FORTHEFLY CUSTOMS
NORMAL IS A ILLUSION
ForTheFly Customs is the work of British artist and designer Keith Thompson.
It started in Manchester in late 2018 with an old studded belt, an 80s motorcycle jacket and absolutely no intention of starting a clothing brand.
At the time, I was managing restaurants and bars, playing in bands, acting, painting and burning myself out trying to do everything at once. I needed something that was just for me.
So I took the old belt, stuck it to the back of the jacket in an inverted cross and added a couple hundred studs.
I put it on Instagram and a friend bought it straight away.
I used the money to make three more jackets. They soon found homes too.
Then came the first commission. The first stagewear project. The first handmade leather choker.
Before I really knew what was happening, ForTheFly Customs had come to life.
Then the world shut down and I vanished into my leather cave, went full-time with ForTheFly, moved to Barcelona,
and spent the next few years fucking things up, figuring them out and getting my 10,000 hours in fast.
Eventually, I understood why I couldn’t stop what I’d started.
I LEARNED I COULD MAKE MUSIC WITH LEATHER. WRITE SONGS IN STUDS.
LET’S MAKE SOMETHING.
Custom work, commissions, collaborations, stagewear, costume, purchase or rental — tell me what you have in mind.