SWWP #45 - Suing Nike/Converse: A Creative Director's Journey (feat. Love, Kelly) - Something Wrong With The Podcast

Transcript

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Co-host 1 (0:46)

That's the intro right there.

Host Julian (0:47)

That's it right there, man. Welcome to episode 45 of Something Wrong with the Podcast. I'm here with a, a friend of mine for a few years now and we haven't seen each other in person in I feel like we only run into each other, but it's been a long time since one of those has happened.

Kelly (Love Kelly) (1:02)

Yeah, absolutely.

Host Julian (1:04)

Kelly, AKA Love Kelly, which we'll get into the brand and all that before, but should we just explain who you are? You're a creative director, but like, I want to say like a multi hyphenate creative because like you do music videos, you have your own fashion brand. Like you've also. I don't know if you encapsulate this in your storytelling, like work wise. But I would also say like, you're an advocate for like clean living and just like a good person. If somebody's going through some like, issues with substance abuse, like you're somebody that has experienced your own troubles in the past and is like cleaned up and is like someone that people can turn to for that as well.

Kelly (Love Kelly) (1:42)

Yeah.

Host Julian (1:42)

So like when I was on the old show, I used to open up about some of my struggles with drugs and people would come to me and I'm like, oh shit. Like there's something here where people will like look to somebody that they want to listen to and like can actually trust and believe. And I feel like you have to be that for a lot of people, you know, as well.

Kelly (Love Kelly) (1:58)

So I feel like that was actually like the most meaningful part for me of like building a platform.

Host Julian (2:04)

Yeah.

Kelly (Love Kelly) (2:04)

Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Something Wrong With The Podcast
Episode: #45 – Suing Nike/Converse: A Creative Director's Journey (feat. Love, Kelly)
Date: November 25, 2025
Host: Julian Delgado
Guest: Love, Kelly (Kelly)

In this wide-ranging and candid interview, Julian Delgado welcomes multi-hyphenate creative director Love, Kelly (“Kelly”), whose journey from small-town show promoter to fashion innovator has taken both inspiring turns and unfortunate detours—including a high-profile battle with Converse over creative theft. Through personal stories, honest reflection, and sharp cultural commentary, the episode dives deeply into themes of independence, creative risk, community-building, and the real costs of being a creative in an industry where big corporations don’t always play fair.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Love, Kelly: Identity, Recovery, and Intentionality

[00:47–02:47]
- Julian introduces Kelly as a creative director, multi-hyphenate, advocate for clean living, and community-minded role model—someone whose openness about substance abuse recovery has created real impact.
- Kelly: “That was actually like the most meaningful part for me of like building a platform… If I was just doing [fashion and music] and there was no sort of like purpose to the messaging I think eventually I would burn out and just be like, who am I making this for?” (02:14)

2. Background & How Julian and Kelly Met

[02:47–06:27]
- Met in the Atlanta/Chicago music scene during Summer Smash through mutual connections, working with artists.
- Kelly’s journey: LIU Brooklyn student, started as a videographer, developed a parallel interest in fashion, and produced his first fashion show soon after meeting Julian.

3. Early Creative Risks, Learning on the Job, and Breaking Into the Industry

[06:27–11:43]
- Bootstrapped initial projects, including a breakthrough animated video for Trippie Redd—financed out of pocket as a student.
- Key insight: Hustle, resourcefulness, and the willingness to “gamble it all” are common themes in Kelly’s origin story.
- Quote: “Instagram DM for me has been like—that’s my whole business… That’s how I got into everything.” (06:27, Kelly)

4. Growth, Imposter Syndrome, and Drawing Boundaries

[11:43–14:42]
- Artist-fan relationships evolve: from starstruck and doing free work “for the love,” to recognizing the need for boundaries and charging for value.
- The challenge: when collaborators are “friends,” it’s hard to make things transactional.
- Kelly: “There has to be a certain point where you kind of have to draw a line in the sand of, like, I’m not gonna do work like this anymore for free.” (12:18)

5. Independence, Authentic Creative Community & Solo Validation

[14:42–19:41]
- Both Julian and Kelly emphasize the power of building something that’s truly your own and the validation that comes from community engagement, not proximity to famous names.
- Kelly: “It used to be, like, I felt like my progress was dependent on… if I could work with artists that was bigger every couple months. And now I just feel like I'm standing on my own two feet.” (16:59)

6. Long-Term Storytelling and Event Production

[19:41–23:25]
- Kelly’s “Love, Kelly” brand is narrative-driven and dialogic—framing all releases as part of a larger story, not merely trends.
- Experience throwing hip-hop shows in his Vermont hometown, pushing boundaries in a progressive but largely homogenous town, sometimes facing pushback and event shutdowns.

