Between The Lines 021: Action Bronson
Inside The Mind of Dr. Baklava
Words by Sian Lori
Ahead of the coveted release in the next phase of his New Balance partnership, we sat down with Action Bronson to take stock of his successes and unpack his relationship to art, footwear and the blossoming Baklava Universe.
Renaissance man may be a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, but Action Bronson is undoubtedly one. Coined in the 14th Century, it’s a phrase that was assigned to masters of the arts and sciences, from Michelangelo to Da Vinci, and came to be a European ideal. A Renaissance man was expected to be smart, charming, witty, able to dance, write poetry, play music, wrestle and fight. We all know Bronson as the boisterous gourmet chef-turned-rapper, but he’s also a New York Times best-selling author, he competed (and won) an All Elite Wrestling's Grand Slam and, believe it or not, he paints. He’s got an unforgettable face and the personality to match and his tongue-in-cheek, straight-talking nature has got him to where he is today. He has his finger in so many pies it’s hard to keep up and, this year, he’s crossing off another personal goal with a solo footwear release.
Bronson doesn’t give too much thought to the branding of a Renaissance man, it’s simply just who he is. “I really do all this stuff for me”, he explains. If you want to question the ties between his rapping and cooking, or his painting and products, go ahead, but everything makes sense if you look at where he started. A Queens native, he’s spent decades immersed in the diversity of New York, developing his level of taste, both physically, with food, and culturally. Chefs have long-been experimenting with different combinations to achieve the perfect harmony of taste. Discovering things that complement each other, they pair the unexpected to create points of interest and a point of view. Bronson, and his ever-expanding portfolio of successes, channels the energy of his home city; the city that never sleeps. He pairs his in-the-moment mindset with a pinch of nostalgia, he’s eclectic and exciting and you never quite know what’s next.
When it comes to footwear, Bronson isn’t new to the game. He’s been collaborating with New Balance for quite some time and, in 2023 he dropped one of the boldest sneakers of the year: the divisive "Baklava" 990v6. In true Bronson style, the model married an unusual blend of colours: blue sole, pink laces, forrest green lining with panelling in orange, tan suede and, true to its name, amplified pistachio green. “I’ve always had this deep passion for art and sneakers are an amazing canvas.” Of course, Bronson was heavily ingrained in the sneaker scene through his relationship to hip-hop, but his love of sneakers can be traced back to the early 90s. You could find him searching the city for spots, stealthily sniping styles on Ebay, securing hand-me-downs from his cousins in Astoria. “Growing up I always had different shit, I wasn't on the same thing as everybody else. I wore women's colour-ways, my mom's shoes”. Perhaps it is his mom who can be credited for much of his relationship to footwear and colour: “she was wearing New Balances” and “killing them with orange or magenta Air Max 95s”. It’s worth noting that, at one point, Bronson even had a NB tattoo on his arm. It’s safe to say his partnership with the company is a dream come true, while also providing “a renewal and validation” of his energy and influence.
“I’m like a shark, I have to
keep moving to survive.”
Action Bronson
Still, prior to this collaboration, Bronson did take a stab at his own footwear. He, unlike many designers starting out, got through two rounds of design development before parking the project. While he wasn’t quite feeling the design at the time, if you take a look now, you can see some of the hallmarks of his successes with New Balance: layered panelling, leather, pops of colour, cherry lining. There’s this artful touch to Bronson’s shoes, they’re unmistakably his. He’s keeping that NB momentum going and building out the Baklava Universe with three 1906R models. The 1906Rs, otherwise known as “Rosewater”, “Scorpius” and “Medusa Azul”, continue Bronson’s affinity and understanding of colour and texture: think neons, sheer layering, an investigation of blue. He’s got things designed up until 2026 with NB but he isn’t stopping there.
Bronson is establishing the Baklava World as its own entity, as a brand. What began as the Baklava Flea Market of Action Bronson merch has transformed into something greater and deeper. Baklava is everything Action Bronson represents; it’s a reflection of himself and his studio. His studio is eclectic: its corners dominated by kettlebells; there’s a 90s Avirex jacket hanging by a signed picture of the great Ronnie Coleman, but amongst the stereotypically macho, there’s a gentleness present in his space. There’s a turtle shrine - to “the turtle gods” Bronson clarifies - there’s palo santo, paints, vast canvases and a wealth of artefacts and inspirations. There’s a cork board with ideas pinned to it; “I’ve got scheduling on calendars” exclaims Bronson. His success isn’t happenstance or random, he knows, now more than ever, what he wants to make, do and achieve. “I'm trying to take this to places where I never thought I could and I’m doing it my way”.
