Designer in the Spotlight
Fuquan Forest, Designer of Bold Culture
By Markel Collins
When you hear the word culture, the definition changes and what people think of starts to change when you talk to various individuals. Some think of food while others think of long handed down traditions but for many it is all about the fabrics and fashion.
For Baltimore based fashion designer, Fuquan Forest, when he hears the word culture the first thing that may come to his mind is “bold” due to a lifestyle that he once lived. He flipped that lifestyle and turned it into a career and passion.
“I started Bold Culture back in 2016,” said Forest, “I used to be a booster I was into that real heavy because I love fashion, I got incarcerated for it and I did 2 years and during that time when I was incarcerated I figured out a way that wouldn’t lead me back there.”
That pathway was flipping what got him incarcerated in the first place on its head and that was his love for fashion.
“I can actually make clothes because I was that into it I was already doing certain little customizing things for myself.” He said, “I would go to the library and get GQ magazines, Vanity Fair stuff like that, write stuff down, sketch stuff, have guys that do tattoo work that would sketch some pieces for me and I would design it to my caliber.”
The customary style that Forest has was something that came from influential designers that inspired him like Kanye West and the late great Virgil Abloh, but that was instilled in him from his dad at a young age.
“My dad used to make the hats that “Naughty By Nature” used to wear and we used to help him,” said Forest, “My dad made our clothes out of everything so me seeing that my dad was real creative, that’s why now my dad is super proud of me because of the path I’m going.”
The bright and vibrant nature of “Bold Culture” was something that was both intentional and something that naturally happened.
“I came up with the name bold culture from me being a booster, everything I did was bold when it came to it was jeopardizing my life and everything for money” he said, “I always was a bright and different person going to school I always liked the colors when people didn’t like colors.”
In a fashion world that has been turning towards more neutral colors such as black and gray, Forest saw a chance to use what he already loved and make it standout. “I felt like man I gotta do something different that’s bold and make it pop, so it was the color scheme, that’s why now I’m doing the paint.”
For the second year in a row Bold Culture was a part of New York fashion week BLK (NYFW BLK), which was also the second year that bold culture was seen on a New York Times Square billboard. Bold Culture will be back next year for season 3 of NYFW BLK.
Within the next two years bold culture has plans on moving out to Los Angeles for its second store location as well as opening a mobile boutique, The first location on 4664 York Rd. in Baltimore, Maryland.
“I just want my brand moving and elevating to a higher power and creating a better team, a loyal team,” said Forest.