I first got wind of Kyle Ng and his label Farm Tactics on a recent trip through to Craft in LA and name drop from Eddie Cruz. While repurposed materials are anything but new, Ng’s choices of materials for Farm Tactics certainly are. Among our favorites are bags made from materials such as 1960’s Dutch military bags, 1940’s gas masks and Oil Filson Tin cloth and other military webbing. On the clothing side of things, you can expect to find a similar aesthetic with pieces inspired by Ng’s grandfather who was an industrial designer in the 50’s and 60’s, but with a self-described “neoclassical” twist. Intrigued, we wanted to know more and caught up with Ng to talk about his idea, the process and Mayer Hawthorne.
LH: So Kyle, tell us about yourself. What’s your background?
KYLE NG: I am an artist designer based out of Los Angeles. I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and moved down to Los Angeles to work as a filmmaker. When I First moved to la When i was 18, i met a lot of amazing influential people who helped guide me. People like Darren Romanelli and Nathan Cabrera took me under their wings and taught me about art and fashion. They were really important in my life because they made me realize that you shouldn’t just limit your creativity to one field.
LH: OK, Farm Tactics. Let’s talk about your reasons for starting it and what you’re trying to achieve…
KYLE NG: I originally started Farm Tactics as just a t shirt line in 2006. I had a partner who really fucked me over, and I stopped making clothing all together. In 2009 I started to have an itch to make clothing again. This time I wanted to do something totally different. I was very interested in creating a line that represented my American Heritage. I am sixth Generation Chinese American! My family were one of the first Chinese in Texas! I wanted to create a narrative that reminded people of what this country is all about. Its ridiculous to see more Americana brands being made out of Japan then here. Americans really need to step up and take back our heritage.
LH: And what was the “A-ha!” moment for you when you decided to make your bags from a re-purposed military materials?
KYLE NG: I was showing my bag maker sketches of this back pack i wanted to make while we were in his vintage warehouse. He pulls out this old dutch military pack that was exactly what i wanted except it was missing straps and a front pocket. I looked at the aged bag, and loved the way the fabric had stains and the colors were faded. It really told a narrative. I realized that i could never really manufacture a new product that could tell a story like that bag. This guys warehouse is like a vintage candy shop, where he had tons of amazing stuff. I started to dig around and i found a bunch of these old gas mask packs. I looked at it and realized that i could cut them up and turn them into a front pocket. I then found this old military webbing for the straps. this bag became a vintage Frankenstein! By using repurposed material, each product is unique in its own.
LH: So are the materials hard to come by? How are you tracking them down?
KYLE NG: Most of my bags in the first collection are made out of vintage dead stock materials that are super hard to find! The 1940s oil wax Tin Cloth was originally used for Filson products. I am super surprised to find dead stock rolls of it! all the bags are limited editions because once i use up all the material, there is no guarantee i can source more.
LH: And The Weekend Collection, what about 50′s and 60′s workwear do you find personally appealing?
KYLE NG: The reason why its called The Weekend, is because it was inspired by weekends that I spent with my grandpa. He was definitely a product of the 50′s and 60′s style. I can vividly remember the feel and colors of his clothing. He was was a industrial designer for Kaiser aluminum, so i really wanted to create a shirt that had a pencil holder that would be functional for his drafting.
LH: And for the tank tops and pocket tees, what drew you to military issue garments from WWII?
KYLE NG: Military wear always had a certain robustness to it that i was attracted to. I think that a lot of menswear are inspired by military because of its functionality and quality.
LH: Where is the manufacturing being done?
KYLE NG: I get all my manufacturing done here in Los Angeles. I would rather pay more to manufacture here in America then outsource it for cheap.
LH: Farm Tactics is relatively unknown despite being stocked at some influential shops like Craft and Brooklyn Circus, have you been happy with the response thus far?
KYLE NG: The response has been great! I have just released the first part of the collection, and have approached stores that I feel understand what the collection is about. People like Pete from Craft and Gabe from BK Circus have been very supportive in these beginning stages. They understand the concept and style that I’m trying to convey.
LH: Hey, how did you get involved with Mayer Hawthorne on these pictures?
KYLE NG: Mayer is a buddy of mine. We met when I was art directing his music video for “Green Eyed Love” . Mayer’s music pays homage to 60′s soul which is definitely one of my favorite eras of music. Mayer and I realized that the tool bag was perfect for holding 45′s!
LH: What would you say is the most important lesson you’ve learned thus far through this experience?
KYLE NG: Being interested in film, I always saw the importance of narrative. Through Farm Tactics i realized that I could tell stories through garments, Just like The weekend collection told the story of my grandpa. Even basic tees can tell a narrative that comes alive when worn by different people.
LH: What can we expect from you in 2010?
KYLE NG: The next collection is inspired by the 60′s and 70′s The Whole Earth Catalogs. If you haven’t heard of them then you should fucking Google that shit now! The catalog was from the bay area, and it basically sold and showcased self sustaining products like (clothing, books, tools, machines, seeds). They would have stuff in there like bucky fuller’s geodesic domes, Teepees, canteens, moccassins, and crazy art shit. It was a perfect mixture of futuristic and primitive design. This collection will be larger than the weekend. There will be jackets, sweaters, pants, shirts, graphics shirts, and even my twist on a moccassin!
Website: Farm Tactics.
Available here.
