RESPECT. Interview: Shervin Roohparvar’s Thoughts on the Arts; Talks Munitio and ESTATE

Music and Fashion exist in realms which often intersect with one another, with many taking advantage of the connection between the two to enforce a message in the other. Both being amongst the easiest and most used forms of expression, it’s no shock to envision the crossing of the two- a concept which we see now in its most ubiquitous form. Musicians pushing fashion brands, fashion brands utilizing musicians to push their product; in our technological age, where imagery and sonics can be accessed from a variety of mediums, this is expected.

Shervin Roohparvar of Shahs of Sunset sat down with RESPECT. to discuss his admiration for both fashion and music, with some of his products being displayed below, mingled with the interview.

RESPECT.: What are you afraid of?

RESPECT.: How has your culture helped define your career paths?

I think my culture that I was raised in helped define a lot of my career path. Being taught that men work and provide without giving up or being deterred by failure or pain, has pushed me to always keep moving and really allowed me to be determined beyond measures.

RESPECT.: Munitio is clearly in line with some sort of fascination you have with music, so who are some artists you listen to?

I listen to a wide-range of music depending on my mood, which is why I love music. Depending on what I’m doing– getting amped up for the gym, taking a drive in my car, relaxing at home – my music choices reflect that mood. Some of my favorite artists include NWA, 2Pac, Kanye West, Fat Joe, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Michael Jackson, Faarsheed and Bobby Puma, but the list is endless!

For me, I am trying to portray everything that embodies ‘Shervin’ through my fashion choices. As an entrepreneur and TV personality, I wear a lot of hats throughout the day and my fashion usually reflects this. Whether I’m in black-tie for a red carpet or wearing an ESTATE shirt and sneakers running around LA, my fashion statement shows who I am at that moment.

RESPECT.: Why do you consider ESTATE “fashion?” In other words, how do you identify fashion?

To me, fashion is biggest form of self-expression that anyone can have. If you think about it, fashion is something we choose every day, and the choices we make are usually based on what type of mood we’re in. Whether you’re getting ready for work, hitting the gym, hanging with friends, etc., our choice in “fashion” is the statement we want to make at that time.

ESTATE is a lifestyle brand that bridges the gap between street and contemporary menswear. My partners and I wanted to merge these two “fashion” trends, because we all love the streetwear/sneakers we grew up with, but also have the need to look more refined in our roles as business men. ESTATE features designers, including our own line under the same name, that have developed collections including outerwear, shirts, bottoms and accessories that fit the new model of a contemporary man.

If we are talking ‘mainstream’ fashion, definitely! There’s always a time and place for certain fashion choices, and certain trends should NOT be embraced by everyone. Even people that say they’re ‘anti-fashion,’ are still making a statement in fashion, whether they mean to or not.

RESPECT.: Similarly, is there such thing as bad music?

That is a relative question, because what I consider ‘bad music’ could be someone else’s favorite song or artist. Music choice is based one what moves somebody…if I listen to a song on repeat, that artist/band has expressed something that I want to hear over and over again. It doesn’t matter to me if they’re #1 on Billboard or the most downloaded song on iTunes, if I’m into it then I’ll keep playing it. I just want to make sure that everyone is listening to music, good or bad, with the best sound quality possible…Munitio Headphones beat out any of its competition when it comes to this.

RESPECT.: What are the next steps for ESTATE and Munitio?

We have a lot coming up this year for both ESTATE and Munitio.

ESTATE is adding more designers to our online store, allowing our consumers to enjoy these boutique lines around the world. We are also further developing ESTATE’s own line as well, and will be releasing some new products later in the year.