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birkenstock September 14, 2020
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Sandals: The footwear conundrum sneakerheads know nothing about

Sandals and slides have been at a tug-of-war over our leisure and lax footwear real estate in our closets.

Slides are the indoor cousin of sandals and offer the most comfort while at home – which, nowadays, we mostly are. But proper sandals, with its dad-style reputation, are not considered by a majority of men.

Those who are comfortable with their style might find sandals a bit of an understatement, if not just not a youthful look – adding socks may help in finding the irony in looking like someone’s dad. Socks will help on those chillier days also.

@Jaimetoutcheztoi, Fashion week, Paris. Paul Jeong/Hypebeast.

Sandals, like slides, have a place, and it’s no longer found on the paths of hiking trails around the world. It’s right on the streets of our cities and towns and getting dripped out by savvy dressers.

The feel of an open toe shoe is liberating. Sandals are just as comfortable as slides, but the difference here is that sandals are socially presentable in most cases. Meaning you won’t look like you gave up on life.

Slides don’t have a hefty shelf life as if you tend to wear a pair more and more, the slipper starts to deteriorate and lean in an unattractive way. No one is reselling used slides and if they are – and if you’re buying – I feel bad for you and your sense of civility.

Tyler, The Creator, GQ.
Tyler, The Creator, GQ.

The sandal is a shoe to be considered in theory and function; breathable, yet durable. Most shoes will save you on a rainy day. Sandals will not do anything for you when it rains.

Slides tend to be made with versatility and therefore carry characteristics that make them water friendly. Sandals are more of the go-to on days you can’t quite settle on a look – like when I wear my Birkenstocks. Sandals could be a sophisticated advancement of your fashion aesthetic and create a mature look overall.

Here are a few sandal selections out there that you can get some inspiration from and see if it can complement your drip. Sneakerheads are warned.

Rick Owen x Birkenstock

Rick Owen x Birkenstock

Rick Owens has had a sick collaboration run with Birkenstock that takes the familiar bohemian silhouette and adds that Rick-Goth to them with plush cow fur and leather material.

Prada Buckle Strappy Sandals

Prada Buckle Strappy Sandals

A traditional look from Prada made from leather with sturdy soles.

Burberry Black Webb Sandals

Burberry Black Webb Sandals

These Burberry sandals are made from buffed calfskin and silver-tone hardware.

Dr. Martens Black Gerald Sandals

 

Dr. Martens Black Gerald Sandals

Doc takes a utilitarian approach and provides a boot-height sandal.

Suicoke MOTO-Mab Lined Sandals

Suicoke MOTO-Mab Lined Sandals

Suede would feel nice on your feet and the shearling-lined straps and molded rubber footbed add extra comfort and style.

Valentino Garavani ‘VLTN’ Slides (Sandals)

Valentino Garavani ‘VLTN’ Slides (Sandals)

A slip-on sandal may just be the right medium for those who don’t care to buckle their shoes.

Bottega Veneta Logo Sandals

Bottega Veneta Logo Sandals

Made from a wool canvas, the buffed canvas slip-on sandal has adjustable straps with press-release fastenings for that just-right fit.

Gucci Rubber Bucket Strap Sandal

Gucci Rubber Bucket Strap Sandal

This sandal may be the ‘dad’-sandal of the group but that Gucci gold glow shines bright.

Dior CD1 Sandal

Dior CD1 Sandal

Perhaps the coolest sandal on the list. The neoprene upper and chunky rubber running-shoe sole is inspired by fashion and function. This sandal runner is a homage to the artist, Daniel Arsham who has worked with the Dior brand recently.

Visvim Christo Shaman-Folk Fringed Suede Sandal

Visvim Christo Shaman-Folk Fringed Suede Sandal

The ‘Christo” sandal is a staple of visvim and one of their best-selling sandal style. The ‘Shaman-Folk’ is re-imagined by designer Mr. Hiroki with fringe and tassels for the suede finish.

Givenchy 4G Jaw Sandals

Givenchy 4G Jaw Sandals

The jacquard logo pattern is bold on this sandal and the sole is just as pumped up. Givenchy has made this sandal in the kiddy-style we grew on with Velcro straps to fasten the sandal to your feet.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

camron September 7, 2020
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Mauve Men: How Jay-Z inspired more soft tones in menswear

“I like that pink, man!”

A spectator utters at the January 2020 Roc Nation brunch. Jay-Z turns and corrects the voice as he ‘dust his shoulder off’;

“It’s mauve, bro.”

Possibly the highest level of stunting we’ve seen from Hov in a while. He’s got the color game down too.

