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Speakerboxxx.com Boner Jams Vol. 30

It’s been awhile since we’ve had Alife footwear in our radar.  And these Chuck low tops have definitely caught our attention.  Although released as a summer sneaker, the corduroy suggests these lows would be ideal for a cool Fall evening.   The minimally designed sneaker features tan laces, leather lining and heel accents.  I’m guessing its the low profile sole that deems these summer-friendly sneakers.   The Chuck Low “Corduroy” should available now wherever Alife sneakers are sold including Primitive.

Image Source: Primitive Shoes

I’m not quite sure that the name Whiskey Dick Lubricant, conjures up positive images. It’s the dreaded unfortunate situation…or SO I’VE HEARD, can be a real bummer. But the folks at Epic Meal Time has put together a bourbon flavored lubricant where it was aged 4 years in hard oak casks. This is definitely an interesting twist on things and I guess if you’re partner loves their whiskey / bourbon, then you can’t really ignore this, especially when it’s only $11.99. [Link]

If you take your style cues from popular culture, you may just think that shock = style.  But it does not.  I’m not sure just when, let’s say as soon Lady Gaga came on the scene, fashion’s good name has been smeared by a bunch of upstart wannabes *cough Nicki Minaj cough*  Now, I love me some Gaga, but her flavour of fashion as performance art has been poorly poorly imitated by many others, so that is why I “blame” her for this trend.

What these hapless celebs and many others fail to understand is that you can be bold, crazy, even strange with fashion – but you have to do it right and not everybody can do it.  It’s hard to describe just how to balance that razor’s edge, but I can definitely tell you when someone has done it right.  Take UK designer Flik Hall for instance; here is a classic example of how to do high-end crazy and make it look goood.

Having received her training at the famous Central St. Martins, Flik went on to apprentice at Giles Deacon, Marios Schwab and House of Holland before revealing her first collection in 2009.  Six collections later and Flik Hall is going strong with mentions in press around the world like Vogue Turkey, Elle US and Numero all expressing love for the young designer’s eclectic, edgy prints.

A master of mixing and matching, Flik loves to do the unexpected.  Mixing digital prints and color blocking, studs and futuristic embellishments, Flik is a master when it comes to juxtaposition.    While her clothes are fiercely unique and artistic, they are also just as fiercely sexy.  Every garment hugs and accentuates the feminine form;  sheer panels tease while criss-crossing leather drapes and covers the breasts in a disturbingly seductive manner.

Flik’s latest collections echo this season’s hottest trends, such as Peter Pan collars, retro a-line skirts and large, bold digital prints reminiscent of flowers.  The construction and prints are very edgy, yet there is something also very “ready-to-wear” about the pieces.  I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to wear them if I lived in a more fashionable city!

Sadly, Flik Hall isn’t sold in many locations, unless you happen to be in London or Toulouse.  There is an online store though, and according to the site, a secret pop-up location in Vancouver!  If you happen to see me scouring some dark alleys later, then now you’ll know what I’m on the hunt for.

Sources
Official site
Not Just a Label
Planet Notion

I really don’t understand the phenomenon behind Kaiju Big Battel, but theres something about Toy2R’s latest offering that piques my interest.  Themed after the big monster wrestling program is a two piece 2.5 inch Qee set including Beeman and a Kaiju Toyer.  The Beeman Qee Bear is a collaborative design with Hong Kong based lifestyle magazine, Bee.  And I can’t help but think the guys behind Bee had The Simpsons Bumblebee man in mind while co-creating this set.  The Beeman vs. Kaiju set is available for pre-order now at Qee World.

Image Source: Qee World

Para One wears the directors cap for this video for his single “Lean On Me” which features Teki Latex. The song is just a glimpse of what you can expect from his upcoming album, Passion, which currently has a June 11th release date. The video was shot throughout Tokyo and shows a couple on a double date of sorts, and each of the characters experiencing something new, something the lyrics speak strongly to. Below the video is the remix from Salva that’s available for free.

Download here.

Download here.

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Speakerboxxx.com Boner Jams Vol. 30

Pairing celebrities with designer eyewear is the theme behind Swedish photographer Philip Karlberg’s project, “Pin Art”.  Each piece involves roughly 1200 wooden pegs over pegboards and modern frames by the likes of Burberry, Ray Ban, Yves St Laurent, etc.  The project is quite the spectacle (and more thank likely breath-taking in person).  However, while Jackie O and Karl Lagerfeld is apparent, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to guess the Johnny Depp piece.

