From the monthly archives: February 2013
WTAPS presents a voyeuristic look at their Spring/Summer 2013 collection. The pieces , styling and photography all work together to provide the feeling of a nostalgic camping trip. The lookbook marks a point where the brand expands past it’s primarily military re-appropriations into a more diverse range of styles. Despite not showing the clothes in great detail, I feel WTAPS was quite successful at creating a mood for the entire season through these photos
Photos via Hypebeast
I took these snaps of the legend Project Pat at the Snack Dragon in Williamsburg hours before he performed at a packed Santo’s Party House Tuesday. It was an honor to hear some of Pat’s stories from his career. I’m happy to report that he’s definitely a rap OG who is approachable, humble and genuine.
LUKER by Neighborhood is a line designed by Shinsuke Takizawa that reflects his interest in British fashion. The collection gives obvious nods to mod and punk style but balances them against more traditional British clothes. For example driving caps are paired with casual jackets and screenprinted items with the visage of Sid Vicious and Joe Strummer.
More looks after the Jump Continue reading »
I am unsure of the exact time period that these Rick Owens trainers were released but I know that I have owned them since 2009 when I purchased them from another user on Superfuture. If I were to guess I’d say these sneakers date back to about 2007 and were some of the first iterations created. As time went on the trademark Rick Owens sneakers have undergone many versions but the original is still my favorite. There’s rumors that later sneakers abandoned the ‘swoosh-like’ check due to pressure from Nike but no official story has been reported.
These sneakers are near and dear to my heart and I could never let them go. They have seen their fair share of wear: scuffs, pen marks, and spilled drinks. The shoes are still feel substantial as ever and I feel the damage only adds to their character. I’ve gotten them re-soled twice now and will surely will have to again soon. There is something that is so compelling about the design of the sneakers that is difficult to place a finger on. The shoes are imperfect; simultaneously beautiful and slightly grotesque. In that way they are prime example of Mr.Owen’s design philosophy and a visual precursor to his later work.
Photo by Rocky Li
POWERS SURGE from PALACE on Vimeo.
Palace Skateboards brings that 90′s feel back by releasing this ree with footy from skater Shawn Powers in New York City. Whether you skate or not, if you appreciate skate videos and classic rap this is a must watch.
My friend Max Vanderwoude Gross started his menswear line ‘PROPER GANG‘ last year and has been expanding the line’s offering since then. I paid a visit to the showroom to get a walkthrough the fall/winter 2013 collection. The collection is based off of Max’s own roots and cultural influences. Staples include pocket t-shirts, cotton military influenced button-down shirts, denim jackets, and zip hoodies made from duffle coat wool.
My personal favorite pieces were the color-blocked jerseys which were just the perfect fit (cropped and slim but still with just oversized enough to feel like a jersey). Also of note are the cords, jeans and trousers that are based off the same PROPER GANG pattern (tapered, cropped without being too skinny). I’m definetly feeling what Max is doing with the line and I’m looking forward to seeing how PROPER GANG continues to establish itself in the New York menswear scene.
You can expect to see the pieces at Opening Ceremony in New York, LA and London later this year.
Hell’s Kitchen is far from the most scenic or charming neighborhood in New York but it is home of the Garment District. Oi Polli collaborates with Nepenthes to bring bright visuals to an interview piece with the designer of Engineered Garments‘ Daiki Suzuki and Battenwear’s Shinya Hasegawa.
My favorite part of the interview is this quote from Diaki which sums up his philosophy with EG.
“That said, I want people to have fun when they’re wearing Engineered Garments. I want them to take part in this world I’ve created. I think with most fashion brands, you pay a lot of money and then you have this ready-made outfit and it’ll definitely look good because it’s expensive and well made. But with Engineered Garments, I don’t want the clothes to look perfect immediately. I think people should have to put some work into it. I think it should only look really good if the clothes match your taste, and you bring something of yourself to it. I think of Engineered Garments as clothing for people who are really into clothing.”
You can read the entire conversation on Oi Polloi.
Photography by Antony Crook (The Rig Out)
Styling by Angelo Urrutia (Nepenthes NYC)
Technical outerwear specialist brand Stone Island held it’s 30th anniversary in June of last year at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence.To celebrate Stone Island created a 2000 foot walkthrough exhibition.
The exhibition has been thoroughly filmed and photographed to turn it from physical to digital experience, with the intent of render timeless a temporary event. Watch the above video to get a feel of what it was like experiencing the actual exhibition.
You can explore the site online at www.stoneisland30.com
Model: Anne Marie Kirkman
Styling by Rocky Li
Photography by Rebekah Seok
This editorial is a follow-up to the original Gray Matter post.
Special thanks goes out to Alex and Wei from Graymarket Brooklyn. All the pieces seen here are available for purchase.
Image via Oh Fantastic
In the late summer and early fall of 2008, events for Maison Martin Margiela’s 20th Anniversary were in full swing. Parties. A runway show homage to the company’s past. A traveling exhibit stopping at multiple major museums. In retrospect, the attendees were unknowing participants in a celebratory wake for the career of Martin Margiela: after months of rumors that Martin Margiela was distancing himself from the design process, the Maison officially announced that he had already left the company he founded.
In November 2012, the Maison did it again. The party was ostensibly for the launch of H&M x MMM, but if you took a step back you could see it meant more. It was a coming out party for the new Margiela brand: bold, brash, quietly self-aggrandizing, keeping itself in the public eye any way but advertising. It was a move Renzo Rosso telegraphed not long after he claimed a majority stake of Maison Martin Margiela in 2002; a strategy that looked brilliant with the rise of the 24 hour internet news cycle, and prescient by the rise of social media. Now it appears the company is using social media to bridge the gap between the old, quiet, anonymous brand, and the new brand. But the “new brand,” still visually intact as white, weird, and playfully intellectual, looks to be only an open door allowing us to see inside the Maison. A move that, while popular, effectively destroys the old brand identity based on anonymity, like a magician giving away all of his secrets. Does the company have anything to take the place of the identity it destroyed, or will they just hope the white door is enough? And do they fear that consumers will discover the open door is just an illusion, revealing little more than clever designs in white?
—-Read the entire feature after the jump
