5.29.2009
DJ Natty Heavy - DIPT NYC Get Fresh Crew
Everyone in Chucktown already knows but for those worldwide who dont my homie DJ Natty Heavy brings the heat on the mixtape grind.
DJ R Dot - DIPT NYC Get Fresh Crew
Everyone in Chucktown already knows but for those worldwide who dont my homie DJ R Dot just launched his new website and he has some nasty mixtapes on their so check it out
Draped Up and G'D Out
Check these classics I came across: 1987 DW-5600, 1985 DW-5500 and the 1989 G-5500
5.28.2009
T.I.T.S. [Two In The Shirt]
Two In The Shirt is a fresh new company with a focus on bringing tastefully provocative clothing to the forefront of fashion. The name 'Two In the Shirt' is derived from the acronym T.I.T.S., which is quite fitting considering the nature of the clothing itself.
T.I.T.S. merchandise consists of men's and women's apparel printed with original designs. Each design showcases classy prints of nude or nearly nude women.
"Like a training bra, support T.I.T.S."
T.I.T.S. merchandise consists of men's and women's apparel printed with original designs. Each design showcases classy prints of nude or nearly nude women.
"Like a training bra, support T.I.T.S."
Hot Air Brand On The Scene
Established in 2007, the concept of Hot Air was birthed from the creative vision of Chike Ozah (one-half of directing team, Coodie and Chike - credits include: Kanye West, Mos Def, Lela James), alongside partners Bee Nguyen (Marketing Maverick from Grand Tactics / Sound In Color), Diego Carlin (Record Executive / Creative Director -credits include: Miles Davis, Fishbone, Spacek, and Sa-Ra), Louis Yakich (Record Executive / Entrepreneur), and Duke Wu (The Meat and Potatoes Company). This quintessential group of enterprising business and design trailblazers push the envelope with Hot Air's unique and rich color palette, influenced by the tradition of air travels via ballooning.
ISHOTNY
Julian Goldstein was born in 1985 in New York City’s Upper West Side. As the offspring of a 1960's hippie father and a 1970's disco mom, Julian had a truly unique childhood which is felt in the natural photographs he takes. As a true New Yorker he does not see the need to set up props or unconventional scenarios in a city that has it all. He shoots in the moment and captures sites that would normally go unseen. Since the age of 15 Julian has always felt comfortable holding and using a camera and this has only intensified over time. His talent continues to grow shooting digitally and with film with the intent of creating work that will appeal to anyones eyes.
ONLY NY SHOUT OUT
ONLY NY INC. is an independent brand based out of the West side of Manhattan that offers quality goods, released in limited quantity. By combining innovative design with quality apparel, ONLY NY strives to create classic, timeless clothing. Since 1997 we have been heavily involved with NYC's underground street culture. From years of skateboarding & writing graffiti, to sporting old school Polo and North Face, ONLY NY Embodies our roots and has been 10 years in the making. Our brand represents the hood to Park Ave. and everything in between. If you're down with New York, your down with ONLY NY.
5.27.2009
Pecha Kucha Charleston - June 3rd, 2009 - 7:30 pm
You are invited to bring your blankets and chairs to the next Pecha Kucha Night Charleston! Join us on June 3rd at 7:30pm at an outdoor location that will be announced next week!
Click the title to register!
BAPE USA - Website Launch
In the last few months, BAPE (R) has really opened its doors to the markets including Zozotown and the Bape Pirate Store. However, perhaps the most noteworthy unveiling is an all new BAPE (R) USA website which will include not only English updates but a full-fledged webstore as well. For a brand that for the longest time was virtually inaccessible through 1st party mediums, this really changes things up. The site can be visited at US.BAPE.com.
Rynecologist "Still Thinking" Mixtape
Big up Toronto’s own DJ/Producer Rynecologist just released Fu$&*? DOPEST solo mixtape “Still Thinking” .
Including remixes, original production, of rock, hip-hop…, everyone will find something they’ll enjoy
from start to finish.
Rolling Stone Magazine “The best remixes with the worst name in the WORLD!”
Rynecologist opened up for Lady Gaga, Justice, LupeFiasco, DJ Premier, Busy P and many more.
Click Title to Download:
10 Graphic Logo Design Tips
I’ve learned from quite a few mistakes during my time as a designer, and to save you from doing likewise, here are 10 logo design tips I picked up.
1. A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does
Restaurant logos don’t need to show food, dentist logos don’t need to show teeth, furniture store logos don’t need to show furniture. Just because it’s relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do better.
The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an aeroplane. The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc. Etc.
2. Not every logo needs a mark
Sometimes a client just needs a professional logotype to identify their business. Don’t be afraid to ask what they think.
