Fausto Vitello

Biography

American, 1946-2006, Buenos Aires, based in San Francisco, CA

Fausto Vitello is a skateboard industry legend. In the late 1970s, Vitello was one of the founders of Independent Truck Company, which quickly became an industry leader. In 1981, Vitello co-founded Thrasher Magazine. The photos and articles brought the latest tricks, fashions, and gear to the attention of the youth of America, contributing to rise of the skateboard culture in America. While many were still dismissing skateboarding as a fad, Thrasher helped establish it as a dominant subculture that has evolved into the billion dollar industry it is today. In 1994, he helped found the international alternative art magazine, Juxtapoz. He also founded the skateboard distribution company, Deluxe, which distributes Spitfire Wheels, Thunder Trucks, Antihero Skateboards, Real Skateboards and Krooked Skateboards). Vitello was interviewed in San Francisco, CA on May 26, 2005.