Homies x Shoe Palace Collaboration Celebrates Chicano & Lowrider Culture
Credit: Shoe Palace
The popular Cali-Chicano figures Homies, are coming back to life, this time through apparel and accessories in collaboration with Shoe Palace.
The Shoe Palace x Homies collection brings together the iconic West Coast characters and street stories created by Chicano artist, David Gonzales. Homies are stylized figurines that are inspired by the people around the Cali low rider scene. The figurines became available at swap meets, supermercados and vending machines nationwide, ranging from Low-rider drivers to brides, bulldogs, and tios in zoot suits, making the tiny toys a collector’s dream.
Gonzales began his creative journey in graphic and t-shirt design, using urbano motifs and illustrations inspired by his barrio and artists such as Teen Angel, Mike Pickell, and David Mann. Gonzales continues to develop new Homies, while also expanding his t-shirt design business and bringing his local community to an international stage. In an interview with KPIX CBS News, Gonzales states “This couldn’t have happened unless someone from this community did it.” He adds, “I drew what I saw around me, it was accepted by my community, and it resonated (with them) as I did more and more interesting characters.”
Now, Gonzales is coming back full circle to t-shirt design, this time with local apparel shop, Shoe Palace. Gonzales stars in the collaborative campaign, modeling the men’s varsity Jacket ($100) beside models posing in Homies apparel alongside Chevy low-riders and the Mexican flag.
The new Shoe Palace x Homies collection features an array of t-shirts, pants and jerseys with the iconic Homies logo and characters. A number of tops bring back the Homies’ legacy artwork, including the original Homies group illustration on a mesh jersey top. The jersey includes embroidered roses along the sleeves, and along the back, the popular adage, “smile now, cry later,” reverent in West Coast culture.
The collection ranges from $15 to $100, and is available now for purchase online at ShoePalace.com.