As a hyperactive kid, Claes poured his physical energy into soccer and his mental energy into art. And, perhaps DNA had a role to play in his creative pursuits — with both parents as interior designers and older brothers working as a pastry chef and an art dealer. Claes grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and wanted to soak up every opportunity the nearby city had to offer. In high school, he worked at RSVP Gallery. The retail space and art gallery that combines luxury goods, streetwear and art was co-founded by the late Virgil Abloh, a UW–Madison alum, fashion designer and entrepreneur. “I walked into RSVP Gallery for the first time and immediately thought: ‘This is my world — this is where I want to be,’” Claes says. This realization solidified when Claes worked with Chicago artists on a collaboration with Nike. His passion for sports and art collided when he designed graphics to revamp basketball courts on the southside of Chicago.