COLLABS

“ARSEN ROCK x ULRICH AK”

Ulrich Ak is a French designer based in Paris. Ak is the head designer for his own eyewear label, Urican. He draws his inspiration from his various trips around the world and doesn’t hesitate to take inspirational challenges and to link up with positive people. The Cosmic Special make up challenge organized by Arsen Rock and Rooy was a good opportunity for him to discover the Footwear Design Industry. He came up with his clean denim vision of the Cosmic.

Arsen Rock: Please introduce yourself

Ulrich Ak: I’m Ulrich AK from Paris, one of the places to be!
I work as a Digital Content Specialist for an international group. I spend my free time designing luxury sunglasses.

Why did you apply for the Cosmic Special Makeup Challenge?

My definition of life is creating and taking challenges up by improving my skills.
However, I’ve never designed a shoe before the Cosmic Special Makeup Challenge. I was fascinated by Rock’s background and his vision of the footwear. Arsen has done a pretty nice job and I wanted to be a piece of the Cosmic.

AR: What is your personal favorite denim style and why?

UA: I have dozens of denim pants. From light colors to dark colors. I chose my denim style according to my mood or the season. But my favorite outfit is blue raw denim jeans with a shirt – whatever the colors of the t-shirt is.

AR: Why did you select the denim material? / What was your inspiration?

UA: «70 pairs of jeans are sold every second in the world» (planetoscope).This famous resistant blue fabric is present on all continents. I was inspired by Levi Straus, an Austrian immigrant, who sold tents canvas and tarpaulins in San Francisco. One day, a miner in the gold rush encounter Levi Strauss and asks him to achieve ultra-resistant pants, easy to maintain. Levi Strauss starts by making overalls from a brown colored tent, which allows him to know a great success with gold prospectors community.

Few years later in 1860, Levi Strauss discovers the canvas twill – Serge de Nîmes, manufactured in southern France in Nîmes – which later became the authentic DENIM (meaning from Nîmes in French).

Moreover, denim is easy to wear and has never experienced a crisis. It is a must-have fabric from wardrobes that has the advantage of being matched with any material and any color.

So the Cosmic Denim is an evidence!

“Experiencing is my favorite part about being a designer.
I mean starting from scratch, seeking for a concept and reaching the goal…”

“I chose my denim style according
to my mood or the season.”

AR: What is your favorite part about being a designer?

UA: Experiencing is my favorite part about being a designer. I mean starting from scratch, seeking for a concept and reaching the goal step by step. Thus, I always sleep with a pen and a piece of paper for fear that an idea escapes from my mind.

AR: Why did you decide to become an eyewear designer?

UA: Since my childhood, I have been interested in High-Tech and Graphic Design. Not wanting to look like my classmates, I used to customize my t-shirts and caps using my mother’s sewing machine. At school, my friends liked my designs and asked me to create them some t-shirts with my brand. I was 13 years old when I launched my first brand.

In 2008, in London, most of my time was dedicated to the graphic archetypes of clothes.

In 2010, I designed and released my first official eshop to sell t-shirts and tops for ladies and gents. It was an amazing experience!

In 2012, as an eyewear lover, I had the opportunity to visit a French eyewear production workshop. I was explained and shown the different steps of making a pair of glasses. This was the beginning of URICAN, a contemporary and innovative eyewear brand, created for distinguished customers who are seeking remarkable glasses. URICAN offers elegant and sleek glasses that mirror demanding and visionary clients.

AR: What is your signature style?

UA: I like it when everything is straight and well disposed. Black and White contrast is also once of my favorite style. Geometric shape like square….

AR: Last Question. What’s next?

UA: As I said before, denim has never experienced a crisis. So It can be the same story for Arsen Rock Cosmic shoes if we all support the project to make it happen.

“My definition of life is creating and taking challenges up by improving my skills.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

fourteen − 6 =