Image Source: designboom

When the Leica and Hermès collaboration was announced at a starting price of $25,000 it had folks scratching their heads. No doubt this collection wasn’t made for the average person but probably more for the fashionable camera collector. Now there’s a video that shows you the process of how these cameras were put together, from the cutting of the leather to the intricate beading, to knobs being placed onto the camera. You see all the attention that goes into the collaboration. If the video convinces you that you must have one, well then you until July to save up all that cash money. After the making of video is the unboxing video as well. It even comes with a pair of white cloth gloves, presumably used to slap yourself across the face for spending all that money.

If it seems like Supra has been non-stop dropping packs, well that’s because they have been. The latest to become a part of the collection is the Native pack, which utilizes the Skytop III ($125) and the Pilot ($120) designs all cleaned up and looking quite stunning. The material used in this pack is a lux suede, which really gives it that richness finish and probably the reason why the colors pop out so beautifully.  [Link]

If you haven’t been on a tropical vacation in a minute and you’ve got nothin’ planned for the next couple of months, no need to cry into your unused bottle of sunscreen. Bring the damn tropics to you, my friend.

OK, to be honest, I’m not just lusting over these tropical-print mini wedges because they remind me of sandy beaches and palm trees. The print is pretty cute and it’s sort of a nice remix on the floral print trend that’s going on right now. The wedges are a two-inch heel, which means just the right amount of added height to wear all day long, and they’re a cinch to slip on and off with an exposed zipper up the back (no gladiator buckles here!).

I love the idea of pairing these wedges with a flowy maxi skirt and crop top for some major tropical babe’n vibes. For a more casual look, get your foot flirtin’ on by pairing these with your fave denim cutoffs and tank.

The Tropical Mini Wedge Sandals are available for $65 (what a steal!) over at Pixie Market.

Buy it HERE.

Here’s a unique and discreet looking vaporizer that’s hitting the market, made by Stealthvape out of Brooklyn. The device is only 3.75″ long and is battery operated and has a heating element made of stainless steel and alumina ceramic, which helps create a pure vapor with no combustion…The makers are claiming all sorts of health benefits as it’s a cleaner smoke, of course this is incredibly useful for certain types of things that you’d smoke. The company is currently out of stock and probably flooded with demands as one would expect, but the availability is marked as 4-6 weeks out. This device will run you $99. [Link]

Earlier this year Supreme’s Spring / Summer 2012 lookbook showcased their latest #1 Script New Era fitteds. The clean look and colorways had people chomping at the bit for it, well now that wait is finally over. The brand has posted the fitted up on their online store for $48, available in various colorways and sizes. If you’re going to pull the trigger on a purchase, do it quickly as they tend to sell out quite quickly. [Link]

Just in time for the Summer Olympics in London, Nike delivers the Presto in a Team USA colorway.  I really like the balance of colors with action red allocated as the inner lining and accents on the eyelets, midsole swoosh, tongue and heel logos. Having been excited for the Presto’s rebirth since 09, this has got to be the best color way to date since the mute black ones.  The Team USA Nike Prestos are available at Titolo now. But if you can hold out, stateside retailers should carry them soon.

Image Source: NiceKicks.com via Titolo

Vitalic Noise is part booking agency, artist hub, fashion designer, but more importantly curators of the best parties brought to your doorsteps (or close enough).  Having checked their news online, I came across Kedd Cook’s mix in support of an upcoming party called CRAVE Tuesdays.  Not knowing anything about Kedd Cook aka Ian Alexander, I gotta say the first ten seconds of this mix had me hooked.  Especially when I was reminded of Groovejet’s “Spiller”.  The rest of the mix follows trends with whats hot in the vague nu-disco sub genre these days with r&b samples, french pop autotune vocals, etc.  Have a listen at the mix, you may just find yourself hooked with Kedd Cook’s selections.  And if you’re in Long Beach, CRAVE is every tuesdays at Sababa.

Download the mix here.

