Yann Horowitz first came out in 2011 in a local South African skate zine. A few years later, as he pushed his vibrant style and made a name in London, he did it again, now out to the Euro scene. This past year, with the release of Pride, his film for Vans’ Love Letters to Skateboarding series, he put the world on blast. The current industry, blossoming with queer-owned skate brands and established companies whose teams represent all identities, is a different world from Yann’s early days on the scene. With a decade of self-discovery and self-expression behind him, Yann has emerged as a fierce advocate of the LGBTQ+ community within the skate industry, joyously celebrating being loud and proud. To bridge the before to the now, we asked long-time pro Stefan Janoski to link up with Yann, so they could connect over their shared love of a singularly individual sport, and feel their brotherly love flow.
Stefan: Hello Yann, where are you?
Yann: We are currently on a skate trip going up the west coast of South Africa.
Stefan: I am also on a skate trip, in Miami. I bet it’s interesting skating small towns in South Africa. What do the locals think of skating?
Yann: Small towns are always the funniest because we become the spectacle. Everyone is a relative weirdo to each other, which always makes it super interesting. It’s usually the churches in the small towns that have the best spots. Unfortunately you get in the most trouble for skating at small town churches.
Denim pants and jacket LEVIS shoes VANS
