Keith Hufnagel is one of the most recognizable names in the skateboarding culture, not just for his skill on the board, but for the iconic streetwear brand HUF he founded fifteen years ago. In the streetwear market, a brand passing that kind of milestone is a huge event, and Hufnagel decided to mark the occasion as such. In anticipation of the brand’s landmark year, HUF teamed with Casio G-Shock for an indestructible watch that could easily withstand even the toughest wipe out — skating, or otherwise.
This collaborative special edition of G-Shock’s DW5600 model has never been released in the US before, making it an even more exclusive item for fans of the skate company and watch brand.
“So basically this watch is an old style from Tokyo, and they never actually sold this style in the US,” Hufnagel explained. “We liked the simplicity of it, it’s not as bulky as the main G-Shock one, but it’s still a signature G-Shock watch. So we made it super simple, we have this octopus character we put on it, then we put down the years HUF has been in business, and it has the HUF logo — which lights up neon with HUF — in the middle of the watch. It’s more like a vintage style, that we all felt was super cool, plus they never sold it here, so that was a plus, that we’d be the first company selling this style in the US.”
As for G-Shock, their mantra of absolute toughness could not find a better partner than an iconic brand in the skating community like HUF, who represent the spirit of never giving up.
“We always look to align ourselves in general with brands that kind of share the same ethos as us,” said Casio Marketing Manager Mike Princiotto. “The G-Shock background is kind of absolute toughness, shock resistant structure, that’s our basic DNA. For us, really that kind of never give up spirit kind of goes hand in hand with skateboarding. If you imagine how much skaters actually go out there, how much they fall, and keep getting back up with repeated pummeling. Skateboarding in itself is more like an art form, not necessarily a sport, and skating is so tied to street culture, which is so important to G-Shock HUF represents all of those items within the skate and street culture.”
And within street culture comes a pretty easy connection to hip-hop — especially in LA. To celebrate the anniversary, and unveil their second collaboration to date, HUF and G-Shock threw a party in LA featuring none other than YG himself as the surprise guest; it was fitting to have one of LA’s finest rappers — and a former skater himself — help ring in an important anniversary for Hufnagel and his skatewear cohort.
“No matter who is involved, I call it the skateboard lifestyle more than anything else,” Hufnagel said. “We all kind of grew up on the streets, we all live on these streets to some degree, and with skateboarding comes music and comes art, that’s the bigger culture and hip-hop is a huge part of that culture, because of how long it’s been around, and it came from the streets, really, just like skateboarding did. It was an LA show, and YG was a skater also, plus he’s such a cool dude. It was a perfect match having him at our event.”
As for the watch, it contains G-Shock’s well-known indestructible technology of the shock resistant structure. As Princiotto explains, this watch in particular is suited to an active lifestyle, and contains signature elements from both HUF and G-Shock.
“This 5600 model, which is based on a classic silhouette is the perfect choice for HUF celebrating 15 years,” he said. “The watch is one of my favorites because it’s smaller, which is great for skateboarders and surfers because it’s less restrictive. For instance, when you fall down, you’re throwing your hands down to break your fall a lot of the time, it’s not jamming into your wrist. I like the all black out color way, it’s a black-on-black, so it’s kind of understated. I think within the skate community there’s an idea of less is more, and you let your skating speak for itself, you know, that’s kind of my take on how this watch is — less is more is definitely more powerful, and that’s what this piece represents.”
After fifteen years, Hufnagel says his main priority for the future is still staying true to HUF’s roots in the skating community.
“Our main focus has really always been on keeping the brand strong, staying true to the brand and true to the DNA of the brand,” he said. “We want to keep on expanding and see the growth of the company through apparel and outwear and shoes, and all of the things that we’re doing. It’s important to make the foundation really strong for the company to grow and to have a very powerful backbone. In the end, keeping true to the brand, and making great quality products are what, over time, will be the thing that lasts. We want to support the skater community, the music community, and the arts community, and give back to all these people.”
The G-Shock’s DW5600 launched 7/14 and is available for $120 at select retailers, and through HUF and G-Shock‘s official sites.