3. Two-way process
Remember, things might not always pan out as you hope. Your client might request something you disagree with. If that happens, try giving them what they want, then show them what you believe is an improvement, and why. They’re less likely to be so resistant if they already see how their thoughts pan out.
4. Picasso started somewhere
You don’t need to be an artist to realise the benefits of logo sketching. Ideas can flow much faster between a pen and paper than they can a mouse and monitor.
5. Under-promise, over-deliver
If you’re unsure how long a task will take to complete, estimate longer. Design projects are like construction work — you piece lots of little elements together to form a greater whole, and setbacks can crop up at any time.
6. Leave trends to the fashion industry
Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key.
Don’t follow the pack.
Stand out.
7. Work in black first
By leaving colour to the end of the process, you focus on the idea. No amount of gradient or colour will rescue a poorly designed mark.
8. Keep it appropriate
Designing for a lawyer? Ditch the fun approach. Designing for a kid’s TV show? Nothing too serious. I could go on, but you get the picture.
9. A simple logo aids recognition
Keeping the design simple allows for flexibility in size. Ideally, your design should work at a minimum of around one inch without loss of detail. Look at the logos of large corporations like Mitsubishi, Samsung, FedEx, BBC etc. Their logos look simple and are easier to recognise because of it.
10. One thing to remember
That’s it. Leave your client with just one thing to remember about the design. All strong logos have one single feature to help them stand out.
Not two, three, or four.
One.
1. A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does
Restaurant logos don’t need to show food, dentist logos don’t need to show teeth, furniture store logos don’t need to show furniture. Just because it’s relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do better.
The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an aeroplane. The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc. Etc.
2. Not every logo needs a mark
Sometimes a client just needs a professional logotype to identify their business. Don’t be afraid to ask what they think.
3. Two-way process
Remember, things might not always pan out as you hope. Your client might request something you disagree with. If that happens, try giving them what they want, then show them what you believe is an improvement, and why. They’re less likely to be so resistant if they already see how their thoughts pan out.
4. Picasso started somewhere
You don’t need to be an artist to realise the benefits of logo sketching. Ideas can flow much faster between a pen and paper than they can a mouse and monitor.
5. Under-promise, over-deliver
If you’re unsure how long a task will take to complete, estimate longer. Design projects are like construction work — you piece lots of little elements together to form a greater whole, and setbacks can crop up at any time.
6. Leave trends to the fashion industry
Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key.
Don’t follow the pack.
Stand out.
7. Work in black first
By leaving colour to the end of the process, you focus on the idea. No amount of gradient or colour will rescue a poorly designed mark.
8. Keep it appropriate
Designing for a lawyer? Ditch the fun approach. Designing for a kid’s TV show? Nothing too serious. I could go on, but you get the picture.
9. A simple logo aids recognition
Keeping the design simple allows for flexibility in size. Ideally, your design should work at a minimum of around one inch without loss of detail. Look at the logos of large corporations like Mitsubishi, Samsung, FedEx, BBC etc. Their logos look simple and are easier to recognise because of it.
10. One thing to remember
That’s it. Leave your client with just one thing to remember about the design. All strong logos have one single feature to help them stand out.
Not two, three, or four.
One.
Wale - GQ Article
Shout out to GQ for repping Wale. Love the mag but didn't see them shouting out him.
5.26.2009
Jay Z & DJ Premier = Can't Cheat Death
A breath of fresh air for many Hip Hop heads as this new compelling project features DJ Premier’s production alongside the incandescent flows of Jay-Z. Undisputedly, two of the greatest at what they do. The project will be entitled, “Premier Issue vol. 7: Hova Edition” and is set to release July 4th. Hip Hop is coming back to the music. Stay tuned for updates on this project.
Are The Hundreds Selling Out?
The Hundreds wants to sell but not sell out
The street-wear brand has stores in L.A. and San Francisco, a strong online presence and a solid buzz. But its clothes are aimed at skater and hip-hop subcultures, which loathe overexposure.
By Nathan Olivarez-Giles
May 26, 2009
When the founders of the L.A. clothing brand the Hundreds first met, they were unhappy law school students looking for a way out.
Six years after they started designing T-shirts to ease the boredom they felt in class, 29-year-old Bobby Kim and Ben Shenassafar are running a humming business, complete with a website, blog and their own mini-subculture out of a storefront in the Fairfax District and a warehouse near downtown.
With a second store in San Francisco and a growing buzz about their products, the pair are now confronting a classic small-business dilemma: They want to expand, and experts say they should. But they don't want to lose the hip edge that made them popular in the first place.
The Hundreds employs 30 people and sells logo T-shirts, shoes, shorts and accessories including mouse pads and wallets. The brand is a part of a fashion movement known as street wear, which typically consists of casual clothing aimed at quasi-underground subcultures such as skaters and hip-hop fans.
