OPEN MINDS LEAD TO OPEN DOORS

Dear Readers,

In the past, journalists were considered to be the gatekeepers of information. They obtained a huge amount of input from all kinds of different sources and it was their job to filter out what was necessary for their recipients and what could be ignored. About 10 or 15 years ago, knowledge was such a rare good. It was available in books, and some expert’s brains, but it was mostly local, and youhad to physically get up and go somewhere to get the information you wanted. Nowadays, everybody plays this role of the gatekeeper, with the internet offering up nearly any information that is available on this planet, most times for free and without limits or restrictions. On the one hand, this availability of information is a real improvement; anybody anywhere in the world can get and use this so easily obtainable knowledge, in turn compensating for former disadvantages of origin or education. On the other hand, this disposability of knowledge can also be dangerous, as anybody who knows how to use a search engine is able to get detailed construction plans for a bomb, ugly computer viruses and all kinds
of other destructive stuff.
At the same time, lots of information is still secret and even more mysterious than ever, especially when it comes to financial matters. Mostly by followers of the new economy, who keep their special knowledge hidden away like some kind of Holy Grail, defending against any divulgence or would-be theft. For example, the world’s largest computer software producers....for them, a business secret is a dogma which has to be protected against any and every disclosure of information.

However, at the same time, there are also those who have figured out that this secret-mongering makes as much sense as Quixote’s tilting of windmills. These people act from the conviction that sharing information and providing it to the public could benefit everybody, as this does not mean that the infor- mation will
be stolen and misused, but will accumulate. The more knowledge you give, the more you get – everybody adding their special talents, yielding the profits to everybody.

One adherent to these principles is the protagonist of this issue, Mr. Johnny Schillereff. As the main head behind Element skateboards, he shares his opinion with his environment. Thus, he defines the title claim of streetwear today No. 24: “Open minds lead to open doors!” He emphasizes that his brand is inclusive, not exclusive. Or in other words: “The doors at Element are always open for people to come.” That’s the thing that makes his brand such a special and charact- eristic player in the fiercely contested streetwear market. He keeps his eyes, his ears, and his heart open to suggestions and advice, while also offering constructive criticism to the people he deals with. He opens his mouth, informs his surroundings about his thoughts, ideas and plans, or, as stated in one of Element’s catalogues...it’s all about how to live, learn & grow.

Florian Biedermann for streetwear today