A conversation with Nicolas Kerstens and Geert Vervoort, Founders, Nowadays Magazine
"The Nowadays clothing collection embrases a fusion of creativity and a shared devotion to the underground music movement. We want customers to come for a shirt but leave with a deeper understanding of Nowadays, possibly discovering new music along the way."
"The Nowadays clothing collection embraces a fusion of creativity and a shared devotion to the underground music movement."
Interview: Anke Vande SompelePhotography: Tom Delaisse
Nowadays Magazine is a vibrant collective of music enthusiasts that merges electronic music and fashion. They combine original clothing designs with curated content, manage a record label, and passionately advocate for underground music culture through their magazine. We're sitting down with founders Nicolas Kerstens and Geert Vervoort to explore the essential principles guiding their brand's journey.
Could you both please introduce yourselves briefly?Nicolas: I'm Nicolas, and music has always been my deepest passion. Having DJed at festivals and parties for years, I've been completely absorbed in the electronic music scene. However, the closure of venues like Petrol and Café d'Anvers, our main event spots, halted our activities. Additionally, becoming a parent shifted my priorities, but my love for electronic music remained strong. So, I had to find new ways to stay connected to the scene. I had this idea to launch a music magazine, despite some friends advising against it, saying it wouldn't be profitable. But I couldn't shake the idea. I was inspired by concepts like Good Morning Tapes, Public Possession, and Trilogy Tapes, that blend a record label with high-quality clothing. Aware that an online music magazine alone wouldn't be lucrative, we aimed to merge fashion with the underground scene we support. While starting a brand is common, our unique selling point lies in our connection to the scene - the narrative behind it. Take our Unlimited Happiness cap, for instance. While it may initially attract 12-year-olds with its catchy quote, its deeper significance lies in finding joy through music - a sentiment that resonates universally. It captures the essence of our story, appealing to people of all ages and musical tastes with its message of limitless happiness derived from music. Geert, how did you become part of this story?Geert: Nicolas had this idea of starting something music and magazine-related. While I knew a lot about music, I hadn't really pursued anything in that field like he had as a DJ. However, I also hadn't acted on that knowledge. Then, out of the blue, he asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a project. Nicolas: Geert is incredibly knowledgeable about music, perhaps even more so than me. Plus, he's got a decade of design experience, and he used to be an amazing graffiti artist. But he wasn't making the most of his talents. Since we'd been best friends for a long time, I suggested, "Hey, why not try designing some t-shirts?" Things took off fast from there. Our first store, Morrison in Antwerp, started with just a printed t-shirt and a cassette. Now, we've got eight stores, including one in Sydney.
You're a graphic designer, Geert?Geert: Yes, that's right. I work full-time as a designer and I take care of all the design work for Nowadays Magazine too. But Nicolas and I always collaborate closely on our projects. Sometimes, it starts with him just throwing out catchphrases. Then I interpret and bring them to life. Why focus on such a niche underground electronic scene and support young artists?It's what we know and love. Plus, we're passionate about nurturing young artists and helping them gain exposure. Personally, I don't view our role as promoters of artists. We do actively support emerging talents, but the main focus is on sharing knowledge. Instead of being seen as a traditional magazine, we operate more like an entertainment channel. While we don't explore the most complex topics,, about 80% of our content provides fresh insights for our audience. Our goal isn't to provide education; we just want to share what interests us, making it accessible to like-minded individuals. One of the young artists is Nathan Boost, who also works for Studio Calypso.His initial cassette release was with us, and since then, he's put out records on various labels. So, aside from the platform we gave him, his talent speaks for itself. While we've been familiar with Nathan for a while, we're determined not to show favoritism to friends or prioritize those we know over others.We simply share what we genuinely enjoy posting and listening to. For us, continuing to pursue what we love is second nature - it's a pure passion. The unexpected growth is somewhat intimidating sometimes, but it suggests we're on the right path. Yet, it wasn't our aim; people naturally came to us.
How does the music you love inspire your clothing collection?Nicolas: Each collection has a theme connected to the music and parties we're passionate about. The Guestlist Collection found inspiration in 90s rave flyers, reflecting the era when purchasing tickets required making phone calls instead of using the internet. To attend the launch, guests had to send a message. Our upcoming collection, Rhythm Research, focuses on vintage sound systems imported specifically for the occasion. Artists will perform on these systems, followed by an afterparty featuring live sets from artists signed to our record label. One of the next collections is associated with the underground forest rave scene. There's always a link between the music and the clothing line.
