Only in Japan

Recently I have become more and more enamoured by the Japanese street wear aesthetic. By that I don't mean the all-over print hoodies by Bape and Ice Cream we saw nearly everyone from cool kids to crack dealers rockin' a couple years ago. In particular I have become a fan of the three brands managed by Japanese designer Hirofumi Kiyonaga: SOPH, uniform experiment, and F.C.R.B. Japan has always been ahead of the curve in terms of street wear due to their inherent nature to be experimental and take risks with their collections. Kiyonaga manages to blend colour and style seamlessly into classic pieces in all 3 lines. Too bad I can't get any of this stuff in Toronto. Get familiar here

Freedom

The twins from Virginia are at it again but this time stray away slightly from their usual subject matter of Bogotá bouillon. Freedom, what does it mean to you?

I'm With Coco

The corporate world is notorious for being patently impersonal, the cold faceless extension of modern capitalism. Conan O'Brien, beloved late night talk show host to many, got a first hand feel of corporate America's malevolent abuse of power when he was forced off the air by his NBC bosses. His last show on NBC's Tonight Show was this past Friday ending a brief 7 month run with the show he had been preparing for his whole life.

Holding back tears and in a spirit of relentless optimism Conan reminds his fans to not be cynical once all has transpired. "Cynicism is my least favourite quality" he said to his fans during that final taping reminding them to remember all the goods times that were had in his newly built set on the Universal lot. To handle such a personally devastating tirade with such positivity was perhaps one of the most inspiring moments I have seen on television period. This isn't the last we have seen of Mr. O' Brien and wherever he may be in the future let it be known that I'm With Coco.

Pre-1980 Flick List

Here are some old favourites of mine I think everyone should see at least once. This is my pre-1980's list.
Not about graffiti btw
Twisted cool
Deniro's premier performance. If you haven't seen this you've been sleeping under a rock.
Definition of cool
Brando before he was Don Corleone
Nicholson before got typecast as the crazy guy
No movie list would be complete without a Western classic. Now get out there and rent these classics. And by rent I mean download using your preferred path to piracy. I'm a torrent guy myself but hey, whatever floats your boat. Cheers

Disaster

Before I continue in my usual string of blog posts let us take some time to realize the tragedy that has struck the nation of Haiti. International aid has begun pouring in in recent days but given the magnitude of the damage it is not nearly enough. I can sympathize with Haiti not only due to the fact that these are fellow human beings which should be enough to motivate anyone to make some sort of donation. My tiny island of Sri Lanka was hit with natural disaster in the 2004 Tsunami. There too international aid was crucial to ensuring precious lives were preserved.
To not help and continue life in ignorant bliss is to contribute to the problem. Please, take the time to donate to a recognized Haitian relief fund now. These people need our help.
http://yele.org/
https://www.hopeforhaitinow.org/Default.asp

NSW Sweet Classic High

Nike Sportswear add to their Sweet Classic style line-up this month with three more cleeean colorways. I think these are going to be my first sneaker purchase of 2010, I love the simple, clean silhouette although I can already imagine the constant hassle it will be to keep these clean. Being fresh ain't easy, I just make it look easy. HAHAAAA <))) Jeezy laugh

On Fire

I gotta say, I doubted Wayne could pull off a genuinely rock sounding album, and I wouldn't call this real rock by any means, but this song is banging!

Flickr Finds

Greenthing photography. Check out more photography from greenthing here

The Vice Guide to North Korea

You always hear about the bizarreness that is North Korea but rarely do you get a close up glimpse of it. It really is like stepping into the Twilight Zone, a weird alternate reality where large banquet halls are carefully set for 2 guests, your days are planned by state officials and your tours include regular doses of heavy socialist indoctrination, and everyone is oblivious to the world of freedom and prosperity outside their borders. This video of the state prepared breakfast for tourists is a case in point of truly how bizarre things are in North Korea.

