Rains collabed with Collective Bikes for an exclusive bike, and joined forces with BMX rider and photographer Austin Augie to show it off – hitting up cities around Europe (London, Paris and Copenhagen) to take the community for a ride.
So, we went down to Rains’ Shoreditch store to meet Augie, chat about it all, and test out the sleek new Rains bike.
Could you please tell us about yourself?
“Hello, my name is Austin Augie from New York City, born and raised in Indiana. Converse, Indiana – very small town. I'm a photographer. I used to be like a full-time model. I'm usually behind the lens now. I'm a photographer, BMX rider, traveller.”
What are we doing today?
“We're at the Rains store here in London, and we are doing kind of like a curated ride that Rains put together with some of the guys that live out here, and I'm the host of it. So, we're going to be riding from all around London, and I don't know London at all, and I am the host. So if we get lost, we have the guys that keep us together.”
Talk to us about your partnership with Rains, how did it come about?
“I think it was like four months ago I had a call with them, and they kind of were curious if I wanted to do it. Fast forward a couple months later, I went to Copenhagen, shot the campaign. [The underwater photograph] is not actually me. It’s a stunt double. All the other shots are me. My contribution was more of the tricks and showing it off a bit. You can do a little wheelies, a little nose. Earlier today I jumped it off of a trailer.”
Can you talk to us about your fit today?
“Besides the shoes, I'm all Rained out. This is an employee jacket but I liked it and they gave me one. This is the fleece, Rains, gray sweatshirt. But I have like six pairs of these now. I only wear these pants.”
What does riding mean to you?
“If you're in a new city, you don't know where you're going, it's a great way to explore the city. And it’s brought me so much joy and so many opportunities. I'm here in London, I'm going to Paris next week, I'm going to Copenhagen, it's really been such a catalyst for my career.”
You've been a professional BMX rider for a big chunk of your life, how did you start out?
“So, I sold my Xbox when I was 15 years old, and I got a bike. And as soon as I got the bike, I really just started every single day. I didn't give a f*ck about school, I just said BMX, BMX. And I was pretty dead set on becoming a professional. It took a long time. I moved to Arizona. I won a contest called the Street Series. And, you know, once I started taking off, I was like, I can do this for a living. Short-lived, short-lived living. I broke some bones.”
What's the biggest bone you've broken?
“My whole leg is metal. I snapped my leg. And in the beginning of Covid – this is when I quit riding professionally – I shattered my elbow, I can't keep it straight anymore.”
You’ve ridden around the world, what's been the biggest highlight?
“The biggest highlight of my BMX career was probably winning the Street Series in Chicago, I stole my dad's truck and drove to Chicago. I came back with a ring and said ‘Dad, I’m sorry, but I won this.’ That, or the contest that I throw in New York called Don of the Streets, it's the biggest street contest, and I throw it every year. That's probably my biggest contribution; I can give back to the community that's given me everything.”
What’s your best riding advice?
“Just ride your bike as much as you can, be comfortable behind the bars and don't be afraid to get a little wild, you know.”
Could you talk to us about your photography?
“Yeah, that’s my main squeeze, I f*cking love it. I compare getting a roll of film back to like landing a trick on a bike. It’s much like riding a bike, curiosity really leads you to different places of the city that you wouldn’t usually go to. I’ll never stop shooting photos.”
How did you start shooting?
“I was a YouTuber – I still have a YouTube channel, but it's a little bit different than what it was – I just documented every single day of my life, and I got better at composing video frames, and my friend Angel told me to pick up a camera, shoot photos. I started shooting photos, and I just kind of segued into like where it's at rn. It’s the thing that takes me around the world now.”
What's been the most exciting point of your career?
“Photo career? I spent like two weeks with Kim K and Kanye, shooting for the Met Gala and Saturday Night Live. I thought it was funny, right? I'm in this room with Kim K, and Kanye, I'm like ‘Kim, can you eat that cookie differently so I can shoot it?’
“But other than that, I have my own production studio AU Studios, and get to direct and shoot big campaigns and travel the world. And you know, I do what I love to do, which is the best gift I can have, I guess.”
What’s your advice for any young creatives starting out now?
“Have passion. Don't just call yourself a creative. Strive to be an artist and not a creative. I think that word gets thrown around quite a lot now. You have to have a passion for something. And that passion will lead to big things that you dream of. But if you're not passionate about it, it's not going to be reciprocated in the world. People aren't going to really adhere to your work.”
What's the biggest life advice you've ever received?
“I guess don't be obnoxious. You know what I mean? Learn how to not talk and listen. It took me a long time to learn that.”
What's your go-to NYC night out?
“Forgtmenot. Pints. It’s a local bar on the Lower East Side. I love all those people over there. I've been going there for about 10 years or so.”
What's your favourite NYC food spot?
“Xian, famous Chinese food. It's hand-pulled noodles, they slap. It's a chain actually, it's so f*cking good.”
You have cool style, what are your biggest style tips?
“Thank you. I would say, you know when something feels good when you put it on. If it feels good, you look good. Holy sh*t, sometimes I look like a hobo. But if I feel comfortable, confidence kind of lets it fly.”
Anything else that you're working on?
“We just rebranded my studio, my production company, it's called AU Studios. We’re doing a whole new brand. I’m travelling to Ireland soon and I'm doing a gallery for White Wall, which is beautiful. They print and ship photos and frame them, and they gave me a budget to travel around the world and shoot photos.
“I don't want any more low points, I want to just continue this journey going up. I've had enough of the hurdles. My 30s seem to be going up, and I just got to stay motivated and keep f*cking going, you know. It's hard sometimes. Especially in our world, you know what I mean? Like, sometimes it's difficult.”
Featured images shot on iPhone by Danai Dana
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