In The Hot Seat With Simon Mcaleese

This month we caught up with freelance illustrator and creative, Simon Mcaleese, aka @deliberateindifference. Simon is a talented illustrator and has passion for menswear and lifestyle products, and we are huge fans of him over at Yogi! We interviewed him for our 'In The Hot Seat' special this month, to learn more about him, his style and creativity...  

We asked him a few questions...

Tell us about Deliberate Indifference - how did you come up with this name? 

I have to be honest and admit that Deliberate Indifference was just an oxymoron that I thought sounded cool when I created this Instagram account. I have this notion that I had heard Bart Simpson described as this deliberately indifferent in a school report but I can’t verify this!

Talk us through your process of working from when you first receive a brief to the outcome?

 I always like to try and arrange a video or phone call with the client to talk through the brief and clarify any grey areas. After this, depending on the complexity of the project, I’ll send a very rough sketch to ensure we are on the same lines. Once we are happy we are, I’ll go about creating the first drafts for the client. I always allow for two rounds of revisions as minimum but to be honest normally I don’t need to make more than one round of these. Clear communication at all stages of the project is vital to its success and makes life easier for both parties. 

Where do you get your inspiration from when creating your illustrations?

Everywhere! The bulk of what I do is based around clothing and lifestyle products so I get inspired by what I see on television, out and about in the real world, and also online. Sometimes I’ll see a logo or some packaging with great colours, so I’ll take a photo and create an illustration using those colours, or sometimes I’ll see a great piece of clothing and want to illustrate it. Doing so helps you appreciate the minor details in clothing and think about how it is constructed. Ultimately inspiration comes from everywhere!

 

Which Yogis did you choose and why? 

I opted for the Torres leather and suede boot with the crepe sole, in moss green. I actually already own the Fairfield and Finn models and wanted to try these ones for a while. I’m so glad I did as they’re insanely comfortable and, as with my other Yogi shoes, incredibly well made. The colour is really versatile and will pair with loads in my wardrobe as well.

When did you know you wanted to be an illustrator? 

Since I was a kid, I always loved illustration. My friend and I made little comics in primary school and every birthday and Christmas I always asked for or was given art related gifts. That said, I didn’t pursue art at university. I’ve actually kept my love of illustration quiet in adult life, not sharing my output with anyone until I started sharing bits and pieces on Instagram and seeing it was well received. I love being able to combine my two passions for art and menswear and I’m so glad I decided to put it out there in the world. I would encourage anyone else to do the same, you never know what could happen.

Tell us how you’re styling your Yogis this season? 

The thing I like about them is they are so versatile and fit with almost anything in my wardrobe. Because it’s autumn I will be wearing a lot of autumnal colours like olive, brown, beige and shades of orange, which will compliment them perfectly. They also look great with some raw denim, a tee and a nice checked flannel or an oversized overshirt.

 

  

We want to say a massive thank you to Simon for featuring in our 'In The Hot Seat' Interview. Make sure you check out Simon's Instagram and his website, to keep up with him and his amazing work!

For all things Yogi, follow us on Instagram @yogifootwear.