Silxnt Hill is a Nigerian streetwear brand founded by two friends from Babcock University, who share a passion for hip-hop culture and minimalist style. The brand emerged from their fashion journeys and reflects a unique essence, symbolizing a commitment to “quietly defy limits” through bold and introspective designs.
This interview explores their journey in detail and provides in-depth information about their vision for the future.
Who/what inspired you to start Silxnt Hill?
I’ve always been inspired by fashion from my teen years; I was just too broke to afford what I wanted. As a kid, I was one of those kids who grew up on American Hip/Hop culture. I learned about fashion from rappers like ASAP Rocky, Kanye West, and Pharrell. The person who pushed me to start a brand was my friend, Tremaine. In our early days in Babcock, we used to play dress up & take photos in school. A lot happened in between those times, but fast forward to January 2024, we started Silxnt Hill together.
What’s the idea behind the brand’s name, “Silxnt Hill?”
The first name I ever thought of was “Mystery Hill,” but I didn’t like it. The idea was to name it after something we both represented, we were always known in school for style and fashion but we were often overlooked or unheard of compared to our popular peers due to our minimalistic style & discreet nature, so when I thought of the name Silent Hill, I wanted it to be like a place where the overlooked and underrated can freely express themselves and beat the odds, that’s why our slogan is “quietly defying limits”.
What emotions or attitudes should the Silxnt Hill evoke?
Authenticity, Still resilience, Belonging, Introspection.
What makes this streetwear brand different from competitors?
I don’t see fashion as a competitive sport. For brands to grow, they have to come together and make timeless or great collaborations. I think our brand offers something every other great brand out there does. We all have our audience and people rooting for us, and that’s really all that matters.
The prices of “Streetwear” apparel have been an ongoing conversation for a while. What do you think about them?
I think it’s very serious and deserves some more light shed on the topic. It’s just funny how some of these brands come overnight, aren’t known, do not have a community or anything they represent, and just claim they are streetwear and start selling tees for $300-500. Now, I don’t wanna rain on their parade, but all they gotta know is they’re not “streetwear” because they do not represent the essence of the culture of street wear.
What do you think differentiates streetwear from luxurious wear?
Streetwear is born from culture, self-expression, and a community of people; luxury wear is rooted in high fashion, status, exclusivity, and heritage. In some examples like Off-White & Fear Of God, they can both meet but their philosophies have always been different, one represents the youth the other represents the wealthy, one is accessible yet limited the other is expensive & exclusive, the branding of one is bold, sometimes political and represents a certain art form or culture, the other is more subtle and prioritizes prestige.
Do your designs incorporate any cultural, political, or artistic themes?
Cultural and artistic, yes, political no, or at least not yet. We try our best to show everything that influences us and represents our brand in our designs. A shout out to Tremaine, who brings all our ideas to life in his sketchbook. He is a great designer.
Do you think Silxnt Hill will make pieces with recyclable materials in the near future?
Well, maybe someone has to save our planet & everyone’s contribution matters.
Since the inception of the brand, what has been the toughest issue you’ve had to overcome?
Production can be really frustrating. We all know Nigerian tailors can be funny, but we still try our best to fight fire with fire (lol).
Outside Nigeria, deliveries have been my biggest headache. It’s not like they’re unavailable, but the cost scares our diaspora community away. Imagine buying items for N100k, and the delivery is N150k. The economy is really affecting us in that aspect.
Are there Nigerian, African, or International brands you would love to collaborate with?
If I can ever collaborate with Nike, Supreme, Severe Nature & Bape, I think my mission on earth is done lol. We have some great underground brands I would love to work with too; 4KCTRL, 9ine, The Apocalypse Project, AVID, Astlvi, etc.
Would Silxnt Hill have a pop-up anytime soon?
It depends. Right now, there’s a lot I am planning. If it clicks, a university tour would be our first stop for sure, followed by a major pop-up.
