Saturday, January 31, 2009
Pharrell Williams x A Bathing Ape Croc SpongeBob Bapesta
The Bapesta from last year’s SpongeBob x Bape capsule is seen here in an all new light. The shoe features the replacing the previously seen patent leather upper with croc leather. No word (most likely not) yet on a release date, but we assume these were custom joints for Pharrell.
Source: BBC | Ice Cream
Ato Matsumoto Cowhide Sneakers
While the celebrity backing of Ato Matsumoto has waned in recent memory, the Japanese designer has quietly released some new and colorful versions of his Velcro Cowhide sneakers. Seen here is a multi-colored version combining both leather and patent leather in a bold concept. Available now at Revolution.
Kicks of The Day Nike Coraline Dunk
By now you’ve probably heard about the Coraline Dunks, a Wieden + Kennedy 12 collaboration with Nike and Laika studios that celebrate the forthcoming movie Corlaine, that opens on February 6. Falling in line with what the movie consists of, W+K standouts Rob Heppler and Gian Galang designed the sneaker with a sense of anime in mind, and even capped the dunks off with a glow in the dark sole (take that Air Yeezy).
When Drug Smugglers Get Creative
Yesterday, the U.S. coast guard captured a submarine-like vessel stuffed with seven tons of cocaine. That, my friends, is a lot of blow. Minimum $187 million if you can get it to the street. But that’s the thing—getting it to the street is hard.
Air Yeezy’s vs. Kanye’s LV Sneakers
The man of many designs has struck again: Kanye West officially unveiled his Louis Vuitton sneakers to the blogosphere yesterday, sending the beasts into a frenzy. The low-top, one-toned colorways are inspired by the movie Dune, mimicking a jacket that features a large collar that appears in the sci-fi classic.
Sure, people are psyched on the Louis’ that ‘Ye just showed, but don’t forget that the Air Yeezys will drop months before the LV joints ever touch concrete. That said, we figured we’d show you the specifics (that we know) about each shoe and ask which crazy-hyped, crazy-limited and crazy-dope sneaker you’re most pumped about.
• Number Of Colorways: 5
• Inspired By: Large flap jacket seen in the movie Dune
• Availability: Louis Vuitton flagship stores around the globe
• Retail Price: Probably around $400+, although Kanye has gone on record as saying the shoes are “reasonably enough priced…and you get more bang for your buck.
• Number Of Colorways: 3 ( Rumored to be dropping April, May, June)
• Inspired By: Space Shoe/Jordans
• Availability: Likely extremely limited, with a rumored 1,000 per colorway only at top-notch Nike retailers like 21 Mercer Street
• Retail Price: We’re guessing somewhere between $200-$250
Alphanumeric “Art of War” T-Shirt
Taking a pro-active stance towards education and enlightenment, Alphanumeric’s latest societal commentary can be seen in their “Art of War” t-shirt. With US governmental budget allocation tipping the scales of $651.2 billion USD for military spending, this has come at the cost of reductions in arts and music programs as well as school staff. An assault rifle takes on a new meeting under A#’s influence. Available now at Robust Flavor
Friday, January 30, 2009
10 Rock Albums Lil’ Wayne Needs To Listen To
So…Lil Wayne wants to be a rock star, eh? After flirting with various genres on Tha Carter III (and the mixtapes that proceeded it), Weezy’s next album Rebirth, is rumored to be an album full of guitar-based “rock” music. I'm not sure if he was serious (especially after watching his laughable guitar skills), but then he dropped the album’s first single
Lil Wayne “Prom Queen”
Well, it’s not the worst thing i’ve ever heard, but it sounds like your typical Fall Out Boy/Gym Class Heroes/We’re-30-and-still-singing-about-high-school type of rock that dominates pop radio these days. If Weezy wants the real rock fans to fuck with him, he might have to dig a little deeper. If we were in the studio with Wayne, we’d make him sit down and listen to these 10 albums before his Rebirth Shot Out To Future On This One...lol
The Doors
ALBUM: The Doors (1967)
WHY? Ever since he started developing his drugged-out, syrup-sipping rock star persona on tracks like “I Feel Like Dying,” Wayne has drawn comparisons to the legendary Jim Morrison. But the reason that The Doors’ frontman was so great was not just because he was a entertainingly self-destructive mess—Morrison was actually an amazing songwriter, who infused a new level of poetry and mystery into the ’60s psychedelic rock scene. Much like Morrison, Weezy could go down in history as one of popular music’s most naturally charismatic figures.
