Co-created with Supra. (Photos by Amanda Fordyce)
Lucien Clarke has a lot of stamps in his passport. Born in Jamaica, he moved to New York in his childhood before settling in London. Since his first video part in Ian Passmore’s ” Hello Coco” in 2004, he has grown into one of the most highly rated skaters in the world, riding for Palace, Supreme, SUPRA and Slam City Skates.
Never one to rest on his laurels, his burgeoning success and talent has seen him constantly travel the world looking for the best spots to apply his laidback and effortless style. Eager to find out more about his adventures, we got in touch with Lucien to have a chat with him in London, while there with Supra.
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Hi Lucien! How’s winter been?
Cold. I haven’t been here much really. I went to LA a couple times, escaped. I went on two Palace trips, one in December and one in January. And a trip to Barcelona with SUPRA in February. I got back now but it’s still cold, like snowing and shit.
Yeah it’s deeply unpleasant. How is skating in the cold?
It’s alright, not the best, but you just deal with it. I’m used to it being from London. When I was growing up I never had too much chance to skate in warmer countries but it’s different now.
Where have you been recently?
Last year I travelled a lot, went all over, Paris, Barcelona, LA a bunch of times, and half of that was kinda skate trips and half promo trips to promote my new SUPRA Quattro signature colourway I just had out. And this year is busy as well, I’ve done two Palace trips and a Supra trip already. I’m about to go over to Paris for the Supreme opening, but only for a few days.
Where next?
I’m going to Cuba.
To skate?
Well it’s more of a mellow one. It’s a Stance Socks trip to Cuba. A socks trip. And that’s with Andrew Reynolds and some other guys. Mad crew, can’t wait.
The show you were in at 71a Gallery last year was cool.
Oh yeah, the was the PWBC Retrospective by (James) Edson & Snowy (Daniel Kinloch) show. It was to celebrate the launch of my new signature colourway, a collaboration between our crew PWBC (Palace Wayward Boys Choir) & Supra. That was fun, that was the first one we did. Then we went to Barcelona after that, and Paris as well. The Barcelona one was epic, like a massive space. Kinda like a warehouse, that was really good.
Did they have your photos in?
Just everyone really, all the people from PWBC and friends. Old pictures from 10 years ago to now.
Do you miss (recently defunct semi-legendary London skate hang and photography gallery run by Edson) the Wayward Gallery?
Yeah I miss the whole thing, the building and what went on there, because the building’s not even there anymore, they demolished it. So it’s like back door flats there or some shit. The landlord raised the rent to ridiculous levels so they were like ‘nah’.
That was a fun space.
Yeah it was good, I lived there with Blondey Mccoy for a bit, like six months, bit more than that maybe.
Have you got any scandalous stories from your time there?
Ah man, it was non-stop. Like, when you live behind whatever it was they had in there, with all the installations going on. Every day waking up hungover to the sounds of banging and stuff. But there was always free drinks, lots of boxes of Desperados lying around.
Desperados are underrated.
Really?! The hangover is the worst cos of all the sugar in them.
You’re in a lot of photographs, it’s probably fair to say fair to say. How do you feel about getting your photo taken all the time?
It’s fine, it’s alright, depends what it’s for I guess.
You have a lot of ‘Blue Steel’ moments?
Nah not really. The only time I have to be like that is for Supreme. Supreme are serious. But I like smiling quite a lot. They’re not on it with the smiling. Not Blue Steel but like… I remember when I first did it in Japan, I was just trying not to laugh.
You born in Jamaica. Do you go back there much?
I was born in Jamaica, lived there for about 5 years then moved to New York and lived there for sixyears. My parents got divorced and were like, fuck it. I haven’t done in like, eight years or something, though.
Do they skate there?
Last time I was there I saw a Rastaman skating, barefoot. Don’t think he knew what he was doing. I went up to him and was like “Who skates here?” and he was like, “Me.” Then I said where did you get that board and he was like, “I found it.”
There are some great skate outreach charities at the moment, like Skateistan, for instance, do you feel like Jamaica could do with one?
Yeah we wanna do something. We’ll definitely do a Palace Jamaica trip.
Who’s your favourite skater at the moment?
Blondey Mccoy, he’s coming out in more ways than one, not just skating. Oh yeah and Carl Wilson – he’s from Hackney, lives round there but he’s really good and only 16, but he skates like a man.
Got any words of advice for the kids?
Be yourself, don’t worry about what anyone thinks of you. Cos you can’t really change who you are.
Thanks Lucien.
