John Moore’s magic fits into a single sentence: Without John, the world’s most authentic surf brand wouldn’t exist today, and neither would the world’s least authentic surf brand. John went to Art School as a surfer from California in the 90’s. His intention was to study painting and printmaking. Designing clothing never crossed his mind. But John was so talented that Abercrombie and Fitch wanted him. He was recruited heavily. The pitches came and he ignored them. And then one day he allowed the opportunity take him and he proceeded to create the look and feel of Hollister Surf Co. It was years later in 2011 that he resurrected M. Nii. These are the initials of a 1940’s tailor from Waianae Hawaii who made the world’s first surf specific shorts for surfers. Think about that – a tiny tailor; M. Nii was the first mover in what has now become the defacto poolside fashion for kids in Montana and adults in France – board shorts. See, John’s craft is creating things out of thin air and also employing a keen eye for the interesting. His superpower is taking whatever crazy idea you have and actually creating the thing. Because of this, he’s uncommonly impactful in the act of designing board shorts and living spaces and human experiences. Visual landscapes even. He can discuss the jacket and the pants. And the way their fabric print compliment the skin tone of a model as she stands in front of a camera. And he’ll actually know what he is talking about. This is why surf brands like Quiksilver have consulted him for input and opinions on the design of swimwear and clothing and the creation of entire brands. It’s how he and Kelly Slater became friends and collaborators. Today, John is the Creative Director at Outerknown. The brand he and Kelly created to represent travel, sustainability, and style. And this episode will keep your ear close to the speaker for more than an hour. Because John’s story is an example of the incredible control someone can have over the way they live their life and the things they spend their time doing. 

This episode is a long and calm hour and five minutes of deep talks with Rob that you’ll want to sink into. So pour a cup of Yerba Mate or whip up an Acai bowl and set some headphones on your head. Catch the vibe with us. This episode, like every episode, begins with an introduction. And in this case, it's an introduction that shouldn't really be there. See, the purpose of an introduction at the beginning of a podcast is to whet the audience's appetite in a way that gets them excited to listen. But exciting listeners for a conversation with Rob Machado is a bit like getting people excited to surf. Surfing is its own justification. So is Rob Machado. In fact, what this episode should really begin with is a segment where Rob introduces you to The Wire Podcast. Because Rob is the show here. Not The Wire. Rob is bigger than The Wire. In this episode we discuss his Go Fish, as well has his upcoming board models; The Midas and The Melted Butter. We also talk about the filming and editing of Proximity, why he never gets tired of surfing at Seaside Reef, and the surprising story behind why getting paid a lot of money to go surfing can actually be the scariest experience of your life. Enjoy.