Cole Haan LunarGrand Wingtip @ UNDFTD

Still curious about the comfort levels of these LunarGrand Wingtips. The Navy and Brown are the only two that seem appealing though, the other bright yellow sole is a bit odd...

"Originally announced as a Cole Haan SoHo release, the LunarGrand Wingtip will make its way onto the shelves of a familiar retail partner to Cole Haan’s parent company Nike. It’s fitting that L.A.’s UNDFTD is taking delivery of the Lunarlon-fused wingtip, as the anticipation level for the shoe has climbed steadily since it was previewed last month, and Eddie Cruz and company are never far from an exclusive footwear release. The LunarGrand represents a snapshot of the contemporary menswear landscape, in which trad styling and street blend effortlessly, and pop colors in moderation are always welcome. Look for all three colorways of the Cole Haan LunarGrand Wingtip to drop this Saturday at the UNDFTD La Brea chapter store.
UNDFTD Los Angeles
112.5 South La Brea Avenue | Map
Los Angeles, CA 90036
TEL #: 323-937-6077
Release Date: March 17th, 2012 (Saturday)" - Freshness

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Nike Air Woven – Spring/Summer 2012

The latest Air Woven colorways for S/S '12...

"Following the recent additions to the Nike HTM Collection, it was almost expected that Nike would launch one of the most popular HTM editions from the past, the Nike Air Woven. In anticipation of the 2012 UEFA Euro Championship this Summer, the Nike will be releasing the Air Woven in 5 different colorways, each a representation of the 5 soccer powerhouses to take part in the tournament. Additionally, Nike added a special Black and White colorway, homage to the original Nike soccer cleats, which will be available exclusively at SOPH. retail locations in Japan. The collection will be available starting Saturday, March 31st, at select Nike retail locations. via: honeyee
Release Date: March 31st, 2012 (Saturday)" - Freshness


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Jun Takahashi: My Thoughts on UNDERCOVER for Uniqlo

Into the mind of the man behind Undercover and the recent Undercover x Uniqlo collection...

"Following an early announcement this past summer, the comprehensive visuals for the UNDERCOVER for Uniqlo Spring/Summer 2012 “UU” capsule collection have been released as we anticipate the actual ability to purchase the garments. Jun Takahashi crafted the extensive line of products for the retailer alongside his wife and partner RICO which is scheduled to drop March 16. Recently, Takahashi took to his blog over at honeyee to talk about this thoughts on UNDERCOVER for Uniqlo.

Since the announcement of this project, I have heard a lot of opinions, both pro and con. Some say they can’t make heads or tails out of UNIQLO’s intention in partnering with UNDERCOVER, and others say they are expecting to see something truly innovative come out of this collaboration of polar opposites. It is only natural to think that opinions would be divided.
More than a year ago, when I first heard this talk, I questioned this project; to be honest, my first thought was “Why us?” It may be my personality, but at the same time, I felt a combination of apprehension and curiosity. At first, just to satisfy my curiosity, I wanted to hear from the people in charge who were really passionate.
Talks began with the reason for the request from UNIQLO, “We want the creations for the Japanese to reach people around the world.” To which I replied, “What should I do?” “What can we accomplish?” “Do we have anything in common, and if so what?” As I asked these questions I found myself gradually becoming interested in this project. We had several more discussions, as a result of which, an idea popped up almost simultaneously from both sides: “clothes for mom, dad and the children; clothes for the family.” We had found our common ground.
As far as children’s clothing is concerned, as UNDERCOVER announced some 10 years ago, because we were unable to balance production volume and cost, we had to sadly give up. My wife, RICO, did the designing. RICO is really fabulous at creating children’s clothes. One of the main reasons why I decided to do this project and resume making children’s clothes was the fact that the line had so many fans. Another big reason was that I wanted to offer our creations to people who until now had never heard of UNDERCOVER. In this regard, we have a bigger footprint than other brands. It would be a wonderful thing to have many people wearing the clothes I had designed. Price-wise and design-wise UNDERCOVER clothing was not for everyone, but now it could be.
That said, if I made such clothes with strong design elements that I have always done, this collaboration would never have come about. The basic idea of Uniqlo is “low priced products everyone can wear.” The role of UNDERCOVER is to add a little spice to that basic principle. You might say that adding a “spoonful of spice” is what this project is all about.
Some people might say that this project is not what UNDERCOVER is about; then again others might say it’s “just right.” Everyone has their opinion, so there are of course going to be pros and cons. The results of my spoonful of spice on our collaboration can be seen on the “uu” site and in our catalog. Designs recognizable by everyone. I thought at that time, what design can I infuse in basic clothing? It’s not going to work if you add too much or remove too much. Where do you stop? The first season was in a manner of speaking a series of trials and errors. The selection of fabrics and colors, cost vs. design, how to stay balanced and edgy. It meant using a totally different headset than before to design clothes for uu that are completely different from UNDERCOVER. It was a really difficult task.
Now all the designs for the second season have been finished. For me, in the second season I was able to finally get a feel for the shape of this collaboration. Last week, we already held the second season individual color sample approval meeting. (The approval meeting is where all the key members of the project, starting with President Yanai, meet to hear an explanation of the new products.) After running through the product descriptions, President Yanai said, “Truly amazing, I’m really impressed!” Looking at the second season, it seemed to me that President Yanai could see the part UNDERCOVER had played in the collaboration. At that moment I felt the question “What should I do for Uniqlo?” was clearly answered. It would appear my idea to “add a spoonful of spice” had been accepted. (I don’t know if 100%, but I just might ask President Yanai the next time I see him).
Whether or not this collaboration will continue in the future has not been decided yet, but in any case a new page in my life has been written. As always, I try my best and never cut corners.
A new endevor for a new era.
A project only UNDERCOVER can undertake.
“We offer families something positive in these tough times.” That is the thinking behind uu designs. I sincerely hope your family enjoys our clothes.
Jun Takahashi" - Hypebeast

