Jason Anderson | Alpinestars X Midnight Studios

INSTAGRAM | @elhombre21
INSTAGRAM | @alpinestarsmx
INSTAGRAM | @midnightstudios

2019 FOX RACEWAY MOTOCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

IMAGES | Tom Journet

Did you notice the Alpinestars setup that Jason Anderson wore during the second round of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship? With a bright yellow base, pink accent colors, and bold patterns, it was hard to miss the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider on the track. The gear was something that Anderson and friend-designer-influencer Shane Gonzales created with support from Alpinestars, and it follows the path the Italian company has built between motorsports and the fashion industry.

Gonzales is a Southern California 20-something that’s already an established creative figure within certain circles. The success of his personal brand, Midnight Studios, has led to relationships with established companies including Reebok, Off-White, and Converse, all of which were eager to bring his modern-day punk rock look to their products. Even with his work with the aforementioned brands and entertainers like A$AP Rocky, Gonzales maintains ties to motocross and it’s normal to see riders around his Instagram feed, including Anderson.

“Shane is from the 9, so we love the old school moto. Our inspiration was this set of Thor gear that Emig had back in the day. So that was part of it, but a little bit with the Midnight Studios deal,” explained Anderson of the project. Gonzales tends to use a dark palette and lots of metal accessories on the fabric, which can be attributed to his love of the Sex Pistols, so the Alpinestars gear was a colorful change and all of the details were sublimated into the fabric. “He has so many deals going on and I liked this Sex Pistols collab that he had. I liked the colors of that, and he came together with the 90s style moto. It’s not too 90s, but it’s a good mix.

“It’s two different worlds that collided. I’m into that stuff, as far as clothes and everything, so it’s sort of the new age style,” continued Anderson. “We have one more set of gear that we may come out with in the future. Shane was down and pulled it all together. We kept it low-key for this race, but we have more stuff that will be cool and should come out on Midnight TV (Gonzales’ media element of Midnight Studios).”

This isn’t the first set of one-off riding gear that Alpinestars has put together for Anderson. In 2018, the company and fashion firm Cactus Plant Flea Market made a tie-dye jersey and pant that Anderson wore during a TransWorld Motocross cover shoot that celebrated his Supercross title. “Alpinestars lets me do a bunch of collabs. The first one we did was with Cactus, but I didn’t even run the gear, I just wore it for the cover shoot, and they did a bigger deal this year,” recalled Anderson.

That a company as big as Alpinestars would do a one-off project with one of their riders and a unique brand like Midnight Studios says a lot. First, it shows a willingness to do something special for a rider. “Alpinestars letting me do my own things reminds me when I rode for Volcom and we did helmets. Alpinestars letting me do little projects, even if people don’t like it, I think it’s sick,” stated Anderson. “With Alpinestars, they got me the experience to drive the GT3 Lamborghini and that created a relationship with Lamborghini that will lead to more in the future. The support of Gabriel is great and they are a top-notch company, but they let me have freedom.”

Second, they see a crossover from motorsports to the mainstream. With world-class racers on their roster and a direct line to entertainers like Pharrell and Lil Uzi Vert (both wore the Cactus Plant Flea Market gear at the Rolling Loud concert festival), they will be able to build brand awareness and turn more attention towards racing. “Mainstream fashion and moto is way bigger and more important than people really understand,” concluded Anderson. “There is a new wave coming of how we can monetize this two-wheel deal, you see it with Axell and what he does, but I think there are ways we can do more with YouTube and fashion. I’m into it.”