THE FEEL FREE ARTZ GROUP
Sunday, January 31, 2021
HOTEL: The Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel Is Offering a Takashi Murakami-Designed Suite / Tokyo Rock Band End of The World Drop Takashi Murakami-Designed Vinyl 'Chameleon'
Tokyo’s Grand Hyatt Hotel has tapped Takashi Murakami for a special art-focused redesign of one of its executive-level “Chairman Suites.” The multi-room suite has been bolstered with 14 of Murakami’s signature artworks and is accompanied by a bevy of artist-related activities.
Pieces present in the room include paintings, rugs and more, but the most notable of the bunch may be the 195 cm Flower Parent & Child sculpture in the living room, done up in metallic gold. Apart from observing the artworks, guests are also treated to a special gourmet dinner, receive a signed copy of a Murakami art book plus an exclusive mask and mug, and can even get Murakami-themed nail art for an additional fee if they so choose.
If you’re interested in staying in the Grand Hyatt Hotel’s Murakami “Chairman Suite,” the price for a group of two guests starts at ¥450,000 JPY (approximately $4,298 USD) per night. Up to three additional guests can stay in the room as well for an extra charge of ¥20,000 JPY (approximately $191 USD) per night. Head to Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s homepage to learn more about the room’s amenities and book a stay.
Besides re-working hotel rooms, Takashi Murakami has been quite busy as of late: he recently brought his signature flower to Hublot’s Fusion watch and teamed with Perrotin for a limited-edition Melting DOB figure
Tokyo rock band End of The World has been seeing success across Asia beyond its own country, and it’s next goal has been to capture a global audience with the release of an album recorded entirely in English. Unveiled last month, the album is called Chameleon and is being released after seven years of work. Its Takashi Murakami-designed vinyl will be dropping soon.
Chameleon consists of 13 tracks and includes features from a handful of familiar names like Joe Jonas, NIKI, Clean Bandit and Gabrielle Aplin. Many of the songs were written by lead singer Fukase, who tells his personal stories through expressive melodies. To reflect the vibrant sounds of the record, Murakami imagined a colorful album cover displaying illustrations of four quirky chameleons in space. Each of them is depicted wearing spacesuits against the starry backdrop of space and Earth. A bold “Chameleon” logo is stamped at the bottom of the cover in a rich gradient as a nod to the animal the LP is named after.
End of The World’s Takashi Murakami-designed vinyl will be released on December 11 — only 500 copies of the vinyl will be available via Amazon. Scroll below to listen to the album.
In case you missed it, here’s a look at Futura and Takashi Murakami’s collaborative screenprints.
SPORTSWEAR: FALL/WINTER 2021 MARKS THE RETURN OF THE VARSITY JACKET
Once is a phenomenon, twice is a circumstance, but three times – that’s a trend. This season, theFall/Winter 2021 Menswear collections featured new takes on a classic item, the Varsity Jacket or Letterman Jacket, that’s been around for ages.
Easily recognized by its sporty silhouette and color blocked design, the baseball-style jacket is traditionally worn by athletes in high school and college in the United States, branded with personal awards, school pride and most importantly, your name written across the back. The style is one that has become popular worldwide, and we’ve seen a handful of takes on the piece both in the luxury sector as well as in the high street realm.
For Fall/Winter 2021, Virgil Abloh debuted a green iteration for Louis Vuitton boasting large “L” and “V” letters at front, whereas Guram Gvasalia‘s Vetements opted for a sleek, black version with a bold “R” at the chest. Glenn Martens also included an oversized take in his collection for Y/Project, Isabel Marant a simple beige design, and Wales Bonner a letterman-inspired cardigan.
Although the trend hasn’t yet become widely recognized, we’re sure we’ll be seeing more athletic influences in the upcoming Fall/Winter 2021 Womenswear collections. Take a look at the pieces in the gallery above, and if you’re looking to jump on the trend before it blows up, peep a few of our favorite picks below.
FRESH KICKS:
Sneaker and streetwear retailer SNIPES is relaunching the Karl Kani footwear range, with ‘The 89’ being the first model to drop in stores across Europe next month.
SNIPES delivers the latest streetwear and sneaker looks across Europe and the US, and releases its own collections and collaborations with other brands multiple times a year.