LISTEN: “Break On Through”
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David Bowie
ALBUM: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
WHY? One of Weezy’s favorite catch phrases is “we are not the same, I am a Martian.” But he’s not the first to adapt a space alien persona on record. ’70s glam rocker David Bowie made an entire concept album as a character named Ziggy Stardust, who was an extra-terrestrial rock star sent to the earth to deliver a message of hope in anticipation of humanity’s destruction. We could definitely see Weezy venturing into concept album territory with a bugged-out, intergalactic rock opera. Hopefully he’ll wear less makeup than Bowie.
LISTEN: “Ziggy Stardust”
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Operation Ivy
ALBUM: Energy (1989)
WHY? Clearly, Weezy is a fan of Green Day, who he quotes on his recent song “Hot Revolver.” If he liked the band’s multi-platinum breakthrough Dookie, he would probably like this seminal album by one of Green Day’s Berkeley, CA peers. Fusing gritty punk, hyperactive ska and sing-along songwriting, this sole, hugely influential album from Operation Ivy is almost perfect in it’s simplicity. And when it comes to rock music, it would be helpful for Wayne to absorb one of the group’s most famous lines: “All I know is that I don’t know nothin’!”
LISTEN: “Knowledge”
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Dr. John
ALBUM: Gris-Gris (1968)
WHY? He’s from the South, so Weezy needs to know that “Southern Rock” isn’t all Lynyrd Skynyrd-esque redneck rock. In fact, one of rock’s most creative musicians happens to hail from Wayne’s home town, New Orleans. Dr. John carved out a nice niche for himself in 1968 with the release of his debut, which mixed psychedelic rock with the native sounds of New Orleans R&B. We imagine Weezy’s trippy, rock-fused material could be something like the modern day equivalent of Gris-Gris, only with more auto-tune.
LISTEN: “Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya”
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Mötley Crüe
ALBUM: Girls, Girls, Girls (1987)
WHY? Rock critics love to compare the excesses of modern hip-hop to those of bloated ’80s hair metal bands, and they might be right. Weezy has a decade long history of writing lyrics about sexy women, fast cars and (obviously) cash money. In fact, his current lifestyle might not be very different from the lifestyle that Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx and the rest of Mötley Crüe were living in 1987, when they released their decadent fourth album. When it comes to making rock ‘n roll that’s meant to be played at the strip club, nobody’s fuckin’ with this crew—even Southern rappers.
LISTEN: “Girls, Girls, Girls”
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Bad Brains
ALBUM: Bad Brains (1982)
WHY? As a black man venturing out into the lily-white world of rock music, Weezy might take some comfort in hearing the classic debut from this iconic Washington, DC band. Not only did this group of dreadlocked brothers make a home for themselves in the skinhead-friendly hardcore punk scene, but today they’re known as one of the most influential and critically acclaimed groups in underground ’80s rock. Lil’ Jon has already worked with the group in recent years, so a Weezy/Bad Brains collabo doesn’t even seem that far fetched.
LISTEN: “Pay To Cum”
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Iggy & The Stooges
ALBUM: Raw Power (1973)
WHY? On Jamie Foxx’s “Numba 1,” Wayne says “I be in slickest drop/Listenin’ to some Iggy Pop.” It’s possible that Wayne is a hardcore Iggy fan, but we’re willing to bet that he heard “Lust For Life” while watching Trainspotting on his tour bus. Raw Power, arguably Iggy’s greatest album while still with his original band The Stooges, captures the frontman’s raw spirit best. And as an early predecessor to punk rock, this album was extremely influential with later iconic groups like Nirvana and the Sex Pistols.
LISTEN: “Search And Destroy”
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Body Count
ALBUM: Body Count (1992)
WHY? A superstar rapper making a rock album? Something about this sounds familiar…In fact, when Weezy was 10 years old, legendary West Coast MC Ice-T put gangsta rap to the side in favor of releasing a straight-up heavy metal album with his band Body Count. These days, the project is only remembered for the “Cop Killer” controversey, but Ice actually did a halfway decent job creating an album that fit easily into LA’s thrash metal scene, fueled by their unforgettable live performances. This is the right way for a rapper to cross over. Take notes Weezy.
