The cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich and Kate Hudson, and hits theaters September 20th.
THE FEEL FREE ARTZ GROUP
Thursday, March 31, 2016
MICHAEL JORDAN IS STILL THE HIGHEST PAID ATHLETE
Forbes published it’s annual retiree rankings today, but aptly followed it up with a piece breaking down how MJ will make more than the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant or even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — despite the fact that he stepped away from the hardwood 13 years ago.The Swoosh imprint made $3 billion USD in shoe sales last year in the U.S. alone — resulting in roughly $100 USD million for MJ, which is more than he made in salary ($94 million USD) during his entire 15-year playing career. On top of that, the vastly improved Charlotte Hornets have undoubtedly lined Jordan’s pockets (he’s been the majority owner since 2010) with a bunch of added dough while partnerships with Gatorade, 2K Sports, and Five Star Fragrances — as well as the long-term extension with memorabilia firm Upper Deck he signed last year — keep the checks coming. MJ’s empire even includes seven restaurants and a car dealership.
Source: Hypebeast
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
HIP HOP FASHION
Nas' HSTRY Clothing Teams Up With the Ghostbusters Squad
Nas-owned HSTRY Clothing has teamed up with the Ghostbusters franchise for a special collaboration. Within the walls of Sony Pictures’ lot located in Culver City, California, one of New York’s greatest hip-hop artists sheds light on what the film meant to him during his upbringing and how he used that to inspire the joint project. Within the offering you can expect pieces with special nods to the film such as long and short sleeved tees, sweatshirts, jackets, hats and more, all with respective hints towards the iconic movie franchise.
KAWS x Uniqlo UT 2016 Spring/Summer Collection
After unveiling the official campaign this week, one of the year’s most exciting retail collaborations is finally unveiled in Uniqlo‘s first partnership with renowned artist KAWS. Artist Brian Donnelly’s distinct pop-infused and animated designs come to life across a range of 18 tees and 4 totes that will be releasing under the popular Japanese retailer’s UT line (“Uniqlo T-shirt”). The collection’s generous price point lists small totes starting around $15 USD to tees retailing for $20 USD.
The KAWS x Uniqlo collection will be available for purchase on April 22 online as well as in-store at Uniqlo shops in the U.S.
Reebok Reintroduces the Classic Leather
Crisp, clean, and understated, the Classic Leather has been one of Reebok’s most timeless and iconic silhouettes since it burst onto the scene back in 1983. Having withstood the test of time, the necessary staple is back for 2016, providing a black canvas for a new generation to express a style all its own. Hot on the heels of Kendrick Lamar’s own Compton-inspired “Neutral” release, the latest take on the shoe honors the look of the original; premium white leather construction highlights the streamlined upper and allows signature Reebok Classic branding and a retro gum rubber outsole to pop.
A nod to K.Dot’s own love for the kicks (he rocked them throughout high school), the original and always relevant Classic Leather is available online now at reebok.com.
DRAKE, DEMAR DEROZAN & KYLE LOWRY COVER OF SLAM MAGAZINE
One night in mid-March, megastar rapper Drake and Toronto Raptors All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry gathered at the team’s practice facility to shoot the SLAM 198 cover. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it went down.
ENTERTAINMENT: PUFF DADDY ANNOUNCES BIGGIE BIRTHDAY CONCERT WITH JAY-Z / JENNIFER LOPEZ CARPOOL KARAOKE
Sean Combs has announced a special Biggie Birthday Bad Boy Reunion Concert is set to go down this May 20th at Barclay’s Center. For the reunion show talking place will be Puff Daddy and The Family, JAY Z, Mary, J. Blige, Ma$e, French Montana, and Lil Kim among other guest appearances.Tickets for this show will go on-sale on Saturday, April 1 at 11:00am ET
In this exclusive web version, James Corden and Jennifer Lopez carpool to CBS singing some of her most popular tracks before James takes Jennifer’s phone and sends a text to Leonardo DiCaprio. Watch Jennifer Lopez in the Shades of Blue season finale this Thursday March 31st on NBC, and the American Idol series finale April 7th on Fox.
