“Talent inspires me. Raw/new or established. In all forms,” says Ross Westland, the creative director of Pharrell and Nigo’s Billionaire Boys Club and Icecream Europe. “I’m really drawn to the marriage of audio and visual – I’ll hear something and it’ll paint a very vivid idea in my mind, similarly I can see something and imagine pushing it or evolving it into something else.” He’s speaking of what keeps him motivated and evolving at the American brother labels since his appointment to their helm in 2018. Since then, he’s transformed the streetwear staples into a globally resonant force, blending nostalgia with modernity through high-profile collaborations and refined design direction.

So how did he manage to land the gig of a lifetime? “Consistency, energy and strong will,” he says. “I took opportunities as they presented themselves and made some other ones arise and now here we are. There was no road map or real communication on what to do, I’ve just been focussed on doing the right thing by the brand and following my intuition.”

Following his intuition is second nature for Westland, who has built his career on instinct, adaptability and a deep appreciation for culture. “I don’t have any particular niches or hacks. I’m just like a sponge and just take in everything, anywhere,” he says, adding, “It’s good to move around as much as possible and experience different things, little and big.”

Westland has moved a lot. Growing up in the English town of Leamington Spa, the designer became immersed in sports, music and street culture, fast developing a fascination with clothing. But access to high fashion was limited. “I wasn’t brought up with anything particularly special or fancy. Most things that I have from childhood that mean anything are football shirts or basketball jerseys. There’s definitely music that I treasure from my childhood and as I turned into a teenager and made money to buy my own clothes there’s still items that I have kept – my first BBC tee is in there. Growing up I couldn’t afford to buy a lot of what I liked but I could afford caps, so I ended up collecting a lot of caps and I still do.” After school, Westland set off to continue his education, undertaking a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing & Branding at Nottingham Trent University. When he graduated, aged 21, he landed in London where he took a job at the sales, distribution and marketing agency A Number of Names*, known for its work with Bape, BBC and Icecream, Human Made, Native Sons, Ambush and more.

It was because of this stint that he first stepped up to bat at BBC and Icecream. Drawn to its fusion of Japanese craftsmanship and American streetwear ethos, he began working with the brand’s European team, eventually rising through the ranks. Once he took the helm, under his direction, the labels sprouted upward and outward from niche streetwear brands primarily tied to its early-2000s hip-hop roots into multifaceted labels that now span skate, music and high fashion. “The brands have evolved so much. What started as a blue-sky idea from the minds of Pharrell and Nigo, designed and produced in Japan, is now a truly global entity with offices and partners in Europe, the US, Hong Kong and, of course, Japan.”

At BBC and Icecream, Westland has expanded the brand’s creative reach, championing collaborations that merge heritage, music, and emerging talent. “I get to work with a lot of talented people and bring people from outside the brand in to collaborate on creating images or campaigns. For BBC spring 2025 I was fortunate enough to collaborate on the campaign with Pi’erre Bourne and long time collaborator Fabien Montique. Both of those artists are inspirational to me and I’m sure many of our customers around the world, synergy like that drives me to create more. Last year we put together a pop up store during paris men’s fashion week in June to present the collaboration between Brent Faiyaz’ NUWO and BBC, the year before that we launched our Moncler collab and I cast that campaign with Clipse, we also put an Icecream diner in to 3537 (Dover Street Market Paris). There’s been a lot of good momentum over the past couple of years.”

Another notable link-up was with UK rap legend Giggs, wherein BBC shot its ‘Classics’ campaign in London, paying homage to the UK grime and rap scene. “Giggs is a foundational figure in the UK scene. That was really obvious for us since we wanted to launch our ‘Classics’ line for BBC. It doesn’t get much more classic than a shoot in London with Giggs. I purposely worked with Cian Moore who’s a great mind, to add his slant on the idea. It’s important to me that there is authenticity and realness, that’s the main thing I look for and am drawn to. It has to be authentic as there’s so much noise around, things can end up confusing or lost.”

Just last month, Westland unveiled his most ambitious vision for the brand yet. “We just showed the autumn 2025 collections for BBC, Icecream, BBC kids and, for the first time, we introduced an Icecream women’s collection.” On view were sleek varsity jackets, ‘90s-style baggy denim, updated astronaut and running dog graphics and tailored streetwear pieces that bridged skate culture and luxury. It was a pivotal moment for the labels, which continue to mature while remaining true to their rebellious, youthful DNA.

What’s next? “Embrace and maximise every opportunity. Spend time with my family. Learn and enjoy,” says Westand. His vision remains clear and his passion unwavering. With him, BBC and Icecream are sure to keep growing, innovating and shaping the future of contemporary streetwear, proving that legacy brands can evolve while staying true to their roots.

Photography courtesy of Billionaire Boys Club/Icecream.

@rosswestland