To You-Know-Who-You-Are...

It demanded patience, perseverance and a few trips to Singapore to get these in size 6, but now I have them.

That too, thanks to you!!!

Vans Vault 2007 Preview

The Vans Vault line looks to have a lot of nice releases ready for release in 2007. Some of you might have seen on SlamX, Hypebeast or HighSnob the Iron Maiden Vans, which I personally was not a big fan of, but that was just one of many samples for 2007 previewed at Project New York. Check em out.

Images/Info: The Village Voice

Aston Martin joins LVMH

LVMH Group, a world leader in luxury, has just recently acquired car manufacturer Aston Martin. A lot of speculation around this had arised but it has now been confirmed.
The group that provides the world with luxury brands and products ranging from wines & spirits to selective retailing has now branched into the motor vehicle industry. So you can be sure to see some very nice cars for 2007 from Aston Martin with a touch of Louis Vuitton class or maybe even Marc Jacobs shine.

Image: High Snobiety
Info: High Snobiety / LVMH

How do celebs look so good?

Hot dayum. Who cares how they do it, right? As long as we can oggle at them on the telly!

But don't be fooled, they aren't "naturally" that way. Women on the red carpet undergo extensive torture, all the way from the tips of their hair down to their toenails. Men have it easy though, just a dab of make-up here and there... friggin' pretty boys.

Read about it here.

Kids, even though these 'tricks of the trade' may sound like a good idea, especially the ones using surgical sticky tape, I would advise against trying them at home.

Article via stuff.co.nz

The Game feat. Kanye West - Wouldn't Get Far

Ye-ya, it's The Game, nigga. Haha, trust some geeky asian dude to be a Game fan :p

His latest single 'Wouldn't Get Far' produced and featuring the man himself, Kanye West, was released recently and the music video has just premiered on MTV. And guess what, alongside the self-hailed "messiah of gangsta rap", Kanye rolls up wearing the white BAPE Tiger Hoodie along with one of the newest BAPE Varsity Jackets. Bahahahaha

And listen to the lyrics from 'Bang', track number 14 on Doctor's Advocate:

From now on, wear a Bathing Ape hoodie get stripped in the club
Like a bitch in the club, watch him strip in the club
You like ice creams? Get a banana split in the club

Hmmm, makes you wonder, would The Game really strip Kanye West in the club? Haha. Anyways, check out the vid. I love The Game (and I know a lot of people hate him) and I love Kanye West (everyone loves Kanye), and with a splash of BAPE product placement? That entitles it to a post on BE.

Holla.

Colette celebrates in Style

Colette will be celebrating their 10th anniversary this spring via a collaboration with Lacoste. There will be limited edition sneakers and polo tops produced which feature both the traditional Lacoste crocodile and Caperino & Peperone (Colette's Icons). There are 2 pairs of leather and mesh high top shoes being released which have awesome custom laces saying "Caperino & Peperone Love Lacoste" which i personally think is the best feature.

There are 14 Polos coming out over 14 days and they all have different designs. The goods will be sold at Colette and their webstore from march the 1st so get saving people :D

thanks to sneakerfreaker for the heads up

Jabbar Snakeskins

Saw these on slam and had to post them. The shoes are based around Kareem's movie stint in the Bruce Lee movie 'Game of Death'. As you can see the details in the shoes are very impressive, especially the etching on the tongue that reads "Kareem Abdul Jabbar Little Dragons Basketball Camp". This has got to be one of the nicest pairs of snakeskins i have seen in a long time, and lets be honest, every shoe collection has to have AT LEAST one pair of snakeskins :D

thanks to slamXhype for the info and pics.

Dennis Juan Ma

Was just havin a mosey around Cool Hunting and came across a post about Dennis Juan Ma, born in China but moved to Auckland (NZ) eight years ago where he studied graphic design. He now works as a freelance illustrator. Check out some of his work that I thought was pretty cool:

"I like to collect interesting bits and pieces from daily life and put them into my work. Any funny conversation or jokes or silly ideas all can be my material. I'm a fan of historical fashion, especially during 1940-1950. I really love that period and think the art at that time was really cool."