The company's strategy shows how word of mouth combined with a strong -- and edgy -- online presence can lead to success, especially when the target audience is young adults and teenagers.
Key to the viral nature of its marketing is the Hundreds' blog, at thehundreds.com, which Kim and Shenassafar started when the clothing line launched in 2003.
The idea, Kim said, was to create a way for young customers to feel connected to the company.
"We said, let's have it so the kids interact with us and they feel as much a part of it as we do," he said.
Updated daily by Kim, the website recently registered 1.8 million monthly page views, according to traffic-measuring site Quantcast.com.
The Hundreds shop is one of a cluster of street-wear stores to open around Fairfax Avenue, helping produce a small renaissance in the district's faded commercial area. Street-wear boutique Brooklyn Projects, near Melrose and Fairfax avenues, was the first to open in 2002.
In 2004, the New York brand Supreme arrived, followed by the Hundreds' first store in 2007. When John Earle wanted to open a West Coast store last year for his Boston brand Johnny Cupcakes, the Fairfax District was the first place he looked.
"We're making it a destination spot with these other brands popping up around there," Earle said.
On the blog, Kim writes about the bustling scene: visits to other street-wear stores, celebrities who stop by the shop, or his favorite place to get a burrito.
A blog post from Thursday features photos of model and disc jockey Anna Dang skateboarding in front of the Hundreds' warehouse.
"Young brands like this use social media to do a much better job of speaking to the customer than older, more traditional companies," said Eli Portnoy, a Los Angeles brand strategist and marketing expert. "Their blog creates a forum for exchange, which is what younger people want out of their brands nowadays."
When the Hundreds started in 2003, most street-wear brands with decades on the scene didn't have websites or blogs.
"People thought I was just corny and it was pretty nerdy to have a blog you wrote on every day," Kim said.
But as the Internet became a cultural force and blogging's popularity grew, Kim and Shenassafar seemed less and less like the odd men out. Other brands started to take notice, said Dominick DeLuca, a former VJ for MTV's "Headbangers Ball," who owns Brooklyn Projects.
"I never even heard the word 'blog' when those guys started talking to me about it," DeLuca said. "Now I blog. Everybody has a blog. You can't have a successful street-wear brand without having a blog anymore. It just doesn't make sense not to."
Propelled partly by the success of its blog, the Hundreds' sales have been growing rapidly. The company made $4.8 million in sales in 2008, up from $1.8 million in 2007 and $900,000 in 2006, Shenassafar said.
Like other street-wear brands, the company's lines feature T-shirts with bold graphics, layered pieces, strong colors on baseball caps and shoes, hooded sweat shirts and dark denims. The Hundreds products are meant to reflect a Los Angeles sensibility rooted in the 1980s and '90s, when its founders were growing up.
In the Hundreds stores, one on Rosewood Avenue and the other on Post Street in San Francisco, bright red and yellow T-shirts, green shoes and purple caps are displayed against black wooden shelves and flooring.
The Los Angeles store is small and narrow, with an art installation of a hill topped with trees and a blue sky by Los Angeles artist Tofer tucked along a wall.
The year-old San Francisco store is almost three times larger and painted black, with shelves set into Batcave-like rock walls and pillars embedded with fake stacked skulls.
Other street-wear brands have grown quite large: Irvine-based Stussy Inc., which started in 1984, has 15 stores in eight countries. Supreme started in 1994 and has seven stores: one in L.A., one in New York and five in Japan.
But the question of how far to expand is particularly tough for a company such as the Hundreds, because its success is predicated on the notion that its products are somewhat underground.
Ilse Metchek, a retail analyst and president of the California Fashion Assn., said the company faces a tough balancing act: The Hundreds needs to grow enough to remain a viable business, but not so much that it loses its street cred.
"If they focus on their core customer base, they could create long-term credibility based on the loyalty they seem to have," Metchek said.
"That limits just how big they can get. But getting too big would ruin the allure of their brand, so they have to grow and stay small. That's hard to do."
She offered as an example the Ed Hardy brand, which expanded into mainstream stores and is no longer as popular among the underground crowd.
"Street-wear brands come and go, and very few show a streak of longevity," Metchek said. "Ed Hardy started as a street-wear brand, and they expanded and they were everywhere for a while, and they're already yesterday's news. They diluted their brand."
Shenassafar said the Hundreds had been approached by department stores but had decided not to go that route.
Still, when Walt Disney Co. came calling, the partners responded, designing T-shirts, caps and hooded sweat shirts with the Lost Boys from Disney's "Peter Pan" dressed in the Hundreds gear.
"Everyone's like 'Doesn't that go against everything in your ethos?' " Kim said.
"If we can use it to our advantage -- to where the man is not using us, but we're using him to gain exposure and to make it look like we're beating Goliath -- I'm going to do it."
