About Backward

Hey, I’m Zac Rubi. In 2021 I established Backward for the purpose of documenting my personal style journey.

Clothes have always been a thing for me. Growing up I was that kid in the Michael Jordan Wizards jersey, cargo shorts, mid-calf socks, and a pair of Nike Huarache 2004s. Looking back, I was onto something. But somewhere in my 20s I drifted into buying whatever was at the mall and lost that spark entirely.

Around 2018 I started finding my way back. It kicked off with a Poshmark account, buying some streetwear, flipping stuff that still had value. Then Covid hit and suddenly there was time to really dig in. Thrift stores, flea markets, learning about brands, buying sneakers. It snowballed from there.

Backward is rooted in one simple frustration: too much clothing is just boring. Too many stores pushing the same stuff, too many people looking identical.

It gets interesting with  vintage, heritage brands, lesser-known international labels. That’s where you actually find something worth wearing.

Backward covers all of it: upcycling, streetwear, heritage wear, quality pieces worth investing in.

Over time it’s settled into two lanes I keep coming back to — what’s shaping a new street aesthetic right now (not trendy, just genuinely different), and what’s built to actually last without needing a designer logo to justify it.