Check out more of his art and illustrations at whoisjuan.

The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating

Now I ain't boasting, but I consider myself fairly innovative in the kitchen. One of my achievements is making a pretty decent meal out of instant mee-goreng, brocolli, olive oil, and cold roast beef. But I got nothing on this guy. He makes his meals out of pig blood, herring semen, and lambs' brains... eww... and people pay good money to eat it too!

Apparently he is hailed as one of the most innovative, yet traditional, chefs, and all power to him as he makes piles of dough from people eating his food in his London restaurant, St. John.

Apparently, no-one told him that the Chinese have already bet him to it. I'm *pretty* sure the Chinese eat anything and everything... haha

Check this book out at Amazon.com... and order it if you like. Would make a nice gift for the mum who always tells you not to waste food. Give her some herring semen and see what she says then :D

Modus Operandi Web Special

Modus Operandi have just released their first logo t-shirt on their webstore. As usual, the material is premium 100% cotton and their design is fresh and original. Two colourways are available: salmon/white and royal/white, with each colourway limited to 25 tees. They are going for US$55 so get in quick at Modustore to get yourself a tee from one of the most promising new labels around.

Check out their website here for a better feel for why so many people feel MO is what the streetwear scene needs right now.

Image/Info: Modustore

Converse X Junya Watanabe Man

Wow, it's been a while since something has caught my eye like this set of six Converse Chuck Taylors designed by the one and only avant-garde master Junya Watanabe Man.
Simple linear patterns and bright colours. I love 'em. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em. And if someone ever got me the black-and-white checkerboard pattern pair, I would love 'em too.

Images: Hypebeast

Run Athletics Legacy "3 Strap" Premium

The latest addition to the RA lineup is the Legacy 3 Strap. Released in 2 colourways, the sneakers already feature premium materials such as ostrich leather on the straps. Now, some people look down on strap-on shoes, but I reckon that if they're done right and add something to the overall look of the shoe, they are just as cool and stylish as laces.

These are slated to be released in Spring'07 in the Northern Hemisphere.

Info: High Snobiety
Images: The Go Figure

Vans Joins the Custom Crew

Well it was only a matter of time before Vans decided to make their own online custom store. Vans has been putting out some unique designs over the last year and their collaboration with Marc Jacobs has definitely made them a force to be reckoned with in the shoe market. Personally I'm not that impressed with the fact that you can only customize two pairs of shoes (the Slip-ons and the Old Skools) but I'm hoping that number increases soon (the Half-Cabs would be the best addition). Untill then, you can cop your pair of custom Vans right here.

Thanks to Highsnobiety for the heads up and Vans for the goodness.

Eric Clapton x Hiroshi Fujiwara x C. F. Martin IV

Well heres something i found that i thought was just cool. For a guitar and a sneaker fan there is no other way to really explain it but cool. Hiroshi is one of the greatest sneaker designers ever and Eric Clapton really needs no introduction. This guitar is just plain sexy.... even the case is sexy....... but then again , at $5000us , the very least you'd expect is sexy :D
thanks to Guitar Center for the info and pics

Greedy Genius Strikes Again

If your into flashy sneakers that stand out then check out Greedy Genius. These shoes are incredibly colorful and are a perfect BAPE alternative. These are just a few samples from their up and coming spring 2007 line, they use some crazy materials such as carbon fiber and 3m reflective along with the usual 'out there' materials such as crock skin and patent leather to create some pretty crazy shoes. If they tickle your fancy my advice to you would be to make your purchase ASAP because, sadly, there is only 500 units of each style in the world so they are going to be sold out in a flash.

Thanks to hypebeast for the info and pics

Jhung Yuro Spring 2007 Preview

One of the classiest shoe brands to come out of 2006 was definitely Jhung Yuro. Yuro set themselves apart from others by creating their very own models and designing them with quality materials, detail and classical pinache.

In the pic (from HighSnob), you can see two models in various colourways from Yuro's Spring lineup. Their flagship model, the Exotica, is dropping in white and brown colourways that really accentuate the exotic materials and the suede. Their new model is the Old School, a mid model. It's very simple, but the great attention to detail, premium material, and nicely blended colours will surely make this sneaker a classic.

