Creativity has a habit of stemming from unlikely scenarios. We often don’t notice it at the time, but every time we’re inspired, every life-changing moment that occurs, even every breath we take, gets soaked into us and bleeds out in the form of creative expression. It forms individuality, and it is this individuality that makes us who we are, and the way we are perceived by others.

More importantly, it is what we do with this creative expression that helps carve ourselves into the world, and certain people use their past experiences to help shape new ones for others; to inspire people, to blur the line between concepts, and make people think differently. These people push boundaries, stand out, and make a change in the culture that everyone is craving to be a part of today.

To truly create something new and unique requires you to look back. Looking at different cultures, backgrounds, locations, and niches helps us stir the creative pot, and merging different variables together fabricates something new entirely: a grey area. In this day, this is seen as harder than ever to do. With everyone trying to be a creative, there are only so many niches to tap into and only so many grey areas to discover. But occasionally, someone achieves this and spawns a different way of thinking, looking, and approaching. One of these individuals is a man named Boris Bidjan Saberi.

Boris, born on September 11th, 1978, is a by-product of multiple backgrounds, professions, subcultures, and passions. A fashion designer at his core, but creativity running much deeper than just incredibly well-formed clothing, many would recognise his work from his collaborative projects with Salomon. Although Boris has tapped into a vast amount of creative projects, and his work and way of thinking has a genuine narrative and deep understanding of the aforementioned blending of cultures, we wanted to sit down with him to talk about where his inspiration is drawn from, and how his past experiences bleed into his work.

Boris has dipped his hands into numerous different projects and collaborations, always ensuring two things: progress and experimentation. His way of thinking and creating does not come across as purposely trying to stand out for the sake of it, but instead to resonate with it and never settling for normality, as well as an urge to create something that blends multiple things together to provide something truly unique and that was not done before. In a world where trendsetting is king, and trend following is the next best thing, someone who can breathe new life into the scene, not by changing but just by contributing, is welcomed with open arms.

Boris’ eponymous clothing brands are a breed of meticulous thinking, future-facing minimalism, and punk-like aesthetics. Detail, form, and technique are always at the forefront of his efforts when providing us with a new collection, and throughout the years Boris has been congratulated as a visionary in the industry. Creatively expressing a blend of different subcultures and aesthetics to form a new one entirely, Boris successfully brings together themes of his past, whilst also seeing through a lens into the future, to highlight that if something isn’t already out there, it is just waiting to be discovered.

Now situated in the bustling city of Barcelona, Boris Bidjan Saberi has seen much success in his past work and is a real master of his craft. A sense of mystique oozes from his presence and past projects, so it was an honour to be able to sit down, listen, and allow him to talk us through his creative process. Let’s dive into the mind of a true modern-day innovator and learn more about his life, his inspirations, and how he projects his creativity onto the world.

First of all, Thanks for taking the time to chat with the Sabukaru Network.

Can you give a short introduction of yourself? Who you are, where you are from, and your journey towards where you are today?

My name is Boris Bidjan Saberi. I am Iranian and Russian from my father’s side, and Irish and German from my mother’s side. I lived until 22 in Bavaria, Germany, and from that on until now in Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. I am the creative director and owner of Boris Bidjan Saberi and 11 by Boris Bidjan Sberi.

Both your parents were in the fashion industry. How did that influence you in your direction and approach to certain methodologies when it comes to fabrics, printing, form, function, etc?

I didn’t see or touch a lot about the professional life of my parents. It was more about a feeling. There was something inside me, which maybe comes more from my Iranian and Russian grandfather, who was a very passionate tailor in Iran. In the end, the only thing I can see today, if I compare with them, it is the way I am producing locally as my parents did in the 80s in Bavaria. They and I, built our own way to create, develop and produce final garments.

Aside from fashion, we can see looking into your backlog of projects that you have dipped into art exhibition instillations. Could you touch on your past experiences in these sectors, and how do you feel the two worlds of art and fashion are linked together both culturally and creatively?

At the end of the day, my way of working has two strong components: one is designing and the other one is experimenting. Most of the time both components come to a point, where the question of necessity and functionality in pure design is edging. That’s when also my own purpose is based more on a cultural base: to show it to the world within a pure design context. I think there it’s when it comes to an edge. Where it’s getting relative from which side you reflect the question and the reality. Then it’s really up to the observer, how they want to see it or question it.

It seems that you have collaborated on many different types of projects, from glasses to bags, down to perfumes. Can you talk a little bit about your approach to these different types of projects and the differences between your usual work?

From my understanding to partner up with somebody, it should always be an upgrade in terms of knowledge and support. All the work I did with others was to upgrade and bring out something together which is new.

Do you have a favourite project that you have worked on in the past?

All collaborations I have carried out, were and are an honour for me and still are nice work.

For such a vast and diverse projects list, including multiple different collaborative projects with your additional line 11, where do you draw your inspiration from? Is there anything from music to films, to culture that you find yourself referring to as a muse?

It basically happened, and somehow it happened fluently.

Your mainline brand and your additional line, 11, have similarities yet distinctly sit apart in their own lane. Can you explain the different routes taken for them to have their own sense of belonging?

Boris Bidjan Saberi aims to work handcrafted experimentally with old or/and new techniques at the most possible complex and inventive level without any boundaries.

