Prod/Dir/Edit: @nottonightmike
DP: @danielpatrickbrennan
1st AC: @nilegarcia
Sound: @beatsbyflora
Assistant: @geoffrey.baptiste
Stylist: @chadsenzel
Talent: @universalspacejam

Which disciplines truly shape the way you work today?

It’s an overlap of product design, architecture, music, and storytelling. Those are the big four for me. And I think that’s why this project feels so authentic. It’s one of the first times I’ve honestly been able to bring those four pillars together and build a world where you can actually feel how everything connects. It was a perfect alignment of our lifelong interests.
As a designer, I’m not only interested in how something looks. I care about how it functions, how it feels, and how it moves through the world when it’s no longer new. The goal is always the same - to create something that carries a real story, not just a physical product with no connection to the consumer, and that's the fun, but also difficult part.

Who are you designing for?

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t designing for myself, or for the younger version of myself. I’m still chasing that feeling of seeing something in your head and then holding it in real life. That’s the addictive part, and also the dangerous part - you’re basically willing something into existence and you need to be certain it deserves to exist. At the same time, I’m designing for people who notice. People who care about proportion, materials, and intent, but still want something they can actually live in every day. If it works for someone deeply into design and also for someone who just knows what feels right, that’s the sweet spot.

And the platform matters. Working with ASICS makes it more exciting because it shifts what’s possible. You’re not guessing alone anymore. You’re tapping into a team with decades of knowledge, development, and craft. It feels like we did our 10,000 hours learning how to create, and now we get to accelerate by building alongside people who have already solved problems and innovated at the highest level. That’s where the real growth is, and where the work gets sharper.

How does design thinking show up in everyday life?

Design thinking shows up in the decisions most people don’t label as “design.” It’s noticing what’s not working, asking why, and then adjusting with intent. It’s the simple things like the way you set up your space so it supports your day, the way you solve problems without forcing them.

What makes a product timeless?

Timeless products are honest. They’re built around function and proportion first. It knows what it is, and it doesn’t try to be everything at once. It has a certain quiet confidence. It doesn’t rely on loud trend signals to be relevant. It earns its place through use. If something feels better the more you live with it, that’s usually the difference between a moment and something that lasts.
I’ve always been fascinated by timeless design - objects you notice throughout your life that still hit you the same way decades later. They’re rare, but you know it when you see it. The most perfect example for me is the Porsche 911. An object that’s held its design language for over 60 years, evolved without losing itself, and still feels just as special. That balance is the ultimate goal.

In a world saturated with signals, how do you locate meaningful inspiration within the noise?

I slow down and get specific. I’m not interested in inspiration that only works as an image on a screen. I’m looking for things that have weight - places, systems, textures, history, music. Things that already have a story built into them, things that feel authentic to me. I also pay attention to what stays in my mind. If an idea keeps returning, it usually means there’s something real there. Most of the noise disappears the moment you stop chasing novelty.

How does HSDT operate as a collective process rather than a singular vision?

I’m steering the direction, but HSDT is a conversation amongst real family and friends. I’m very lucky to work with an organic team of people who’ve been on this journey with me for years. My brother Kev Bouquet has been by my side photographing our projects since we were teenagers. My partner Patricia Adorable is an architect, and we work together on all the spatial design. Then I have a small circle of close friends I’ve known for over a decade who work on our video campaigns, audio compositions, etc. It’s tight-knit, and it’s real.
The best results come from push and pull. We build through feedback loops, disagreements, edits, and refinements across design, image-making, and space. The collective part isn’t a tagline, it’s the method. The work improves when more eyes are on it, especially from people I trust and those who care enough to challenge it.

Can products actively shape culture instead of simply reflecting it?

Yes. Culture is not only what we consume, it’s what we repeat. If a product is designed with real intent and delivered with a real story, it can shift taste, create community, and become a marker for a moment. When it becomes part of people’s rituals, how they dress, move, and identify - it stops being an object and starts becoming culture. The responsibility is making sure the intent is grounded, not manufactured hype. If it’s done right, it can push things forward instead of just echoing what already exists.

What does New York represent in your personal and creative language?

New York is one of my deepest reference points. As the birthplace of Hip-Hop, its cultural roots are rich and deep. It’s the music and movies we grew up on, the energy of the streets, the attitude, the urgency. It’s also the design language of the city - from the iconic graphic systems Massimo Vignelli created, New York feels like culture and structure living on top of each other.
What I’ve always loved is that New York doesn’t let anything hide. There’s a certain honesty to it - the city rewards substance, and it exposes anything that’s just surface. If something survives there, it has earned its place.
That’s why this project felt like such a perfect fit when ASICS approached us to introduce the GEL-NYC 2.0. Even though we aren’t from New York, or even America, it felt like an authentic opportunity to tell a story I’ve been tied to my whole life. This wasn’t about borrowing aesthetics. It was about honouring a reference point that genuinely shaped my taste and interests. I don’t think I could speak on a project like this in the same way if it were based on, or named after another city. Anyone who knows me knows how much this truly means.

Where does the deep connection between HSDT and ASICS truly begin?

It begins with a shared respect for function and detail. ASICS has a performance DNA and an archive that’s incredibly rich, and I’ve always been drawn to brands that build from purpose, not image. The connection deepened when it became clear we could push design language together without losing the integrity of the product. It's always felt like a long-term dialogue, not a one-off collaboration.

If all of this points toward a future, what kind of world are you ultimately building?

A world where design has clarity again. Where objects are made with intent, and where culture is shaped by care, not just speed. I want HSDT to build work that sits across product, space, and image, but always feels human. If someone interacts with what we make and feels understood, like the details were considered for their real life, then we’re doing the right job.
For a moment, it felt like we all got a little lost in an oversaturated market of consumerism. Everything became louder, faster, and easier to copy.
Lately it feels like there’s a gradual shift happening - not just in design, but in how people choose what they live with. People are starting to value things made with care again. Craftsmanship is coming back in certain spaces. That feels like the right direction, and an exciting time to be building. I’m interested in contributing to that future - making objects and experiences that can slow things down, hold meaning, and last.