In 1993, Girl Skateboards started inside a warehouse on Rosslyn street in Atwater Village. It happened to also be the home of Xlarge clothing. Spike Jonze, who was already working with the Beastie Boys, part owners of Xlarge, put a deal together for Girl to work along side the Xlarge brand. Chocolate started out in the same warehouse in 1994 until, a year later when they spun off on their own, moving to Torrance a handful of miles south. But during those years at Atwater, Gabriel Rodriguez (Chocolate), Keenan Milton (Chocolate), Rudy Johnson (Girl), Billy Valdez (Menace), Paulo Diaz (Chocolate), Tim Gavin (Girl), Chico Brenes (Chocolate), among many others, were regulars through the Xlarge HQ and store on Vermont in Los Feliz. Their early collaboration in the 90’s, helped spawn a DIY culture that brands from all over the world would follow for years to come. These many years later, Chocolate and Xlarge are joining forces again to commemorate the early 90’s, their short-lived partnership and Xlarge’s 25th anniversary.
Original Artwork by Carlos Gutierrez
Bio on Carlos from Megan @ Chocolate Skateboards
"I met him through my oldest sister who worked with his mom at the local county hospital at the psychiatric ward.
He’s come and gone over 20 years. Left a few times for school and his passion for music. The last time he asked for a job he said, “My landlord isn’t cool with me telling him I can pay rent when my album drops”.
He didn’t love working in the warehouse and he didn’t love sales.
But it turns out he is an amazing artist. I mean really amazing. You can see his work in the Chocolate/Xlarge project that he did original watercolor paintings for. You see what a fortunate addition he has become in the Art Dump.
It’s always about the people. It’s the most important part of being a team."
-Megan Baltimore