JayZ at Roc Nation brunch, January 2020. Paper Mag
JayZ at Roc Nation brunch, January 2020. Paper Mag.

The flamboyance of radiant, bright colors has been associated with feminine attire for as far as traditions go.

But since the early 2000s, through the bold choices of rappers like Cam’ron and Fat Joe who decided to wear pink and make a fashion statement, have broadened the idea of a masculine wardrobe.

More than just a salmon-colored button-down shirt to complement your suits, the ‘pink-polo’ era solidified masculinity as a catalyst for change – at least when it comes to drip – where “real men wear pink.”

Even more contrasting, women have taken to more solid, darker, neutral, and earth tones, something you can see in the “Scandi girl” style aesthetic.

A minimalist style of dress, it takes on masculine tailoring in boxy suit jackets with wide-leg pants, formally of our father’s closet.

Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week in Scandi girl attire.
Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week in Scandi girl attire. GETTY.

Most to do with a muted look but accentuated with sturdy fabric, the cut of the clothing, and how the garments draped over the body. The particular wearer is usually engulfed in material, but chic and fitting nonetheless.

Men have been wearing softer colors more than ever. Thanks to menswear designers,  the male body has been envisioned in softer tones and delicate materials.

Away from dark, charred leathers, heavy deep blue denim, nylons, and anything that absorbs sunlight. That aesthetic has been shared and passed on to the girlfriends.

Designers like Kim Jones, Cahraf Tajer, Simon Port Jacquemus, and Virgil Abloh, have induced a color palette that dilutes the a-typical masculine look we are used to.

Florals, mosaics, color blocking, and illustrious print design have dominated the heat coming down the runway.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CD-6H0qooC-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Designers are over with the average suit, over hard denim, and opting for playful ideas. Adult fun is sewn into serious clothing and play on the irony of hyper-masculinity.

Men today are more open to floral and mosaic patterns. Softer, more neutral tones are welcomed. Bright hues on delicate fabrics are ushered in through storytelling of designers, reflecting on simpler days well before the 2020 pandemic craze.

This is something designer Simon Port Jacquemus referenced for his Spring-Summer 2020 Paris Fashion Week runway show in the lilac fields in France and used to a similar scene following.

For his SS 2021 show, he presented in a French wheat field. Where the beige and khaki earth tones of the landscape were reflected in the clothing.

Colors: light blue, mauve, carnation, powder blue, sky blue, baby blue, seafoam blue, pumpkin, tangerine, beige, khaki, mustard, banana, mulberry, hibiscus, violet, imperial, fire brick, lime, and other shades adjacent; have graced collections for men.

Luxury brands like Jacquemus, Rhude, Pyer Moss, Casablanca, MSGM, Louis Vuitton, and Dior have all play the game of tones with softer hues. Or even brighter hues with refined fabrics and manufacturing that are familiar with luxury menswear.

Alessandro Michele took over Gucci as the creative director in 2015 and brought floral-design to the surface of streetwear and menswear alike.

Adding floral embroidery not only to suiting, Michele applied the design to washed blue denim and tennis sneakers and proved that menswear needed to breed life. The trend flourished on social media and Gucci’s stock rose.

Gucci embroidered denim jacket with shearling. GUCCI.

Even Rick Owens has included pink into his seasons’ neo-goth aesthetic. The all-black Goth-God has included a somber fire brick tone and traditional a pink color into his SS 2021 collection.

Items like a sandal-boot, tank tops, shorts, and shiny pink, and yellow, Tecuatl shoe poke fun at the dark-wear the brand is worshipped for.

Charaf Tajer of Casablanca, out of Paris, has doubled down on classic tennis vibes of the upper class. Tajer has influences of places like Miami and the Hamptons in the seams of his luxury streetwear brand, not to mention the allure of french coastlines.

Charaf Tajer, founder of Casablanca. @charaftajer.

Since 2018, Tajer has created a Versace-Esque aesthetic through mosaic design, disco-tailored garments, and relaxed, fitted clothing. Casablanca collections are overwhelmed with tones that glow throughout the day and that separates his brand from most others.

No need to fear the color palette like men once did. And no need to go back to 4XL tees, pink fur coat and custom matching pink Air Force 1s, like Cam’ron, made hot famously at New York Fashion Week in 2002.

The color has been made official by ‘Killa’ and Pantone since 2016, properly named “killa pink.”

Cam’ron during NYFW in 2002. Dazed Digital.

