LIFESTYLE:

First teased in May, Virgil Abloh since wore an orange pair of Louis Vuitton sneakers in the weeks following, with no information about the silhouette’s release made available — until now. Abloh’s “FIGURES OF SPEECH” exhibition at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art will coincide with an exclusive LV residency in Chiacgo’s West Loop neighborhood, where a variety of special orange goods, including the kicks, will be made available.

With a special T-shirt and pair of Nike Air Force 1s (which will not drop at the event), Abloh’s exhibition is shaping up to be a mecca for fans of the designer’s distinctive wares. The one-off capsule encompasses a variety of Vuitton pieces representative of Abloh’s tenure at the house, including the aforementioned “LV Trainer” sneakers, “Millionaires” sunglasses, monogram-printed leather caps, a chain belt and two variations of soft trunk bags.

Tonal details pervade the range; Abloh’s soon-to-be iconic chunky frames sport matching orange lenses, while the LV Trainer offers an orange insole and laces. The entire leather body of the soft trunk Backpack PM and smaller Taurillon sports the head-turning hue, with complementary leather straps, zipper plackets and D-ring accents. Like the bags, the leather cap and belt are crafted from monogram-ridden leather; the unmissable branding is even stamped into the sunglasses.

The limited orange Louis Vuitton capsule will be available in Chicago at the below address from June 10, the same date that Abloh’s “FIGURES OF SPEECH” exhibition begins. Priority ticketing is available on Louis Vuitton’s website.

Continuing to deliver some of the most sought after affordable watches on the market, Seiko recently gave its Propsex special edition dive watch a “Twilight Blue” makeover

Inspired by the design of a 1968 watch in Seiko’s archive (ref. 6159), the Prospex “Twilight Blue” SPB097J1 features a unique two-tone turquoise blue sunburst dial paired with a black and orange two-tone aluminum insert. Moving beyond the steel dive bezel, the black and orange look is continued on the flange scale of the watch rated for a water-resistance of 200 meters. A time and date Seiko 3Hz automatic caliber 6R15 with a 50-hour power reserve, 4,800 A/m of magnetic resistance and stop second feature serves as the movement of the timepiece. Rounding up the design of the watch is a premium sapphire crystal, screw-in case back, locking crown and a swappable black silicone strap.

Priced around $1,350 USD, the Seiko Prospex “Twilight Blue” SPB097J1 is available now at select authorized dealers.

Continuing to carve out his place at Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh and the luxury fashion house recently released a selection of bracelets and necklaces centered around a new take on the iconic monogram pattern for Spring/Summer 2019.

Both the Monogram Colors Chain Bracelet and Necklace are constructed of oversized square links done in a mix of black, gold and iridescent metal. The angular pattern of the chain form creates a dynamic look accented by engraved monogram faces. A shaped lobster clasp rounds up the design of the pieces and provides a secure fit.

While the Patches Chain Link Bracelet serves a contemporary take on a classic wrist piece. The unique accessory features a mix of silver, brass and enamel for a multicolored design. Embedded Swarovski crystals along with engraved and printed monogram patterns decorate the sides of the thick chain links. Finally, an LV signature marked clip claps tie up the bracelet.

Priced between €395 and €1,300 EUR (approximately $444 and $1,460 USD), the Virgil Abloh designed Louis Vuitton SS19 Monogram Bracelets and Necklace are available now at louisvuitton.com.

Renowned designer Riccardo Tisci continues with his distinct admiration for streetwear through his latest jewelry offerings for Burberry’s Pre-AW19 range. The latest bracelet from the famed designer sees a bicycle chain reverted into a unique piece of accessory. The beautiful crafted-in-Italy bracelet is vibrantly constructed out of palladium-plated brass and is finished off with a subtle Burberry inscription atop the minimalistic clasp.

You can check out Burberry’s Bicycle Chain Bracelet above, and if you’re interested in picking one up for yourself, head over to MATCHESFASHION.com where it is currently retailing for $330 USD.

G-Shock has released a limited-to-300 MR-G G2000GA watch that is inspired by the Gassan tradition of Japanese swordsmiths. Sadanobu Gassan — who is continuing the 800-year-old tradition — has applied detailing to each link by hand inspired by the “Yasuri-me” technique, which leaves rasp masks for grip on the sword’s handle.

Sadanobu Gassan is the director for the All Japan Swordsmith Association and has won numerous awards for his skills in traditional sword making. For his partnership with G-Shock, the craftsman took on the technical MR-G watch and inscribed traditional Kanji graphics on its brushed black metal wrist strap.

The case is made from recrystallized titanium, a material which replicates the crystal formation of the temper line on a blade of a traditional Japanese sword. An Arc Ion Plating is then applied to the case, giving the watch a deep purple finish which is associated with nobility in Japanese culture. Finally, G-Shock adds a bezel made from COBARION 2 — a cobalt-based metal which can be polished to a mirrored sheen — which features a sword-inspired bevel.

The G-Shock MR-G comes equipped with radio wave time-calibration signals, GPS satellite signals, and Bluetooth which is used to accurately measure time zones around the world. The MR-G G2000GA is priced at £6,500 GBP (approx. $8,300 USD) and is available to purchase on G-Shock’s website and at its Carnaby Street, London-based store.