Tokyo, Are You Ready for LA’s Rowdiest Streetwear Label?
Babylon LA has its roots firmly tied down in Los Angeles. I mean, it’s literally in the brand’s name.
It’s where everything started for California-born and bred founders Lee Spielman and Garrett Stevenson. It’s where they founded their band, Trash Talk, hand-printed their first band tees, began Babylon as a side venture, opened their first shop… LA is integral to the brand. But now, it’s ready to spread its wings: Babylon LA is en route to Tokyo.
A new adventure, a new market, and an entirely new continent; but, the same old Babylon LA. Spielman and Stevenson tell me they aren’t going to change for anyone, or anywhere.
The duo has a long history of building high-energy hubs for its community, whether that be the warehouse/home/skate park/events space their band had in California (the notorious 119, which their fourth studio album is named after) or Babylon’s previous store which was a similarly multi-purpose skate/hangout area.
The Tokyo store will follow the same community-oriented premise as Babylon’s previous LA-based spaces. And in case you don’t believe me, I caught up with Spielman and Stevenson before its unveiling on December 13 (where the likes of Earl Sweatshirt and Black Noi$e played at the shop's opening party).
Next year marks 10 years of Babylon, how do you reflect on the past decade?
Lee Spielman: I’m really proud. We started all of this while living out of a van, touring and playing punk shows around the world on a completely different type of timing. So to see Babylon grow into something much bigger with its own life and identity is honestly incredible.
One of the biggest takeaways for me is how we’ve been able to build something that connects with people on a deeper level beyond clothes. Over the years, our stores have become real hubs for interaction where people can be themselves and drown out the noise of everyday life. Hearing people call those shops their home is exactly why we started all of this.
We’ve been able to turn a lot of our childhood dreams into reality all while staying true to who we are. That’s always been the goal.
What are you most proud of achieving?
Garrett Stevenson: I’m most proud that we’ve been able to stay true to what we built, not just as a brand, but as partners and friends. Our vision has never wavered.
The real privilege is having a platform to be creative and share our experiences, whether it’s through music, art, or fashion. To be able to express ourselves and connect with people in a genuine way, that’s the true value. What’s refreshing is that even as time passes, our ideals and ethos still resonate with people. Community building doesn’t get old. In a world that’s always shifting, we remind ourselves that we’re FUC (Forever Under Construction), always evolving, always growing. That’s the beauty of this journey. We’re constantly creating, re-creating, and pushing forward, together.
How has the brand developed from its DIY roots?
LS: Babylon’s growth has really been about taking everything we’ve learned from our early years of DIY and refining it into something more polished while still staying true to the essence of where we started. Since day one, before we ever started the brand and we were just playing music, we have always been very hands-on with every aspect of our projects. That mentality laid the foundation for what Babylon is today.
We’ve taken all of those experiences and applied them to create a brand that’s far more well-packaged than the shirts we were hand-printing in our parents' backyard to go on tour. The idea has always been to build something that feels elevated but maintains the core energy of where we come from. It’s a balance, to be honest: staying true to our roots but being able to present it in a way that feels more intentional and professional.
You're about to set up shop in Tokyo, why do you think the brand resonates so well with Japanese customers?
LS: I think Babylon resonates well with Japanese people because this country has a long history of gravitating towards brands with real roots behind them. That's something we've always appreciated about Japan. There’s a genuine interest in getting to know the story behind everything and being involved in what's happening, rather than just buying and moving on.
Tokyo has such a deep-rooted history in streetwear, and we’re really excited to be a part of that, contributing to and building upon something that’s already so deep.
What can people expect from the shop?
GS: We were lucky to collaborate closely with ASA, an architecture group from Italy, on the design and vibe of the store. What we’ve created really captures the essence and soul of the spaces we’ve built in the past and already it feels like home.
You’ll walk into a beautifully designed space, that’s for sure. But more than just a place to shop, Babylon Tokyo is meant to be a space where people can connect, meet new friends, and learn something new. It’s about creating a zone where everyone, whether local or from abroad, can truly be themselves. We want to bridge the gap, forge connections, and build something fresh, something that feels a part of the culture and part of the moment. And yeah, you might just leave with a shirt on the way out but the real value is in the experience, the community, and the connections that happen within those walls.
Having toured in Japan, what's the music scene like?
LS: We first came to Japan to play shows in 2008 and were completely mind-blown by the response. Growing up loving Japanese hardcore, it always felt so far away, but once we were here in the middle of it all we realized we all share a common bond and the only real difference is the language barrier. The punk scene in Japan is something special.
Shows here are a trip because everyone is so accommodating and respectful but the second the music starts, it’s like a bomb explodes. I think part of it has to do with Japan’s more reserved culture. You can really feel the people in the room at shows letting loose and forgetting about their day job for a second. I’ll never forget seeing someone come off the train fresh from work in a 3 piece suit, hard-bottomed dress shoes carrying a briefcase, and then seeing that same person later that night dive headfirst off the stage.
GS: We’ve been fortunate to be fully immersed in the punk scene here for years, and that’s where we’ve built some of the most meaningful, long-lasting friendships. The relationships and the deep love for the culture here pushed me to go further, to learn the language, and to dive even deeper into Japan.
When you spoke with Highsnobiety five years ago, you talked a lot about the importance of community. How have you developed the community around the brand since then? And how do you plan on doing the same in Japan?
LS: Over the years, we’ve developed the community around Babylon by genuinely caring about people’s well-being, rather than just pushing the brand on them or focusing on what they can do for us, which is something that feels a bit rare in this industry nowadays.
I’m really proud that our shops and projects have become a space for people to discover new things, whether it’s music, an artist, photography, fashion, or even a new friend. It’s important that these types of spaces exist, especially nowadays with the internet and how fast everything moves. We’ve been able to build a family-like atmosphere years based on trust and that connection has only gotten deeper over time.
With Babylon Tokyo, we plan to take that further by bringing people to this city who might not otherwise have the opportunity, and connecting them with like-minded individuals from Tokyo. We want our store to act as a seamless bridge between the world and Japan, helping to create more global connections and projects. Sometimes I think the only thing stopping these link-ups is the language barrier. I’m hoping we can use the shop to smash through all of that and bring something new to the table.
