Jeff Hamada‘s designs are taking over the world. He’s made his mark on celebrities and hip hop icons from NYC to LA, and as one of 3Sixteen’s lead designers he’s partially responsible for the soaring popularity of the quality streetwear label. Jeff also does freelance design and consulting work, plus he’s experienced in art direction, corporate logo design, and branding. He specializes in urban, skate and streetwear markets, mainly designing graphics for print and apparel. Jeff is based out of Vancouver, BC, and I caught up with him for an update…

TCB: How did you get into graphic design work?
JH: I really wanted to go to Emily Carr to study communication design but I was rejected, so I ended up in their film program. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, I ended up loving film, and I realised I wanted to pursue it. Before I could finish the film program I was offered a design position at Electronic Arts. After a year at EA, I still wanted my degree. I made a deal with them where I would work there for a year after I graduated if they would pay for the rest of my education. I returned to Emily Carr and spent the next year writing and directing my grad film and EA paid for it all. The icing on the cake was that after I graduated, EA was actually laying-off a lot of artists so they didn’t have a position for me. I had them void the contract and I essentially made off with free schooling and a lot of great contacts. I started seeking out freelance design work in the skate and streetwear markets and managed to get to a point where companies began seeking me out.

TCB: When and how did you get involved with 3Sixteen?
JH: While I was finishing up my fourth year at Emily Carr I was posting my portfolio all over the net just trying to get it out there. I had heard of 3sixteen and ended up finding Andrew [3S's founder] on a Christian hip hop message board. I sent him a message letting him know I had a lot of ideas for t-shirt graphics and included some samples of my work. It was the internet equivalent of a cold call so I didn’t think too much of it, especially since I was hitting up a lot of different people and companies the exact same way. He got back to me pretty quick and mentioned that the brand was kind of on hiatus and that he wanted to re-brand it and take it in a different direction. I came up with a new logo and helped refocus the brand and lay the foundation for an entirely different aesthetic. The first season I designed sold out on Digital Gravel immediately and I stepped in as the lead designer for the brand. This was the spring of 2006.

TCB: What have been your most gratifying moments with 3S?
JH: I remember the first time I met Dj Muggs, I was in Vegas and he came over and shook my hand and said some nice things to me about the work I was doing. This was the guy that, among many other things, produced Cypress Hill’s Black Sunday! Receiving acclaim from someone who has done what he has done, as an artist and a business man, was extremely gratifying. As he turned to walk away I realised he was wearing clothes that I had designed.

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