Q&A: Del Toro x Alec Monopoly Limited Edition Launch at The Webster

Photography by Nathan Valentine on January 7th, 2015 in Culture, Editorials, Fashion

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Alec Monopoly

Miami, FL – January 4, 2015 – There’s something about a fresh new pair of kicks that has a way of making one feel like a million bucks. What do you get when one of the hottest shoe brands in the game pairs up with a well-known street artist? Let’s just say it’s enough to make you wait in line at The Webster in hopes of snagging one of these exclusive pairs of shoes. Del Toro shoes has collaborated with graffiti artist Alec Monopoly to produce the limited edition “perfect pair.” Using the signature styles of Del Toro’s sneaker mixed with Monopoly’s signature “Monopoly Man” style the two have found a way to create something that is truly unique and certainly stands out from the rest.

Although you may have never seen what his face actually looks like, his work most definitely stands out and speaks for itself. With Monopoly’s use of varied materials including stencils, spray paint, epoxies, varnishes and newspapers, his work subversively is used to depict various iconic pop culture characters. Whether it’s using boats, cars, buildings, and now shoes, there aren’t many canvases Monopoly hasn’t tackled. His work has been covered by countless news and media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Playboy, London Times, and Billboard magazine and this only seems to be the beginning of an epic career.

Before the successful launch at The Webster, we were fortunate enough to speak with Co-Founder and Creative Director of Del Toro shoes, Matt Chevallard, and the artist himself, Alec Monopoly, about their latest collaboration and how Monopoly has been making his way through the art world.

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WRE: What made you choose Alec Monopoly as your next collaboration with Del Toro shoes?

MC: Alec and I have been friends for years now. It was a very organic project because despite our friendship, we had not considered doing a project together until one day we each wondered why we hadn’t and then we subsequently worked on one together. The result was great and we are both happy to see a byproduct from our relationship.

WRE: How did your signature “monopoly” theme come about?

AM: I started tagging The Monopoly Man back in 2008 in the midst of the Economic Crisis. The world felt like it was collapsing, and the Monopoly Man felt like a natural satirical answer to that. It’s since morphed and taken on new meaning, I believe a lot in ambition and hustling to get what you want in life and my art pushes that theme.

WRE: What message are you trying to communicate with your art?

AM: Originally it started as a commentary on capitalism and corporate greed. Those themes are still there, but it’s also taken on an inspirational element. Skies the limit sort of thing. If you put your mind to anything you can achieve it, and characters like The Monopoly Man and Richie Rich who represent wealth and success are very overt examples of that.

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WRE: What does “being creative” mean to you?

AM: I think being creative is just pursuing whatever it is your passionate about. Whether it’s finding creative solutions to problems in business, making a beat, or painting on a canvas, creativity and passion are very closely linked in my opinion.

WRE: What’s the most unusual thing you have created work on?

AM: I’ve painted boats, cars, shoes, buildings; You name it I’ve painted on it.

WRE: Did Monopoly have total control over the design of the shoe? Or was it more of a collaboration?

MC: It was a collaboration. We incorporated the notions of his brand with mine. We immediately were drawn to a theme of capitalism and dollar bills but also wanted to do it discreetly at the same time. I had told him how I had been working with my factory on a new sole technique which allows us to customize sole types in a new way. We were happy with doing so because it brought a new approach and allowed for the upper to be more understated. After all, who doesn’t want to be walking on hundreds, literally. So we decided to launch our new sole series with Alec and commemorate the project by doing so. You will be seeing more of this style with expressive soles in the future.

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WRE: How can admirers snag a pair of these sneakers?

MC: Everything is very exclusive and was sold out the first day of the release. This is the second colorway we are doing after releasing the White version during New York Fashion Week and at Colette. Stay tuned for future releases!

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