CLAW Money And Sunglasses have garnered a cult following all over the world. The sunglasses designed by the female graff writer have a really distinctive look and a high quality hand. They're sold at top boutiques world wide. M.I.A. has been wearing them on tour all summer, and the other day, her favorite pair fell off into the audience during a live show. A concerned fan caught the glasses and put them on eBay. Buy them now for a mere £150.
Have you heard about the new fashion area on MY SPACE? Over 50,000 members of established brands as well as fashion wannabees are already checking the page out. Eric Wilson tells us more about it in his column in the NYT called "Instant International Brickbats". It reads, "MYSPACE, the social-networking Web site, introduced a dedicated space about fashion on Tuesday — one of dozens of such topical pages that exist for its millions of users to discuss their interests. Presumably this would offer insight into what a broad sample of young people from around the globe think about fashion." Read the full article here.
It's market week in Vegas and the majority of the sportswear market has converged on Las Vegas for a week of trade shows, parties and debauchery. Project has gotten so big that we personally feel totally overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the show. Ed Hardy kept annoying us with their super loud music and police sirens that had something to do with a show they put on several times a day that featured Janice Dickinson. WHATEVER! The obnoxious noise coming from that booth made it impossible to have meetings or work, and really ruined our vibe. We headed over to Alexis Park and checked out the Fosho Foshow Show-- a nicely edited show of something like 8 streetwear brands. We also stopped into the United show but didnt stay long... We've got pictures from Project after the jump.
One of our favorite brands at the show was LOVA. They wouldnt let us take pictures, but the guys at the booth had a good representation of the brand on themselves.
We just met these guys at a showroom called BRND NU: They have offices in NY and LA as well as AUstralia and have some of the coolest brands we saw in Vegas
Gram Shoes
Material Boy
Material Boy
ROJAS: LA's grooviest trend spinner has an 80s inspired collection with nylon windbreakers, a silver lame "jiffy pop" group and a tuxedo group with real bow ties!
Brands making comebacks:
Karl Kani- the OG designer of the streets has a new collection
Le Coq Sportif: The rooster is back with a new line of shoes!
Keds: The jury's out on this one. Can Keds be cool?
this one's a reissue of a vintage style.
Girbaud: One of denim's most innovative designers is repositioning his licensed IC Isaacs collection to closely mirror his collection pieces.(photo TK)
It's fashion week next week and the hottest show of the season is a recent addition to the super-packed schedule. Chloe Sevigny (playing everyone's favorite polygamist Mormon on HBOs Big Love) has announced that she is creating a small collection for Opening Ceremony. She will be showing on September 10 from noon to 6 pm, so even the busiest of fashion people should be able to pop in for a quick peek.
Former CFDA winners, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville of Rag & Bone are in the midst of some frenzied prep for what could be their biggest show to date. Refinery29 stopped in to meet with the British boys as well as their stylist, Natasha Royt, to get an exclusive first look at the duo's Spring/Summer 2008 designs. Watch the video. Watch It .
(Via Refinery29)
We love saying it-- FoShow FoShow Show. The small show-- only like 8 brands took place at Alexis Park hotel. We saw some old friends, and some good stuff from brands like Milkcrate, DC Shoes, Swagger, and Lemar & Dauley. Pics after the jump!
SWAGGER
DC SHOES
Sneaker Steve
Kaws Collabo
Andy Howell collabo
Natas Kaupas collabo
MILKCRATE
SWAGGER
COMPLETE TECHNIQUE
3 16 Collabo
Swagger & KiloGoods collabos
Street style was pretty disappointing in Vegas this season. Dudes were either wearing brights and bling, or shorts and suspenders or a skinny tie in black and white. Either way, there was nothing we havent seen before. We've got some pics of some of our fave style statements from MAGIC, and Project after the jump.