7. Fashion World Ascent, Mentorship, and Community

[24:07–28:35]
- Internship at V Files (secured through college connections), first fashion week show, and crucial support from founder Julie Anne.
- Discussion of role models: KidSuper, Cole Bennett—DIY-minded, community-building creatives who fused music, fashion, and collaborative spaces.
- Kelly: “That’s my biggest gift with this—is bringing people together. That’s always been something I love to do, is just like, connect worlds that wouldn’t otherwise collide.” (28:27)

The Converse Controversy: Creative Theft and Corporate Overreach

8. How the Converse Deal Happened and Went Wrong

[30:36–39:55]
- Early 2024: Kelly meets a Converse global partnerships exec at a V Files event; proposes collaboration, eventually lands a deal to use Converse’s NYC store as a runway venue for his brand’s show, provides all creative concepts and mockups—including the “love, Kelly” signature (a play on love letters).
- The show is a breakout hit. Afterward, communication is positive; discussions for future partnership are floated.
- Months later, Converse launches a global campaign—“Dear [Artist]… Love, Chuck”—using the same love letter concept, visual layout, font, and even Instagram bio structure.
- Kelly: “I go to their Instagram page… in my Instagram bio, it says ‘love comma Kelly’… I look in their bio and it says ‘love comma Chuck’ in the exact same way as mine.” (36:59)

9. Reaction, Fallout, and Going Public

[39:55–46:53]
- Kelly recalls the anger, hurt, and paralysis of seeing his work repurposed globally, receiving messages daily from friends and fans who spot the similarity.
- Wrestled with the choice: keep the brand relationship (and hope for crumbs), or stand up and risk losing further access—deciding in the end to go public and pursue legal action.
- His exposé video goes viral on TikTok and Instagram, drawing huge support from real-life and online followers alike.
- “That relationship is nuked,” reflects Julian; they both discuss the possible “ripple effect” on Kelly’s other future opportunities.
- Kelly: “I think my hope is that another big corporation can see that and not see it as problematic and see it as brave... I honestly think that was, like, one of the most defining career moments for me...” (43:06, 44:03)

10. Creative Integrity, Trust, and the Harsh Lessons of Industry

[47:03–51:35]
- Kelly explains how the experience has led him to become more cautious about what he shares and whom he trusts; a reality check about the prevalence of “snaky type people” and the importance of real values.
- “I want to judge people for how they treat, treat everyone, not just how they treat me… People who don’t cheat and don’t steal and don’t lie, they do it because that’s who they are.” (49:10, Kelly)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Creative Risk & Success:
“I really think everything was, like… I was so excited. I was for the love of the game. Never wanted any money.” (10:30, Kelly)
On Friendship vs. Business:
“Because I deeply care about you, we’re probably really good friends… I’m never gonna be like, ‘Yo bro, like, you know, like—’ I just can’t.” (12:18, Julian)
On the Feeling of Being Ripped Off:
“If we were to do a collab [now], we couldn’t do one… it wouldn’t be a collab. It’s the same as something you’ve already put out.” (39:30, Kelly)
On Empathy, Integrity, and Real Community:
“I want to start being around people who are good, period, not because of how much they like me or not.” (49:56, Kelly)
On Viral Support and Resilience:
“When I did put that [video] out, a lot of different resources came my way. I got connected to a really dope lawyer… For me, it… is one of those things where the scales are a little more even than they would have been in the past.” (46:36, Kelly)
On Public Validation vs. Real Community:
“A lot of artists overlook…they look at listeners like fans. But… you’re really building something that extends beyond the product you’re putting out…” (53:31, Julian)

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:47–02:47: Introduction to Kelly, platform for positive impact and recovery.
06:27–08:54: How Kelly hustled into music video work, first artistic risks.
11:43–14:18: Transitioning from starstruck fan to drawing personal and business boundaries.
16:09–17:59: Redefining success as independent, not attached to bigger brands/names.
30:36–39:55: Converse story: how the creative theft happened and initial fallout.
41:24–41:56: Going public with the story, video goes viral.
43:06–44:03: The cost of standing up vs. keeping industry relationships.
47:03–51:35: Learning about trust, integrity, and self-protection as an artist.
53:12–54:16: On building purpose-driven community and looking to the future.

Tone & Style

The tone throughout is candid, conversational, and thoughtful, with both host and guest willing to be vulnerable about insecurity, resilience, and the realities of creative work. Kelly’s reflections often veer into motivational territory without glossing over real-world cynicism and disappointment, balancing optimism about creative community with a measured wariness drawn from personal experience.

Conclusion

This episode is a powerful, unfiltered look at the grit and heartbreak of being a young creative in today’s culture-obsessed world—one where community, authenticity, and personal boundaries are as crucial as technical talent. Kelly’s journey serves as both inspiration and warning, offering a clear-eyed view of the risks and rewards of carving your own path. For anyone navigating creative industries, startup fashion, or simply seeking meaning in their work, there are profound lessons here about self-worth, vigilance, and the value of standing up for your vision—even when the stakes are high.