Jorge Sampaio and Jose Neves opened their first S***R (Swear) store on London's fashionable Carnaby Street in 1996. Since then, the naughtily named footwear brand has become a priority amongst indie kids with a love of pointy shoes, and they’ve collaborated with labels such as Fred Perry, Best One, and now, Danish sportswear company Hummel. psychoPEDIA met up with the brand manager Jorge Sampaio and Hummel'sChristian Stadil at the launch party for the new Hummel by S***R footwear collaboration:

Do you swear a lot?
JS: Yeah, all the time!

What’s your all-time favorite swear word?
JS: My favorite swear word is ‘fuck off’ in Portuguese.

Why do you think people react so harshly to being called a ‘cunt’?
CS: I think it’s because the word has been stigmatized. It’s not really that bad, though. When you analyze it, the word is just a body part.
JS: I mean, let's face it, we all like cunt!
CS: It’s probably because it’s the most graphic word to describe the female organ, and no man wants to be called that.
JS: I’d rather be called a cock than a cunt. Being called a cunt means that you’re gonna get fucked. I think being told to ‘fuck off’ is actually worse. Like, if you’re at a gig and someone you don’t know barges into you and screams ‘Hey, fuck off!’ I’d really hate that.
CS: Especially if he’s bald, two meters tall and has tattoos of flames going down his neck.

That would be pretty scary. What’s the ethos of the Swear brand?
JS: We never follow trends; we always twist them. If you look at our logo, it’s basically a swear word, like ‘fuck’. You could say our ethos is 'to never follow and always be followed.’

Who is the brand aimed at?
JS: Very young people, ages of 15 to 35. People who are focused on fashion, not kids who go out and buy cheap canvas shoes from the high street. Swear is for people who understand that we are trying to reinvent the classics, but keep it affordable.

Tell us more about the collaboration with Hummel.
CS: I think it’s very important to share a common energy with the people you work with. I met the founder of Swear, and we both had an interest in Buddhism and martial arts. We started talking and decided to do the collaboration. We both have a chill approach to doing business. We’re very professional, but because both of our brands are privately owned, we just sit down together and come up with ideas and decide what we’re going to do next.
JS: Hummel is a sports monster. The first ever tracksuit I ever owned was made by Hummel.

Why should I buy your sneaker over anyone else’s?
JS: Our collaboration has an identity.
CS: It’s different than anything else out there. It’s not as commercial.
JS: It’s a limited-edition fashion sneaker, not just a mass-market sneaker with no style. We use metallics, patents and cool styles that you won’t see in places like Zara or Topman.

Sneakers are cool and all, but have any of you guys ever been in love?
JS: This guy is like the biggest bachelor in Denmark.
CS: I have a girlfriend now, but apparently, I used to be the most eligible bachelor in Denmark. I find it quite difficult to let go, so it’s hard for me to fall in love.
JS: I’m married with two kids. I love my wife, I love my kids and I love my parents. Love is everything.

What can we expect from each of your brands in the future?
CS: Hummel is going to make handball the new football. We’re gonna make it sexy and different. We’ve just sponsored the best handball player in the world.
JS: We’re going to do more collaborations with great designers like Carrie [Mundane] from Cassette Playa, and we will continue to reinvent the S***R brand.

~Donald Crunk @ Styleslut