It's funny how MAGIC's South Hall really hasn't changed too much since streetwear and young men's moved over there a few years back. But it's such a long walk to streetwear. It's like, as far as possible from the front door. Are they trying to hide the section or something? We saw a lot of our friends there. The big trend? lots of color, 80s-inspired graphics and plenty of tees. The best looking collection, in our opinion, was Pegleg. We couldnt take pictures of spring, but imagine really cool takes on color block, graphics that are a sophisticated take on kiddie faves. We've got some pics after the jump.
PEGLEG
KID ROBOT
LEMAR & DAULEY
FRESH JIVE
SOUTH HALL HOOPLA
PNB-- WHOA!
NEW COLLECTION:
For those who like bearing their souls (or at least their crests) on the soles of your shoes, a new venture by British cobbler Oliver Sweeney should put a spring in your step. Catering for the ever-increasing market for whom off-the-rail just won't do, Oliver Sweeney is introducing a bespoke service with over 100 different design possibilities from which to select the perfect pair of shoes.
Read all about it on Wallpaper.com
Blackbird Seattle has been getting all a bunch of great fall fashion from all our favorite designers. Check out the blog to see in-depth photo coverage of the best of the best from Rag & Bone, Bblessing, Y3, S2A, Rust, Want Les Essentiels, Raf by Raf, Kenzo Minami, and APC. We can't wait to shop. Fashion in Seattle hasnt been this influential since 1992, when grunge was in full force.
Today's the launch of Shop Vogue, the website that makes the magazine's ads interactive. Here you can click through Lily's Burberry campaign and buy the dress she's wearing, and here you can watch Gisele dish makeup tips and pose secrets - all thanks to her sponsors. The website is easy to use and fun to browse, but there's one unexpected quality: It's really informative and gorgeous. The video clips in particular will distract for hours, beautifully shot and almost more exclusive than stories in the magazine - for example, a breathless backstage look at the Chloe campaign shows the way Shalom writhes on set, and the bashful smile of Freja in full use. (via Fashionista)
We dont know what's going on in Europe! We haven't been there in a while but the news we've been getting makes it look like everyone is just up in wild neon colors and going crazy on some retro '80s acid trip... The kids over at Stil in Berlin have documented some crazy aerobics movement going on in streets and laundromats of the German capital. Are they for real?
We've got some pics after the jump. (via Coolhunter.)
The e-commerce site New Dandyism has some of the best brands in the market right now including Wood Wood, Surface to Air and Rittenhouse. Our friend Chris Torres started the site last year and New Dandyism has a growing fan base thanks to its great offerings and interesting written content, as well.
Maharishi's fall collection, called Rebel, is now available on the site. It is designed to keep the spirit of revolution alive by utilizing iconic themes from history's rebels -- everyone from the Black Panthers to the French Revolution have been immortalized in MHI's collection.Since its birth in 1994, Maharishi has evolved into one of the UK’s most influential designer labels. Founded by (creative director) Hardy Blechman, Maharishi carries a strong ethos of respect for nature while utilizing the latest technology.
This hoodie, called The Good Book, is one of our faves.
The London party pic blog Dirty Dirty Dancing celebrated its first birthday on August 18 and it looks like the party is well underway across the pond. The beautiful people were out in full force rocking intricately dramatic makeup, lots of black and white and cabaret styling.
We've got some great pics after the jump.
Got a T-shirt in your heart that you'd like the world to see? Enter the Uniqlo UT Grand Prix T-shirt design competition. The contest, now in its 4th year is open to people from any country in the world. The winner will be selected by a high power panel of judges including Kashiwa Sato, architect Tadao Ando, and the avant-garde novelist Yayoi Kusama. To enter, go to <http://ut.uniqlo.com/utgp>. The winner gets 3 million Yen! We're not sure how much that is, but it sounds like a lot!!!
Last year's winner, pictured left, called kakato-uku explains its concept as "Let's take a walk with joyous feeling of summer and break out of your shell."
You can do better than that, can't you? Start drawing! And hurry! The last day to submit artwork is September 20.
