AUSTYN GILLETTE // CCS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

CCS recently caught up with HUF Team Rider Austyn Gillette and discussed his difficult decision to leave Habitat for 3D Skateboards, the design process behind his upcoming HUF pro model shoe, as well as day to day interaction with his boss and teammate Brian Anderson. Check out a preview of the interview below. Click here to read the entire interview.

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Do you have a shoe in the works?

I do. It’ll be a shown in July but won’t come out until next December or January.

Congrats. What can you tell us about it?

It’s going to look more like a Croc. It’ll be breathable and edible.

Like gummy bear material?

No like rice paper. I’m working with this guy Haden and Dennis but mainly Haden. I’ve given him a few shoes that I’d wear when I’m not skating and few HUF shoes that I am skating in that are currently out. Who know’s probably people are going to hate it.

Nope it seems like you are on top of the fashion game. I’m sure your shoe will be winner.

Maybe we’ll set some trends. I don’t know it’s really not that crazy. It’s a really basic shoe. It’s going to be a cupsole but we figured out how to make it flexible. A cupsole with a Crocs upper.

Who’s behind that Tumblr F*CKYEAHAUSTYNGILLETTE? Is that your Tumblr?

No, it’s definitely not me. I apparently have a Facebook page too and I don’t have a Facebook page. I deleted my account 3 years ago.

Apparently it’s a Tumblr site devoted to everything Austyn Gillette.

That’s really weird.

You should be psyched to know that you’ve reached the level of notoriety where multiple people care enough about you to post photos of you. Or maybe it’s a 49 year old dude in his mom’s basement.

I guarantee it’s some kid in Iowa.

How did you wind up in that short film by Aaron Rose?

It was a friend of a friend and they needed some skaters for that film. We didn’t know what it was going to be and they just told us what it was about and what we were going to be doing loosely. We ended up wearing these expensive clothes and Jerry [Hsu] got the craziest kits. We were wearing designer clothes and seeing naked women so it was pretty easy. It was actually weird because I got a lot of feedback from that from people outside of skateboarding. I remember Jerry being really embarrassed after he looked at the message boards. I don’t even bother looking. I really don’t think it f*cking matters.

Yeah it doesn’t matter at all.

I guess if I weren’t in the film I’d be a little skeptical but then again when you are hanging around 6’5” naked models it’s not really a bad look. How do you say no to that? Why worry about what the nerdy dudes on the internet think? They spend their time looking at little kids skateboarding.

Couldn’t agree more. What’s the best thing about Brian Anderson?

We don’t talk about skateboarding, ever. I think it’s really nice. And he send me his daily and weekly updates on what he’s been up to. Like shopping and doing laundry. Really basic things but he gives through these updates. It’s awesome. It’s great because it’s really sincere. He really wants you to know that he’s there for you and he’s alright. And everythings going to be alright and we’re still a company. I’d say having him as a boss is pretty amazing.

List 5 things you’d tell your 16 year old self, if you could.

Don’t wear a beanie, don’t listen to everything Brennan says, don’t get a girl pregnant, throwaway that Sugar Ray cd, I don’t think I was listening to it when I was 16 but I probably still had it, no I’d say save it. F*ck it frame it! I’d tell myself, “Cut your hair, you ****”.