AUSTIN AUGIE VLOGS THE RIDE
New York, May 2018
The world is a bore unless it becomes your playground. How? US BMX rider, rising super-star and model, Austin Augie fuses his BMX skills with video-blogging. It’s a contagious blast.
Rémy Russotto: I heard you like your cameras. What was your first camera? Do you still
use it?
Austin Augie: I am a big fan of cameras. I love that I can turn it on and instantly capture memories. My first camera was a Canon t3i, a really cheap one. I used it for about a year until I got too stoned one day and left it on top of a car and found it a couple of moments later shattered on the ground! I have since upgraded to the Panasonic gh5.
RR: For some strange reason something about what you do reminds me of Seinfeld, in a good way (I love Seinfeld). Maybe it’s the vlogging (video-blogging) about your life. Does that make sense to you?
There is something about making a city your playground.
AA.
AA: HAHA! I love Seinfeld. Fun fact: I was at this party and Jerry was there but I was to shy to say anything to him. But his wife took a selfie with me! I totally agree though: Seinfeld was unpredictable; you really didn’t know what was going to happen from one episode to the next. Much like the stories of my life.
RR: When did you start riding? What was your first bike, its color?
AA: I started riding about 11 years ago when I was in middle school. My first bike was a Haro backtrail. My aunt used to do these big garage sells and I remember getting rid of my Xbox so I could get that bike. I think it was red.
RR: Do you need a public to ride?
AA: When it comes down to it, I would much rather ride with my pals than alone. There is this certain energy you get when you ride around the city with your friends. Nothing else matters at that point, you just kind of forget about all the problems you have and just have fun. That’s honestly the best part of riding.
RR: Is riding a way to merge yourself into a city, an environment, a staircase? To make the city yours?
AA: Riding for me is an escape. When I was growing up, I lived in really rural areas and my favorite thing to do would be to head to the neighboring city and just ride around. There is something about making a city your playground. It is a good way to merge yourself into a city.
RR: When does a city become boring to you?
AA: Any place can become boring if you are there long enough, even New York. I tend to get bored when I have nothing going on. When you wake up and have nothing to do, that’s always a good time for me to travel. I hate the feeling of doing nothing.
Any place can become boring if you are there long enough, even New York.
AA.
RR: What would you never vlog about ?
AA: When I first started the YouTube channel, nothing was off the table. It was pretty much The Truman Show; I just wanted to share my story with an audience. After about a year it takes a toll on you. I have learned what to share and what not to share. For example I was in a relationship for a better part of a year and that was something I didn’t want to share. Some things need to be kept private.
RR: Speed counts, but is riding about being fast enough that everything starts slowing down and you start seeing things in slow- motion. The faster you go and the more control you have the slower things appear to be? And that’s the zone you try to penetrate?
AA: You would be surprised how slow we actually go to get the trick. If I am doing something scary, where I could really get hurt, I tend to only think of doing that one thing. It’s very therapeutic. When I’m about to go for the trick, everything stops. Literally. I almost black out for a split second and then you land, feeling overwhelmed.
RR: You need style to ride. What’s your style?
AA: Style; a huge part of the BMX scene. You could be one of the best riders in the world, but if you have no style no one really cares. I would say my style is very loose, just trying not to look “crunchy”. (...)
RR: What’s your next big plan?
AA: I’m going to San Francisco at the end of the month to do a review on this new electric moped. But big picture: I really want to get into acting and progress with my career.
RR: How’s the fashion world to you?
AA: I’m somewhat new to fashion. It’s really weird, but cool. If you can get past all the egos. I have met a ton of great people, some have become my friends.
RR: Any good dreams recently or nightmares?
AA: It’s crazy you ask that. Lately I have been having an unexplainable amount of dreams. Last night I dreamt I was somewhere in the desert with my puppy chasing something. I can’t really remember what we were chasing, but I remember seeing the pyramids in the distance. I assume we were in Egypt, maybe chasing camels. Also I have one nightmare in particular; I’m in this room and this guy is just walking around me screaming, and each time he would scream his face would change.
RR: Do you believe in ghosts?
AA: Yes, I do.
RR: What’s the name of your first love?
AA: I have only been in love once, and it was recent. Getting over your first love is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Her name was Jessica. We haven’t been together for three months now, and I still think about her everyday.
RR: Are you in love?
AA: Love; love is fucking crazy. To answer the question: no I’m not in love right now with an individual, but I am in love with life and in love with the adventure, with trying to achieve my dreams.
RR: Do you surf?
AA: I am a huge fan of surfing. I have tried it a couple times; have yet to catch a wave though! I would love to get into it this summer though. You would be surprised; New York has a pretty big surf scene.
RR: Do you enjoy Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings?
AA: Jackson Pollock’s paintings, I wouldn’t say I enjoy them. But I feel like I relate to them; much like my life, they are crazy and unpredictable.
RR: What are you wearing now?
AA: Well it’s about 8 in the morning and I’m still in bed writing this. I’m wearing some cotton pants I got from Thailand (they are super airy and are good to sleep in) and that’s it.
Archive from our Issue 5 FW18
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Words by Rémy Russotto
Photography by Ricardo Gomes
Production by Michaël Marson
All clothes CALVIN KLEIN JEANS
Austin Augie is represented by IMG Models
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