Seize Sur Vingt pioneered the bespoke menswear scene that now defines certain streets in NoLIta, NYC when he opened his made to measure shirt shop in the mid 90s. Now Jurney is expanding his offerings with a new, hip collection of ready to wear slim fit shirts called Wolf Rayet. While 16sur20 shirts are cool for business or casual day wear, these shirts are designed for after hours and feature some edgy details such as painted metal buttons that are stitched in a traditional trefoil manner (pictured here). Just as Seize Sur Vingt, Wolf Rayet shirts come in a wide array of great fabrics.
photo: men.style.com
Earnest Sewn will open a 1,400-square-foot store on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in September. We love the decor and vibe of the flagship in the Meat packing District- filled with antiques, vintage denim artifacts and miscellaneous Americana curiosities. The new store, taking over the visitor center of the LES Tenement Museum, will be just as ambient. The space, a former speakeasy which was built in 1901, comes complete with many charming details including a tile floor from 1906, and brick walls and beams which have been covered for decades and are now being restored.
Online retailer 80s Purple has some great vintage deadstock sunglasses from the 60s and 70s and vintage inspired styles at amazing prices-- under $20 for most pairs!
Styles range from the chic- Sparkaliocious style- oversized rounded frames that Jacqueline Smith may have rocked back in the day; to the bold- like these Turbo Aviators pictured here.
Call it "As fashion turns..." but last week another season of tradeshows took place in London. The English capital has always been known for its great alternative tradeshows. After all, TBC was born in London, and ushered in a flourishing of some great indie brands. Last week the city hosted a number of cool tradeshows including Pure, TBC and Margin. Sportswear Int'l reports on key brands and trends. Read the full story here.
The businesses of PR and advertising are changing so quickly these days, as magazine outreach and traditional advertising are only a small sliver of what's important when reaching out to today's youth. MR reports that Ketchum --the marketing and corporate communications firm, is launching a new fashion marketing division, called Fashion Interactive 2.0, headed up by Jeff Danzer (formerly of 2(x)ist) and Roy Edmondson (formerly of Rocawear and Levi's). “Ketchum’s new initiative will take a more Web 2.0-style look at marketing brands in the fashion industry. With social networks doing much of the publicity work for a brand, the growth can be exponential, says Danzer.
Hip menswear brand Yoko Devereaux (yokod.com) is no longer a solo venture. The six-year-old Brooklyn-based line with a cult following announced a partnership today with Wing Son Garments Ltd (wingson.com), an activewear manufacturer headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As part of the deal, Wing Son will invest an undisclosed amount that will give it a 50% ownership of the brand. “This is a very exciting opportunity for both myself and the Yoko Devereaux brand,” said the label’s creative director, Andy Salzer, in a written statement. “To have the opportunity to really focus on my role as creative director within the company is ideal. And to work with such a talented and well-respected organization such as Wing Son is really a dream come true. For a growing brand like Yoko Devereaux, a relationship like this is key.” Read more at Sportswearnet,com.
Retailers released their sales numbers on August 9th, and it looks like when it comes to selling teens, department stores are doing something right. According to a report in BusinessWeek, teens are shopping more and more in department stores, as well as niche specialty boutiques. Specialty chains like Abercrombie and American Eagle experienced sharp drops in sales over the last fiscal year while department stores like Nordstrom and JC Penney are on the rise."The challenge then for retailers lies in striking the right balance in luring teenagers with cool and unique offerings but avoiding the slip toward ubiquitousness," the article suggests. Read the full story here.
photo: Washington Post
We love going to London and shopping in Topshop and Topman. Since we havent been there in a while, it's fun to read about what we're missing. Today's DNR has a report: "The popular British fashion label, which, like Topshop, is owned by apparel tycoon Sir Philip Green, is known for its trendy, low-priced collections for men. Topman launched its first, stand-alone 3,300-square-foot flagship in Dublin in April and there are plans in place for other locations in the U.K., as well as wholesale expansion later this year with Topman Design, the brand’s designer range. On the fashion front, the brand has been expanding into new categories, launching higher-end collections and continuing to collaborate with the British Fashion Council (BFC) to support budding design talent."
