One of The Blot’s favorite things about blogging is getting introduced to talented artists from around the world who are just as passionate about pop culture, art, toys and clothing as I am. One such artist is New York City’s own Ilan Gabai (a.k.a. Hidaki). Hidaki is a NYC based lifestyle brand inspired by the creative culture of the animation industry.
Ilan has worked on a variety of big time projects, from animated films to sci-fi shows, and his resume includes work on LOST, Fringe, Ben10, Rio and Fast & Furious to name just a few. Being a part of this culture has definitely influenced the ideas behind Ilan’s designs, but that’s not all. You can also see how his art is heavily influenced by New York City and everything the Big Apple has to offer. As Ilan puts it, “Hidaki is about being creative, living a fun lifestyle and keeping in touch with the kid inside you.”
The idea behind Hidaki originated 2 years ago while Ilan was freelancing in LA. A lot of his friends had side projects going on at the time, some were showing work in galleries, some were making video games, while others were starting random small businesses. As Ilan explained, “seeing things happen for people around me really inspired me to make something for myself.” And from that, Hidaki was born! The Blot loves when fellow collectors put their passions into their art, and Ilan is definitely doing that.
To find out more about Hidaki, head over to the clothing line’s official website www.hidaki.com, where you can also purchase the brand’s first t-shirt collection. Hidaki’s first release includes five designs, and comes in both mens ($25) and womens ($20) styles. You can also follow Ilan on Twitter at Twitter.com/Hidaki_Life.