Spotlight on Heritage: Reimagining Culture with Thomas Kraus-Weiss
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In this episode of Spotlight on Heritage, John Coster sits down with Thomas Kraus-Weiss, the creative force behind Chi$$it magazine—a print publication that blends streetwear, photojournalism, and reflections on real life from a Gen Z perspective. Alongside returning guest Tina Barton, and hosted by John Costa and Rob Watson, we explore how younger generations are rediscovering physical media and remixing cultural influences to shape a new kind of heritage.
What begins as a conversation about vintage fashion and vinyl records quickly becomes a deeper reflection on what heritage means in a city like Leicester today. Thomas shares how his love for tangible culture—vinyl, printed magazines, photography—has become a form of storytelling that connects past and present. His magazine Chi$$it captures this ethos, drawing on visual inspiration from retro gaming magazines, underground style, and candid photography. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s an active process of curating and questioning identity in an age of digital overload.
We talk about the importance of physical media as a counterweight to the speed and disposability of social content. There’s a clear appetite among young people for something more grounded, more tactile, and more personal. Through Thomas’s lens, we see how cultural inheritance can be remixable, tactile, and evolving—passed down not only through institutions, but through wardrobes, playlists, and wardrobes revisited.
What’s particularly striking is how this conversation plays out against the backdrop of Leicester. Often defined by its ancient roots, Leicester is also a city shaped by its youth, its creative energy, and its multicultural makeup. Thomas sees it as a city in transition—young, vibrant, and increasingly open to cultural experimentation. The presence of two universities, grassroots art spaces, and new independent initiatives means that heritage here isn’t just about what we preserve, but what we produce in the present.
What is interesting about this episode is how it reminds us that heritage is not fixed in time. It’s a conversation—ongoing, generational, and often surprising. From family record collections to streetwear inspired by 90s subcultures, we hear how the past is reinterpreted in everyday life. For Thomas, making a magazine isn’t just about self-expression—it’s a way to take part in the wider cultural memory of a place like Leicester, on his own terms.
This episode is a celebration of those terms—of the creative choices that make heritage live in new forms. It’s also an invitation to think differently about what we hold onto, why we revisit the old, and how stories told in print, image, and clothing continue to shape Leicester’s sense of itself.
What does it mean for heritage when Gen Z turns to vinyl, streetwear and zines to express identity? In our latest Spotlight on Heritage, Thomas Kraus-Weiss reflects on creativity, culture and life in Leicester through his magazine Chi$$it. Listen on Soar Sound.