5.23.2009
5.22.2009
New Brand - Soapy Laundry
Their Manifesto:
Our best guess is that Soapy Laundry was established in the 80's and we just didn't know it at the time.
You grow up with aspirations to be the next Michael Jordan on the basketball court or the next Jerry Rice on the football field. Yet not until a person gets a few years under his/her belt do you start to realize what it took for those type of players to become elite in there respective sports.
Yes, we grew up in the 80’s playing on our Nerf basketball hoops in our rooms and riding our “BMX” bikes down the block, and throwing as many “Thrasher” stickers on our skateboards as we could find. Yet, we always had a passion to try something new and different regardless of the risk. It could have been as simple as deciding to spread sand on the cement garage floor so that when we drove the Powerwheel bike around corners, it would slide like we saw on TV. Maybe deciding to skateboard down hills in our new Nike Dunks’ and Jordan’s’ because they looked FRESH wasn’t the wisest decision (who knew they would become “Collector Items”). We were no different than any other kids in the neighborhood, videogames, pizza, strikeout baseball, tackle football, and riding BMX bikes. We never thought in a million years that when you got older the fun would suddenly stop.
Working hard in the standard 9-5 is a “Different World” so to speak. It’s like every Monday you start a countdown to Friday. Don’t get us wrong, homework, school projects, test, they were definitely hard, and at the time, we felt they consumed our entire life and sucked out all our fun. Yet compared to the adult life that was a breeze. So we decided to step in and turn up the fun again and with our powers combined (yes we watched “Captain Planet”) we created “Soapy Laundry Clothing”.
When two people with different styles have the same dream, reality sometimes can be just a phone call away. In a generation filled with collaboration we felt it was time to join together and make this happen. The garments you will see released by Soapy Laundry will be a combination of two minds creating a style for the masses. We started from the ground floor in a sense….. No… we started from the basement we weren’t even on the ground floor to start. It takes a lot of time/effort to cross all your “T’s” and dot all those “I’s”.
Thankfully we have decided to dive in head first in order to see where it leads us and have some fun while we’re at it of course. Some may feel like this is just another clothing label trying to find its way. We feel that this is more than clothing, its life telling us it’s time to be true to ourselves. Failure is not and option. We are going to stay hungry, stay motivated, and turn these 80's dreams into realities. So how SOAPY is your LAUNDRY?
“Trying to keep a dream from fading is tough; allowing a dream to fade would have been even tougher.”~ Soapy Laundry
Our best guess is that Soapy Laundry was established in the 80's and we just didn't know it at the time.
You grow up with aspirations to be the next Michael Jordan on the basketball court or the next Jerry Rice on the football field. Yet not until a person gets a few years under his/her belt do you start to realize what it took for those type of players to become elite in there respective sports.
Yes, we grew up in the 80’s playing on our Nerf basketball hoops in our rooms and riding our “BMX” bikes down the block, and throwing as many “Thrasher” stickers on our skateboards as we could find. Yet, we always had a passion to try something new and different regardless of the risk. It could have been as simple as deciding to spread sand on the cement garage floor so that when we drove the Powerwheel bike around corners, it would slide like we saw on TV. Maybe deciding to skateboard down hills in our new Nike Dunks’ and Jordan’s’ because they looked FRESH wasn’t the wisest decision (who knew they would become “Collector Items”). We were no different than any other kids in the neighborhood, videogames, pizza, strikeout baseball, tackle football, and riding BMX bikes. We never thought in a million years that when you got older the fun would suddenly stop.
Working hard in the standard 9-5 is a “Different World” so to speak. It’s like every Monday you start a countdown to Friday. Don’t get us wrong, homework, school projects, test, they were definitely hard, and at the time, we felt they consumed our entire life and sucked out all our fun. Yet compared to the adult life that was a breeze. So we decided to step in and turn up the fun again and with our powers combined (yes we watched “Captain Planet”) we created “Soapy Laundry Clothing”.
When two people with different styles have the same dream, reality sometimes can be just a phone call away. In a generation filled with collaboration we felt it was time to join together and make this happen. The garments you will see released by Soapy Laundry will be a combination of two minds creating a style for the masses. We started from the ground floor in a sense….. No… we started from the basement we weren’t even on the ground floor to start. It takes a lot of time/effort to cross all your “T’s” and dot all those “I’s”.
Thankfully we have decided to dive in head first in order to see where it leads us and have some fun while we’re at it of course. Some may feel like this is just another clothing label trying to find its way. We feel that this is more than clothing, its life telling us it’s time to be true to ourselves. Failure is not and option. We are going to stay hungry, stay motivated, and turn these 80's dreams into realities. So how SOAPY is your LAUNDRY?
“Trying to keep a dream from fading is tough; allowing a dream to fade would have been even tougher.”~ Soapy Laundry
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