1. For those who may not be familiar with you or your work, tell us about yourself.
My official title is Editor, but I do a bit of everything at Hypebeast, including the day-to-day front page content, features, interviews, product photography, event coverage, and all the small tedious tasks no one else wants to do, haha. Aside from working for the site, I've actually become quite busy doing some editorial features for magazines and a book project scheduled to launch next year. Im a Bay Area native, went to school for Graphic Design at the Academy of Art University, but find myself enjoying this line of work much more and thus far its been a blessing.
2. In nearly five years, Hypebeast's growth has made it THE premiere medium for the latest in urban culture. From the start, were there any indications in your mind that the site would obtain this much recognition?
I've always been a fan of the site, but never imagined it becoming as popular as it has. I wasn't around when Kevin first launched Hypebeast, but I've witnessed the growth first hand within the past 2 years and honestly it doesn't surprise me to see us gain as much notoriety as we have. The strong work ethic from everyone here continually keeps pushing the envelope of what a blog should be. I'd like to think we're quickly becoming more of a formal online magazine, although that would be our "official" title nowadays anyway.
3. One of the neat features of the Hypebeast platform are the individual blogs for guys such as Phillip Annand and 13thWitness. What process is used to determine who receives their own column on the site?
I agree with you, the blog section is definitely one of my favorite features. For me its always neat to see what everyone is up to since we're all spread out across the globe and don't always have the chance to connect on the regular. There isn't a set "criteria" for who gets to blog but its usually narrowed down to what the person is doing and how they are contributing to the scene. Phil and Tim were individuals we felt were up-and-comers and could offer a fresh perspective into the culture, therefore they all are now a part of our extended HB family.
4. With becoming an editor for a successful online magazine hanging near the top of my career goals, what part of your job brings you the greatest joy?
Definitely the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. Its one thing to connect with folks through the net, but when I have the chance to travel and meet people in person it makes that experience so much better.
5. An ordinary work day in the life of L.A. Ruano consists of:
Morning: I usually wake up, roll over, and grab my Mac off the floor. ESPN and Cocoa Pebbles kick start my day and checking my stacked Gmail inbox puts me into second gear.
Afternoon: The afternoon plays host to my lunch hour and then I usually have a long list of errands to run plus go through the company email and whatever packages the UPS man drops off. I also try to make a gym run...gotta keep my sexy on.
Night: As you can imagine, my work day really never ends, but night time is usually spent on developing my own creative ideas and turning them into reality. I usually have a ton of thoughts whirling around in my head, but executing them is an entirely different story. Aside from that, I try to spend time with the fam and make use of the HD cable I get raped on every month.
6. Working in any successful enviroment definetly has its perks. What do you feel is the biggest advantage of being an editor for Hypebeast?
I don't know if its really an advantage but working with the site has definitely opened doors for me to become more involved in other facets of the industry. I'm always humbled by how many notable people actually track my progress and whether the feedback is positive or negative, I'm the type of person thats open to becoming a better professional through honest opinions.
7. Kanye West stated in a video "I'm a walking Hypebeast." How does that make the guys in the office feel after receiving a commendation from an individual such as Kanye?
Its flattering to hear good feedback from any of our readers, including Mr. West. I think a Hypebeast x Kanye feature would be nice, what do you think?
8. What brand do you feel has made the biggest impact in 2009, and why?
Tons of brands have stepped their game up in 2009, but I'm definitely liking what Play Cloths has going on, and I'm not just saying that because I'm wearing their hat. They really do a nice job of utilizing good quality materials, cuts, and construction and in my opinion, I feel like they never over-do their designs, which can make or break a collection. Pusha-T and Malice's involvement also helps keep the brand hyped.
9. What's something new we can expect from Hypebeast with the dawn of a new year approaching?
We have a few projects we've been working on seeing as next year marks our 5th Anniversary. I can't speak too much on those, but I'm definitely excited. Also, like I mentioned before, I'm currently working on a big project slated to launch in January, so expect to see that and more of those annoying previews alas the Adidas Zeitfrei project.
10. What is your honest opinion on http://sidashford.com in it's current state?
Its dope man. I like that its clean and simple and you always incorporate random stuff aside from the usual fashion-geared content. Keep up the great work and we'll catch up soon. Thanks for the continued support!