LISTEN: “There Goes The Neighborhood”
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Bob Dylan
ALBUM: Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
WHY? Originally known for being an acoustic-only folk musician, Bob Dylan fucked up the rock world’s head in 1965 by performing with a full electric band at the Newport Folk Festival. His next album, Highway 61 Revisited, put his new sound on full blast for the whole world with songwriting that seems angrier and more accusatory than Dylan’s previous work. Rap fans, who are used to sonic diversity, probably won’t be as shocked by Weezy’s transformation as the folk community was by Dylan’s, but this album might still serve as some assurance that he’s doing the right thing, even if his fan base doesn’t agree.
LISTEN: “Ballad Of A Thin Man”
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Dee Dee King
ALBUM: Standing In The Spotlight (1989)
WHY? Okay, so this isn’t exactly a rock album, but it’s still relevant to Wayne’s current situation. After a stint in rehab, Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone decided to record his solo debut as a rapper under his hip-hop moniker “Dee Dee King.” Despite some help from Debbie Harry, the album ended up being, in a word, unlistenable. Dee Dee should have thought twice before laying his laughable verses down on wax, boasting about his skills as an MC. We’re not saying Wayne shouldn’t make a rock album, we’re just saying that sometimes it’s best to stay in your lane.
LISTEN: “I Want What I Want When I Want It”
What Was Taz Arnold’s Most Absurd Look?
Style is all about originality. No one wants to be a biter. That’s why celebrities are on the neverending quest to find the most exclusive, hard to get items their money can buy. But with every artist now dressing up and rocking expensive wares, how can one stand out? You wild the fuck out, like Sa-Ra front man Taz Arnold.
Robert Geller Joseph Glasses
So all of your favorite rap stars are rocking nerd glasses, and you want to get involved. But at the same time, you don’t want to be a biter. What’s a style victim aficionado to do?
Here’s a tip: If you want to stay on trend without blindly following it, just look for a slight variation. Case in point—this pair of glasses from German-born, NYC-based designer Robert Geller. Instead of the standard black, this pair is in matte-white, ensuring that you’ll retain some originality points. For now, anyway.
Kicks Of The Day Creative Recreation Barney’s Dicoco
Just because they’re launching a new collection called, umm Collection, Creative Rec hasn’t lost focus on re-inventing their classics. For Spring 09, they’re lacing the swanky-shelves of Barney’s with these black-wrinkled patent leather Dicocos. Expect the price point to be a little hefty compared to regular in-line models, but bet on the patent leather being superior quality. Check for these to hit in a few weeks.
www.cr8tiverecreation.com/spring09/barneys/
Mishka 2009 Spring/Summer Accessories
Keeing in tune with their signature aesthetic of vibrant colors amongst dark backdrops, New York-based Mishka release some accessories from their new seasonal collection. As always, the brand puts their own spin on classic items such as belts, socks and cushions alongside their always well designed New Era fitteds and bags. The drop is now live via essense.
7-Eleven x Medicom Toy 100% & 400% Beabrick
Internationally recognized as the best convenience store ever, 7-Eleven has unintentionally made a mark in global pop culture from t-shirts to cartoons and even Dunk SB’s. Incorporating their classic colors and bowler shirt uniforms, Medicom Toy will be making a special set of 7-Eleven Bearbricks. The figure is available in a large 400% scale as well as the smaller 100% scale now at 7-11 Japan.
Fitted Hawaii 2009 January Releases
Fitted Hawaii will be releasing some new items this coming Saturday at their flagship location in Honolulu. Included will be a t-shirt featuring a tonal double F print and graphic Home Grown zip-down highlighted by another New Era fitted piece fabricated with a blend of straw and paper. Aside from the interesting mix of materials, the cap will feature Fitted’s signature Kamehemeha embroidery with a gold weapon collage satin lining.
Fitted
1438 Kona Street
Suite B
Honolulu, HI 96814
Tretorn x Comme des Garcon Shirt Nylite, T-56 & T-56 Mid
Swedish brand Tretorn® and Comme des Garcon SHIRT have teamed up for a pack of limited edition footwear launching later year as part of Comme des Garcon SHIRT’s Fall collection.Tretorn’s classic Nylite, T-56 and T-56 Mid styles have all been outfitted with black graphic text inspired by Comme des Garcon SHIRT’s upcoming line. In recent season’s Tretorn has collaborated with Opening Ceremony and Acne Jeans and the brand also opened their first stand alone retail store last July in New York.
Go to www.tretorn.com for more info.