The Library

Scot Library @ York University

School has really been kicking my ass recently. I had a moment recently where I looked up from my books at the concrete walls around me, sitting still in the unnatural silence, and really questioned my purpose as a student, the extended periods of time in deep isolation, and racking my brain to understand concepts I will likely forget in 6 months. I figured I would take a break from the dense socioeconomic literature I am used to and take a stroll down the library aisles to find some works of fiction to help my mind wander from the academic straight jacket of social science. I ventured to an aisle almost entirely dedicated to Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian novelist best known for his epic War and Peace. I picked up a few short stories and a novel and got back to my desk for a brief fictional intermission. Tolstoy's knack for storytelling is brilliant and immediately my mind was transported to a happier place. Then it hit me...
Remember Reading Rainbow? Hosted by Levar Burton AKA Jordie from Star Trek? That show was all about how reading doesn't have to be boring and painful. You can pick up a book on virtually any topic of interest ranging from the most surreal fantasy novel to the most scientific, empirical study. How you spend your time in the library is a personal choice, and it doesn't have to always be an exercise in boredom. Just think of anything you might be interested in, there's definitely a book on it. I was surprised to find full picture books on graffiti and street culture in my library catalog but when I walked down to the specified aisle sure enough there they were, just waiting for someone like me to check them out. The library is an abundant repository of information, not just a place to study, so next time you feel the academic blues setting in browse the online catalog for something you might be interested in. You'd be surprised at what you might find. Jordie would be proud.

Lexus LFA

Lexus has been the archetypal brand for luxury automobiles yet their is a kind of formulaic dullness evidenced throughout their entire fleet. The BBC has been the archetypal broadcast network for investigative journalism in Britain yet they always seem to do so with a kind of academic drudgery that only the British can execute. This piece from BBC's Top Gear on the new Lexus LFA had me wrong on both accounts, first with the introduction of Lexus' first true sports car to break the luxury typecast and second with the Sin City like graphics of the video a clear break from the standard point and shoot style of most BBC videos. The geeky technical features like aerodynamically engineered side mirrors are the kinds of details you would expect from say Porsche or Ferrarai. Lexus definitely delivered the goods with their first sports car, hope to see more like this in the future.

Collabos

2009 was another big year for collaborations in street wear. Although they are mostly kept under wraps to build suspense some of the major ones have leaked some glimpses into their upcoming line-ups. Here are some I look forward to.
Fred Perry x Stussy Deluxe
Fred Perry is Britain's premier street brand and are known worldwide for their exceptional quality and cut. Their knack for simple design and quality contrast with Stussy's more urban appeal and combine for a very interesting look.
For 2010 Opening Ceremony has a number of promising collaborations lined-up
Pendleton X Opening Ceremony
The innovators of authentic American flannel Pendleton team up with the fashion powerhouse that is Opening Ceremony. The classic outdoors company takes staple cuts from the Opening Ceremony line-up and give them an all plaid twist.

Two of my favourite Japanese brands, Visvim and Mastermine collaborated on this exclusive backpack.
Band of Outsiders continue to impress with their ongoing collaboration with boat shoe purveyor Sperry Topsider.
Sad truth about looking forward to so much is when the reality of budgetary constraints kicks in. I think if I had I choose I would limit myself to the Fred Perry x Stussy Deluxe collaboration. It`s definitely more of a fit with my current style and I`ve always been a fan of both of these brands individually. To me the thought of them collaborating is equivalent to a Batman x Superman collaboration for a comic book nerd or a Picard meets Shatner Star Trek reunion episode for a Trekkie.

Funny Money

For french artists Ivan Duval and Jean Sebastien Ides money is just another canvas. I thought this concept was hilarious. Check out Marcus Troy's blog here for all sorts of other cool finds here

Zach Galifiasdkjasfsaf

For some reason this clip gets funnier every time I watch it. I think it's his facial expression, like for that moment he's genuinely giddy about Garfield, and then a moment later he's back to his mumbling, self-loathing, fat self. Zach however you spell his last name is truly a comedic genius and I don't think that's an overstatement at all.

Back to School

During the holidays I found myself missing the quiet solace of my school library. Now I'm dreading the idea. My relationship with school is bitter-sweet>while I love the reward of seeing A's on research papers and the feeling of actually having learned something I HATE the sleepless nights, the cramped bus rides, and the isolation that comes with being a student(a good student I should say). But these are all necessary sacrifices on my path to success. That path may be stained with blood, swear and tears, but the light is steadily approaching and ultimately it will all pay off. Or so I've been told This is going to be me in a few days minus the "don't be a yahoo" sign.

The Old School

This footage is golden! When I stumbled across this I knew I had to post it. It gives a brief account of the roots of hip-hop culture in New York city. Doug E. Fresh is in full effect and his commentary on the rise of rap music and its purpose as a creative outlet to the inner city youth is refreshing when compared with some of the vulgarism of today's league of rappers. These old school cats weren't about selling crack, actually they were totally against it. Funny how things change. Watch and learn.

BB uploads

View from my room. Winter wonderland?
Breakfast of champions
all black everything
My friends dog trying to be cute.
Pacific Mall sale. "Chritmas Cash One Tax Off!!!!!!!"...wtf?
Work skating party
I could eat these all day

I'm out. Markiss