What does a creative director actually do at a major fashion publication? Is Chrome Hearts still worth the investment in 2026? How did vintage Bape become the gateway drug for an entire generation of streetwear obsessives? And why is Rick Owens' FW14 Moody still influencing how we dress today?

We sit down with Paul Heavener, Creative Director at Hypebeast, for a deep dive into his decade-long journey from Bape Talk forum moderator to leading one of fashion media's most influential creative teams. Paul shares stories about discovering Bape in a college dorm in 2005, his first fake hoodie, lining up outside in NYC for shark hoodies, and how internet fashion forums shaped streetwear culture before Instagram existed.

Sol and Michael also chat with Paul about his obsession with Rick Owens (specifically the FW2014 Moody show, crop Stooges, and the Little Joe jacket), his complicated relationship with Chrome Hearts and their disappearing customization services, and why he now hunts for 1930s French workwear instead of hyped releases. We break down the rise of Golf as a hyped area of men's fashion and post-COVID individual sports culture, how Hypebeast balances legacy readers with Gen-Z audiences, the return of print magazines as collector's items, and why the anime-to-fashion pipeline is more real than ever.

Finally, Paul reveals his favorite emerging designers (Professor E, Taiga Takahashi, Camiel Fortgens), explains how Hypebeast's creative studio actually operates, and shares his path from intern to creative director.

Whether you're interested in breaking into fashion media, understanding how creative direction works at scale, hunting for archive pieces, or just want to know what the creative director of Hypebeast wears day-to-day (spoiler: Ann Demeulemeester jeans, Rick Owens long sleeves, and Chrome Hearts jewelry), this episode delivers.

For extra episodes, early access to episodes, and giveaways, subscribe to our HeroHero!

Episode Tags: Hypebeast interview 2026, A Bathing Ape, Nigo streetwear, Chrome Hearts jewelry, Chrome Hearts 2026, archive fashion, menswear podcast, fashion media career, creative director career, fashion editorial, streetwear trends 2026, French workwear vintage, Hype Golf, golf fashion 2026, golf streetwear, Hypebeast magazine, menswear trends 2026, Lady Machine DJ, fashion industry podcast, high fashion podcast, JoJo Bizarre Adventure fashion, Paul Harnden, Ele

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok