Icky Split Is Not Here to Be Understood

Ché Watson Is Not Here to Be Understood
Written by Ferrell Dixon Jr. / Photographed by Justin Blevins

There’s a particular kind of designer who knows that their work doesn’t quite belong to the time or place they’re in. Ché Watson, also known as Icky Split, is one of them.

Born of thrift shops, survival, and sheer force of will, Icky Split’s fashion origin story doesn’t begin in a design school or an atelier—but in the woods, making art out of tree branches and found objects.

“As a kid, I spent most of my time outside, trying to make play weapons and only using things I found outside,” he tells ASLUT. “From a young age, I liked crafting things with my hands.”

When a sudden move left Ché without his belongings in high school, the DIY instinct kicked in.

“I had to start a whole new wardrobe that consisted of mostly thrifted clothes… I had my stepmother alter them for me. Eventually I got tired of constantly asking her, so I asked if she could show me one evening—and she did. Then I took what she taught me and ran with it,” he says.

The running didn’t stop. It just got sharper.

“I had to spend the night in jail on Christmas Eve and had $10,000 confiscated by the police,” Icky Split recalls. “After I paid my lawyer fees off, I had to find a normal job, but working toward someone else’s dream was a heavy burden on my soul. So I started making clothes and selling them.”

Let’s be clear: Ché isn’t just making clothes. He’s building something defiantly personal in a state that doesn’t always know what to do with designers like him.

“I think it’s really fun to take what I see around me here, recognize what is accepted and liked, and try to radicalize and juxtapose it into something new,” he tells ASLUT. “Something that challenges people to internalize their thoughts are antiquated and don’t fit into an all-inclusive and harmonious society.”

He cites Martin Margiela, Thierry Mugler, Riccardo Tisci, and Leonardo da Vinci as influences, with a side of anime and RPG flair.

“I love breathing new life into old things,” Ché says. “I barely play video games or watch anime, so anytime I see those things it’s so delightful and refreshing.”

There’s a punk elegance to his worldview. Icky Split talks often about juxtaposition—specifically, taking “the idea and aesthetics of a Proud Boy and making them queer.”

“There’s so much to play around with—juxtaposing the super tough and masculine with vulnerability, femininity, compassion, and cunt,” he tells ASLUT.

He’s fascinated by trailer parks, hoarders, and the aesthetics that the fashion industry ignores.

“People think living in a trailer park is one of the worst situations, but I’ve met some of the most content, gracious, and loving people there,” he says.

On sustainability:

“Everything that I use has either come off the ground or out of the trash or a thrift store,” he tells ASLUT. “At times I’ll get shirts and pants that have stains or holes because I know everyone else would think it’s ruined… unless I save it.”

“I rarely do the same thing twice.”

Icky Split doesn’t feel like the world fully sees him yet—but he’s used to that.

“I still think it’ll be a couple years before it comes around and the people actually grasp the concept,” he admits.

“One moment that warms my heart was when I was doing a runway show… and when my final piece stepped onto the runway, I heard the audience audibly gasp over the music,” he tells ASLUT.

As for leaving Oklahoma?

“I think I might lose the roots and forget what I was trying to accomplish through this if I moved to another place,” Ché says. “The ideal situation would be to continue to create here, but have opportunities to show my work in those places.”

His creative process is intense and intuitive:

“I’ll have ideas for years but not complete them until everything falls into place,” he tells ASLUT. “I trust my vision and taste. The best art is always the most vulnerable art.”

He admits the biggest challenge is internal:

“I think I’m my own worst enemy… not compromising my vision, not working as fast as I want to, not being as disciplined,” Icky Split says. “Great artists are everything but lazy.”

The dream?

“I want to work as a costume designer for cool movies like The Matrix and Hackers… dystopias and utopias that have completely different fashion norms,” he tells ASLUT. “Doing worldbuilding seems like an intricate, challenging, and gratifying project.”

To young designers in the Midwest?

“Learn how to use social media as a tool to get your name out there,” he says. “And take a chance on yourself—give yourself no other option. Pressure makes diamonds.”

“It’s either you crumble, or you withstand the pressure and shine through the dirt and mud.”

What’s next?

“I’m working with a photographer on concepts that are going to be uncanny and obscure, but in a gritty and elegant manner,” he tells ASLUT. “Then after that I’ll be doing a shirt drop.”

Ché Watson doesn’t need your permission. He’s already building the future. And when it lands, you’ll wish you paid attention sooner.