METCHA | the oracle of leather design culture.

METCHA | A global initiative aimed at taking leather-oriented stories into the spotlight to reflect today's generation's view of design and culture.

About Us Contact Us Instagram Facebook Twitter Spotify Pinterest Youtube Vimeo Google News Giphy RSS

Nothing iz hotter than a sustainable corset. change my mind.

Cierra Boyd aka FRISKMEGOOD

When u look @ an old pair of 👟, what comes to mind? Cierra Boyd thought it was a perf opportunity to make something brand new. Since 2017, FRISKMEGOOD™ is making handmade designs from upcycled materials such as old lthr snkrs.

2 metcha original friskmegood interna 02 - IMAGE

As u may know, sustainable agenda is getting bigger & bigger. Nd we couldn't be more excited to catch new drops nd ideas. Cierra, founder of FRISKMEGOOD™, is the QUEEN of makin' used lthr kicks from brands like Nike, Jordan & Adidas — they look even more epic.

2 metcha original friskmegood interna 01 - IMAGE

Check our full chat for a 🔎 of Cierra's designs:

1. How was the first time u looked at a sneaker and thought “hm, that would turn into a nice corset”?

When I first made my sneaker corset I wasn’t even aware of the upcycled treasure I created. I made this piece for the first time for a design competition and one of my challenges was to create a piece with out using any fabric. I spent weeks brainstorming about what I would do, and a few weeks before the competition I came across an episode of Vice about a guy who made gas masks out of shoes. I was instantly inspired and thought, “What if I made a top out of sneakers?” I deconstructed a pair of sneakers I found in my attic and started to put pieces together like a puzzle to create my top. When I put it on for the first time it didn’t fit my bust area the way I was expecting so I moved it down a little and thought it looked pretty cool as a corset instead. It wasn’t until I put it on Depop that I found out people really loved the design.

2 metcha original friskmegood interna 06 - IMAGE

2. Where and how u find all the material for your work?

I find the materials I work with from my attic or the thrift stores in my neighborhood. My attic has been like a resourceful hub for me in terms of where I get my materials. We have so many rare finds up there that my mom doesn’t even know why I go thrifting because I have a whole store in my attic basically. I get my best upcycled treasures from the Salvation Army and the Goodwill. When I travel to different places it’s a must that I pillage through the neighborhood thrift stores in the area, that’s usually when I find the most remarkable pieces. Although I travel and thrift from time to time, I mostly try to use resources in my neighborhood to obtain recycled materials because they are cost effective and readily available. I’ve found the most amazing vintage sneakers for under $5 at my local thrift stores.

2 metcha original friskmegood interna 05 - IMAGE

3. How Friskmegood was created? What is the main purpose of the brand?

After graduating in 2017 from Ohio University, I was so overwhelmed with the post-grad blues because I had such a hard time finding employment. I desperately needed a creative outlet with purpose to express myself. My dream was to be a fashion designer and own my own clothing line. The only thing that was stopping me at the time was figuring out a name for my business. Then it hit me, FRISKMEGOOD™. I had been using FMG as my social media tag since starting my Instagram. I got the name from listening to a Rihanna song called Rockstar, the lyrics say, “Make sure you frisk me good, check my panties and my bra.” When I realized my brand identity had been right under my nose the entire time, that’s when FRISKMEGOOD™ was born. My mission was an expression of my personal style while staying true to goal of sustainability. With limited funds and resources at the beginning of my journey, I had no choice but to work with things that already existed to create something new.

4. Sustainability is a can't miss at your craft. How does that matter to you?

Sustainability means so much to me in my mission to create a more sustainable world through fashion. I was upcycling before I consciously knew what a big impact it was having on the earth. I started with working with things in my attic and around my home that my family no longer had use for. When I really got down to the facts about the impact that fast fashion is having on our planet, I knew that although I’m just one person, I have the ability to make some type of impact in this industry as an emerging designer. We can’t keep waiting on the fashion conglomerates who are already saturating the market to make a change, its up to the next generation of creators to be the change we want to see.

2 metcha original friskmegood interna 08 - IMAGE

5. How strong and lasting materials like leather play a role in the upcycling journey?

I think leather is one of the most illustrious assets that I have to work with. I love that leather can be restored and altered in so many ways. I’ve recently began restoring the sneaker corsets to the original state with leather paints and cleaners. It’s almost like an adventure when I get a pair of sneakers that are old and worn out, because it expands the possibilities to make them lovable again.

2 metcha original friskmegood interna 03 - IMAGE

BRB, just gonna check our attic real quick 🗣👟.

== "image") == "image") --}}