All my collections are based on something I like or something I'm dealing with. They are always deeply personal. Kerby Jean-Raymond More Quotes by Kerby Jean-Raymond More Quotes From Kerby Jean-Raymond The way I was raised, you get a new pair of sneakers when the old one gets messed up. But when I got to high school, I started dating girls and trying to fit in, and I realized everybody was collecting Jordans. When I would get my paychecks, I wouldn't even take money. I would just trade them for sneakers. Kerby Jean-Raymond you dating money school The world absolutely needs your voice. Kerby Jean-Raymond your voice world needs I think that when you rally powerful voices around powerful issues, what you get are positive results. Kerby Jean-Raymond think you powerful positive The work of black creatives seems to always get undermined in one way or another, and that's what this new generation is actively changing by speaking up. We aren't accepting group categorization and group classifications to describe our work anymore - it just leads to group dismissal. Kerby Jean-Raymond generation black work way We're constantly having to go head-to-head with the Bernie Madoffs of the world who just want more and more money. Kerby Jean-Raymond go money want world A lot of us who are creative and have all these great ideas just don't have the money to do it. Kerby Jean-Raymond great money creative ideas Nobody can shut the door in your face if you own the door. Kerby Jean-Raymond door face nobody you America is a flawed land but a great one indeed. Kerby Jean-Raymond indeed great land america All clothes are worn on the street, but 'streetwear' had once described T-shirt brands and skate-inspired brands, and now it's just a lazy innuendo used to describe clothing made by designers that the establishment deems 'less than.' Kerby Jean-Raymond t-shirt street lazy clothes I hope that people who don't believe depression is a real thing will stop calling people crazy, because that's dismissive and not a medical diagnosis. Kerby Jean-Raymond crazy hope depression people You have these megabrands who make most of their money off hip-hop culture. Where were they in the time of need? Kerby Jean-Raymond you money time culture I want to be fashion's Erykah Badu. What I admire about her is her timelessness and her fearless approach. Kerby Jean-Raymond fearless admire fashion want Music has always been my first love, and I appreciate how a great musician can bring awareness to tough issues through their work. Kerby Jean-Raymond great music work love I've always felt like an outcast. My aesthetic is very high-end, but I still get classified as streetwear. There's really no other reason for than other than my age, the way I look, and where I'm from. Kerby Jean-Raymond look aesthetic age way If you put the collections together, whether it's Rick Owens, Alexander Wang, or whomever, sometimes they do streetwear, but they're never called that. They're always called 'sportswear' or 'high-end' or 'luxury.' I feel like I'm tossed into that streetwear category so that I don't exist in this space. Kerby Jean-Raymond feel you space together With things that I'm going through, whether they be on a small scale or a large scale, I'm thinking, 'Who else is going through this? And how can I address it and bring it to light to help someone else?' Kerby Jean-Raymond someone small light thinking I came back from Standing Rock, and one of the things that struck me was their respect for elders. It was something that I felt like I needed to work on in my life. Kerby Jean-Raymond me respect work life 'Bernie versus Bernie,' for me, is these two extremes of capitalism. It's Bernie Sanders, the ultimate socialist, and Bernie Madoff, the ultimate capitalist. Kerby Jean-Raymond me capitalism ultimate two Systemically, there hasn't been an oppression more overt and long-lasting than economic oppression against black people and minorities in this country. Kerby Jean-Raymond oppression black country people I don't think the narrative I was stuck in - the 'black' designer category - was going to go away anytime soon. Kerby Jean-Raymond going go think black