Ideally, embrace your feminine side when deciding your colors for the day. And don’t be shy as to the colors you like the most, just be confident. With all the drama happening in the world, it’s a courtesy to yourself, one worth brightening up your day.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

E-Sports September 3, 2020
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Overwatch League and BAIT are keeping gamers fly with sneaker bonuses

Yes, gamer sneaker bonuses are a thing as BAIT teams up with the Overwatch League to hand out sneaker prizes to team members.

Gaming and sneakers have always been in association with one another.

Remembering the first Playstation x Air Force 1s collaboration in 2009 and its shiny patent-leather exterior, you can see how the two interests interacted.

As the gaming industry continues to boom, other markets are seizing opportunities to get in or the virtual action. Sneaker Boutique and online retailer BAIT is teaming up with the Overwatch League to hand out sneaker prizes to team members.

“Gaming and sneakers cultures have always had a passionate, shared community. You can see it on display through some of the collabs that have dropped recently like the Xbox Jordans and the PlayStation PG2s,”

explains Eric Phan, the Chief Marketing Officer of BAIT.

2018-07-20 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

The Overwatch League is an international esports league, currently based in 20 cities and hosting the best Overwatch computer game players in the world.

This season’s $4 million grand prize pool is up for grabs after each team plays 21 regular-season matches to determine their positions for the playoffs which start September 3, 2020.

As these gamers are tied into their virtual worlds, they also in tune with the streetwear culture, entering the esports arenas in some drip.

Fan-created AF1 featuring Overwatch heroes

This season, the streetwear legend and designer Jeff Staple created the Overwatch League team uniforms.

And in Brooklyn of 2018, the inaugural Overwatch League Grand Finals had the eventual winners of the tournament, London Spitfire, grace the stage in Off-White x Air Jordan 1s in University Blue, a pair of Gucci tennis shoes, and a pair Triple S Balenciaga trainers.

These gamers flexed much more than thumb muscles that night.

2018-07-20 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

BAIT has now got their foot into the arena and is collaborating with the esports league to bless talented gamers with sneakers using what they call a BAIT BONUS.

For instance, if a player is overwhelmingly racking up ‘eliminations’ and gets what’s called a Fleta Deadlift, they will unlock this bonus worth $250 towards a pair.

Attractive bonuses like these might just get these gamer up on their feet. As much money as they could win, they can also cash out on some kicks for their troubles.

Gaming has been on steady growth as technology evolves and platforms widen. And sneaker culture has had exponential value since the early 2000s.

New York Excelsior (NYXL) in custom Dunks

Eric Phan goes on to say,

“There is no better time than now for Overwatch League and BAIT to partner to create sneaker bonuses. Esports pros are definitely part of the shared gaming and sneaker culture and will appreciate what we are putting together.”

Sneaker culture is considerably contiguous to any other culture that reflects our personalities in unique ways and gaming has always been a way to express ourselves.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

louis vuitton August 31, 2020
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Virgil Abloh signs Lucien Clarke to Louis Vuitton but are skaters ready?

After a year of secrecy, Virgil Abloh, the Creative Director of Menswear for Louis Vuitton, signed a deal with Jamaican born pro-skater Lucien Clarke to the 166-year-old brand as the first ‘luxury skater.’

Designing the first-ever skater-ready sneaker for the LV brand, the two have put the shoe to the ultimate test of skating and acceptance amongst the skate community.

In promotion, the Louis Vuitton logo is not only being skated in, it’s being skated on, with the monogram logo appearing on the bottom side of a Palace Skateboards brand board.

 

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TONIGHT WE CELEBRATE ‍☠️‍☠️‍☠️ @domperignonofficial

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This collaboration may have been teased back in April of 2019, about a year after Clarke walked in Abloh’s inaugural LV show in 2018. This fusion is telling of the future for luxury streetwear and how the hypebeast react will be the true ethos of the culture. But there has been no release date announced on it as of yet.

Since the Supreme x Louis Vuitton collaborated back in 2017 under the direction of Kim Jones, skate and luxury have been more prevalent, crossing paths at every corner. But skate and luxury have yet to truly meet up until now.

What to think about here is the sport of skating and those who partake, in the masses. Average skaters likely couldn’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars for a skate shoe.

As they may or may not own luxury streetwear themselves, to skate in better materials could be better but the action of the sport would destroy expensive pieces of clothing and sneakers.

The Louis Vuitton Pro trainers are indeed a pure skate shoe. Designed by Lucien Clarke and with guidance from Abloh, the shoe meets the standard of a proper skate shoe.

Lucien can be seen on his Instagram account in the white pair of the trainers doing what he does best, revealing the wear-and-tear skaters are familiar with.

