, Stylist & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tristan Morris (UKNOWTRIST) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tristan, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I feel like it destined for me. Even though I loved sports, I loved the design of the uniforms more. I’ve always had a wild imagination since I was a kid. Most of my earliest memories are me and my older brother sitting at the dinning room table drawing. He was exceptionally well, and inspired me to be that good. During my adolescence I sketched a lot whether it was at school, church, or home, and my love for sketching transcended an even bigger love for sneakers and fashion. I remember going through mags like XXL, Source, Jet and picking out flyest pictures of my favorite artist. This was the beginning of me really paying attention to style and trying to dress like them. Fast forward to my freshman year of high school, I stopped playing basketball and became a serious sneaker and clothing collector. So serious, my friends and I changed they way how people at our school were dressing. I was unconsciously becoming an influencer before I knew it was a thing by taking fit pics and posting them on the net. I went from people trying to talk about my skinny jeans and OG Jordans, and foamposites. To literally months after them trying to wear the same thing as me. As time went on, my style became loved and respected as I was known as one of the best dressed of my city. Then I started college, and one of my older homies that designed, who brand I would rock heavy had a fashion show. All that time I was into fashion, it never dawned on me until then that I could have my own brand.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I believe what sets me apart from others are my ethos, comprehension, risk taking and my background in carpentry. I do a lot of research on the daily which keeps my mind in constant flow. It’s easy for me to work with other brands because I’m able to understand their ideology, and conceptualise it in a new form with my take on it. Although I consider myself to be a designer first, I’m just as well rounded in graphic design, film photography, and creative direction. Often while I’m creating product, I’m thinking about how to present it. It’s equally as fun for me. What I’m currently most proud of is my evolution. I went from screen printing and tie dyeing on clothes from the thrift store, to creating pieces from scratch, and repurposing clothes. In addition, being able to create a design for Westside Gunn was dope too. I’m pretty excited for the future. I have a couple of projects coming out that I believe will be refreshing for the human eye. I don’t want to spoil anything but it’s going to be special. I got to where I’m at professionally, by becoming disciplined. It’s far from easy, and I’m still learning honestly. Outside of my design career, I still have a day job. I make sure the same amount of hours I give that company, is the same amount of hours I put back into myself, my craft. Somedays I’m getting less than 4-5 hours of sleep. Not to mention some friendships can fall apart from not having time like how I would in the past. One thing that I’ve learned along the way is that you’ll always be rewarded for having integrity. I remember shortly after meeting Tommy Hilfiger at his headquarters in NYC, I got this gig as a stylist assistant for this short film. To make a long story short, my mannerism and respect was not being reciprocated on set. I brushed it off until the third day when I noticed things just simply weren’t changing and decide that that would be my last day. I still had 4 days left in NYC. Each day I went shopping for fashion books and mags. And those same books provided me with knowledge take my creativity to the next level to develop Vice Paradise. I want the world to know that I’m in it for the love, the passion, longevity. I want to challenge my peers to have a purpose don’t do it just because it’s cool or quick money, because it will reflect in the work. What I want people to know about Vice Paradise is more than a brand, it’s a sub-culture. I’m creating a universe through fashion. I have so many reference points, that my design language can communicate across the globe. I’m not just telling my story, but our story.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I spent my week in LA very spontaneous so don’t judge me haha. but the first thing would definitely be a concert. I went to Playboi Carti Whole Lotta Red show at The Forum. That was craaaazy. As far as eats go, I have to do it over because I mainly was stopping at Benihana food trucks, or going to the Whole Foods near my hotel. But I would recommend hitting a museum, shopping or sight seeing. Hit Melrose, Beverly Hills, just explore. Oh yeah, and go to Complex Con if you’re ever out there during November. Next time, I visit LA I’ll have a better itinerary for y’all, I’m sorry.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Vice Paradise team & Goodneighborsclub. We all bring out the best out of each other, and they understand the method to my madness haha.

Website: www.viceparadise.us

Instagram: Business: @viceparadise.us. Personal: @uknwtrist

Image Credits
Main Photo – Khalim Evans Campaign & Editorial Photos- Akil Kirkland