LAKER NATION
D’Angelo Russell reportedly being isolated by Lakers
A new issue has reportedly arisen that has created the greatest tension yet in the team’s locker room, and rookie D’Angelo Russell, who the team hopes will succeed Bryant as its next superstar, is at the center of the turmoil.
Several days ago, a video was tweeted out by a gossip website that showed Nick Young, who got engaged to pop star Iggy Azalea last year, briefly discussing cheating on Azalea with a pair of women, including model Amber Rose. At the time, it was rumored that Russell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, had secretly shot the video, and on Tuesday, ESPN confirmed those rumors.
According to ESPN, Russell’s teammates are irate about the recording, seeing it as a personal betrayal, and have responded by “isolating” the first-year guard. From that report:
The emergence of the video, sources said, has been the talk of the locker room for the past several days and has led to a tangible strain between Russell and some teammates.
At a recent breakfast meeting, one source said, no Laker would sit with Russell at his table. The source added that, in another instance, Russell came into the locker room and sat next to guard Lou Williams, who got up and walked away.
“It’s bad,” one team source told ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne. “It’s about as bad as it can get. There were trust issues already. Now there’s no trust.”
Russell, who spent one season at Ohio State before turning pro and turned 20 in February, has had his level of maturity called into question by Coach Byron Scott. “This was a prank gone wrong,” an anonymous source told ESPN.
Not surprisingly, the report of bad blood in the Lakers’ locker room sent the Internet into a frenzy, and sparked more than a few wisecracks.
Kobe Bryant Discusses Tribe Called Quest Influence On Him
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant talks music choices, picking up a couple new languages in retirement (Mandarin?), and a Belgium
AMBER ROSE SNEAKER SHOPPING
Amber Rose goes Sneaker Shopping with Joe La Puma at Flight Club in Los Angeles and jokes about the craziest thing she’s done for sneakers.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
BMW K-100
Check out These Jaw-Dropping Custom BMW K100 Bikes by Impuls
Impuls, a company out of Germany consisting of Munich-based lawyer and photographer Philipp Wulk and friend Matthias Pittner, show off their latest custom builds based off the BMW K100 chassis. The duo first got welding and maintaining of the aging bikes before slightly modifying its stance and upgrading components such as the engine, wirework and anodization of the current metals. Alongside the bike mechanics, two artists were commissioned to design the fuel tank and cowl parts to give each bike a bit of presence; Fabian Gatermann went with a white polygonal design, while artist Matthias Edlinger utilized collages for a gold overlay look. The resulting masterpieces are a mix of power and fun with stunning artwork. Check out the gallery of images above and visit Impuls for more information.
ENTERTAINMENT & FASHION
Azealia Banks Releases New Mixtape ‘Slay-Z’
Azealia Banks has found herself in many controversial headlines with such figures as Iggy Azealia and Action Bronson, but today it’s her new music that’s generating buzz. She returns to Twitter after announcing only two weeks ago that she would be taking a time-out from social media with Slay-Z, an eight-song mixtape featuring appearances from Rick Ross and Nina Sky. Available for a free download here, this is her first major project since releasing Broke With Expensive Taste back in 2014.
'The Hunger Games' Costume Designers on Their Roots in the NYC Club Scene
As one of the most successful teen fiction franchises in the history of the genre, The Hunger Games was hugely influential across pop culture, literature and even politics. The world of fashion was hardly exempt from its pull, and when the series culminated in the finale of Mockingjay: Parts 1 & 2, fashion enthusiasts worldwide were captivated by the range and breadth of the films’ costume design, which featured everything from the worn-and-torn Americana-inspired garb of the suppressed District rebels, to the repulsively extravagant finery of the Capitol dwellers, and of course, the streamlined Mockingjay armor donned by Katniss Everdeen herself.
