Steve Olson And Luke Stedman Step Into A Studio

We adore a good collab, and when we heard Steve Olson and Luke Stedman were stepping into the studio together, it got our gears going. Steve’s a Los Angeles luminary, he’s one of the forefathers of contemporary skateboarding, and as the handsome devil Mr Stedman puts it, “When he walks into a room, the whole place stops and turns around to look at him. He carries a strong, fun energy; people are drawn to him.” And Luke, who spent some time on the CT before exploring the wonderful, weird world of fashion, moved to LA earlier this year and has been working tirelessly on his uplifting clothing line Insted We Smile. 

“I met Luke through a mutual friend in the water,” Steve tells Stab. “We kind of hit it off. He approached me about doing a collab, and I thought, sure why not. I made couple pieces, and we took it from there,” he says cooly. 

Resin, fumes and a complimentary high. That bandana’s just for placebo.

“We did a series of T-shirts, jackets and couple sweaters,” says Luke. “The collection is called 90291, which is the Venice zip code. It’s loosely inspired by Steve and his prominent era in skateboarding.” Steve is credited for introducing punk rock to skating. The man was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2014 and won Skateboarder of the Year in 1979. Where he famously accepted his award in bondage pants, a white blazer and a polka dot tie. “He’s one of those guys who’s career has transitioned from one beautiful thing to another. He’s been around for a long time, and is still leading the way in the world of art; I find that particularly inspiring,” continues Mr Stedman. 

Stuck in resin at American Rag in Los Angeles, where Steve and Luke threw a party for the launch of their line.

Steve’s seen the transition. He was the counter culture but doesn’t revel for the old days of raw, when Skating was on the up and the underlying message was: fuck you, this is how we have fun. “Skating and surf culture have changed considerably,” he says. “It’s become its own sub-culture and is readily accepted in the mainstream. Right now it’s where it’s supposed to be, and it will always be at the place it should no matter the given time. It’s the evolution of things. I’m also not 17 anymore, so I accept it for what it is and what it’s doing.”

“Skate and art have a direct correlation, as does surf,” continues Mr Olson. “It’s an individual action that allows you to do what you want. It doesn’t mean you’ll be successful or not, but you know it comes from you and you don’t have to deal with anybody while you’re into it. All my work has some movement in it, and for this collaboration we wanted to create something that made people smile. The pieces are meant to bring brightness to your life, hence the Smile High Club.” 

Steve and shaper Jeff Ho. A little something about Dogtown.

“The Smile High Club’s been our best selling T-shirt ever,” says Luke. “I think people like to wear something that’s fun and has a good message.”

“It’s simple, smiling seems like a healthy act, we’re just trying to help people do it more often,” says Steve. 

Dig the feel good vibe? More here.