Dre Hayes from The Museum Group out of New York City is widely known in the underground of street and contemporary fashion as the brand curator of the 21^st century. In a unique interview with Label Networks TV where Dre was visiting the Agenda Trade Show in San Diego, he provided insight not only on what The Museum Group does to prepare streetwear brands for big business, but also his perspective on what’s going down in streetwear and contemporary fashion and the influences it’s having on runways today.

“Streetwear is the new pop culture,” states Dre. While some people say that streetwear is the new urbanwear (as the urbanwear market continues to fade), as Dre explains, streetwear has always been there. “It’s a combination of hip-hop, skate, punk, and surf--all the things that are relevant in youth culture combined together.”

“Streetwear is going to be a humongous market for the next 10 to 15 years, I do believe this,” says Dre. “Its influence is already felt in contemporary and on the runways. When you get full-zip hoodies coming out of various runway shows, you know that’s coming from streetwear. When you have brands such as BAPE and Nigo doing projects with Fendi, or Ice Cream with Louis Vuitton, you know there’s a major influence there. Comme des Garcons, for example, is about as runway as you can get, but there’s no denying it’s heavily influenced by streetwear.”

Dre got started in fashion 13 years ago “from an era when the garmentos ran fashion” which is also how he’s so connected. “There’s a new era now controlled by the youth,” explains Dre. “But I was schooled and mentored by the old regime.” Dre started in fashion by working in a retail store called Legends in Virginia which grew into a successful chain where he sold footwear and apparel, and got into buying by the time he was 18. From there, Dre’s career moved in various directions within the fashion industry including working for Azzure Denim under Ruben Campos, going to college, and continuing to work in fashion, buying, doing sales, and basically making himself a key connector and innovator flipping brands to the next level.

Today, he’s a leader within an elite independent sales agency that targets streetwear called The Museum Group out of New York City which handles some of the top brands in street and contemporary fashion, including WeSC, Crooks & Castles, Creative Recreation, Godwin, Hellz Bellz, ALife, Fiberops, In4mation, among others. As he puts it, “They are all pretty all iconic brands.”

“We call ourselves brand curators because we help develop brands, do sales, figure out price structures, margins, get financing. A lot of these brands come from youth culture, but these young designers don’t trust the old regime,” which is where Dre comes in. “We can help take a brand to the next level whether it be $10 million or 20, 30, 40 million—we make it a business.”

How? First they meet with brands they’re interested in. They travel often, checking out fashion trade shows, showrooms, and meet with a variety of stores where they’re super connected. They talk with designers and can gauge within 45 minutes their level of talent. “It takes talent first, and then we help them get on schedule and other things until it turns into something big.”

What’s interesting about Dre and The Museum Group in general is that they float the line between all of the main facets of fashion. For example, Dre talks about the difference in women’s streetwear and the need for brands such as Hellz Bellz to also be in contemporary such as shows like Project and why. Coming from a street-perspective, but knowing what’s also going on in other levels of the business, makes people like Dre unique. With the growing movement of street fashion brands, The Museum Group has all the business they can handle at this point, but are always up for discovering new designers, brands, stores, and business models. Keeping an open mind to new ideas has so far been their trademark for success.

In part 2 of our interview to be featured next week, Dre talks about the women’s streetwear marketplace, online retail, showrooms vs. tradeshows, and where The Museum Group is headed to next. Stay tuned.