Make sure you keep an eye on Jhung Yuro this 2007. The shoes look so classically breezy yet modern. Yuro puts it best:

When luxury permeates everything without shouting it, that's classic.
And when "classic" looks entirely modern, that's Jhung Yuro.

Thanks to High Snobiety for the heads up.

All Gone Book

Now available at We Sold Out! This book is a collaberative effort by La MJC, Indesignwetrust and Colette entitled "All Gone".

It could be called the bible of street culture, showcasing 180 collector products dropped in 2006 including sneakers, toys, tees, skate decks, artwork, and collectables.

It also pays tribute to limited edition, featuring: A bathing ape, Alife, aNYthing, BBC, Crooks & Castles, Futura Laboratories, Huf, Ice Cream, Jordan, New Balance, Nike, Puma, Reebok, Supreme, Undefeated, Vans, Visvim, and a whole lot of other labels. Original artwork by artists including KAWS, Futura, Delta, Michael Lau, James Jarvis also feature.

It's limited to 500 copies and available only in English text. Head over to We Sold Out! to get your hands on this 178-page "Street Culture Bible".

Info/Image: We Sold Out!

If The Shoe Fits: VISVIM's Hiroki Nakamura @ Helio Mag

Photo by Jeaneen Lund

Hiroki Nakamura, creative director of designer shoe line VISVIM, is interviewed by Helio Mag about his motivations, influences and inspiration, and on his recent debut into the US market.

Click here for the interview.

Info: Helio Mag

COMME des GARCONS "PLAY Box"

This may be old news but i would like to have an entry on one of my favorite clothing label. Being on the high end of fashion labels, Comme Des Garcons is all about implicit integration of art and “anti pop fashion”.

My favorite series in this label is of cause the “Comme Des Garcons Play” series which displays a sample of simplistic t-shirts with minimal (but never unadorned) design. And just recently CDG released a limited Comme Des Garcons PLAY BOX series which were only available outside their usual Comme des Garcons store in Aoyama, Japan. These feature a collection of black and white PLAY tees and polo’s that come with a free (but limited!) CDG tote bag.

For those who do not know this astounding label, Comme des Garçons is a Parisian fashion label headed by Rei Kawakubo. Comme des Garcons specializes in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments, sometimes lacking a sleeve or other component. Kawakudo's garments are primarily in black, dark gray, and white, often worn with combat boots.

Her designs have inspired many new designers like Belgian Martin Margiela(Hermes) and Ann Demeulemeester, as well as Austrian designer Helmut Lang. The newest offspring of Kawakubo's fashion think tank is former apprentice Junya Watanabe, who has recently attained much attention in the fashion business. Kawakubo is a member of the Chambre Syndicale du Pret-a-Porter. And for those who know Chambre Syndicale du Pret-a-Porter should know well enough CDG isn’t just any fashion label.

SSDD

LG x Prada KE850 Cellphone

The war is only just beginning with the release of Apple's new touch-screen iPhone. Other mobile phone companies are no doubt hatching plans to compete with the so-called "revolutionary" iPhone. South Korean electronics giant LG has corroborated with high fashion label PRADA to create the 'LG Prada' KE850. The phone is sleek and has a mysterious ambiance and I believe is a serious contender to the iPhone. Have a look:

Believe it or not, the KE850 is smaller than the iPhone and features a user interface built on Adobe's familiar Macromedia Flash technology. The phone features a 2 megapixel camera with Schneider-Kreuznach lens, video player, document viewer and an extra wide LCD touch-screen. It supports Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0 connectivity and includes a Micro SD memory slot for increased memory capacity for images, music and videos.

In true South Korean snobby fashion, LG apparently has no plans of introducing this phone to America. It will be out at mobile phone dealers and PRADA stores in sale in late February for US$780 at mobile phone dealers in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, and in Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, in March.

So, to get one-up on 'em, this LG Prada phone is one thing the Yanks won't have.

Info/Image: XLarge Blog