Kyota Umeki Preserves a Piece of East Village History | office ICONS – FESCH.TV

Kyota Umeki Preserves a Piece of East Village History | office ICONS & FESCH.TV:

For the month of September, office partnered with Alpha Industries to highlight eight icons in New York culture. Each of our September cover stars has shaped the next frontier across fashion, arts, music, and beyond.

Our seventh September cover star is Kyota Umeki, who grew up skateboarding in Tompkins Square Park and now runs Star Shop, an East Village gift shop that’s become a hangout for Umeki and his friends. Born and raised in the neighborhood, Umeki started skating at 12, quickly becoming a standout of the local scene, and eventually riding for brands like Noah, Frog, and Vans. After the successful “Save Tompkins” movement — which kept the park skateable — Umeki and his friends formed Star Team, a tight-knit crew of local skaters known for its iconic star logo designed by Umeki himself. Their lo-fi videos, shot on Umeki’s fish-eyed Nintendo DS and old iPods earned them underground internet fame. But what matters most to Umeki is the shop itself — a cornerstone of the East Village he remembers from his youth, despite all of its recent changes.

Directed by JP Blair
Assisted by Ian Wishart
Interview by Sahir Ahmed