Viviane Faver
The Liquid Sky brand originated from underground music, DJ, and fashion culture in the early 1990s. Its iconic “Astro Girl Character” is globally recognized, featured in films, and endorsed by major celebrities like Chloë Sevigny, Vivienne Westwood, among others.
The major project this year is to narrate the story in a 300-page photo book, including interviews with Moby, DJ Spooky, Gabriel Hunter, DB, DJ Delmar (co-founder of Konkrete Jungle), and many others who represented the pulse of the rave scene. “We purchased the negatives from the photographer who conducted a photoshoot with Bjork wearing our Liquid Sky T-shirt, and it will be presented for the first time in full color. (The original black and white photo was published in the New York Daily in ’94 with an interview of Bjork),” said Carlos Slinger, also known as DJ Soul Slinger, a pioneer of American Jungle and Drum & Bass who helped coordinate everyone, including photographers, photos from my archive, and research. As well as the art direction. We have been in the process for over 17 months! The book, now finally edited, is being sent to the printers and will be shipped in May. Expect some post-launch collaborations with cool like-minded brands and licensing.”
The brand, even though it is aimed at the underground public, teaches a lesson on how to survive and adapt to the business world for three decades. Undoubtedly, it serves as inspiration for small entrepreneurs looking to build a solid business. “It has been 33 years since Liquid Sky was created, and we are still trippin’ with excitement for the fashion industry and music culture.
Founded by Carlos and his partner Rey Zorro, the brand opened its first store in New York City in November 1989. According to Slinger, opening the company was easy; the difficult part is maintaining it and still paying the fees, which are many.
One of the strategies to consolidate the brand was to create partnerships with parties and artistic events related to youth, friends, DJs, dancers, and MCs supporting the brand. Another strategy is to use creativity; for example, since 1994, they have given away stickers with their merch, and Slinger said it is truly an essential tool in his business, which is the underground streetwear, skateboard, and music industry.
“I don’t use business cards. We love to surprise our fans with stickers; it makes them happy. Most of the time, they are all different and limited edition, which is why we love our new Small Batch Collectibles, which we can sign and make them a more authentic addition to our merchandise and brand.” Slinger advises new creative entrepreneurs, “Today you can sell something without stock! Have a strategy, plan your suppliers, and understand the production cycle. Our story is very deep involving musicians from across the globe in and out of the Jungle movement. We are excited to release the new Astro Girl 3D doll and from there maybe we can have a partner in the fashion industry to further push the brand, maybe even introduce a video game,” said Sling with excitement.
Carlos Slinger was a resident at Club Limelight on Friday nights for Future Shock!, which hosted everyone from Moby to Prodigy and all the big names on the scene. In 1992 and ’93, he played at NASA, which introduced the US to breakbeat and inspired the beginning of the US rave scene. After DJing for more than 20 years, he was also responsible for the massive rave called Ecosystem, in 2001, which raised awareness about human rights and the preservation of tropical forests in Brazil. “We brought everyone from the Jungle scene, including Randall and DJ Krust. The event was attended by forty-five thousand people. All profits were donated to Greenpeace, who worked with us to organize the first eco-event of its kind on rainforests in history. Fast forward a year in ’94, I met Marque Gilmore in an elevator and told him to come play with us at the first Jungle rave called Revoluzion at the Manhattan Center in New York City. He became one of the first Jungle drummers/producers in our genre. The following year we performed the first-ever Jungle tour in Japan, 14 cities with record label S.O.U.R which included artists Shy Fx, UK Apache, Dj Trace, T Power, DET Mc, Elizabeth Troy, and myself (Dj Soul Slinger).
“Liquid Sky was born from an idea, through unique fashion, makeup, music, and art in São Paulo. It developed within the NYC rave scene and evolved musically, from house to acid house, to breakbeat and rave, experimental, ambient, trip hop, to jungle and later drum ‘n’ bass. We started the first Jungle label in the United States in ’94 and helped bring a subculture that has become a mainstream phenomenon today. David Mancuso’s idea of love saves the days continues. Music saves our lives.”