The ensembles of the last two installments were the work of Kurt and Bart, who have a long and storied resume in costume design. With their beginnings in New York’s infamous club scene of the 1980s — where legendary figures such as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat became fixtures of Manhattan’s underground society — the dynamic duo have gone from strength to strength, designing in turn for musical icons such as David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne and Britney Spears, before moving into the world of film, where they applied their talent to notable titles like Step Up 3D, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Stoker, and Dallas Buyers Club, for which they were nominated for the Costume Designer’s Guild Award for Excellence in Period Film.
We took the opportunity to sit down with Kurt & Bart to talk about the electric atmosphere of NYC’s infamous ’80s club scene, the difference between designing for music and film, and the process behind fleshing out a dystopian world through the medium of fashion.
How did you get started in costume design for the film and music industries?
Bart: Our path to costume design wasn’t exactly a straight line, but was really organic. We met in Denver in 1983 and it was a time when if you looked different, it meant you would get yelled at, or have things thrown at you from passing cars. We were making our own clothes and making a fashion ruckus. There was an underground scene and there was strong connection between the music and art and fashion. Without the Internet, it was monthly magazines like i-D, The Face and Details that were our connection to culture. New York was a magnet.Kurt: We moved to NYC in 1986 with aspirations to become clothing designers and had a small line called Design Asylum that we sold at places like Patricia Field and 109 St Marks. It was more individual pieces than a full line and I think once we realized we had to actually produce the items to fill our orders, we became less enamored with the whole thing! Ha!
During this time we worked at an the animation company that produced Pee Wee’s Playhouse which was really our introduction to commercials, video and film. It was young company that couldn’t always make payroll but they gave you hands on experience and a lot of creative freedom. We designed costumes for both puppets and people, directed stop motion animation and did all kinds of work. We even painted animation cells. It was that analog. Into the ’90s we began to focus on styling and did a lot of commercials and music videos during that decade.
What did you learn in the NYC club scene of the ’80s and how has it affected your work since?
Bart: The NYC club scene was such a cool time. It was still the era of door policies that dictated style and promoters that cultivated a following of fashion freaks. There was a cross section of punk, electronic, house and disco happening. Getting dressed and going out every night was a form of society and it was also a sort of outsiders family, especially in the gay community. It was very creative and collaborative, with everyone working on each others projects or performances. It produced a lot of visual content and a lot of it had short lifespans — some images only lasted for the length of a song on a stage but they are indelible in my memory. I think its those indelible images and creative flashes that can’t help but continue to impact how we look at or interpret things.Kurt: NYC was such a magical place in the ’80s. It was a gathering of misfits from all over the world all being creative and going out and expressing themselves through fashion, music and art. I think we mostly just learned to work hard. We went out almost every night, but held down full-time jobs and worked hard at both our day jobs and our “nightlife career.” Most of all, I think we learned how important individuality is and how important it is to express that, in whatever manner that may be. I think being a part of that scene has allowed us to utilize the amazing talents of many of our friends from back then and incorporate that into our work and vision over the years.
Your credits span a diverse range of films, from Step Up to comedy and film noir. How do you go about choosing your projects?
Kurt: I think we have always just gone with our gut. The script has to strike a chord first and foremost, and I think we have chosen different films for different reasons. One script may make you laugh, one may star an actor you love, one may touch you very deeply on some level and those are the types of projects you can find passion for. Dallas Buyer’s Club was one such project. We hadn’t even read the script and knew it was something we wanted to be a part of. Not only because it dealt with AIDS epidemic and a very real time in our lives, but also the dynamic of the whole cowboy thing which we grew up with in Denver and knew that era pretty well.Bart: Some projects you choose and some of them choose you. We have been really lucky to connect with some incredible filmmakers. Working with a stylized and exacting auteur director like Park Chan Wook was a completely different experience to working with someone like Francis Lawrence who tells big stories with epic visuals. It’s the process of getting to know a director and how you can help them tell their story that is a new and exciting journey every time.
Can you walk us through the process of costume designing? How do you go about immersing yourself in the characters world?
