Beautiful Decay Magazine has long been known in circles of artists, including graffiti, street, video, photog, and film for their excellent coverage and ability to find and curate new international artists. The magazine, which is international with bi-coastal offices in Los Angeles and New York, started about 10 years ago in Fairfax, Virginia, but in the last few years, according to Fubz, the publisher, has taken on a new concept of translating top artists that they support onto T-shirts, hoodies, and now, entire collections.

“We have helped people get started with their careers,” explains Fubz in an interview with Label Networks TV. “We support up-and-coming artists, graff designers, photographers and have them featured in the magazine, then think about having them featured on T-shirts and how this could translate. We are about keeping art and helping to preserve it in its truest form.”

What’s interesting about Fubz and Beautiful Decay as an apparel line is that they really know their way around business. “Personally, I come from New York, from a hip-hop, photography background, but I’m a full-time hustler too,” says Fubz openly. “I make money through my mouth, through promotion, managing, getting the word out. But when it comes to success at the [trade] shows, it comes down to your line—if it’s trash then it’s not going to happen. You have to think about your audience, think about your market, come correct to these shows.”

Because he and his colleagues, including founder Amir Fallah and Ben Osher, have covered various trade shows for so long, such as MAGIC’s south hall, Agenda, and Pool, they know what it takes to be successful. The transition from magazine, gallery event guide, book and film review depot to apparel was a natural extension. As Fubz explains and many in the industry concur, the current state of street fashion is reaching somewhat of a saturation point, and the internet has hurt the element of introduction at shows. “The internet has destroyed regional culture,” explains Fubz. “You’ve got blogs that post what we should be seeing here, at trade shows, but instead, the boutiques already know some of the stuff that’s out there.”

As Fubz explains in detail in the Label Networks TV interview, many smaller boutiques in cities and towns are controlling what’s cool, but “the voice of the people needs to be heard again.” And that’s what Beautiful Decay is trying to do by bringing new ideas, art, and longevity and value to their readers and fans. “Instead of having everyone look the same because all the stores carry it, we believe you need to wear something that means something.”

In their new collection, they brought out key artists such as Aya Kato’s designs, Aaron Noble’s super heroes, Jesse LeDeux’s big hand, and even they’re own BD-branded apparel. Their Fletcher hoodie, for example, is eye-catching for the branded logo creating a texture pattern in black on the outside and a reversible neon green pattern on the inside, so, as Fubz puts it, “If you feel like being a walking neon billboard, you can.” In addition to artist pieces, as Fubz explains, you also have to have something that is more branded, for the 12-year-old skater kid who may not be all into art yet, but wants something cool and unique, thus their Beautiful Decay scripted shirt with Rocky Horror-like typography and graphics.

Fubz sense of artistic integrity combined with business and experience completely makes sense when he winds up the interview talking about building a brand not on a trend. Their intention is to work organically, thinking about quality, longevity, and as he puts it, “not just lasting for the next 5 minutes.”