ON & BEYOND

Attended a Q&A seminar hosted by Rick Klotz at the OTH gallery. Some inspiring words from someone who has clearly seen it all.

WORK – Event Recap / Photography / Documentary

In efforts to stray away from Core and Classics, Vans created the much anticipated OTW line along side some pretty impressive names, notably Eric Elms, Mr.Cartoon & photographer Dimitri Coste. One recurring theme in the collection seems to be timelessness as each model seems to have a somewhat minimal silhouette but still sporting enough intricate subtleties to set them apart. The larkin, much like the previously featured Versa’s, take their form from High-End italian sneakers. Not to be overlooked are the herringbone canvas upper, soft premium leather captoe & a clean looking cupsole. Again, big thanks to Alex of Vans for making this come through!

This is a big step up from the Metallic chukka lows by Alex Olson. On a closer look, the Versa features BoardFeel XD technology, high-grade EVA mid-sole & a nice oiled Suede upper; the best part? Sock liner & insole. The Versa is a balanced blend of fashion & skate, in fact it takes inspiration from High-End Italian footwear: note the nice slim toe cap and tonal piping.

“The vision of the Versa was to create a product that was ideal for the next generation of hardcore skateboarders who want a product that can perform and also have a more refined sense of aesthetic style. Alex Olson was a key contributor to this project and explained that he wanted a product that would function perfectly, look good on and off his board, and stand apart from the standard skate shoe design formula. We were really inspired by this idea and set out to blend high performance and high-end style—the result is a very versatile shoe. The upper is based on simple, sophisticated luxury sneakers, while the outsole is a clean, refined version of our classic look. The stylish performance bottom unit delivers the grip and cushioning required by the most demanding professional skaters.”

Big thanks to Alex Forbes of Vans for sending these over!

Having worked with names like Nike & Burton, Nic’s photography work is exactly what I’d like to do if I were to pursue a career in photography. You may also recognize some of his work from Sneeze Magazine…he is the Editor-in-Chief after all. If you check out his website: here, you will notice that his photos scream the letters N.Y. In fact, I get the impression of watching screens of Woody Allen & Scorcese movies with a strong mix of Larry Clark. We met a few months ago for a Supreme gear transaction…a purist when it comes to the blog vs magazine feud, it may be nice to sit down and get an interview from him.

I’m gonna write this post like a series of twits. I just got back from soccer (football), I’m tired, so no structured text for tonight…just some thoughts of the week

Started a new pair of Raw for the next year, they’re Stussy deluxe: made in japan, let’s see how they hold up. So far so good, the denim is pretty rigid, it makes me sleep well at night. I switched my luggage system over to porter: new wallet, new daily shoulder bag. Got some reading material. Love issue 1 of Inventory, i’ll be subscribed. Supreme vol.5 was kind of a fail, JA saved the issue. Only upside is the translated text. Clark (murakami cover) is damn good.

Jeremy’s skate shop turned skateboard brand is making noise.. Considerably one of the most foreseeing minds I know, the sounds of Jeremy’s project have traveled overseas to Berlin where top tier online magazine BeingHunted has embraced Jeremy’s work by including Alena as part of their 2009 features placing it next to an impressive lineup of subjects: Stone Island Shadow / C.P. Company / Firmament / Stage’s Gallery in Paris. READ THE FULL FEATURE HERE