Kurt: It always starts with the script and then creative meetings with the director and then other key people like the production designer and the director of photography. Research is also a huge part of it and is so much easier now with the Internet, but books are still great to immerse oneself in. It is so fascinating to try and figure out who someone is and why they dress how they do, or what little idiosyncrasies make up how a person puts themselves together. The actor plays the biggest role of all and that point during fittings with an actor where you start to see a character click is the best part of our job.How did you draw on the dystopian world of The Hunger Games for inspiration? Did you see any parallels wit the current fashion climate?
Bart: Like any project we approached Mockingjay with massive research. Already an established franchise, Mockingjay was a completely new terrain set in District 13 where all the resources and energy have gone into mounting a revolution and staging a rebellion. We looked at austerity measures in the UK during wartime, the rationing of materials including pleats and buttons, creating unisex clothing that spoke to utility as much as purpose. The real parallel design story were the costumes of the tactical military force, which was something we hadn’t designed before. We looked at a lot of historical and contemporary high performance tactical gear but we also looked to fashion. UK designer Aitor Throup was someone whose work we had long been fans of. He has such an innovative approach and images of his work kept surfacing as we were collecting visuals so we reached out to him. Collaborating with Aitor was really cool because there was a real shared philosophy about functionality leading the design process that resulted in a really lean fighting force that felt authentic and futuristic at the same time. We loved that collaboration.
In what way have you seen film costume design influence trends in fashion?
Kurt: This is something that I think is actually less tangible than saying “a blockbuster movie makes a certain brand of sunglasses blow up.” There is something new happening in the ways that fashion, street culture, life and film inform and impact each other. Immersive research has always been part of the process and we used to spend days in libraries and book stores like the Strand and Rizzoli. Technology and the Internet have changed how we research. The volume and flow of visual information is massive with bloggers and Tumblr refining and curating the flow. Current global events have never been so well documented or accessible. Fashion which used to be niche and elitist is now viewable in real time from anywhere in the world. Young designers and artists that never had venues or a voice now have a platform. It’s exciting for us to discover and work with emerging talent. Mockingjay and the look of the Capitol was a great opportunity for us to work with young designers that we found through sites like Not Just A Label.Bart: Some of these designers are young enough that they were influenced by the books and the first film. Fashion, film, art, music, all informing and influencing each other, not to mention that flow into how people act and react to what is happening in the world and how they choose to dress and represent themselves. It’s really exciting to be part of a dialogue that continues to change as our world changes.
You’ve worked with big names like David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne and Britney Spears. What kind of considerations go into dressing these icons?
Kurt: They are all different of course, but the best artists are the fearless ones like a Bowie or even a Britney. It really depends what the project is. Music videos were always great fun and you could really go off sometimes if the artist was into it. Ultimately, you have to be able to gauge what type of artist they are. Are they willing to take risks? Are they looking for a new look? Do they want to make a statement or just look nice? Personally, we always liked working with artists that wanted to shake things up a bit.
How does costume design for film differ from design for music?
Kurt: I think the biggest difference is that you are creating character in film, [whereas] with music artists you are really trying to make that person individual in a sea of other artists trying to do the same thing. Also for us, styling [musicians] eventually became a bit disposable. The Internet has only made that consumption even more rabid. I think that is why making the transition to film design has been so rewarding for us. We are still doing what we have always done, but its on another playing field and we absolutely love working closely with actors to discover who that person on the page in black and white is.Would you ever consider making the jump from costume design to fashion?
Bart: It’s funny because there used to be a little snobbery between fashion and film, but now I feel like there is a new respect for each other — for us, they are integral to each other. Having been stylists for so long, we have always had a huge respect for fashion designers. I think that is why we have always enjoyed collaborating with them and continue to do so on films. The idea of an “inspired by” line for a film isn’t as interesting as doing something like our friend and fellow costume designer Arianne Phillips did with her Kingsman line with MR PORTER. I think there is a real interest from fans to actually be able to get their hands on something that was actually in the film. There are so many new ways that fashion and film can work together that we would love to explore.
Unknown New York 2016 Spring Collection
To coincide with the warmer months ahead, Entree LS’s Unknown 2016 spring collection releases with appropriate wears of detail and character. The drop includes a strong offering of lightweight linens in olive and black colors — asymmetrical zips and functional mesh lining breaths life into the series of basics. Choose from hooded sweats to open collar tops, jogger pants, and a static windbreaker, all of which highlight Unknown’s understanding of current trends while maintaining affordable price points. Check out the lookbook above and shop the collection now.
