Crash landing from another dimension comes Plastic Pizza, a designer toy company that takes an out-of-this-world approach to art. Founded by Jordan Fuchs, alongside his wife Sarah, in just a few years Plastic Pizza has made steady headway through the creative cosmos.
I first came across Plastic Pizza while putting together UP’s Issue 5 – I told them about the project and I was staggered by how supportive they were from the get-go, putting together one of the most innovative sponsor pages in the issue, riffing off the ICONS theme.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the Florida-based Plastic Pizza had projects popping up everywhere, from a table at CreativesCon, to a booth at Five Point’s Fest, to an exhibit at Zazzy’s Pizza, to merch drops with some of the hottest artists. As Fuchs explained to me, “Plastic Pizza is a grassroots artistic community that we’ve grown through social media – we created a platform and a playground for artists to come and work in.” He continued, “our main goal in the beginning was to work primarily in fashion and designer toys, however that has spread in a thousand different directions. We’re excited to be growing in a bunch of different areas we never expected to.”
“Plastic Pizza is a grassroots artistic community that we’ve grown through social media – we created a platform and a playground for artists to come and work in.”
The origins of the brand can be traced to Fuch’s desire to start a business that also appealed to his own tastes, “all the things I thought were awesome and cool and fun.” A self-certified nerd, long-before Plastic Pizza his room was already filled with collectibles. He was finishing his Master’s Degree in Online Education when COVID hit, and as many of us did, he began to reconsider the life path he was on.
During the middle of the Pandemic, he took a trip to New York. While he’d been before, having made pilgrimages to his favorite stores like Toy Tokyo and MyPlasticHeart, this trip took on a special purpose.
“Experiencing all the art on the plywood, and seeing how the artist community and the toy community found an outlet for income through Popshop Live and through online selling, we saw an opportunity to participate in a way that would be authentic and real and unique…. Where we could be more than just a consumer, we could be creators too.” Fuchs recalled.
“Experiencing all the art on the plywood, and seeing how the artist community and the toy community found an outlet for income through Popshop Live and through online selling, we saw an opportunity to participate in a way that would be authentic and real and unique…. Where we could be more than just a consumer, we could be creators too.” Fuchs recalled.
When brainstorming a name for the nascent brand, he knew he wanted something catchy and poppy – the alliterative was a given, like Peter Parker. “I wanted it to feel fun when you say it. And then for me, I have an addiction. Some addictions we’re willing to admit and some we’re willing not to admit… An addiction I have to admit to is Pizza!”
Plastic Pizza officially launched in the Summer of ’21, with “the idea and concept of Plastic Pizza as an interdimensional corporation who travels through time and space and works with artists from all over the western spiral galaxy to create content so that ultimately interdimensional bliss can be delivered to customers.” Fuchs chuckled.
One thing that anyone whose met Fuchs can attest to, is his giddy nature and infectious good attitude. For him, the slight kitsch of interplanetary travel is part of the fun. This playful mindset radiates in all of Plastic Pizza’s projects.
As Plastic Pizza began to grow, they realized to be successful they would need to tackle the challenges from multiple angles, and build from the ground up. “If we want to be the next KAWS, you don’t just start selling a figure for $400, you have to build a character and brand and a reputation put years in the making…. We’re at ground zero, at the very beginning of where this whole thing is going to begin and we are thinking five, ten, fifteen years down the road. We knew we had to create a character so people are more likely to connect to it. If we create a story, people are more likely to understand it. If we can create the universe to sustain it, it will more likely withstand the test of time.”
Enter: Peace the Pizza. “He comes in peace and pieces,” Fuchs added with a laugh. The genius behind Peace is his adaptability. With customization in mind, the team began recruiting artists to work with and interpret Peace in their own image. As they built the brand, they realized not only did they need to find customers, but they also had to educate them on the culture. “With some of our customers, they don’t know what KidRobot is, or who Johnny Cupcake is, but we’re like a steppingstone for a lot of people who are getting into it.”
And in building their audience, Plastic Pizza has traveled the country and the cosmos. “We’ve done shows in Miami, in Orlando, in L.A., Chicago, New York…” The travel has become part of the adventure. “I wasn’t expecting this feeling… like being in a high school band, jumping in a van and traveling the country. And like a band, we don’t necessary have advance time. We show up that day and within a matter of a few hours, you set up and you’re ready to go.”
In their travels, they’ve also built up a roster of artists including King Gonga, Nix Panda, Optimo, Mister Mento, Doctor Plopz, and more, putting together collaborations on toys, shirts, pins, and whatever they can find.
“All those artists they believed in us so early… when nobody even knew what we were. And most people thought we were much larger, like a corporation who travels time and space.”
“All those artists they believed in us so early… when nobody even knew what we were. And most people thought we were much larger, like a corporation who travels time and space.” Presenting polished work has not only allowed them to create a sizable presence in the scene, but growing it into reality.
Of course, living the dream and traveling the country isn’t always roses. Plastic Pizza has had to overcome plenty of challenges, but thankfully Fuchs hasn’t had to fight them alone, having Sarah by his side. The story of their meeting has a certain fairy-tale charm to it.
“I met Sarah in the House of Magic.” Fuchs shared, with a certain glow. “My history is in theater. I originally graduated from high school two years early to go join an equity theater company… and one of my passions is still the theater.”
During his time at The University of South Florida, he went to see a production of As You Like It. However when he got there, there was someone in his seat. “And I’m not very much of a ladies man,” he added with a laugh, “so I was not too smooth other than telling her that she could keep the seat and I’ll steal her seat, which was next to mine. I had snuck Skittles into the performance and when I accidentally dropped Skittles and they rolled down the steps and made a noise, it made her laugh. As somebody who grew up in theater and was taught much better manners than that, I shouldn’t have opened candy during a performance, but it created a moment where we bonded.”
“In the couple of hours sitting next to her at that play, she had made such an impression on me and just she had the most beautiful eyes and she just smiled. When she smiled, it was gorgeous.” Fuchs added, “it was a match made in heaven because I’ve always loved the theater, that’s where I got my start and I do believe that it’s the House of Magic, where anything is possible. And to meet my wife there was destiny.”
‘“The best part is we get to do it together as a family. When I created Plastic Pizza, my biggest fear was not spending every waking hour next to my wife. Anybody who knows us personally knows that we’re connected at the hip, and to be able to have this creative journey, together 24-hours a day and succeed and survive, it’s a dream.”
Together, Jordan and Sarah are bringing Peace and Plastic Pizza to the world. “The best part is we get to do it together as a family. When I created Plastic Pizza, my biggest fear was not spending every waking hour next to my wife. Anybody who knows us personally knows that we’re connected at the hip, and to be able to have this creative journey, together 24-hours a day and succeed and survive, it’s a dream.”
To stay tuned to what Plastic Pizza has going on, be sure to check them out on PopShop Live, an app that helps connect creators & collectors. “It’s one of the most amazing moments in history. I’ve watched for three years what artists have done on Popshop and NTWRK and the opportunity that is there. When people tune into Popshop, they get to welcome an entire new community of sellers. I absolutely love and adore these communities of artists that are now finding an outlet for sustainability through online sales and to be able to create a personal experience and, you know, one of the great things Disney did was is he didn’t just create artwork or movies or theme parks was he created experiences and memories.”
So what’s next for Plastic Pizza? They’ll be back in New York in June for the third edition of their Zazzy’s pop-up, but even sooner they’ll be dropping ‘Pizza for Breakfast’ on NTWRK. The drop, scheduled for Saturday April 15th at 11am features over 24 artists with original pieces.
