NefrFreshr {Style}
Riders Against the Storm’s frontman Jonathon ‘Chaka’ Mahone expands his creativity with a new clothing line.
Words by Austin Rae Downey Photos by Eric Morales
You may know Chaka through his band Riders Against the Storm (aka RAS), a collaboration with his wife, Qi Dada. However, Chaka is also making his mark in another artistic sphere: fashion. Through his collection NefrFresher, pronounced “Never Fresher,” Chaka employs the same powerful artistry and social consciousness present in his music.
NefrFreshr was officially launched in April 2017, but the idea was born eight years before, when Chaka was painting on t-shirts that he gave away to friends. The work he was producing felt both modern and indigenous, so he called his line NefrFreshr. The name is a play on the Egyptian word Nefertiti, a nod to the Egyptian civilization and hieroglyphics that inspire his work.
Chaka traces his original artistic inspiration to the graffiti splayed across his hometown of Pittsburgh. His collections belie traces of this art form through their bold colors and designs. Chaka’s work is also influenced by his time living in his local community on the Eastside. To him, “East Austin feels like home. No matter what city I travel to, I am always magnetized to places like East Austin. The culture and vibe of the city—the real heart—is there. My work has a lot of heart in it. It’s authentic… it’s Sunday afternoon in the park [and] blasting music out the trunk.”
Riders Against the Storm has become one of the most influential groups in the Austin music scene. They won ‘Band of the Year’ back-to-back in 2014 and 2015, an accomplishment they share with only a select few. When asked how NefrFreshr is an extension of the art expressed in his music, Chaka replies, “I can’t compartmentalize anything I do… Everything you see is an extension of me. NefrFreshr is the color and vibrance that lives in me.”
Each piece of clothing in Chaka’s line is hand-painted. He currently offers multiple collections, including an “Ancestors” collection which features black and white sketches of tribal figures, as well as a “Brothas” collection, which is marked by beautiful designs painted in vibrant color. The designs for the “Brothas” collection began on pieces of wood collected from Chaka’s East Austin neighborhood. Of his work, Chaka enthuses, “I want the images I create to become iconic representations of beauty, love, life, power.”
Did you know? NefrFreshr also offers Riders Against the Storm merchandise, so RAS fans can head to NefrFreshr’s website to browse the latest swag.
Contact:
chaka@fresh2life.com