FRESH KICKS
Nike Air Max 95 "Cool Grey"
The Nike Air Max 95 gets outfitted in one of its most dependable colorways yet. Here, the entire upper assumes the same monochromatic tonal grey hue, doing much to tone down a silhouette which traditionally emphasizes its signature gradient paneling. The Cool Grey carries over to the midsole and Air units as well, making for a uniform aesthetic that goes well with any outfit. Pick up a pair from Caliroots for $170 USD, and check out New York’s Air Max Con here.
The adidas Originals Climacool 1 Gets a Tonal Face Lift for Spring
The adidas Originals Climacool 1 silhouette is getting a tonal makeover for the spring. The sporty performance sneaker is built with a perforated sock lining and a full Climacool mesh upper for maximum breathability and support. The Raf Simons revamp-ready kicks will come in tonal sea-foam green, red, white and black colorways.
The new flavors of the Climacool 1 drop on April 2.
A White Colorway of the adidas NMD Chukka Is on the Horizon
While adidas’ NMD silhouette has gotten a wide release spectrum these passed few weeks, the three stripes is already set for more. Its chukka edition provides a mid-cut feel for those who may not be too fond of the NMD’s original lower version. This colorway is dominated by an all white upper and is complemented by adidas’ ever-popular Boost Technology for its midsole. In addition, it also rest atop a black outsole along with a black heel tab that hosts adidas branding in various languages. Watch for these to launch in the near future.
If you’re looking for more mid-top variations, check out the NMD City Sock.
New Balance Falls From the Sky and Drops a Special "Air Exploration" Pack
New Balance is back with a brand new pack. Dubbed the “Air Exploration” Pack, you’ll find three silhouettes and four sneakers within the offering. The range gains overall inspiration from the observation of air and space with special coloring influenced by rockets, planes and aerospace apparel worn by pilots during their space endeavors. The pack is comprised of New Balances’ 997, 998 and 1300 models all presented in different colorways. The 997 silhouette is available in black and red as well as navy and white colorways. Its 998 counterpart (found here) features traditional USA coloring with a white dominated upper that hosts red and blue detailing throughout. Finally, its 1300 edition is presented in grey with navy accents. New Balance’s “Air Exploration” Pack is currently available at select retailers such as Sneaker Politics.
VAN STYLES PHOTOS: YOVANNA VENTURA - VISUALAPPAREL.COM
With the whole Air Max week in full effect I thought it would be good timing to share some images I shot with Yovanna Ventura on one of her visits to L.A. We decided to shoot around Elysian park for this set. With her rocking a one piece,shorts and some 90 air maxes we were able to get a couple of different looks in. Proving once again the age old idea that a beautiful woman looks just as good in some cool sneakers as she would in heels. Happy Air Max day and hope you all enjoy the set!
NEW MUSIC: FAT JOE & REMY MA FT FRENCH MONTANA - ALL THE WAY UP / FUTURE FT THE WEEKND - LOW LIFE / JHENE AIKO - B'S & H'S
Fat Joe and Remy Ma decide to drop a visual for the official visual for their first single All The Way Up featuring French Montana. This track will be featured on Fat Joe and Remy Ma upcoming album titled Platas o Plomo which is expected to arrive later this year.
Future is back with the drop of his brand new visual for Low Life featuring The Weeknd and directed by Zac Facts.
Jhené Aiko is back with the release of her brand new single called B’s & H’s.
FILM
ALADDIN MAGIC CARPET SAN FRANCISCO
Aladdin makes a return on his magic carpet, but this time in the technologically hip city of San Francisco.
Trailer: War Dogs
War Dogs follows the true story of two friends from Miami that exploited the Iraq war by bidding on U.S. military contracts thanks to a loophole initiative. Next thing you know, they strike a 300 million dollar deal to arm the Afghanistan military.