But as Lucien is a sponsored skater for Palace Skateboards, Element, and has done some work with Supreme in the past, he and many other sponsored skaters are gifted items often by the many skate brands out there that they represent. The average skater wouldn’t want or couldn’t afford the turnover rate for that kind of footwear.

Virgil Abloh chose to display this first-ever culture-collab in Trasher magazine, the holy grail of skate magazines. In the ad, Clarke is skating in the shoe and modeling in monogram LV designed denim outfit in a full-page spread.

Abloh and Clarke were both equally ecstatic for the reveal of their collab, taking to their Instagram following. Abloh expressed that they were – lowkey – filming skate sessions for a year.

With brands having attempted to initiate an organic skate-luxury culture – BBC/Ice Cream had a skate team who performed in all their clothing and skate-designed sneakers made by Reebok – Virgil Abloh and the Louis Vuitton quite possibly are going down a path that could stretch the skater’s dollars.

This could force skaters everywhere to invest in luxury skate-wear and quite possibly even skate less.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

casablanca August 27, 2020
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Plus size men’s fashion has been lowkey but you love it though

It has been a glorious time for the plus-size man in fashion.

There has been a lot to do and done by the plus-size, heavier set, male when it comes to fashion over the years.

We can note style aficionados like Andre Leon Talley, fashion designers, influencers, and other particularly stylish larger-than-average humans for showing us that style is a sport for all sizes.

 

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Just saw The Gospei According to Andre first take. And it’s glorious!

A post shared by Andre Leon Talley (@andreltalley) on

The fashion world has many style icons occupying the plus size men’s fashion category. Although it is not an issue that is often discussed amongst men, it is something that has been undervalued for years.

This unprecedented angle to marketing men’s fashion hasn’t been tapped in the same ways that plus-size women’s fashion has found a sizable and profitable market.

Women’s plus-size brands like, Lane Bryant and Ann Taylor are notable names in the category. But for men, there haven’t been many efforts – if any, DXL which stands for Destination XL has been around for four decades.

They have been serving the larger variety of men since 1976, but other brands like Ralph Lauren have also provided larger sizes.

DXL hasn’t been on the fashionable edge or in sync with the ethos of streetwear.

Usually sticking to basics and a handful of recognizable brands within its sales floor, the trendier attire at DXL is slim. With options like that and the infusion of toxic masculinity, plus-size men have been marginalized.

Today, fashion is more of a global playing field for all involved. Through social media, we can definitively acquire good taste as men, and this includes plus-size fits.

There are enough stylish accounts you can follow. But among those are plus-size men who are making fashion look easy, or at least attainable.

Foremost, we can find fashion as being made for the modern man by the considerable plus-size man.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7jLhv1A8-T/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Another designer, founder of Casablanca, Charaf Tajer, is a stylish man not too removed from his sartorial creations. He envisions his brand as he envisions his own life and his style of dress.

Tajer takes the tennis aesthetic of a softer color palette and interprets the idea via his collections. The floral designs and Mediterranean-inspired ambiance are the things he includes on his person.

Tajer’s style is reflective and complimentary of his physique. Charaf Tajer makes a fashion statement in his pastel sportswear and fine, sometimes delicate fabrics.

His brand has effortlessly conveyed the lux and leisure that it boasts on its website. Tajer leaves a lot to the idea of body concealing with oversized pants and loose-fitting jackets and shirts. A very effervescent approach where he barely buttons his shirts, he is a tailored man nonetheless.

 

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The face you make when she asks if she can get in the picture

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When it comes to heavy-weight style, slim or tall, big or small, not too many can compare to Michael Camargo, better know as the Upscale Vandal. He takes the essence of New York City style and simply heightens the dialogue.

Tastefully doing what New Yorkers have done for decades in the boroughs, take what is given and make it your own. Upscale Vandal is into sneakers, jewelry, cars, and living an aesthetic. And he does this effortlessly as a bigger man in a room of average-sized folk.

Upscale Vandal has a style unique to him that usually involves a pair of frames on his face and a hat, which everyone born and bred NYC native can relate to. He doesn’t shy from patterns or bold logos and colors, yet, he makes his fit-rotation seem utilitarian and everyday functioning.

He is working with Roc Nation as a branding and lifestyle manager, as well as a consultant. There, he has the luxury of creating an image for music talent who seek his NYC worldview and expertise. Vandal is often promoting special collaborations or fashion projects he had a part in and the occasional plate of delicious food.