Now, from within the Baklava Universe, he’s releasing his own shoe, not propped up by another label but entirely his own creation. This shoe tells the story of where his family comes from; “you know I got hit with this”, he laughs. “No matter what slipper was at the door, your mom’s or grandfather’s, you put them on to take out the garbage and come back”. It’s a familiar feeling. The shoe, based on the Albanian papuçë his grandfather wore, is characterised by the ease and comfort it gives its wearer. Named ‘Studio’, there’s another key reference point for this venture: the footwear Picasso donned when painting. An answer to a practical need, just like crocs in the kitchen, this shoe indicates Bronson’s comfort as a painter in his own studio. Designed with an unexpected pointed toe the model harks back to history: “there was no such thing as a rounded toe in communist Yugoslavia” explains Bronson. Actually, throughout history, the pointed toe has represented status, whether in medieval England or amongst “cartel guys”, “the biggest G had the pointiest shoe”. It’s safe to say Picasso was “a big G” in painting, and Bronson himself maintains that confidence.
It takes a lot of tenacity, confidence “and fucking balls” to turn talents or skillsets into success across industries, or any industry for that matter. “I come from a place where I’m not supposed to be this famous rap guy but, once you’ve made it in New York, you can make it anywhere” believes Bronson. Throughout his career, he’s maintained the same level of conviction. It’s what made him a great chef and a great match for the demanding dynamic of the kitchen. He “had to be creative but prepped, militant as well as artistic” and, as a result, his creativity or work ethic has never been up for debate. Nothing Bronson does should be reduced to “a celebrity project”, especially now. When launching a solo brand, it’s common for a designer to follow an existing trend or tap into the zeitgeist to ensure their project is received commercially. This isn’t what Bronson is doing. This launch isn’t a sneaker, it’s an EVA slide. It’s a bold move, bold like his mom in her orange 95s or like sharing a painting on Instagram.“Slippers are an ethnic thing”; they’re personal and it is perhaps Bronson’s personal painting journey that encouraged the development of the ‘Studio’.
Bronson’s paintings, a newer creative output, are the most emotional facet of his creativity yet. It’s Bronson in his “purest form”, not pre-planned, conscious or contrived. His large canvases, many of which have become album covers, nod to Neo-expressionism, with child-like brush-strokes, audacious colours and graphic references. While they share the nostalgia and obscurity of his lyrics, his paintings are a way to articulate what his music or food cannot. “Painting is a way to work through my problems” he explains. He doesn’t draw or plan anything out, “something within him guides the work” and from there it weaves its own story. Discussing Francis Bacon’s grotesque imperfections or the deceptively simple work of Philip Guston, Bronson is both informed and instinctive. “I find the beauty in the process and the oddities”, he explains. His paintings are the best demonstration of his intuitive and process-driven approach to life. They are the language of Baklava, in their relationship to colour, proportion and humour, but also in their authenticity; their genuine vulnerability. In this vein, his work and the Baklava World will continue to expand just as he does.
Action Bronson is unquestionably an artist, and “artists do many things”. “I want to show the odd pairings of life” he explains. When you think about it, it’s all gastronomy: the marriage of food, culture, tradition and innovation. Bronson continues to find correlations in the unlikely and he doesn’t care about what people think or what they’re into. If he’s into it, it’s worth exploring, and it’s likely cool.“I have a deeper Rolodex of sick memories and experiences” he explains, and it’s a statement that’s impossible to argue with. How many people have had success across such a broad spectrum of practices? Bronson has curated a lifestyle across so many spaces that it makes you wonder if he ever sits still. Sure, he enjoys a few days off to reflect, but even during our call he’s pacing the house. “I’m like a shark, I have to keep moving to survive”. It’s the pace of New York, and the kitchen, now brought to his studio.
It seems like the recipe for Action Bronson’s success is - unfortunately for the rest of us - being himself. It takes talent, taste and conviction to achieve what Bronson has. He’s constantly inspired and constantly pushing, so if you can think of something he’s not yet done, just wait a few years and check again. Now, at 40, Bronson admits that he feels the crunch of time: “we don't have enough time on Earth in this life, I want to be as healthy as possible and do everything I ever dreamed of”. He’s incredibly grateful for everything he has and he’s built, and you can see it in his work, from his paintings to papuçë. His renaissance reputation knows no limits, simply because he isn’t afraid to put himself out there. Just like turtles returning to their birth place, Action Bronson reminds us to “never forget where you come from”, to leave fear at the door and to make the most out of life. We think that’s a pretty good thing to be known for.
The Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R Baklava Collection will be available from the Specializing in Life site.