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"It is important to draw conclusions from the things that happen to us and to move forward without giving up, even for a second. "
Maat: Tell us more about you and the work around the brand. What is 0511 clothing and who is it for?
Konstantin:
My name is Konstantin Krastev and I graduated from mathematical high school. I graduated in hotel management, specializing in event management. During all my studies, despite all the learning,
I painted a lot. I used to do designs and it was a hobby that at some point, I just decided to turn into my career choice.
0511 clothing came up spontaneously. Years ago, the OSM guys and I used to make our own t-shirts, but they were, mostly for us. People recognized us, knew our work and just at some point, I decided to be brave and act.
0511 clothing is for all those who keep the spirit of "street art", for all those who are " hip-hop" :) .My brand is for people with a rebellious spirit and at the same time for those who appreciate nature, appreciate things that are in small quantities, and are limited and interesting.
0511 clothing is for people who appreciate art!
My work in the brand is all about everything. I am everything :D I do marketing, finance and I stand conceptually, behind every single item, product and design.
Behind the store, I am again behind many of the events and festivals the brand participates in.
I define myself as "Stocking Shiva", and for every hand I can say I have someone I know I can count on. Thanks to them and our mutual efforts 0511 has evolved, so I want to give a shout out to all the people I've worked with so far.
Maat: What prompted you to create 0511 Clothing? How did it all start?
Konstantin: Ever since I was a teenager skating, I really wanted to start my own clothing brand. At that time there were a few shops where you could buy skateboards and clothes. They were quite expensive and one could hardly afford them.
Then I had this dream that I wanted to have my own clothing brand, to have my own t-shirts and my own skateboards and all that kind of stuff that I created. Over the years I've gotten very interested and involved in drawing , and when I got into graffiti the ideas started lining up in my head. I already had a clear idea of what I wanted my brand to be. I knew what I wanted everything to look like. After that period, I became more and more motivated and as the years went by, I built and developed my dream and now 0511 clothing is a fact.
Maat: Where do you get the creative energy to create? What inspires you?
Konstantin: I love the mountains and the sea, snowboarding in the winter and longboarding, wakeboarding or trying new things during the warmer months. The mountain energizes me and the sea inspires me. I think through the power of nature and through movement, people can achieve a lot.
Most of the time when I'm given a task or something comes to mind, it's very spontaneous and I wouldn't say there's anything that drives me to do what I do.. It's just that ideas come to me instantly or they're somewhere, hidden in my head, waiting for the right moment to pop up. I'm active on social media and I follow what's going on around me. I also keep an eye on the competition, and it keeps me motivated about my work, from the clothes, the graffiti and everything. I try to do things that are world class.
Maat: Everybody goes through some kind of hardship personally or professionally. What are your ways of overcoming obstacles in life and work?
Konstantin: Through sports! When I do sports I realize that I am expending negative energy and therefore, after a workout when I return to my workplace or to my daily duties, I feel much more relaxed, calmer and accept the challenges ahead much more easily.
My girlfriend, family and friends help me a lot, as well as all the people who surround me. On the other hand, however, my mother raised me to be a warrior and I always look to deal with my problems on my own. To the last, I don't ask for help unless I'm in some kind of a jam
Maat: What motivates you to keep working and what are your goals?
Konstantin: Maybe my ultimate dream, because what I didn't mention that I dreamed of as a teenager, besides having my own brand, is to have a brand that's on the level of the big skater brands. To be a name that people around the world and in Bulgaria recognize. That's the thing that I'm working on and that's not just defined by clothes, it's totally art and I'm creating it.
I would love for what I paint and what I create to be world class and one day have a house in the mountains where I can have a studio and paint pictures that I can show at world exhibitions and people can wear my clothes and be amazed at what I do.
Maat: You've lived and worked away from Bulgaria and let's be more precise by saying in the "land of unlimited possibilities". You can be anything there! What made you come back to Bulgaria?
Konstantin: The reasons I came back had more to do with my baby and not being able to get my papers to stay in America. That was one of the reasons. In America, I had already started to get involved, more or less, with the brand. I had made some T-shirts and I thought if I went back to Bulgaria and tried to make things happen there, I would have more success than in America.
At one point, my ex-wife and I thought we'd better go back to Bulgaria, ostensibly for a while, but we stayed. We missed our families very much, and eventually we came home, and I think everything that happened was for the best, because now we're all happy. The family and the kids, most of all, are the motivation to keep going, not only for ourselves, but for the people who keep believing in us. Because you are "just a man", but with the support of your family and friends, you achieve even the impossible.
Maat: A short message to the readers of maatinsideyou.com: How to be motivated and what do you believe in?
Konstantin: I have a few rules:
1. Keep believing in your dreams!
2. You must keep on believing in your dreams!
3. Work, work, work!
4. Nothing happens with a magic wand, so you just have to push hard and set a goal!
5. Sooner or later all the hard work starts to pay off!
6. Don't be negative!
7. Get up thinking that today you will achieve a lot!
8. Choose wisely, the people around you!
9. Look for successful people to learn from! Follow their example!
10. Be brave!
I believe in the goodness of people and that, naively. To be honest, I really wish there was a utopian reality where all people were kind and helped each other. To want, to collaborate, and such people, actually exist, but they are few and you have to look for them.
I believe in the truth that there are no chance encounters,
random events and random victories. It's important to draw conclusions from the things that happen to us and move on without giving up, even for a second.
Dig in! Dig!
Dig! Dig! Dig!
Believe! Believe! Believe!
0511 Designs Ltd.
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