Jake Darwen; You’ve seen his shots in and on the magazines, watched his parts on the world wide web and now you can dress like him! Or at least wear one of his signature garments recently released by Element. Considering it’s not everyday a young buck from New Zealand gets the opportunity to travel the world doing what he loves. let alone get his signature and photographs on some consumables, we seized the opportunity to give him a call, have a chat and share some of his handy work…
Portrait: Isaac Matz
DENNIS DURRANT | SWITCH FRONTSIDE CROOKED GRIND
Where does this conversation find you right now?
I’m currently in Barcelona with Element for the whole of September. We just finished off the first section of the trip, which was working on the ‘Make it Count’ part with all the kids from around the globe. They all got flown out here to to film as much as they could in eight days. It’s way different than a normal trip though, because normally you’ve met some of the dudes before or have seen footage of them, but I had never heard of any of the kids that were a part of it so it was like going in blind which ended up being a cool experience. Now it’s the Thrasher section of the trip with the majority of the team. It’s just street skating with no demos or anything and Joe Brook flew out to shoot photos, so I’m just shooting second angles and lifestyle stuff. Then everyone flies out on the 22nd and I stay another week with Dennis (Durrant) and Alex (Lawton) to try shoot for an upcoming feature.
NASSIM GUAMMEZ | FRONTSIDE 180, SWITCH 50-50
How did your relationship with Element come about?
It all came about years ago, back in New Zealand when I first started shooting photos. Naturally I was just skating with friends back in Auckland and I shot a photo of Mike Bancroft doing a backside flip on a monument with water gushing down it outside the Auckland museum. I showed it to Harris Taylor who was working at GSM at the time and he mentioned that he was going to show it to his bosses because they needed a print ad of Bancroft. I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t think it was going to happen. I remember Harris calling me up when I was at high school asking for the high res because they all signed off on it and it was scheduled for the upcoming issue of Manual. I rushed home from school and sent the photo to him. He told me to send him an invoice for like $300. That was the most money I had ever seen from doing something that was so much fun. At the time I was working part time at Fruit World slaving away for money and it opened my eyes to showing that’s it’s possible to actually earn some money from doing this.
“I rushed home from school and sent the photo to him. He told me to send him an invoice for like $300. That was the most money I had ever seen from doing something that was so much fun.”
FIRST PRINTED AD | MIKE BANCROFT | BACKSIDE FLIP | MANUAL MAGAZINE, 2010
NYJAH HUSTON | FRONTSIDE 180 TO SWITCH BACKSIDE 5-0
Where did the idea for your own signature range come from?
The idea stemmed back from around 18 months ago when Colin Wyatt was working at GSM in Australia. He randomly called me one day asking about the possibly of creating a little range for Element. At first when he asked me I wasn’t sure if I had earned the respect to deserve something with my name associated with a company like that. I definitely had second thoughts about it. But then after thinking about it for a while I realised it was such an amazing opportunity and compliment from a company to be down to collaborate with me. I called him back and it snowballed from there. Colin and I bounced ideas back and forth for months, with items changing every time we would talk about the collection. At one point we even had a soccer ball in the mix [Laughs]. After narrowing down a bunch of the items I didn’t want to have anything that I wasn’t 100% into. People were throwing ideas at me and I would consider it at the time then realise later that it wasn’t what I wanted. I just wanted to keep it plain and honest.
JULIAN DAVIDSON | FRONTSIDE FLIP
What was the inspiration behind the final designs?
The inspiration behind the design was just mimic what I wear on a daily basis. I’ve always worn striped clothes and as soon as I found out there was 100% creative control on what I could create that was at the top of the list. Clothes that I’ve always worn, not going into it making something left of field so it potentially would sell better. I made it for me. Colin told me we needed a logo and that was a bit of a struggle because I wasn’t in the country and we were texting each other ideas for what it could be. It was a photographic collection so I wanted to incorporate a camera and my lucky number is 23. I was born on the 23rd and the collection was coming due to release when I was 23 so I thought that would be a cool little add-on to mix into the logo.
JACK FAGAN | OLLIE INTO WALL
I’ve never known a man with a stronger love of a striped shirt. How did this love affair begin?
My mum bought me a stripped shirt when I was younger that I was super hyped on. I got it when I was like 14. It was black with all of these random coloured stripes on it. The crazy thing is instead of growing out of it, the shirt grew with me… as crazy as that sounds. The material was really stretchy and it did the opposite of shrinking, it was on after that! [Laughs]
ETHAN LOY | GAP FEEBLE
NICK GARCIA | SWITCH FRONTSIDE FLIP
Where have your Element travels taken you?
Element NZ took me on my first international skate trip to Melbourne when I was 17. Harris Taylor, who has helped me out beyond measures, blessed me with that! I couldn’t believe when he asked me to go on the trip and be the official photographer! He talked to my mum and everything to get me some time off school to go. Somehow my mum agreed. That was a real eye opener travelling as a photographer and not just on a family holiday for the first time in my life because I hadn’t even thought it was possible back then. Other than that I’ve been to China, America and now Europe on Element trips.
MADARS APSE | SWITCH FLIP
You’re working with a lot of talented humans; does anyone in particular come to mind that you like to shoot with?
That’s hard, because it’s a seriously A grade team. Everyone gets along so well and gels so seamlessly together. No one on the team is questionable… as cliché’ as it sounds, it’s true. We are all sharing an eight bunk bed dorm room right now and no one has even snapped at anyone… Yet! [Laughs]. I’ve skated with the whole team and they all have different attributes than others but that what makes it work.
ELEMENT CREW | 2016
Come on, if you had to pick a favourite…
Well, one person I’ve been stoked to document on the team is Mason Silva. We became friends on the second day when I went to America for the first time. We went to skate camp and the drive is so long and you’re away from any cell phone reception so it’s the perfect environment to really meet someone. He had never really had any photos published before and we shot that kickflip that’s the opener of his Element part and I showed it to Sean and he was down to run it in the Journal article I had from my first travels to America. He hadn’t really had any photos published before so he was so new to it all and I could see how juiced he was. The following year we just skated heaps together and we shot a bunch of photos, which ended up being in his interview when he won “Years Best Am” for the Skateboard Mag. This year we are working on an interview for another mag and it’s just crazy to see your friend progressing at such a quick rate and being around to capture it is an awesome feeling. He’s seriously one of the best skaters I’ve had the pleasure of shooting, because he listens and works with you to get the best photo that is possible.
“…it’s just crazy to see your friend progressing at such a quick rate and being around to capture it is an awesome feeling.”
MASON SILVA | BACKSIDE 50-50
Where are you residing right now?
Well, I’m not paying for a room back in Australia. That means when I’m overseas, I can be flexible and available to go anywhere if I get asked.
You ever coming home?
I always go home (New Zealand) for Christmas every year, but moving back to live isn’t really on the cards at the moment. Hopefully one day though.
ALEX LAWTON | BACKSIDE HEELFLIP
What’s next for Jake Darwen?
Keep this dream going!!!
