We met ICYKOF during Paris Fashion Week. Not in a backstage corner, not rushing between shows, but in the middle of the city’s noise.
ICYKOF stands at that exact intersection. He first built his name on the streets, holding a camera and asking a simple question that became a format. How much is your outfit. The series turned him into a recognizable face in streetwear culture long before he stepped behind the decks.
Today, he is a DJ and producer rooted in Detroit Techno and Chicago House. His sets run for hours. His references are precise. His confidence is intact.
We sat down with him to talk about taste, self belief, fashion, and the discipline behind a good set.
Before the clubs and the releases, you were on the streets interviewing people about clothes and style. What did that early format teach you about taste, attention, and money?
"I fell into streetwear naturally. I was drawn to the culture and I loved documenting it from the outside. What I learned early on was the value of individuality. Back then, wearing brands like Supreme or Trasher meant something because not everyone had access to it. It was about self expression. Skate culture had that same spirit. You stood out by being specific.
That mindset shaped how I approach music. If you want to be a tastemaker, you need to find your niche. For me, that is Detroit Techno and Chicago House. That is my Supreme. I am focused on building in that space.
If, in a few years, those sounds become the dominant genres worldwide, people will know who was there from the beginning. The key is to move early and stay consistent.”
You moved from holding the camera to producing tracks and running the room as a DJ. What shifted first. Your ear, your self belief, or your motivation?
“My self belief never changed. I have always believed in myself. The shift was more practical than emotional. I loved music long before YouTube. I grew up around it. My family has a musical background, so it was part of my life from day one.
During lockdown, I had time. I had an audience already and enough stability to focus fully on music. That period allowed me to train my ear. I listened more carefully. I studied what I played. I refined my taste. That focus shaped where I am now.”
You are both a DJ and a producer. As a producer, you work alone. As a DJ, you stand in front of a crowd in real time. How do those two roles sit with each other?
“I kind of think they flirt and dance with each other. Like, some days, you're out in public with your girl, having dinner, some days, you're at home, sleeping together, behind closed doors. It's romantic, and I like that.”
Fashion still follows you behind the decks. What role does personal style play in your performances today?
“I'm in such a good space right now, I spent ten years documenting fashion culture. That experience gave me a strong sense of taste and influence. Now I carry that into music. Music builds communities. I grew up during the early A$AP Rocky and Tumblr era. That period showed how closely music and fashion shape each other.
Today I am in a position to bring my own community together. The way I dress, the references I choose, the sound I play, they all connect. It allows me to build a world around my taste. People can step into it and feel part of something.”
When the night is over and the crowd is gone, what tells you that you did a good job?
“You know what, I DJ sober, so I drink sparkling water for a three, four hour set. That means I hear every transition clearly. On the way home, I replay the set in my head.
Even if most of it worked, I focus on the moments that did not. I think about how to improve them. I am still more critical than celebratory about my craft. Every set is progress. I carry lessons from each one into the next."
IcyKof represents a shift happening across European nightlife. The tastemakers who once documented style now define sound. The DJs who once filmed outfits now shape communities.
And in Paris, during Fashion Week, with the city vibrating between runways and afterparties, that confidence did not feel like hype. It felt like direction.