Karl Kani’s ‘The 89’ silhouette will come in a variation of colors for both genders, both muted tones such as black and white and iterations with brighter pops of color. The sneakers boast playful yet subtle features and a soft and high-quality leather finish. The line-up dons a clean and versatile look for any occasion.
The collection will be dropping in stores and online at SNIPES come February 13 at a starting retail price of €89.99 (approx $110 USD). Keep an eye out for more information.
The Air Jordan 5 appears to be Jordan Brand‘s collegiate football PE of choice in the early days of 2021, as after the UNC Tar Heels revealed a powder blue pair images of an Oklahoma Sooners style have surfaced. Shared by Oklahoma Football head coach Lincoln Riley — the man responsible for grooming Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, both #1 overall picks in the NFL Draft and Heisman Trophy winners — the Sooners’ PE boasts vibrant team tones and plenty of special details.
Uppers are dressed in Sooner red and covered from heel to toe in elephant print. This classic build surrounds translucent mesh netting on the quarter panel and throat, while the black tongues boast embroidered white OU branding. Further details are provided by white laces and a white Nike Air hit on the heel. Down below, white midsoles feature a clear Air cushioning unit in the heel and toothed black detailing on the forefoot. Outsoles offer icy blue translucent rubber and boast a large red OU logo stamped under the forefoot.
As these Air Jordan 5s were crafted for Oklahoma football players, coaches and other staff. they’ll never received a retail release.
Since engineer M. Frank Rudy first presented Air technology to Nike (NYSE:NKE -0.84%) founder Phil Knight in 1977, its bold bags and bubbles have been in a constant state of evolution and change — a baked-in progressive ethos that has now provided the inspiration for Nike Sportswear‘s Spring 2021 Air Max lifestyle collection. Centered around fresh takes on the Air Max 2090, the Air VaporMax EVOand the women’s Air Max Viva, the offerings encompass the past, present and future of the Swoosh’s most famous technology.
The Air Max 2090 EOI — short for “Evolution of Icons” — is a richly detailed homage to Maxes past, combining elements of the Air Max 90 and Air Max BW with a familiar “Ultramarine” color scheme borrowed from the Air Max 180. It also serves as a lead-in for the rest of the season’s EOI releases, which will include the Air Max 270 React, Air Max Zephyr, Air Max 90, Air Max 95, Air Max Plus and other yet-to-be-announced styles.
Another mix of commemorative style and modern-day tech is supplied by the Air VaporMax EVO. Unlike past hybrid VaporMax silhouettes like the Air VaporMax Plusand Air VaporMax Inneva, the EVO mixes pieces from multiple classic sneakers on its upper. If you look closely, you’ll spot bits from the Air Max 90, Air Max 93 and Air Max Plus. Each pair is packaged with a small booklet that explains the models that inspire its colorway and shows a brief history of Air Max logos as well.
Lastly, the Air Max Viva combines a thick Cushlon midsole and a jumbo heel Air Max unit with a new-jack lifestyle upper that mixes nubuck, leather and mesh. Two laces add doubled-up styling as well, and speckled midsoles finalize the look.
Expect Nike Sportswear’s spring 2021 Air Max collection to roll out on the Nike webstore over the course of the coming months.
FASHION: NAOMI OSAKA, WILLOW SMITH AND MORE STAR IN LEVI'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH CAMPAIGN
Levi’s has announced a new campaign, “Beauty of Becoming,” set to roll out as a series of videos beginning in February for Black History Month. Made in collaboration with filmmaker Oge Egbuonu, the series spotlights athletes, musicians and fashion industry icons recounting their personal journeys to success. “I took inspiration for this collaboration from the many people I’ve spoken to over the last few months who were searching for ways to become more of themselves during this transformative moment in history,” Egbuonu said. “I realized no one is born a hero….Everyone, no matter their background, must evolve through a process of becoming.”
The first episode will feature tennis star Naomi Osaka, followed by Tremaine Emory of No Vacancy Inn. Willow Smith will star in a video celebrating Women’s History Month, and Jaden Smith will speak on sustainability and environmental justice. Designer Melody Ehsani, stylist Karla Welch and Egbuonu herself will also make an appearance.
Take a look at a series of campaign images, shot by Shaniqwa Jarvis, above, and check out the campaign’s teaser below.
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