Skateboard graphics, street art and the business of making a living doing what you love.
There's something about skateboarding and independent art that has always gone hand in hand.
Maybe it's the graphics. Maybe it's the attitude. Or perhaps it's simply that both have a long history of attracting people who would rather make something of their own than follow somebody else's instructions.
Whatever the reason, the relationship has produced some remarkable creative talent.
Enter BB Bastidas.
From Skateboards to City Walls
Born in Southern California, BB Bastidas has built a creative career spanning skateboard graphics, large-scale murals and art direction.
His work reflects a world where illustration, skate culture and independent expression intersect, with a creative path that has taken him far beyond his original surroundings.
It's precisely the sort of story that catches our attention here at Toucan Trading.
Not because it follows a conventional route to success, but because it doesn't.
From Their Chair: A Conversation with BB Bastidas
Our friends at Uppercut Deluxe have spent years building a grooming brand with strong connections to barbering, music, art and the creative communities surrounding them.
Their From Their Chair series explores the people and personalities behind those cultures.
In this episode, BB Bastidas discusses his creative beginnings, the development of his artistic career and what it takes to turn a personal passion into a livelihood.
It's a conversation about creativity, independence and finding your own way.
More Than Just Good Hair
At Toucan Trading, we appreciate brands that have something to say beyond the products sitting on the shelf.
Uppercut Deluxe has always maintained a distinctive connection to the culture surrounding modern barbering, and projects like From Their Chair demonstrate that there's considerably more to the story than pomade.
Art, skateboarding, music, craftsmanship and independent businesses often share the same underlying spirit.
Make something worthwhile. Put your name behind it. Keep moving forward.
It's a philosophy we can appreciate.
And if you happen to have particularly good hair while doing it, so much the better.
Discover Uppercut Deluxe
Australian-born Uppercut Deluxe brings a no-nonsense approach to men's grooming, with styling products inspired by traditional barbering and designed for modern routines.
Whether you're already familiar with the brand or discovering it for the first time, there's plenty worth exploring.
Explore Uppercut Deluxe at Toucan Trading
From The Toucan Journal. Independent grooming goods, curious discoveries and occasional dispatches from the outpost.
Look Good. Live Well. Love More.