 

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Happy Born Day Lil Bro @nigelsylvester • May GOD Continue To Bless Your Life • #SOMP

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If the above characters are too much to bite off than you can step up your footwear game. DJ Clark Kent has been quite possibly the number one sneaker aficionado of our generation and the generations before.

His career dates back to finding rapper Jay-Z; even before then, DJ Clark Kent has been collecting sneakers. Uniquely, Clark kent has been known to wear a pair of sneakers only once before donating them to anyone he can find.

Now, it’s not necessary to wear your kicks only once then dispose of them. Leave that to the sneaker god himself. But having good taste in footwear can take you a long way when it comes to styling yourself each day.

Simple outfits and an eclectic selection of sneakers is an easy way to #StayFresh, as DJ Clark Kent tends to hashtag with each sneaker photo.

 

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Merci Galerie Lafayette Champs Élysées #casaway

A post shared by © Charaf Tajer (@charaftajer) on

Brands like Bonobos and Stitch Fix are focusing on the big guys when it comes to e-commerce fashion. In the Fall of 2018 Stitch Fix conducted research and came up with data that showed that a 25,000-person waitlist grew from an offering of a men’s extended sizing division.

Fast Fashion brands like ASOS and Fashion Nova and retailers like Target and Walmart have opened up their market to the bigger guy in search of personal style. Target has even introduced its first plus-size male model within this last decade.

With these examples, hopefully, it’s not too farfetched an idea to pursue, that style is the ability to locate and complement your inherent aesthetic and body type. All you need is confidence.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

jordans August 20, 2020
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Why you shouldn’t invest in secondary Jordan models as your starter kit

In recent reports, a shipment of counterfeit sneakers was seized in Texas, on its way to Mexico. The shipment of mostly Nike and Adidas sneakers headed to get copped by unsuspecting sneakerheads across Central America.

But within that seizure, about 1800 pairs of Dior Air Jordan 1s lows were confiscated as part of the shipment. This is a telling sign that someone was looking to take advantage of a particular individual within the sneaker market.

Counterfeit Dior Air Jordan 1s low. Photo courtesy of Robb Report

Retro Air Jordan lows are not the hottest sneakers to buy if you are in search of drip or clout for being stylish — besides its association with the namesake and Nike logo.

But the secondary designs are considered a lower tier from the original high-top versions which is what Jordan sneaker culture is built on. Not to mention a sacred interaction with your sneakers.

Dior Air Jordan 1s low. Photo courtesy of Dior
Dior Air Jordan 1s low. Photo courtesy of Dior

Secondary Jordan models include low-top designs, mids, fusion series, and colorways that don’t reflect the aesthetic of Jordans as much as the red, black, and white colorways have.

This doesn’t include special collaborations like Travis Scott’s Jordan collaborations or special colorways like the Carolina Blues.

But it does include the strain of colors that Jordans can vary in after the original Jordan or retro version runs its course and have already soaked up all the hype.

Cactus Jack Air Jordan 1s. Photo courtesy of Sneaker News.
Cactus Jack Air Jordan 1s. Photo courtesy of Sneaker News.

And speaking of La Flame, which pairs of Cactus Jack’s dunks would you want more; the high-tops or the low-tops? Be honest with yourself.

Photo courtesy of Kicks.com
Photo courtesy of Kicks.com

We can argue that retro Jordan 1s are as good in any style but that wouldn’t fair true to the original sneaker which was made in the high-top structure.

The sneaker which we all want is what we all saw and gravitated to out of admiration for the athlete.

Photo courtesy of Modern notoriety. Image of Bones Brigade in half pipe.
Image of Bones Brigade in half pipe. Photo courtesy of Modern notoriety.

Skate culture followed and found great use, as much as style, in the design.

Launched in 2020, the Nike SB [Dunk-Hi, De La Souls, Mork & Mindy’s] wave was a by-product of the growing skate culture market, and Jordan 1s were referenced for their use during the ‘80s introduction of the shoe to skaters.

Mork & Mindy Nike SB Dunk Hi. Photo courtesy of Stock X.
Mork & Mindy Nike SB Dunk Hi. Photo courtesy of Stock X.

The low-top version is the aftermarket trooper.

The pair you get when you at least one of the original cuts and colorways. Retro Jordan lows are no way clout chasers; rather, they are the nuanced version of the casual shoe for a sneakerhead.

Dior Air Jordan 1s low. Photo courtesy of Dior.
Dior Air Jordan 1s low. Photo courtesy of Dior.

Now, some retro Air Jordan lows may have been top sellers over the years, like the retro Air Jordan 12 lows which are up there in the ranks of best-sellers.

