A$AP Nast isn’t a fashion guy, he’s a clothes guy

When asked who he’d most like to sit down to dinner with, either living or dead, A$AP Nast is quick to answer. “Andy Warhol, for sure,” the musician, model, and A$AP Mob member responds without missing a beat. “He used his hustle and his mentality to get him so many places, you know? Andy Warhol could sell salt to a snail! If you don’t have a little finesse in you, especially these days, you’re fucked.”

If he’s looking for a late-night meet and greet with the late, great American artist, he’s in the right place. When we speak, Nast is staying in New York’s notorious Hotel Chelsea, which is reportedly haunted by all manner of ghostly figures. This is, after all, the place where Welsh poet Dylan Thomas died of pneumonia in his bed, and Sid Vicious of London punk upstarts the Sex Pistols killed girlfriend Nancy Spungen in 1978. And while Warhol didn’t meet his own end in one of the hotel’s rooms, their legacies are inextricably linked – not only did he spend a stretch of time living there in the mid 1960s, his lauded 1966 movie Chelsea Girls (perhaps unsurprisingly) was set in its hallowed, echoing halls.

In the meantime, whether a ghostly apparition of Warhol decides to show up or not, Nast is in town to celebrate the launch of a new campaign he’s starring in. The rapper is well known for his love of and avant-garde approach to fashion, and this season he’s joined forces with Holzweiler to front a short film and photo series directed and shot by Dexter Navy. Having met co-founder Andreas Holzweiler earlier this year, the two hit it off immediately. A collab felt like a natural step for Nast, whose own approach to fashion matches up with that of the rising Norwegian brand just about perfectly. 

“You know what, I don’t really like fashion, I like clothes,” he explains. “I don’t know when I became this fashion guy or whatever, but I’ve always been obsessed with dressing myself and feeling good. That’s what it’s about for me. It’s a feel-good moment.” Similarly, Holzweiler isn’t about following or proliferating trends. Instead, the Oslo-based label is kitting people out with clothes that will see them from season to season – from oversized hoodies, to chunky knitwear, to slick tailoring, it’s the kind of clothing you’ll keep returning to for years. “I [like to buy] things I could give my kids, and they could give their kids,” says Nast. “That’s the way I look at shopping. If I’m not gonna wear it for 20 years, I’m not gonna drop 1,000 bucks or whatever on it. What’s the point?”

The campaign itself also features model and actor Lera Abova, and sees the two milling about a glittering winter wonderland in cosy pieces from Holzweiler’s AW22 offering, including soft fleeces bearing washed-out, abstract prints, louche, loose-legged combat pants, and bulky bomber jackets. According to Nast, the experience of working with the label was so positive that he wouldn’t rule out a second starring role in the seasons to come. “I really wanna go to Area 51,” he reveals, citing the tabs he has on one of friend Ella Dror’s hoodies – merch picked up when the fashion PR herself visited the infamous alien landing spot – as inspiration for that. “In fact, I’m gonna speak to Andreas about it,” he adds with a laugh, suggesting the next campaign be shot there.

Here. he talks supernatural experiences, teenage style icons, and why he’ll never share his fave shopping spots.

“When I get dressed it’s just like “Rahhhh”... Sometimes I feel high. That’s my drug” – A$AP Nast

How did the collaboration with Holzweiler come about? What was the experience of working with the brand like? 

A$AP Nast: I met Andreas a while back and we really got on. The experience has been amazing – the people at Holzweiler have been nothing but kind and generous to me. 

You’re well known for being mega into fashion. Where do you find inspiration when it comes to your style? 

A$AP Nast: I’m inspired by everyday living… A car going by, someone on the street. I don’t want to give anyone or anything too much credit – I’m in my own head when it comes to fashion. But I do love watching films, and I think that’s where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Since I was a kid, it’s where most of my style has come from. I look back at old movies and TV shows, and realise that’s where a lot of influence came from even now. As I’ve grown, I’ve always found my own little niche, added my own little twist. I do that heavily now. 

I think costume designers deserve way more credit, because even more so than the runway, films have a massive impact on the way we dress. What’s your favourite movie? 

A$AP Nast: Favourite movie… wow, I don’t think I could single one out. I think anyone who’s a true movie connoisseur… There's no way you can have a favourite movie. That’s like asking someone what their favourite song is. There are a billion songs in the world, and so many good ones. There are ones that I gravitate to, same as with movies, but it all depends on my mood. One minute I’m like “Oh yeah, this is my favourite song” and then the next I’m like… “No wait!” 

It is a tough question. Slightly easier maybe: what was the last really good movie you saw? 

A$AP Nast: That’s hard too! There haven't really been any great movies that I’ve seen recently, you know? I rewatched The Godfather for the billionth time recently, though. I don’t think I’ve known anyone who hasn’t seen and loved that movie. 

What do you like about fashion as a medium for expressing yourself? 

A$AP Nast: You know what, I don’t really like fashion – I like clothes. I don’t know when I became this fashion guy or whatever, but I’ve always been obsessed with dressing myself and feeling good, and that’s what it’s about for me. It’s a feel-good moment. When I get dressed it’s just like “Rahhhh”... sometimes I feel high. That’s my drug. Honestly, if people could see the way I speak to myself in the mirror, it would be hilarious. It’s a movie in itself – me in my own home just trying out looks and hyping myself up. Some of my best outfits don’t even see the light of day. I’m just in the mirror like “Yo… They can’t fuck with me”, that kind of vibe. (laughs) 

What’s the one item of clothing you’d save from your wardrobe? A real grail piece.