Read the full story here.
We're obsessed with Copenhagen right now, so we're going to report from CPH Vision, the trade show featuring SS08 fashion for men and women taking place now over in the Danish capital. According to a report written in wgsn.com's press bulletin, "menswear is particularly strong this season - initial trends to emerge include dogstooth checks, rainbow-flecked jersey sweaters, graphic-print boardshorts and synthetic sports jackets with quirky detailing like fireman's buckles and neon zips. For women, slim-leg, high-waisted denim is still going strong, with curved seams and stitching adding interest. Opaque powder blue washes look freshest colour-wise, while cornflower blue and dusky pink are emerging as key denim colours for spring/summer 2008. Elsewhere, drawstrings are omnipresent on dresses, tops and sweat pants."
US teens talk about brands twice as much as the rest of Americans. The most popular labels are headed by Apple's iPod, while teen retailer American Eagle was the only fashion apparel brand to make the top-10 list, according to a new word-of-mouth survey by TalkTrack for the Keller Fay Group. Of 2,046 teens (ages 13-17) polled from January-May, the top five brands with the largest number of "net positive" mentions were iPod, American Eagle, Dr Pepper, Chevrolet and Nintendo. In contrast, the top five word-of-mouth brands among the general public (15,287 respondents, ages 13-69) are Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Wal-Mart, Sony and Toyota. (via WGSN.com)
We keep hearing about how obsessed Koreans are with their super high-tech cel phones, so it comes as no surprise that there's a lot of great style coming out of South Korea these days as well. The gang over at Yourboyhood-- a S. Korean web site that specializes in street style has some great pics, and Q&As with some of Seoul's finest dressers. We've got a few pics after the jump.
While I could literally ramble on for hours about how fashion is nothing without its sense of humor, I think that the new denim trend says it all; say hello to “mom jeans.” For those of you who fail to see the irony, high-waist jeans have been completely a gauche until as of late. How dreadfully funny is it that what would have left you unforgivably ostracized a few months ago is currently all the rage? Alas, that’s fashion; ever-so cyclical.
I’ll be the first to say that last fall when high-waist denim first emerged on the fashion scene, I was a bit skeptical—and then a month later, I bought a pair in royal blue. In the traditional sense, “mom jeans” magnify every flaw and aren’t really practical for anybody except the size two waifs we all worship and adore. However, the new, designer spin looks great on even curvy girls like Fergie, Kelis and Jennifer Lopez. Am I suggesting that you toss out your Joe’s Chelsea jeans? Not quite yet. But I am suggesting you invest in a pair of 18th Amendment, Grey Ant, or Superfine’s for the fall. Because when Posh Beckham, Mischa Barton and Eva Longoria are all wearing something, chances are its going to become the next big thing. This fall, spare yourself the pain of becoming a fashion pariah and invest in a pair—after all, fashion is cyclical. Let’s just hope the mullet is dead for good. (VJ-R)
I am ashamed to admit that I am a part of the “MTV generation;” meaning my contemporaries rant about the incredible depth of a Justin Timberlake song, and The Hills is considered to be groundbreaking television. I guess that would explain why, despite the fleeting memory of a brief overnight stay, whenever I think of “Hotlanta,” I think of trash-talking, pimp cup toting, grill wearing, Crunk Juice drinking rappers—oh, and strip clubs. These days, fine dining, art, and high-end boutiques are expected of Chelsea, not Decatur. And that exact stigma is one that DressCodes co-owners Brett and Karen Mascavage hope to shake—of course, they are New York natives.