Those happen to be a rarer occurrence among the sneaker shopping elite. But that doesn’t give a pass when buying and wearing a sneaker, much garnered as the coolest shoes; the coolest series of sneakers in history.

I would argue you have to work your way up to dressing down in a low-top pair.

Air Jordan 12s low
Air Jordan 12s low. Photo courtesy of Bloomberg.com

To get a pair of Air Jordans is a pastime all of us Millennial and Gen Z-ers will remember as a sartorial milestone.

When we get a fire pair that isn’t distracting us with a color no one recognizes or a shape that is too distinct from the original, you have shown the sneaker world you have good taste but you also respect the game.

Money won’t buy you happiness but the right pair of Jordans brings a smile and can make you feel like you can “fly.”

Travis Scott in Dior Air Jordan 1s high. Photo courtesy of Dior.
Travis Scott in Dior Air Jordan 1s high. Photo courtesy of Dior.

Imagine if you have never worn a pair of Jordan’s before and you decide to get the first pair you see. This may be the Dior Air Jordan 1s low.

This is still a hot shoe, nonetheless, but the fact is you haven’t even dawned a pair of J’s before this moment.

Air Jordan advertisement, 1984.
Air Jordan advertisement, 1984.

Say you went to a popular reseller to purchase them for the roughly $10,000 ticket price, and sitting right next to them was the Dior Air Jordan 1s in the high-top cut, ticketed at about the same price. Assuming you have thousand’s to spend in the first place.

Would you really skip the high-top versions to swag out in a pair of Dior Air Jordan 1s in lows – as your first pair of J’s? Assuming you can afford either [or both] in this case, since you’re about to spend a small house down payment for sneakers.

Photo courtesy of Dior.
Photo courtesy of Dior.

Jordan’s are a collectible and a status symbol when worn – mostly social status. You are in the know but you have good enough taste to know which pair to get your hands on.

For the most part, “do you,” but consider the effort your sneakerhead friends have put into there collections and the coordination of the series of Jordan’s. Don’t pull up in low-tops to compete.

Dior Air Jordan 1s. Photo courtesy of Dior.
Dior Air Jordan 1s. Photo courtesy of Dior.

It’s like comparing an Eau De Toilette to an Eau De Parfume; one will provide a full day of a stronger scent than the other — the Parfume, not the toilette.

A worn-out pair of low-top Jordan 1s don’t have the same stylish effect as a worn-out pair of high tops, especially when you consider the collection of the wearer.

It’s a sacred pastime of the sneakerhead to have an acute understanding of why some pairs or more sought after than others and why respecting the OG’s of the game perpetuates sneaker culture.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

fear of god August 18, 2020
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Fear of God Seventh Collection reps the Negro League in Italian tailoring

With the essence of an ‘80s blockbuster, the nostalgia created by Fear of God’s Seventh Collection echoes the era of broad shoulders and the oversized Italian tailored suiting.

Jerry Lorenzo hasn’t been shy about his minimalist touch over the years and doubles down each season, finding more ways to tell the story of fine Italian tailoring with American innuendos and street style.

What we are used to from Lorenzo, with hoodies, sleek footwear, fitted hats, and the ability to telegraph comfort, is in no way removed from the palette.

Fear of God Seventh Collection
Fear of God Seventh Collection

The Seventh Collection from Jerry Lorenzo has presented the prism of a never-ending shot of the sunset and reflections over still water, all with the undertone of electronic ‘80s music.

Clear inspirations from the past surface in the seventh collection, where suits have a broad flare in the shoulders, joggers are styled with everything, and the denim and military cuts are time capsules in a digital curve of a new millennium.

Fear of God Seventh Collection
Fear of God Seventh Collection

The Negro League references America’s past time – Lorenzo’s father played professionally as well – but also empowers the idea of these athletes on the 100th anniversary of the league.

The nostalgia is fluent in the sportswear pieces ranging from hats, sweaters, and hoodies in textured velvet flocking adding a sense of grace to the garments.

The homage is not that of the earlier 2000s, but have a cleaner canvas for the iconic graphics to float on the henley t-shirts and roomy sweaters.

Fear of God Seventh Collection
Fear of God Seventh Collection

This season has several suiting styles that accentuate the modernity of today, and the yesteryear look which embraces comfort. Slim silhouettes can be found throughout the collection in the denim and sporty looks.

But where Lorenzo has elevated his dialogue is in the tailored pieces that have clean finishes and details that are the least invasive.

