Ish Cepeda On His Brand Gas Giants

Photos and Interview by Matt Price

Ish Cepeda moved from Florida to Los Angeles to make waves in the skate industry. After turning pro for Shane O'Neil's April Skateboards and DC Shoes in 2021, Ish has been full steam ahead. What started as a video project to document his life and his friends has turned into Ish's apparel brand, Gas Giants. Between getting some of skating's biggest up-and-coming names in his clothes and premiering the last Gas Giants video on the side of a building in L.A., Ish is working hard to build something meaningful along side his skateboarding career.

CCS: You’re at a relatively young point in your career to have started your own brand, what made you want to launch Gas Giants?

Ish: I started it because I noticed that my friends and I have been doing a lot of cool stuff the last few years. I just wanted to document it. So I went out bought a laptop, and I also bought a lil camera. Then I just started making videos and putting them on YouTube.

What’s your fascination with space?

I’ve been obsessed with space since I was a child. Always loved that shit!! I loved reading facts about different planets in our solar system. I also love learning about stars and what different elements make up the universe, It’s even not just space, I truly love Science. I love to learn about how things work.

Would you go to space if someone would take you up in one of those space tourism rockets?

Hell yeah!! Would y’all send me to space?!

We need to look into the space travel budget, but maybe... Why do you think it is that younger skaters are starting brands now? Does it make more sense as something do alongside with your skate career rather than something you do after you’re done skating?

In my opinion I think a lot of younger skaters are starting brands because of social media. I feel like people are seeing the amount of people you can reach through social media. It’s something we’ve never seen before. I also think starting a brand is good to do alongside your skate career, because I feel like you should strike when the iron is hot. Make something while people are paying attention.

Who helps you with production and design and all that or do you do everything yourself?

I have a production team that helps me with full fulfillment, design ideas, and website. I got a good team!! Too many orders to be doing it all by myself haha!

That premier you did projecting your video across Beverly Blvd by at Burger She Wrote in L.A. was insane. How did that come about? Was that an idea you had to just project your video onto someone’s random building?

Such a fun story actually. So those guys that projected my premier were just casually doing it at this restaurant Escuela, so my homie Lee told me to go ask them to project a Gas Giants video on the wall and they did it!! I mean there was no sound but they had one of my edits playing on Beverly Blvd, it was sick ahaha. So I got their info and told them I want to have a real premier with a good sound system and everything. They were down!!! So that’s pretty much how it happened haha, next one gonna be in a real theater!

Who is the biggest supporter of Gas Giants? What homies are repping it the most now?

All my bros really. All my boys from Florida rep it super hard. Jamie Foy is a good friend of mine and he came to one of my pop ups and copped a bunch of stuff for him and his girl. That’s bro foreal. Also my homies out here rep it hard too, Davonte Jolly is a good friend of mine and he orders something every time I drop. Jolly also has his own brand, and I cop stuff when ever he drops too. Just homies supporting homies, it's a beautiful thing.

What are your goals for Gas Giants? What kind of brand do you want it to become?

Man!! Sky is the limit! One day I envision having Gas Giants festivals, concerts, skate events, collabs with big brands. Shit, even a store. I’m confident in myself and my brand and I know that I will achieve these things, just gotta put the work in!!

What tips would you give any young skaters wanting to start their own brand?

Just do it!! Who gives a fuck what anyone thinks. The people that support YOU will always have your back. Also be confident in your shit!! If you don’t believe in yourself no one else will.

Last Question. What planet is the best and why? Can’t be Earth…

C’mon man this too easy... Saturn duh!! Saturn’s rings can’t be beat, Saturn is the Michael Jordan of the planets in our Solar System. Quote me on that. 

Gas Giants is now available at CCS.com.