Introducing The Anthropology, a new series brought to you by HYPEBEAST Radio, where we take a deep dive into the companies, brands and people shaping fashion and culture today. Each season focuses on a different topic that criss-crosses borders, languages, genres and eras to tell the story and break down the ethos of these key figures.

In its first season, “Fashion Anthropology,” journalist Tiffany Godoy talks to the artists, designers and tastemakers that surround Slam Jam. It serves as not only a distributor, retail space and online store, but also a cultural hub for art, fashion, music and much more. Slam Jam holds on strong to its underground roots, pioneering the wave of streetwear in Europe before it became mainstream.

Luca Benini founded the company in 1989 in the small town of Ferrara, where his mission was to serve the underground. They were an early distributor of brands like Stüssy, Carhartt WIP and Nike, and still work with these major players today. The company also thrives on collaborations with brands such as United Standard, Martine Rose, Aries, Telfar and many more. In 2018, Slam Jam and Carhartt WIP joined forces to create a multidisciplinary space called Spazio Maiocchi in affiliation with contemporary art magazine Kaleidoscope. 

Featuring interviews with Slam Jam Creative Director Gabriele Casaccia, Nike’s Special Projects Senior Director Fraser Cooke, Kaleidoscope publisher Alessio Ascari, and ALYX founder Matthew Williams, among others, “Fashion Anthropology” unpacks the early beginnings of Slam Jam and its current day impact in five episodes. 

The Anthropology is hosted by multilingual journalist and author Tiffany Godoy. A native of Los Angeles, Godoy divides her time between Paris and Tokyo where she oversees the global expansion of Japan’s street style media Drop Tokyo, and is the founder of a creative content studio, The Reality Show Entertainment. An expert in Japanese street fashion, Tiffany has worked over the past 20 years as an editor for print and digital media publications and also hosts various globally-aired fashion TV programs.

As always, thank you for tuning into HYPEBEAST Radio and The Anthropology. You can subscribe to our channel on Apple, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Overcast, Anchor or wherever else you get your podcasts. Please don’t forget to leave a comment or review. Feel free to reach out to our host, Tiffany, on Twitter at @TiffanyGodoy.