No distractions from shiny surfaces and accessories that blend with the looks, with details that call back to the Negro League, Fear of God offers “an immovable narrative, rooted in perpetuity and unbound by time.”

Fear of God Seventh Collection
Fear of God Seventh Collection

Jerry Lorenzo masterfully designs the collection with intent and functionality. The “heritage American workwear” and performance-oriented sportswear are nothing short of a full wardrobe.

The outerwear ranging from carcoats, everyday jackets, bombers, and puffers, are fabricated with leather, suede, and Japanese nylon and carry the notable silhouette that Fear of God has become synonymous for.

Sweatshirts and hoodies can also be found in cashmere as well as wool. Espadrilles, mules, and loafers have been added to the footwear collection that FOG is crafting in Italy, where the shoes are handmade with Nappa leather, Italian suede, pony hair, and French nubuck.

Fear of God Seventh Collection
Fear of God Seventh Collection

A sophisticated collection as always, Jerry Lorenzo has already bestowed his design aesthetic on Nike sneakers and eyewear with Barton Perreira which is handcrafted in Japan.

The Seventh Season is introducing its suiting and knits, as well as accessories like messenger bags and duffels to his FOG gang. Lorenzo maintains that sophistication with modern detailing and classic shapes.

All about the silhouette, Lorenzo is making his collections look effortless as he progresses as a designer and Visionaire.

Look out for this article on PAGE Magazine.

depop August 11, 2020
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Depop x Vans collab employs Gen-Z designers for a fresh new look

Vans Off The Wall, the skate origins American apparel company, is at it again and this time they are doing it with British online resale app Depop.

Launched in 2011, Depop has been on the rise for selling and reselling vintage, grailed, thrift, and original fashion from creators all over the world to Gen-Z shoppers.

Depop has collaborated with brands like Ralph Lauren and Richard Quinn for pop-up stores in the platform and have physically made appearance at events like Re-Fashion Week in New York City, with a dedicated pop-up presence.

vans depop
Vans x Depop

Vans has collaborated with a multitude of brands over the years but this Depop collaboration is giving them a new youthful stretch of life.

This is nothing Vans isn’t used to, though. The legendary skate shoe brand has been around since the late ‘60s and ‘70s and has been every skater’s go-to shoe ever since.

Vans x Depop
Vans x Depop

Even if you don’t skate, Vans are a tell of where you are and where you once were in your life. New designs from artists like LeiMai LeMaow, Jessica Luostarinen, Yuki Haze, and Connor Williams.

Vans x Depop
Vans x Depop

Depop is collaborating with Vans for the first time in their almost 10 year existence.

The theme for this collection is inspired by The Simpsons. While they are at 21 million registered users in 147 countries, they still are counting item uploads at 144,000 each day.

Vans x Depop
Vans x Depop

Depop has been a harbor of great young design talent and an avenue to getting your hands on some exclusive grailed items, or just upgrading your drip on a budget.

Vans x Depop
Vans x Depop

This Depop x Vans collection will be available on the Depop App as you can imagine. It will also be available on Footlocker.eu and select footlocker stores (UK) from August 14th, 2020.

Vans x Depop
Vans x Depop

Rage in a new pair of Vans designed with artwork made to express your colorful energy.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

crush July 29, 2020
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Who is Nodis? 21 questions about his style, music, crush, and ex

Hailing from the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, the music artist Nodis is living life according to his vision.

Following in the footsteps of the music greats from his hometown, Pharrell, Timbaland, Missy Elliot, and The Clipse, Nodis is fusing pop sounds with a hip-hop flow.

Nodis found music at the tender age of 12-years-old. But at that time, in a city where there wasn’t much else for him to do, Nodis found drugs just as he discovered his own song.

A recovering drug abuser, he is humbled by his past and uses it to propel his music and life forward.

Making his way to Los Angeles, Nodis uses music to get his feelings across with the help of the Beat House LA label.

Speaking on his past relationships and toting his ambitious character, his music exemplifies a young man who is understanding of who he is and where he wants to go.

His style reflects his diversity in his music, and style isn’t a challenge for him but an opportunity to sartorial express himself like in his emotive music.

1. Nodis, where are you from?

I hail from the land of Pharrell, Timbaland, Missy Elliot, The Clipse. 2 up 2 down. VA baby.

2. How have the past six months been for you with the quarantine and protests?

The world’s fucked up… I pray for better days, you know damn well I was out there protesting, fuck the police.

artist nodis

3. What was life like growing up in the DMV?

Well from ages 12 to 20 all I did was drugs, party, and bullshit since in VA there’s nothing to do but that and make music.

