On a recent trip to one of London's antique meccas, Golborne Road, I happened upon Kokon To Zai Home. The third shop for the cult streetwear brand founded by Sasko Bezovski and designer Marjan Pejoski is housed inside an old Scottish butcher shop in Notting Hill. The unassuming locale, which opened in 2008, has developed a dedicated following among design insiders and KTZ fanatics for its unique mix of both Sasko and Marjan's fantastical clothing and accessories, as well as curiosities and vintage items from around the world. KTZ's all-over prints and avant-garde silhouettes––inspired by everything from Buddhist Swastikas to American baseball jerseys––feel oddly in step with the exotic objects scattered around the store (an eclectic assortment that included everything from framed butterflies to headhunters' necklaces from Papua New Guinea). I sat down with Sasko to discuss KTZ's foray into interior design, streetwear culture, and New York City youth.
Shop all KTZ here.
Clarke Rudick: Hi Sasko! Let's start with a question about KTZ as a brand. KTZ usually exists in a streetwear context. Do you see it as a street brand?
Sasko Bezovski: You can turn any label into whatever you want. Regardless of whether it’s Balenciaga, Givenchy, Comme des Garcons––they’ll turn it into streetwear. Every collection has those elements. I think KTZ has evolved. KTZ was a perfect example because it never stayed the same and it never projected the same images. It was momentum that was really captured by the fans of streetwear at the time.
Where do you produce the collection?
In Indonesia. I used to [spend a lot of time there] because we were setting up the whole system of work. We just wanted to make [the factory] different from anything else that exists. Why not Indonesia? It has good weather, lots of raw materials, and also it’s a quite poor country and it’s nice to give back to the people. It encourages a lot of young people. We have a lot of young Indonesians [who] come and they work for us. Not only being part of our team, but also contributing to the collection. I’m very proud of that.
You have stores in London and Paris, you produce your clothes in Indonesia, and you sell internationally. Do you see KTZ as a global brand?
It’s everywhere. We are in Taiwan… Korea… China. America embraced us in such a great way. In acceptance, in appreciation, in consumption, in visibility, in wearability; almost in every sense. People [in America] really like creative, honest, and attune-with-the-time elements. Opening Ceremony… was one of the first stores that embraced us and said, “We really appreciate what you’re doing and we can really see the creative potential within the brand.”
How would you describe the youth of New York that you see wearing your clothes?
New York is very urban, very raw. The street is where you see the impact because everything happens on the streets. It has such a big influence on the youth. And the minute you get different, you get noticed. And I think people are really intrigued by the techniques we are using, like toweling. Each season we bring a different technique to the game. Fashion is about innovation.
How did you decide to o
Shop all KTZ here.
Clarke Rudick: Hi Sasko! Let's start with a question about KTZ as a brand. KTZ usually exists in a streetwear context. Do you see it as a street brand?
Sasko Bezovski: You can turn any label into whatever you want. Regardless of whether it’s Balenciaga, Givenchy, Comme des Garcons––they’ll turn it into streetwear. Every collection has those elements. I think KTZ has evolved. KTZ was a perfect example because it never stayed the same and it never projected the same images. It was momentum that was really captured by the fans of streetwear at the time.
Where do you produce the collection?
In Indonesia. I used to [spend a lot of time there] because we were setting up the whole system of work. We just wanted to make [the factory] different from anything else that exists. Why not Indonesia? It has good weather, lots of raw materials, and also it’s a quite poor country and it’s nice to give back to the people. It encourages a lot of young people. We have a lot of young Indonesians [who] come and they work for us. Not only being part of our team, but also contributing to the collection. I’m very proud of that.
You have stores in London and Paris, you produce your clothes in Indonesia, and you sell internationally. Do you see KTZ as a global brand?
It’s everywhere. We are in Taiwan… Korea… China. America embraced us in such a great way. In acceptance, in appreciation, in consumption, in visibility, in wearability; almost in every sense. People [in America] really like creative, honest, and attune-with-the-time elements. Opening Ceremony… was one of the first stores that embraced us and said, “We really appreciate what you’re doing and we can really see the creative potential within the brand.”
How would you describe the youth of New York that you see wearing your clothes?
New York is very urban, very raw. The street is where you see the impact because everything happens on the streets. It has such a big influence on the youth. And the minute you get different, you get noticed. And I think people are really intrigued by the techniques we are using, like toweling. Each season we bring a different technique to the game. Fashion is about innovation.
How did you decide to o