Interview with the London-based duo behind Places + Faces

The Londoners Imran Ciersay and Solomon Boyede - Ciesay and Soulz - have succeeded in a few years to turn a Tumblr blog into a real career. Yes, we are talking about the now world-known Places + Faces format. The blog launched in 2011 - when the duo were still students - has now been shown to have what it takes to break through.
Lying about their identity to managers and press officers, by the end of that first year had already earned a free access and a triple AAA passes to every show they could be interested in, creating almost weekly reports of the best hip-hop events from the beginning of the decade. In the space of just a few years, the duo has created an active fan-base on global basis even showing personal exhibitions in some of the major capitals such as Tokyo, New York and London, concerts, and events around the world and a well-established brand name in the underground scene. The DIY aesthetic, the gif out of focus and sixty pages-zine are the distinctive elements of a real media phenomenon on the web, but not only.
We met them during their recent stay in Milan and, well, here's what happened.

#1 From 2013 to present your project has been very successful, in your opinion what was the determining factor? Did you expect it?

I think the decisive moment for us is when we went to Tokyo and realized we have an active fan base there and people really appreciate. Traveling the world and throwing Pop Up Stores and parties is an amazing feeling for us.

#2 Your video format have become a must - as well as your fanzines - how did you come up with this idea?

Nothing for us was never really planned. We want to document things as they are and with any format that can help to make clearer the true nature of the events in which we participate.

#3 You have featured artists like Travis Scott and Skepta even before they became worldwide famous ...

I've always been a fan of Travis' music and I met him in the early stage of his career so we've always had a sort of friendship and Skepta, well, he has always been great especially in the UK, but we bonded just as he was becoming bigger and we did a great job together and now here we are.

#4 Recently you even joined the fashion world and your new online shop is still under construction. Any preview? What inspired you?

When we started going to more events, we started to be desired to produce a branded product that people could see and find online while looking at our photos. When we presented the hoodie people are crazy, so we decided to do the merch limited edition that would help to finance our trips. We're releasing a lot of new merchandise very soon!