I started writing music when I was 12 cause I was getting high with all my older friends, they rapped, and I wanted to be better than them (which I was).

dmv rapper nodis

4. Are you a different person in LA compared to the DMV – usually old places hold certain stress?

“Nah no stress. The DMV has its own lingo, swag, and fashion and I love it.”

You got clothing brands like Solbiato in D.C. and everyone wears Helly Hansen jackets in the winter. People be saying “Fool” & “Endless” a lot.

Like, ‘Fool there’s about to be endless girls there I’m trying to tell you we got to float.’ I’m not about to let LA change me.”

5. Is Los Angeles the city everyone says it is? Especially now that you live there?

I put making music above sex.

If I never came here; I would never have access to unlimited studio time, I would of never of created “All About Cake.” I’d be stuck in VA, doing drugs, working at bum-fuck AT&T.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imUAeK20qAE

6. What was the starting point for making music and finding your fashion style to go with it?

I think I always had sauce.

I grew up skateboarding so I was rocking skinny jeans, girl jeans, all that tight fittin shit when I was like 9 or 10. I was always into weird shit.

7. What did pop music and rap do for your younger self and as you grew?

Well, my mom was a drummer in a punk band, so growing up she got me hip to all different types of shit… Earth-Wind & Fire, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, NWA, 50 Cent…

nodis in lA

8. Which had more influence over you, pop music, or hip hop style?

Hip Hop for sure. 50 Cent – In Da Club was the first rap song I heard… I was hooked. I also remember really fuckin’ with Kanye’s – “Gold Digger,” then Lil Wayne’s Carter 3.

9. Who did you look up to growing up?

“Different skateboarders, for real… But when I was like 15 or 16 I started looking up to artists like A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, TDE… Mac Miller.

nodis

10. Why “All About Cake?”

I heard the beat and I knew what I was going to do to it immediately. All my songs have some detail about my real-life scenarios.

Shit that people my age have experienced, details that girls and my friends will recognize.

‘It’s all good, it’s ok, she throws smack then she throws shade, where you at girl, on my way, snap me pics she my top 8, tell her friends that we best friends but yes I hit like yesterday’.

11. What fashion brands do you wish you could collaborate with and why?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

TEXT ME 💔 literally lol (323) 250-6001 im sending out “High Again” before it drops 💔⛓ . . . . . . . . . 👀👀👀

A post shared by Nodis (@nodismymusic) on


Young & Reckless, The Hundreds, Thrasher, Pink Dolphin… Cause I was rocking there shit growing up and I still fuck with them, I think it’d be dope to collab with them.

Read the rest of this Q&A on PAGE magazine.
dad shoes July 23, 2020
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Jaden Smith keeps it vegan with his New Balance Vision Racer sneaker

Vegan sneakers are taking over and Jaden Smith is here to solidify the trend. How? With his New Balance Vision Racer drop.

It may be a jump for most sneakerheads to understand but the “icon living” is putting his mark on the sneaker game and putting his foot down when it comes to sustainability.

new balance vision raccer
Vegan New Balance Sneaker by Jaden Smith

Smith’s involvement in the production of his “Wavy Baby Blue” sneaker was noted by the Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Davis of New Balance as an influence to get NB on the more sustainable path to production.

This dad shoe, with its chunky aesthetic widely seen in recent years as the go-to shoe, was a product of “respecting heritage and co-authoring a distinct future,” said Chris Davis, Senior Vice President of Merchandising.

The New Balance Vision Racer

New Balance
Vegan New Balance Sneaker by Jaden Smith

The purple-ish hue of the shoe is distinct, like most things Jaden Smith has done. Prose like the naming of his associated water brand Just Water has been starters for Smith in his health campaign.

He has handed out thousands of vegan meals to those in need with Cafe Gratitude based in Los Angeles. Further that by telling his social media followers, which is in the millions, to ditch meat on Fridays.

With this drop happening on July 24, Jaden Smith is making the vegan leather sneaker a trending force among those with disposable income around this time.

Why is Jaden Smith so cool?

His philanthropic efforts have gone beyond charity and are embedded in his DNA. Most likely the traits were handed down by his very motivating father, the great entertainer Will Smith.

Jaden Smith has been down with New Balance since June 2019. He has honed his fashion sense over the years working with brands like Louis Vuitton, where he debuted their similar chunky style LV sneaker.

He even managed to launch a G-Star sustainable denim collection with Pharrell Williams, who also happens to be an avid conscious living being himself.

This Vision Racer will retail for $150 and be available on New Balance and selected retailers.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.