From taking pictures with his sister as a mere hobby to becoming a full-time model and photographer, Nasir Figueroa has proven that with dedication and consistency, dreams can become reality. The New York-based creative started experimenting with fashion and photography just two years ago, but his unique style and eye for aesthetics quickly caught the attention of social media users around the world. With a growing following online, Figueroa has collaborated with both emerging and established fashion brands, expanding his personal style and inspiring his followers to do the same.
As a model, Nasir has a keen eye for fashion and footwear, always on the lookout for unique pieces that allow him to express himself in new and exciting ways. He doesn’t care about being on-trend and always chooses eye-catching footwear, even when dressed in a more understated way. His holy grail of kicks, the Adidas Forum High Kerwin Frost Humanarchives, is a testament to his love of unique and fun footwear. However, he’s not afraid to experiment with new and unusual styles, such as the bubble slides that helped him become famous online.
Nasir’s imagination, however, isn’t restricted to the realms of clothing and photography. He draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including other artists and designers, and is always looking for new ways to express himself through his art. He believes that the best way to stand out is to be yourself and experiment with your style, and he encourages his followers to do the same. We were lucky to catch up with the designer and talk about all things fashion, sneakers, and more.
To start off with, I’d love to really learn more about you and your rise to popularity over the past few years.
It’s definitely a pleasure and a blessing to be speaking about this right now because just a few years ago I never even imagined I’d be here writing this right now. I got into fashion and taking pictures around two years ago, it started as a hobby initially.
Just me and my sister and taking photos whenever we could, then it started getting more serious and I realized it was time to invest in myself and my crafts. I brought a new tripod and a new phone and transitioned to taking my pictures alone or with a friend and this is where the popularity started to grow.
I started being consistent on social media with weekly posts and just attempting to switch up my style. Experimenting and being as consistent as I was, led to a big growth in followers, opportunities, and lots of new connections. From fashion and taking pictures starting as just a hobby to now being my full-time job/career always just amazes me and feels so unreal to me. Always have to give all glory the God.
As a model, you’re placed in a unique position where you can discover and even work with both newer and already-established brands in fashion. How does that play a role in your personal style?
As a model, being placed in a unique position where I can discover and work with both newer and already-established brands in fashion play a big role in my personal style. Working with unique brands that offer unique pieces, forces you to step out of your comfort zone, ultimately allowing you to expand your style and not limit yourself to just one style or aesthetic.
In terms of footwear, you tend to lean towards more laid-back silhouettes and colorways that are easy to pair with various outfits—what do you consider most when looking for a pair of shoes?
In terms of footwear, I tend to lean towards shoes that nobody really has. When choosing shoes to wear or purchase I look for shoes that will stand out and make a statement even if my outfit is basic.
That being said, what’s your holy grail of kicks? What shoes do you find yourself reaching for time and time again?
My holy grail of kicks might surprise a lot of people, going back to the previous question, I tend to go for shoes that are unique and that stand out. So with that being said, for the longest, I’ve always wanted a pair of the Adidas Forum High Kerwin Frost Humanarchives. These are definitely one of the most unique shoes I’ve ever come across.
Obviously, MSCHF’s Big Red Boot has been trending on social media recently, but what’s the wildest fashion trend you’ve ever tried out?
The wildest fashion trend I’ve probably tried is most likely the bubble slides. I saw them floating online one day and I thought it would be crazy to try to style them. I brought them, and I put a fit together with a vest that I created, and surprisingly that was my first picture to truly get attention and a lot of reach. The bubble slides were a trend that was here for some time, then faded away, trends tend to come and go very fast.
If you have one, who’s your fashion icon and why do you admire their style?
I don’t have one specific person or icon I’m inspired by. As a creative, many things and people inspire me. I’m inspired by brands, I’m inspired by fashion designers, I’m inspired by other models, I’m inspired by art. I truly just admire other people’s art because it helps, and inspires me to want to create art.
Pivoting from that, what are your favorite ways to accessorize your outfits?
Some of my favorite ways to accessorize my outfits is by adding bags or hats to make the outfit pop more. Bags are one of my favorites accessories it also helps you pose better in your photos.
What’s the best style tip you can give someone just starting to explore fashion?
The best style tip I can give someone just starting to explore fashion is to just be yourself and experiment. You don’t have to follow fashion trends or buy the most expensive clothes to stand out. Fashion is a way to express yourself through your clothing, just being you and dressing how you truly want, and not how people want you to dress will allow you to get noticed and stand out more.
Bringing things to a close, how do you see men’s fashion evolving in the next 5-10 years, and what do you hope to see more of?
In 5-10 years I see men’s fashion evolving to more of a futuristic look. In my opinion, more people will tend to go towards the “runway style” baggier clothes, crazier proportions, and pieces you wouldn’t normally see someone wearing on the streets.
Something I do hope to see more of is more creative designs on clothing. There are so many talented artists and designers. I love to see all the creativity and unique pieces.
