It’s How You Play the Game

The world is Colm Dillane’s playground, and he isn’t subtle about it. The KidSuper designer recently revealed KidSuper World, an impressive 10,000 square-foot community space in Brooklyn that offers creatives access to the necessary tools to express themselves. It is a patchwork of playful yet practical parts befitting a multi-skilled artist and includes a recording studio, art gallery, print shop, photo studio, and library. And it seems anyone who ventures into the Super universe wants to play ball.

eeDillane’s effervescent personality, creativity, and design sense were the building blocks for his booming career, alongside his sheer tenacity. “I think I was very good at jumping on opportunities and being fearless to try things that may or may not work,” Dillane says.

His fashion superpowers were revealed in high school when he introduced his first brand, Brick Oven T-Shirts (BOTS), and sold the merch to eager classmates. He created the fantastical “Everything’s Fake Until It’s Real” Claymation runway show video when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered Paris Fashion Week in 2020. And the collaborations are vast: Louis Vuitton, Coca-Cola, Russ, the NBA, and Stuart Weitzman, among many others.

KidSuper NYC-inspired fashion is colorful and energetic, often interweaving graphics, stitching, or collage. The 2024 autumn/winter collection is no exception with interpretations of “String Theory” weaving across his designs, and cool blue, denim, and gradations of purple and white widely emphasized.

Dillane discusses fashion, KidSuper World, and tattoos, demonstrating his growth and mindset in his quest to dress his fashion-conscious fans with artistic focus.

AH: What do you see trending in fashion today and where is fashion heading, in your opinion?
I think niche brands are undeniably on the rise. There’s a growing demand for authenticity and individuality, with consumers gravitating toward brands that offer a unique point of view and a sense of community. It’s an exciting time to be in the industry, as we witness a shift toward more diverse and inclusive representations of style.

AH: Tell readers about your AW24 collection. What’s the story behind this collection?
CD: In my latest collection, I took inspiration from the imagery of a string unraveling. It’s all about celebrating craftsmanship and artistic expression without relying on fancy tricks or special effects. I wanted to create pieces that are artistic, each telling its own story. The concept of interconnectedness, symbolized by the string motif, was the core theme that tied the whole collection together.

AH: Who/what are your design influences?
CD: My design influences are less about specific brands or designers and more about the people and connections from my community that shape my perspective. While I appreciate the work of various brands and designers, it’s the connections with individuals from different backgrounds that fuel my creativity and remind me of the importance of making meaningful connections in design.

AH: What do you consider your greatest achievement as a fashion designer?
CD: Probably the moment we secured a spot on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. We had been denied twice already but when we finally did it, it felt like a major win. I pour all of my creativity into my shows and having the FHCM give us the nod felt like we had finally become the real deal. It’s like hitting the big leagues in the fashion world.

AH: Your list of collaborations seems unending. Do you have any collaborations in the works?
CD: We love doing collaborations, and we do a lot of them. I personally love collaborating with not always the most expected people. For example, right now Uniswap Labs and KidSuper are teaming up to put out a very pink merch collection, including shirts, hats, wallets, and a surprise item too that KidSuper has never made before. We’re also creating the SuperSwap cafe — a coffee shop attached to the KidSuper space in Brooklyn. The cafe will serve as a space for weird ideas, math rants, and all things pink.

I also teamed up with my longtime friend Eric Madonna and came on board as art director of Bar Madonna, an Italian-American-inspired Williamsburg cocktail bar fusing art, fashion, and storytelling. My “Bar Madonna” painting served as the inspiration for the bar, while Madonna and design partner Studio Guia tapped his creative process — a painting parlayed onto a medium like a garment, but in this case a bar — to bring the concept to life.

AH: Tell us about KidSuper World. What is it? Where is it? What’s inside? When was it finished? What prompted you to undergo this project?
CD: KidSuper World is basically our HQ in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Inside, we’ve got a bit of everything: there’s a storefront, an art gallery, and a bunch of rooms for screen-printing, photoshoots, a podcast studio, and a recording studio. There’s a design and an art studio… There’s a lot going on. Oh, and we’re working on setting up a rooftop soccer field too — but that’s still in the works.

The idea behind KidSuper World was to create a bigger version of the apartment building where it all started 10 years ago. That place became a central hub for creatives from all over, and KidSuper World keeps that feeling going.

For example, today, we had the Uniswap Labs’ creator Hayden Adams, Mars Conte from ThriftCon, and [Dutch footballer] Ryan Babel all stop by. It’s cool to see all these different people hanging out and bouncing ideas off each other. KidSuper World is more than just a space; it’s a community where creativity thrives.

AH: Do you have any advice for aspiring designers?
CD: Yes. Don’t be afraid to drop product. Nothing you make now is perfect anyway, and you’ll probably hate it in a few years. Just stay alive, stay consistent as a brand. You have to continue proving yourself, and the only way to do that is by showing up and dropping product.

AH: Do you have any tattoos? If so, do tell.
CD: I’ve got “SUPER” on my right butt cheek. I got it done with my friend when we were 18. My friend was always scared to get tattoos and one day he said, “Let’s get it.” I was pretty surprised and knew I had to take that opportunity because he was always so hesitant. If he believed in getting it, then it was a sign to commit to another one of these crazy ideas.

I also have “Madman” tatted on the palm of my hand, a reminder to myself to keep being crazy in everything I do.
AH: Is there anything you want to share with fans that I haven’t asked you about already?

CD: Maybe when I’m super old I’ll get a shit ton of tattoos. People have gotten “KS” tattoos and I love seeing it. I’m just waiting for someone to get my face tatted on them.