Q1. How did you come up with the name “W!LD LEEK”?

A. I wanted to develop a brand that represented the things my partners and I were into and inspired by while growing up in Chicago. If you look up the meaning of the word “Chicago” you’ll find many different meanings, and one of the meanings found in various sources is “wild leek.” So with the brand being representative of our history growing up in Chicago, and the term “wild leek” being a part of Chicago’s history – bada boom, bada bing, you got W!LD LEEK.

Q2. What inspired you to get into the clothing business?

A. Though there are a lot of brands out there, I feel like Chicago is under represented in the streetwear universe, let alone the fashion world in general. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of Chicago brands making a name for themselves. Some are even nationally known, yet there are only a handful of Chicago brands out there. Chicago has too much style to be so under represented. That’s probably the second reason I decided to jump into the clothing game. The first reason would have to be the simple fact that I enjoy wearing what only a few people have or even know about. That type of “secret society” mindset is what attracted me to streetwear in the first place. Its the stuff small cultures and communities are made of, and W!LD LEEK supports the idea of creating that community feeling with our supporters.

Q3. As you were growing up, did you think that you were going to be in this business?

A. Not at all. I’m a music and movies type of guy, so natuarally I thought it only makes sense to go into one of those entertainment fields. Though I’m able to exercise my creative skills while producing music or making short films, W!LD LEEK allows a different type of creative space to get other ideas out there.

Q4. What makes “W!LD LEEK” stand out from all the other companies?

A. I would have to say our overall world view on things. This might be cliche, but our “Chi-State-Of-Mind” if you will, and that’s just from a design standpoint. Our biggest offering is what we do as far as giving back to our supporters. The only way we’ll grow is the people, so we gotta give back to the people. We have a few crazy marketing schemes too — MMWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Q5. Is there something you want everyone out there to know about the company?

A. Not in particular. I do want everyone to get to know the people behind the brand though. We are the company. So with that said let me give a shout out to the LEEKY family: Matt (Dott), Nana, Danielle, Damian, Jeremy, Scout, and everyone else who has supported us thus far… ’cause they’re family too.

Q6. What do you see for the future of “W!LD LEEK” & is there anything we should be looking out for?

A. Expansion. More supporters. Doper designs. An on going accessories project. Of course cut-and-sew. I see a W!LD LEEK store in the not-so-distant future. We have some things in the works that you should look out for, but I don’t wanna give it up early. Check the LEEKY PIPES bloggity blog for those updates.

Questions answered by Kamal “Kamalkiddo” Williams, Founder/Creative Director for W!ld Leek, LLC

Interview by Janel Abad