Brian Scotto
Hoonigan is far from being just
Ken Block’s plaything, it’s a
collection of passionate petrolheads who have succeeded in
reflecting the attitude and fun
of a four-wheeled world that
can sometimes seem a little selfserious.
We spoke to co-founder and
brand architect Brian Scotto
about his work on the Gymkhana
series and how Hoonigan has
helped a bunch of auto-misfits
express themselves on their own
terms.
£ Brian on the
streets of Dubai
with partner-incrime Ken Block
S
o Brian, Where
did the car
passion come
from?
Without question,
my love for cars came from my
grandfather. He was a rags to riches
story. Poor most of his life, but when
he began making money, he spent
it mostly on cars. He passed away
when I was eight, but I inherited the
passion through those short years
I had him in my childhood. My first
burnout experience was sitting next to
him in his ’57 Vette.
You first crossed our radars with
0-60 magazine – what made you
decide to set up a fresh publication
rather than looking for a home at an
existing one?
At that point in my life, I was
obsessed with British car magazines.
The photography was amazing, the
story concepts were brilliant and
nothing here in America held a candle,
so I set out to create what America’s
version of an Evo or Car would look
like. I also prefer to build something
from scratch. The building phase of
anything, a magazine, a brand, an
idea, is the most fun part of it all.
How did Hoonigan come about?
The concept for Hoonigan grew out
of Ken Block and myself recognizing
a void in the world of motorsports,
there were no brands like DC Shoes
for car guys. Brands that defined
you as part of the culture, but also
had attitude and style. That is what
we wanted to build, something that
was more than just a clothing brand,
but something that defined a part
of automotive lifestyle and culture.
Sounds a bit verbose, but now five
years later, it safe to say we actually
did build a subculture, or at least give
that subculture an identity to stand
behind. The plethora of Hoonigan
tattoos prove it! u
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