Undefeated x PUMA 24k Mid Gold Version - A Closer Look
Following up on our recent preview of the gold pair in the Undefeated x PUMA 24k collection, PUMA gives us a closer look into the fifth and final pair. The shoe features mirror gold leather, matching midsole stitching and a perforated formstrip. In addition to the material upgrade the shoe also has a studded Undefeated “five strikes” logo piercing through the outer collar. In contrast to the suede silhouettes in the 24K Collection, this mid will be extremely limited and will only be sold in Undefeated stores: with 24 pairs available at the Tokyo location, 24 pairs at the La Brea L.A. store, and an additional 24 pairs split up between the other three Undefeated U.S. locations. Release date is slated for Saturday, February 7th, 2009.
Take Me Out ToThe Ball Game
Although pictures have been floating around for awhile, some new images surfaced of the Nike Air Griffey Max 1 scheduled to release as a retro this coming April. Officially the first Griffey model baring his name, the kicks were one of Nike’s more popular sneakers in the 90’s (certainly my favorite). Propelling the Griffey name into a legendary sneaker lineup, the kicks were somewhat comparable to that of Penny Hardaway in nostalgic stature, although both of their careers were unfortunately slowed down by injuries. In a classic Mariner’s colorway, the cross trainers will be available at Nike urban accounts beginning April 2009 with a retail price of $140 USD.
Source: Nice Kicks
A Bathing Ape Online Store Announcement
After limiting their product primarily to the overseas market and select locations within the US, Bape looks to open their online store very soon. Offering up their limited edition goods and hard-to-find garments, the Japanese streetwear brand opens up their availability extensively. The only question remains whether the store is set-up for worldwide distribution or will remain strictly for the Japanese market. Stay tuned.
Nike Air Trainer III 2009 Spring
Made popular by multi-sport athlete Bo Jackson, the Air Trainer III is set for a 2009 return. Two colorways are seen here combining different shades of grays and whites with red and blue. Available between February and March.
Source: KATC, WallyHopp@NikeTalk
Thursday, January 29, 2009
OriginalFake 2009 Spring/Summer Preview
Offering a look into some of their most comprehensive collections to date, OriginalFake preview garments for the new season. As usual, KAWS’ signature motifs are implemented throughout, but the line is definitely more settled down than seasons past. A few key collaborations continue as well, including hook ups with Levi’s, Porter and Gallery1950.
Married to the Mob 2009 Spring/Summer Collection feat. Kid Sister
The most official bitches are back with another collection of New York City lifestyle gear. Modeled by Kid Sister, the lineup features more of the brands street bravado with tough yet still feminine graphic styles. Their lineup gets a boost from cut-and-sew as well with several outerwear pieces in vibrant and muted color tones. Grab your goods now at the MOB online store.
Vans Chukka Boot & Authentic Angle Stripe Pack
Vans implements their previously seen angle stripe pattern onto the classic Chukka boot and Authentic models for their fresh spring assortment. The kicks offer a simple colorway with a mainly black body and white accenting. Expected as a worldwide general release, ripe now has them in stock.
John Pasche x Monkey Time Rolling Stones T-Shirts
Fashion label Monkey Time recently got together with iconic graphic designer John Pasche on a collaboration for a set of t-shirts. Most famous for his work with the Rolling Stones including album art and concert posters, Pasche brings those timeless graphics on a simple lineup of premium t-shirts. Three seperate styles in a black or white backdrop can be purchased at United Arrows Beauty & Youth.
Rirkrit Tiravanija: Reflection Ping Pong Table
In conjunction with the opening of the Rirkrit Tiravanija: Reflection last night at the Nyehaus exhibition space in New York, the exhibition’s opening night featured an invitational table tennis tournament. The friendly tournament revolved around the exhibit’s marquee piece, the Tiravanija “Untitled” (The Future of Chrome) table designed by Cumulus Studios. The table is made to regulation and completely mirrored. A number of art and table tennis-related personalities were attendance including Phillipe Parreno, Pierre Huyghe, Liam Gillick, and Hans Ulrich Obrist.
Source: Artinfo
Acne 2009 Fall/Winter Collection
Acne presented their 2009 fall/winter collection at Stockholm’s Millesgården art museum. The brand’s clean and minimalistic aesthetic is reproduced through some solid outfits and highlighted by a nice series of patterns and accessories.
Source: Stockholm Fashion Days
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