via Hypebeast

The Avengers Meet Winnie The Pooh – Mashup Illustrations | By Charles Paul Wilson III

Softening the Avenger's superhero, action appearance...

"Known for his fantastical illustrations on The Stuff of Legend graphic novel series, Charles Paul Wilson III recently worked on a different sort of mashup. Ahead of The Avengers on the silver screen, the New Jersey-base illustrator took all the familiar superheroes and cast them in the soft watercolored world of Winnie the Pooh. The World’s Mightest Heroes just became the most adorable, even their dreaded nemesis Apocalypse as well. via: deviantART" - Freshness

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OUTLIER – 60/30 Chino Pants

Dapper with functionality...

"Brooklyn-based OUTLIER focuses on making performance apparel that looks nothing less than classy. Taking facts well known to the cycling world, including the importance of flexible and durable fabrics, OUTLIER built their new 60/30 Chino Pants – a cotton and micro-denier nylon pant specifically engineered to move like a bike short and withstand wear and tear like your favorite pair of dungarees. The pants come in three colors, gray, marine blue, and khaki, and are fitted with key loops, a stash pocket, a hidden front button, and breathable linen pocket liners. In other words, these may be OUTLIER’s most incredible pair of pants yet. Check out more looks at these pants after the jump, which are available on the OUTLIER online shop or at participating retailers nationwide." - Freshness

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Loopwheeler – Online Store Launch

 Good to see Loopwheeler expanding their offerings online. Hopefully they'll be available stateside soon...

"Loopwheeler already have stores in two of the major cities in Japan, Tokyo and Osaka, yet they are expanding onto cyberspace to reach more fans. The Loopwheeler online shop carries the full range of their staple products for both men and women. Just like their apparel, the minimalist design of the online shop makes it easy to navigate and grab your favorite items. However, if you are located outside of Japan then you may need to wait a little longer as the site is in Japanese and they don’t look to be shipping outside of Japan yet. Alternatively, hit up your connects in Japan to take advantage of the free shipping campaign, which will finish on Monday, April 2nd." - Freshness

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Original Fake KAWS Companion Candle

OF's latest Kaws gift with purchase...

"Original Fake presents another great product for Spring/Summer 2012. We present the new KAWS Companion Candle. The candle looks exactly like the Companion character toys that we have seen over the last years. They come in black and ivory and if you purchase for more than 50′000 Yen in the Original Fake store in Tokyo, you can choose one of the two and will get it for free. We are not sure though, if anybody will light these up.

Detailed images of the new Original Fake KAWS Companion Candles follow after the jump." - High Snobiety

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