Skate collective Habibis honour traditions of personal documentation with an unconventional heart

What once began as Jamal Abdul-Jabbar turning the camera on his friends, turned into the Edinburgh-based skate collective, brand, and creative studio Habibis in 2017, created closely alongside collaborator, the artist Cameron Lenton.

Videography and documentation has long been a part of skate culture, characterised by dynamic shots of triumphant flips and falls dotted in the sonic electronic. Habibis chops and screws this tradition, playing with blends of analogue and digital through illustration, animation, and collage across print, posters, apparel, stickers and video, all while incorporating aspects of Jamal's Iraqi heritage.

Habibis is constantly in conversation with its surroundings; “Our inspiration comes from architecture, skate culture, books, websites, and archives. Growing up surrounded by the raw textures of Scottish cities – concrete, grit, and blocks – has influenced how we create,” says Jamal. In their animation Maghreb Excursion, a local cat is rendered in animation, edging into the screen in pink fuzzy warmth – it’s clear that Habibis raises humour, experimentation, and playfulness as its core pillars.

Alongside its high spiritedness, Habibis carries a deep sense of community – it’s work is rooted in personal perspectives and connection. In April 2025, they released a capsule collection in collaboration with SkatePal, a charity organisation which supports Palestinian youth through skateboarding. The capsule collection, designed by both Jamal and Cameron, brings together Palestine’s national animal, the mountain gazelle, with the Lion of Babylon. Jamal rounds off, “One known for power and ferocity, the other known for agility and grace. The harmony between these qualities is something we love to see on a skateboard".