A$AP Nast:  You’re asking some psychopath questions, you know that? I want you to understand what you’re asking (laughs). It’s my whole wardrobe! I’m a hoarder. I don’t let go of clothes. It’s hard for me. It’s insane. I’ll convince myself to get rid of some stuff, and then just end up accumulating more. It never ends. But I just love all my stuff so much. My wardrobe is more like an archive from all the years. 

You know, when we shop, we buy pieces, right? It’s one thing to go to the store and just pick something up – to each their own. But me and my brothers, who all came up together, we love to really think about what we’re buying. I like to buy pieces I won’t see anyone else wearing. It’s stuff that I genuinely want to keep, that’s going to be in my closet forever, because clothes are fucking expensive, you know what I mean? Especially the kind of clothes I like. I’m buying things you could give your kids, and they could give their kids. That’s the way I look at shopping. If I’m not gonna wear it for 20 years, I’m not gonna drop 1,000 bucks on it. What’s the point? 

“DMX was one of my favourite rappers [growing up]. I wasn’t exactly inspired to dress like him, but I always liked the way he dressed – you know, the tank top, the baggy jeans, the chains, the Timberlands” – A$AP Nast

Who was your first style icon? Who did you look up to growing up? 

A$AP Nast: DMX. He was one of my favourite rappers, and I wasn’t exactly inspired to dress like him, but I always liked the way he dressed – you know, the tank top, the baggy jeans, the chains, the Timberlands. That was the style I really vibed with growing up. Coming from that, graduating to what I’m in now, are two different worlds. Our experiences shape who we are, so obviously my own style has evolved. But yeah, definitely DMS was a big influence for sure. I also loved the way LL (Cool J) dressed. I still like the way he dresses… Or actually at least, did dress. I don’t think we see enough of LL to know how he dresses these days, you know? (laughs). There’s definitely more, but I can’t think right now. I think I still pull out LL fits now. I’m still on my LL tip sometimes for sure. 

Where’s your favourite place to shop? Do you have any ‘hidden gem’ kind of stores? 

A$AP Nast: Absolutely not! I’m never telling you that (laughs). Do you know why? I don’t want people shopping where I like to shop. I don’t wanna see you when I shop, absolutely not. 

What was the last meme you saved? 

A$AP Nast: Me and Ella (Dror) have a whole meme thread. To the point we don’t even talk to each other, we just send memes to communicate. Our DMs are just straight memes. Occasionally we text for the business stuff, keep it a bit professional, you know? Honestly though, I don’t remember the last one. There’s so many. Maybe it’s the gin and tonic. 

What’s your favourite conspiracy theory? 

A$AP Nast: Oh aliens. For sure. I don’t think aliens are a conspiracy, though! Judging by what our government is putting out lately, oh, aliens totally exist. No doubt. I wanna go to Area 51. Ella actually has the best hoodie from when she went, seriously, I’m gonna steal it from her. I was just telling Schlomo about that hoodie. I need to go. Maybe we’ll shoot the new Holzweiler campaign over there. I’m gonna speak to Andreas. 

We’re staying at the Hotel Chelsea, which is reported to be really haunted. Have you ever had a supernatural experience? 

A$AP Nast: Many of them! The last one was actually the craziest. I was in my apartment in Beverly Hills during COVID and I was about to go to my homegirl’s crib after dinner. So I took a shower and started getting dressed after I’d eaten, and went to the bathroom to put on lotion or something. I came out of my living room, and something brushed past me. It brushed past me, and I saw something out the corner of my eye, and I knew I’d seen something because the hair on the back of my neck was standing up. I looked around like “Yooooo, no way”, and I got out of there. I was so freaked out about it, it was crazy! It happened again recently, actually. I got out of the house so fast, I didn’t know if I could go back. I don’t know who it was, or what it was. I just know I saw something and I felt something, and no one could tell me different. Usually I don’t trip out. But I tripped out. 

Who would you most love to have dinner with, living or dead? 

A$AP Nast: Another crazy question. There’s way too many people. But maybe I’d wanna sit down with Andy Warhol. 

You’re definitely in the right place. If you stay long enough he might appear. 

A$AP Nast: I mean, I hope not. But Andy was a hustler. I liked his mentality. I genuinely feel like he’s done a lot, but also like he’s done nothing at the same time. He used his hustle and his mentality to get him so many places, you know? Andy was the type of guy that could sell salt to a snail. That was a major part of who he was and how he achieved the status and reached the level he got to. Even with his art, he had a factory of people making his art. It wasn’t him. He was hands on, but come on. The fact you can get to these places by having finesse, I love that. That’s how I got to where I got – it’s partly down to finesse. You know, you slither up through the cracks sometimes. So many people don’t have that in them. Especially in today’s age, if you don’t have a little finesse, you’re fucked. Being a hardworking person doesn’t get you everywhere you wanna go in life. If you have a little finesse, you’re gonna go a little further than your average person who has a little smart and went to school and does things by the book. That’s just how it is. 

Head here to shop Holzweiler's AW22 collection.