“Staying sharp, building and maintaining team work is our key to survive.” Interview with Ipam&Dega, the founder and creative director of Evil

In this issue, we welcome Evil, a streetwear brand from Indonesia. Twenty years ago, Evil seized the opportunity of Indonesia’s fast-growing music, creative, and clothing industries and started the brand. from the music community. Now, Evil developed into a full-fledged streetwear brand that has a very wide customer base but the brand still collaborates with well-known bands and promotes the common development of the music industry.

Nana: Could you give us an introduction about Evil?

Ipam&Dega: Founded in 2003 in the city of Bandung, Indonesia where at that time the creative world or clothing industry was growing rapidly. Since day one, its image has been close to the music community, with friends and family were involved in the music or band industry, it was the gateway for EVIL to expand there. The scene was used as one of the promotional media for EVIL.

Nineteen years later, the image of EVIL has changed into a streetwear brand, not just music. Our target market is everyone from age 16-35 years old (or even older than that).

Nana: Why did you initially create the brand and name it “EVIL”?

Ipam&Dega: When you look into the mirror, the reflection of “EVIL” is “LIVE”. It is an ideology I stand for, because in life, no one is free of sins.

Nana: How do you come up and decide on the themes for your collections?

Ipam&Dega: 70% of EVIL products are everyday clothes, such as basic t-shirts, graphic t-shirts, hoodies, chinos, denim pants, backpacks etc. The rest we always follow trends, like the 90’s concept, we also make collections of oversized t-shirts with vintage and large-sized graphics, cutting loose pants made from corduroy, etc.

EVIL also collaborated with brands almost every year, big names like Starwars (2017), Heineken (2018), Sabotage / SBTG (2018), KFC (2020), and most recently Teenage MutantNinja Turtles (2022).

Nana: Is it possible to let readers know more about your next collection?

Ipam&Dega: Just like the answer at the beginning of the question, EVIL started from the music community, so now we are back to support them by releasing collaboration band merchandise in Indonesia.

We will also be release premium helmets soon, collaborating with famous helmet makers and famous artists in the custom motorbike community.

Nana: How do you describe Evil in three words?

Ipam&Dega: SUSTAINABLE, TEAMWORK, POWERFUL                  

Nana: Is there a particular artist, movie, place, book that you would recommend our readers to check for inspiration?

Ipam&Dega: For books, it would be The power of positive thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. We recommend the place here, Bandung.

Nana: Can you tell us about some of the most challenging experiences you have had during the process of building your brand?

Ipam&Dega: Surviving is the most challenging thing in business, with the pandemic season, new brands means new competitors. Staying sharp, building and maintaining team work is our key to survive.

Nana: Do you have any advice for our readers who are seeking to find a way to build a brand just like “Evil”?

Ipam&Dega: Start small, dream big and always motivate yourself every day. Never give up because the bills won’t pay themselves.

Love what you are going to do and enjoy every process whatever it is.

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