more after the jump
If one was to judge simply by the minimalist window display, they’d be unsure exactly what to expect of this one-of-a-kind gem, nestled in the heart of Decatur. But don’t be fooled, while the store’s interior may be simple, yet chic, DressCodes still manages to pull out all the stops with their selection of upscale casual wear and premium denim. Make sure that you check them out for labels from everywhere on the globe; from New York, to Sweden and Japan. You’ll find treasures from Yoko Devereaux, Just Another Rich Kid, Filippa K and limited editions that you’ll be hard-pressed to see anyplace else. While the store itself should be enough of a draw, drop in on weekends to hear local DJs spin a few sets, in promotion for upcoming shows. Brett and Karen have even teamed up with Foundation One Gallery for various artist showcases and opening parties. Honestly, this has undoubtedly got to be the most fabulous shop south of the Mason Dixon.
If you can't get with the global hoopla surrounding the release of the limited edition canvas tote by Anya Hindmarch, this is probably the bag for you. For only $19.99 on Cafe Press, you can thumb your nose at the fashionsta flock while helping the environment.
In a hilarious post, PSFK asks: Is it just us or does the idea of Nike Vintage well and truly suck. Nike have released a bunch of retro running sneakers and a T-Shirts that have been ‘aged’ to look like they’re from, erm, a long time ago.
Sure, we understand the inspiration: sneaker heads love hard to find, rare old sneakers - and lots of people like to wear new faded clothes from places like Urban Outfitters because they think it’s cool or something. But why the hell is Nike doing this? We know they rejected much of their sports values for fashion ones a while ago but do they have to play the fad game just to get a buck. Sure some Nike exec with a spiky haircut is very happy that his idea to make a bunch of sneakers just like the well-worn ones in his closet have made it to the production line and marketing machine - but, but…. aren’t Nike supposed to make great stuff that people just love, rather than playing directly to the crowd for a quick applause?
Refinery 29 reports on one of our favorite brands right now-- THECAST.
"Ryan Turner and Chuck Guarino, the masterminds behind slick men's label THECAST, care little for the tradition of paying dues.
They moved from California to the Lower East Side with only a few hundred bucks to their name and quickly integrated themselves into the LES's fashion landscape. Two years later, in 2004, they launched an artfully distressed, hand-printed T-shirt line called THECAST. And less than three years after that—with no formal training—the pair have graduated to full-blown haberdashery."
Read the full article here.
NY based denim designers 5EP have created a new jean style that incorporates suggestions from the denim-obsessed folks on the web community, Styelforum. The Styleforum jean features shorter front pocket bags for a cleaner silhouette, and a lower rise. The jeans will be produced in a limited run. Only 200 will be made total, with 140 earmarked for Styleforum users. the jeans will retail for $250 at Oak in Brooklyn and The Denim Bar in VA, as well as Hollywood Trading Co. Read all about it on men.style.com.
Is it just me, or does it seem like the guys from Arrive Miami brought the hot and steamy weather of the Sunshine State up here with them? Well, as if to compensate, they've extended their Dammits Sooohot Sale through Sunday. There's still plenty of Margiela, Westwood and Superfine at 50%-75% off to go around as well as hot items from dozens of other sizzling brands. So don't wait for the weather to cool off.
Head on over to 151 Orchard Street.
Go early- hours are 11-7 daily.
The Fuji Rock Festival just took place in Naeba Japan, jULY 27-29 and it looks like it was an amazing show on so many levels. First of all- the venue-- the show took place on a remote mountaintop, with some areas only accessible by cablecar. Then there's the lineup of performers which included the Beastie Boys, Electrelaine, Feist and The Shins. But most importantly, the clothes! The Japanese take on the Summer of Love is totally outta sight! The Stylesightings blog has a ton of pictures. Check out the full scene here.
We've always believed that showing fashion photography on the internet should go deeper than just replicating the magazine experience. Which is why we always like to check out te photo shoots on Hintmag. The most recent shoot, Le Solochrome, is a new multimedia photoshoot/short film set to music. It's a great, evocative fall fashion preview for menswear with innovative film work and soothingly creepy music.
Our friends at