Tracklist
Nothing More’s Allowed feat. Ange (Original Mix) – Kolombo
Ba:sen (Pool Party Dub Mix) – In Deep We Trust
Feeling Idiot (Original Mix) – El_Txef_A
The Voice Of Dru (Original Mix) – Doctor Dru
Garage Love (Original Mix) – Tad Wily
U Don’t Need Love (Original Mix) – Inbound
Elevate (The Finger Prince Remix) – Toni Toni Lee
Lose Yourself To Jenny feat. Jacob Bellens (Maxxi Soundsystem Remix) – Kasper Bjorke
See Me Coming (Original Mix) – Da Sunlounge
Supersonic (Amine Edge & DANCE Remix) – Sasch BBC, Caspar
Lonely Days (Original Mix) – Blond:ish
I Found U (Kellerkind Remix) – Tiger Stripes
Rush Hour (Audiojack Key Party Cut) – S.K.A.M.
Call Me feat. Andreas Cavaco (Mercury Remix) – Patrick L, DJ Nibc
Wild Child (Original Mix) – H2
If You Only Knew (Original Mix) – Finnebassen

BUILT’s latest release aims to help you protect your beautiful 13″ MacBook Pro’s shell. The sleeve features a premium blend of ultra-lightweight EVA that helps cushions and stabilizes your laptop against bumps while traveling. As you can also see it sports a unique honeycomb design, this isn’t just for aesthetics as it also helps you ventilate your laptop. Available directly from BUILT’s website for $39.99, www.builtny.com.

Anthony Bourdain. You either love or hate the guy. Some people think he’s an arrogant asshole, and he’ll probably be the first to tell you he is, which is part of what makes the man wildly entertaining to watch. The New York-based chef-turned-author and TV personality launched a new food/travel show on Travel Channel in late 2011 called The Layover. It just started running on Canadian boob tubes about a month ago, which is why I’m late to write about it now. But better late than never, right?

For those of you who don’t have a clue who this Bourdain guy is, here’s a quick run-down. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (which, in chef-speak, is kind of a big deal) in his early 20s but spent most of the next decade slaving away in New York kitchens without much applause. That’s until he wrote Kitchen Confidential, this teeny little chef diary-type book that sorta blew up as it gave readers a behind-the-scenes look at working in NY restaurants. After writing a second book, A Cook’s Tour, that’s when the Food Network came knocking. Bourdain filmed a TV version, which wasn’t too successful, but that was really the launch pad for Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. This wildly popular first-person narrative documentary-type show on the Travel Channel made Bourdain a household name (OK, in foodie households). The premise: Bourdain travels the world in search of amazing things to eat and amazing things to see. Basically, the world’s best god-damn job.

The Layover sort of is a continuation of sorts of what Bourdain started on No Reservations. The premise to The Layover is finding out what to do, eat, drink, and see on a 48-hour layover in any given city. Some of the episodes that have aired in Canada include Bourdain’s experiences of Hong Kong, New York, Miami, Montreal, and Singapore. Whirlwind visits to Rome, Amsterdam, London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles complete the first season of the series.

Why this show works: Bourdain gives you step-by-step instructions on how to get from the airport to the centre of town, including approximate cost and time it takes, and all of the restaurants and places he goes to during the layover are relatively close and well laid out on a map. As an avid traveller myself (who is usually trying to cram too many things into a too short trip), I can’t tell you how much easier it is when someone gives you restaurants, shops, and attractions you can realistically get to during your stay. Bourdain does this well, and that’s why this show works.

If you don’t subscribe to the Travel Channel or want to see what the show’s really like, you can check out episode recaps HERE.

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Speakerboxxx.com Boner Jams Vol. 30

Glow in the dark prints can be quite fascinating to look at.  Especially when you find secret images in GID mode.  Mark Englert’s “They all float” will certainly attract some print collectors.  However, if you’re terrified of clowns named Pennywise, you may want to stay clear of this one.  The print by default comes in four colors with glow in the dark ink.  Two other variants including one with a choice of Pennywise sketches and an even more limited hand-finished dripping blood edition.  I’m actually enticed by the lush scenery and silhouettes of the Losers Club.  However, the glow in the dark Pennywise moon face instantly tells me DO NOT WANT.  All three versions of the print are available this Saturday, May 12th between 10-11 PST.

Image Source: Taco Belvedere

Dan McCarthy’s May print brings back glow in the dark action.  ”Run Rabbit Run” features eight colors, measures in 18″ by 24″ and from a quick glance looks like amazing photography.  Get it here.  On a side note, examining the print a bit further, I’m curious why three tree branches are lit up.

Image Source: Dan McCarthy