11 by Boris Bidjan Saberi aims to work industrially and producible at the highest possible level with the know-how, craftsmanship, patternmaking, and background of Boris Bidjan Saberi.

A lot online speaks on your blend of cultures that stem from your heritage and travels, and how it bleeds into your work; a clever concoction of Persian artisan with the industrial feel of Germany. In what ways does your background formulate itself into your work?

I think like this. In the end, my parents were there, and the life I lived was and is this. Four different bloods are maybe the starting point, the life I lived for sure is the cultural base and in a way, my style formed out from a crossover of punk, hip-hop, skateboarding and climbing all my life.

How has being situated in Barcelona further inspired your work? A city full of life and history such as this must make quite the impression.

Barcelona is a big influence on me in terms of life and living. Feeling free and accepting my origins.

Could you also give us an insight into your atelier and retail space in Barcelona? The appointment-only, enigmatic experience seems to be a perfect depiction of your brands. What could someone expect to see when walking into this space? And how does it differ from the flagship store in New York that was open?

It is an old textile factory from 1830 and it feels like home to me. It feels coherent - the atelier, the production, the laboratory, and our archive gallery store.

So, what exactly is 11BYBBS? What is the brand about, and what is it trying to do?

Trying to express building and doing by living. Practicing skate, snowboarding, bouldering, and extreme sports. Listening and living punk-rock and hip hop 24/7.

The urban tech look you have achieved has solidified itself as a niche in the market, whilst also being able to sit with some of the greatest names in tech-wear, contemporary, and avant-garde styling. Was it a conscious decision to blur the lines of certain looks, or was this just a product of creativity?

It’s a lifestyle that definitely is created by my origins, mixing them up with my cultural way of living. It’s not a style that is taken by seeing it on others. It’s a style which I created having a clinch with: the aesthetics of a society, saying what hip hop is, what punk-rock is, plus having needs by practicing hardcore skateboarding and bouldering. It’s a fusion of necessities like a longer t-shirt and a tight, but lower crotch pants with higher sneakers which could remind a punk – boot… it was a style that didn’t exist and it was created by a clinch (or a hole I needed to fill) in the 90s to feel myself doing, being, and finally looking as who I am. It’s not more and not less, just how it was and is. I also don’t pretend, nor think that I created the new bicycle– but I created something which didn’t exist and today it does, and today the creation continues on a different level.

The brand has such a raw and industrial feel to it yet personally it seems to be more directed at a younger audience than your mainline, Like a conceptual depiction of the concrete jungles we younger generations host. What is your inspiration and reasoning behind this dystopian look? And in what ways does youth culture inspire you?

It’s just feeling going back and forth living it and creating.

We couldn’t speak to you without touching on the Salomon collaborations. Now a staple in your work, how did this collaboration come around? And how much creative freedom did you have when exploring how this team-up would look.

I contacted Salomon after being pretty frustrated with not finding a matching brand to make an amazing new technical footwear, which could bring something new to the world of sneakers. I knew Salomon from the mountain gear and snowboarding and also, at that time, they had never collaborated with another brand, so I thought that it would make sense to propose them a fusion – 11 s.

By surprise, they answered right away that it would be an honour for them to collaborate with me and I just thought – wow that is truly amazing. I still think that I am still in love with what we do and what we do together. The freedom I have to design and work with the Salomon team, it’s teamwork, and respect. It’s an honour to work with Salomon.

Sneaker collaborations are an ever-increasing phenonium within the fashion industry today. Was it a strategic decision on your end to collaborate with Salomon and make your mark on the sneaker scene?

As I said: a fusion, a coming together of two identities should bring a new spirit to the table. It should contribute - maybe culturally or as an evolution?

Filling a gap of dissatisfaction, the need of being somebody, or trying to wash your face with a new identity that helps another identity is not the collaboration I am aiming for. I am not aiming to confuse the world with marketing bubbles talking and trying to dance at all parties in one night.

I am trying to create an amazing product giving the other brand all I can and them giving me all they can, but never forgetting who we both are and where we come from.

Can you talk a little bit about the dyeing process of the shoes? And what was the inspiration behind utilizing custom dye to create a truly unique-looking blend of grungy tech-wear?

It’s a way of creating and thinking. First, I create the product with natural colour and raw material I chose carefully – then I experiment with the finish or the colour.

Aside from the Salomon collaborations, do you have any past favourites of yours where you really felt you pushed the boundaries? It could be the piece itself, or the message it was trying to convey.

At the moment I try more to create with artists like Ben Frost, Geza Schön or Robert del Naja to create something together.

We couldn’t help noticing and pointing out a motif that occurs numerous times when scrolling through your Instagram. The ‘U Can Fuck W’ double middle fingers up insignia. Can you shine some light on this?

It’s a fusion and paradox of saying - u can fuck with it…. You can live with it and also be frustrated and rude at the same time by putting up your middle fingers and still being a punk - but also not the most elegant way to say – I am not compromising and just closing my eyes.

Finally, what’s next for you. What does the future hold for yourself, and both your primary line and 11?

Coherency, working hard and trying always again.

Thank you a lot for your Time

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About The Author:
Joe Goodwin is a brand consultant living in the UK, but explores subcultures through the medium of writing. With a particular interest in fashion and anime/manga, Joe hopes to set off to Tokyo as soon as he can to soak up the bright lights and culture.