Did you have a clear plan when you first decided to combine music with the fashion line and start a webshop?Nicolas: We didn't have a plan at all. We began with Everpress, which involved pre-orders and everything. Everpress allows you to upload a design, and people can order directly from their website. However, as things started picking up, we realized we needed to take more control. That's when we transitioned to Squarespace. While it's not the most user-friendly platform, it's great for promoting magazines. This was crucial for us when we started out. However, there are limitations, such as the inability to pay with Bancontact. That's why we're now transitioning to a custom website where we have more flexibility and control over the features we want to include. It's a big investment for us, but it's necessary if we want to grow on all fronts. I sometimes feel guilty about it. I've always strived to find a balance between our music and clothing line. However, with a new collection set to launch in May, much of our attention naturally shifts there, causing the magazine to sometimes lag behind. While the clothing line is important, if I had to choose, I'd prioritize magazines over clothes any day. Both of us love fashion, but let me be clear - we have no intentions of becoming fashion designers. Our focus is more on appreciating brands and buying what we like. Admittedly, we do tend to overspend on clothes; I'm sure of that.
Why Studio Calypso?Nicolas: Because they have a lot of experience in e-commerce. Our main focus is to create a user-friendly webshop. Despite having a good number of visitors, our current platform's limitations are hindering our sales potential. Simplifying the process is crucial to retaining customer interest, which is why we're collaborating with Studio Calypso. Additionally, our familiarity with Steven and his work allows us to trust Studio Calypso to handle the technical aspects and provide guidance where needed. While we concentrate on website design and content, they ensure our ideas are smoothly integrated into the platform. You organize pop-up events regularly. What makes them so valuable compared to online shopping? Nicolas: Our pop-up events are big for sales. After launching a collection, the hype usually fades after about six weeks. But when we host new pop-ups, the excitement picks up again. While our online presence matters, these events let our online customers experience our products firsthand, making our brand feel more real to them. Plus, we love meeting customers, connecting, and growing our Nowadays Magazine community. Is a flagship Nowadays Magazine store part of your dreams for the future? Nicolas: That's a very distant dream. Right now, there are more pressing priorities that need attention. With production starting in Portugal and our recent partnership with a wholesale agency to sell our line globally, we need to focus on these developments first. If we ever open a store, the primary purpose would be to create a meeting place for our community, rather than focusing solely on profitability. I envision it as a community hub, a space where you enter and see a clothing shop in the front, offices in the back where creative minds are working on magazines, maybe even a small bar. It would be a place where visitors can witness the creative process firsthand while enjoying a unique shopping experience. That's the vision I have for Nowadays Magazine - to create a space that brings people together and fosters creativity.
Can you tell us a little more about the wholesale agency you're partnering up with?Nicolas: The Masterplan agency has reached out and expressed interest in signing with us. They're a renowned agency representing big names like Lack of Guidance and Stepney Workers Club, and it's truly surreal for us to have caught their attention. Among the agencies we've spoken with, The Masterplan Agency stood out because of their honesty. They made it clear that there's still a lot of work ahead and adjustments to be made. It was a wake-up call, but also reassuring, as they were upfront and realistic about our situation. We see them as the ideal partner to help evolve and elevate our brand to new heights. Has the contract been signed? Geert:We've received confirmation via email and we couldn't be more excited. It's been a whirlwind though; just three weeks ago, we were discussing building a new website, and now we're jumping into making a collection of fifty pieces. Production in Portugal has already begun, so the pressure is certainly on. However, we're primarily enthusiastic about taking on the challenge. Everything that's happened with us and our brand, we've never really had a plan. We're just two friends going with the flow. But things have been going well, and we've had the freedom to do what we want without answering to anyone. However, with The Masterplan Agency now entering the picture, things are about to get more serious. We'll need to buckle down and focus. What's your ultimate ambition? What's the dream? Nicolas: I believe I can speak for both of us when I say that our dream is to sustain ourselves by doing what we love. There's nothing more beautiful than making a living from our passion. We don't want to become wealthy or famous; our goal is simply to support ourselves. attracting a dedicated following. Instead of being available everywhere, I prefer to focus on being in the right twenty shops, targeting a specific niche. Our aim is to build our brand authentically, without compromising our values. Selling out is not an option for us.
What's the future like for Nowadays Magazine in terms of music? Nicolas: Music and our record label will always be at the heart of our brand and we're determined to expand that part too, especially since it's currently in second place in terms of priority. Once our clothing line generates enough revenue, we'd love to publish physical magazines and distribute them in the stores where our clothes are sold. Ultimately, our goal is to provide a comprehensive experience where visitors can explore our clothing brand, magazine, and music all in one location. We want customers to come for a t-shirt but leave with a deeper understanding of Nowadays Magazine, possibly discovering new music along the way.