The Card Collab – Issue #7
For many people, skateboarding, streetwear, and trading card games seem like completely different worlds.
One is built around skateparks, city streets, and learning tricks through countless hours of practice. Another revolves around creativity, design, and building something people connect with. The third is filled with booster packs, deck building, and collectible cards.
But for the creator behind Upland Streetwear, those worlds have always felt connected.
At their core, all three are about individuality. They're about creating something that reflects who you are, whether that's the tricks you choose to learn, the clothes you choose to wear, or the deck you build to sit across from an opponent.
And for him, that journey started with trading cards.
Before the Skating, There Were Cards
Long before he discovered skateboarding or clothing design, his first hobby was Yu-Gi-Oh!
The hobby entered his life through family. His aunt and uncle were already deeply involved in gaming culture, spending time with games like Guild Wars, Final Fantasy X, and Magic: The Gathering. When the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime first began airing on Saturday mornings, it quickly became something they all shared together.
"We would go over there on the weekends to watch the show," he recalled. "Then we eventually started getting into the actual card game from the show."
Like many collectors who grew up during that era, some memories remain crystal clear decades later.
He still remembers standing in Target and picking up the original Yugi and Kaiba Starter Decks that launched his trading card journey. Those weren't just products on a shelf. They were a gateway into an entirely new world of strategy, collecting, and imagination.