Trailer: Deepwater Horizon
The cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich and Kate Hudson, and hits theaters September 20th.
KICKS
The $400 USD Air Jordan 4 "Pinnacle" Drops This Weekend
NikeLab Air Max 1 Royal
Nike Spices up the Air Max 90 With Pendleton Accents
Nike Debuts a Crazy Air Max 95 Boot
Thursday, March 24, 2016
PONG WITH A MONDRIAN PAINTING
You Can Now Play Pong With a Mondrian Painting
You may have stumbled across a .gif floating around of an imagined game called Pongdrian, which repurposes Dutch artist Piet Mondrian’s signature primary colors and geometric shapes as a vehicle for the OG video game, Pong. Well, it turns out that that uncredited graphic was a response to a prompt on b3ta, an online art community. The .gif circulated so much that designer and programmer Kristiana Hansen actually went through and turned a Mondrian-esque painting into a playable video game, with classic red vs. blue team colors and a yellow Pong ‘ball.’
According to Hansen, a future version should have improved collision detection and response, and there are even talks of mobile and tablet-friendly versions. You can play the Mondripong 1.2 here.
DID KANYE WEST ACTUALLY SELL $1M OF PABLO MERCH IN 48 HOURS? EXPERTS WEIGH IN
Kanye West is prone to exaggeration. (This is, after all, the man who referred to himself as “a god” on his second-to-last album.) So when the 38-year-old hip-hop artist and Adidas design collaborator tweeted Tuesday that his surprise, 3,600-square-foot Soho pop-up shop for Life of Pablo merchandise generated $1 million in clothing sales in just two of the three days it was open over the weekend, observers weren’t so much impressed as circumspect.
Kanye West Claims Pablo Pop-Up Shop Sold $1 Million Over Two Days
One such skeptic is Sucharita Mulpuru, a retail analyst at Forrester. “He is known for hyperbole, and given that he is a private citizen and it’s a private business, we may never known the true numbers,” she says. $1 million is an “awful lot” for two days of selling, she explains, marking “the upper end of any Manhattan retailer on a daily basis”; Macy’s Herald Square location moves more than $1 million in product most days, for example, but has more than 2 million square feet of selling space. “I’m not even sure how [West] would be processing that much inventory that quickly in a small format store — it couldn’t even fit $500,000 worth of merchandise unless every item was the size of a lipstick tube,” she argues.
Indeed, photos of the shop show a sparsely stocked space, with a handful of racks lining the perimeter. (Those store associates must have been restocking at lightning speed.)
Adelle Platon
Prices for Pablo merch ranged from $35 for blue and red beanies that read “I Feel Like Pablo” to $400 for a pair of distressed jean jackets, with the average price clocking in at $116.50. Assuming West sold more merchandise on the days the store was open longer (the pop-up was open for four hours on Friday evening and eight hours on Saturday and Sunday), he would have needed to sell $62,500 worth of goods, or about 536 items, an hour. (To break it down even further, that’s about nine items per minute.)
Feeling Like Pablo: Inside (and Outside of) Kanye West’s New York City Pop-Up Shop
Seems impossible, no? But Russ Miller, founder of pop-up retail specialist Vacant, which has worked on stores for several high-profile musicians including The Beatles, and Ana Pelucarte, co-founder of Pop-Up Mob, which has worked with French luxury fashion house Mugler and men’s streetwear brand Zanerobe on pop-up shops in downtown Manhattan, believe it is possible, given the reported level of demand for Pablo-branded goods, particularly among resellers. In fact, both noted that the Supreme store a few blocks over on Lafayette Street has likely generated similar, if not better, sales numbers on some release days. (A spokesperson for Supreme did not respond to a request for comment by press time.)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 18: NYPD guard the area near 83 Wooster Street in Soho at the Kanye West “Pablo Pop-Up Shop” In Manhattan on March 18, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
While $300,000 seems like a comparatively paltry sum at the end of the day, there’s no doubt about it: West’s pop-up venture was a triumph. “If you ask me, it was a success,” says Pelucarte. “Pop-ups are used for press and media, and If you break even, it’s already a success.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)