By now you should be familiar with New York based men’s lifestyle brand, Aknowledge‘s debut collection and denim.  While denim is always the cornerstone, the collection is also based on 6 key elements: the cotton t-shirt, the classic chambray woven, high quality clean denim, experimental denim washes, the denim jacket and the trend driven jacket.

The solid cotton v-neck tee with subtle hits of color is a staple. This perfect v-neck is fitted but easy, with a slightly lower v and a perfect length to wear tucked in or out, layered or on its own. The denim shirt in chambray and denim, both sleeveless and full length, is essential for wearing denim on denim. Mixed media tops also make a strong statement in their detailed construction and bold statements.

The Aknowledge male is all about dressing intellectually. Each piece is put on with an awareness and intelligence of himself.  Now available for purchase on Karmaloop.com

Check out more images after the jump

The Holiday ’09 collection from Akomplice has officially dropped! Their  11th season features a nice range of cut n sew pieces including my favorite, the AK hooded varsity jacket, as well as a fresh selection of tees and hats. You can find Akomplice’s holiday collection at store worldwide including Tradition, Conveyor at Fred Segal, Wish, Shoe Gallery, Leaders1354, Politics, & Still, TRUE, Lafayette, BKRW, and more.

Check out more images after the jump.

Tradition decided to expand further into the 805, opening their newest store on Main Street in Ventura. Their Ventura store has a very industrial feel and features wood floors mixed with white walls and exposed bricks. This store is a welcomed change to the recently renovated strip of main street that also house an Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, and Buffalo Exchange.

Tradition carries a strong line-up of apparel brands such as Crooks & Castles, The Hundreds, Diamond Supply Co., Black Scale, 10 Deep, Bloodbath, The 7th Letter, G Shock, and Akomplice as well as their own Tradition brand. They also stock footwear from Nike, Vans, Supra, and The Hundreds. 

Tradition 

518 E. Main Street (at California)

Ventura, Ca. 93001

805-643-8805

More photos after the jump.

Akademiks had sponsored Duck Down productions for a hip hop showcase in NYC during CMJ week. Boss Lady from Dr.Jays.com interviews some of Duck Down artists such as Kidz in the Hall, Skyzoo, and Torae and find out their past influences, where they think hip hop is going and where they will fit in, as well as if they remember wearing Akademiks back in the day.

Our friends over at RottenFresh have started the Quotes Collection to give their twisted interpretations of their site name RottenFresh.  It’s an experimental project where they have created garments that they choose to wear.  They call it “sophisticated street wear under the philosophy: ‘With Future There Must Be Past’”

All of the garments are handmade and individually unique which makes each item a one off in its own little way.  Their aim is to give the consumer a limited, unique piece of art which comes in the form of a garment.

Like what you’re reading?  Get more details and images on the entire collection here: RottenFresh Quotes Collection

Andrea Rosso, 55DSL’s Creative Director, chose Calvin Kwok to design the limited edition capsule collection.  Calkin Kwok was one of the finalists of the Cut&Paste 2D Tournament sponsored by 55DSL.  The capsule collection’s theme is MYSTICOOL, consisting of a mystical world where “cool is king” and inspiration comes from pendants, cryptic ruins, mythological creatures anda everything else in between.

The collection includes two men’s t-shirts, a hoodie and a crew neck sweater.   And for the ladies it includes two women’s t-shirts, a zipp-up sweatshirt and a dress.  The capsule will also include two 55DSL 15th anniversary celebration icionic pieces: the XV sunglasses created in conjunction with Safilo and the Vasava x 55DSL x Atom Plastic Senor Blanco art toy.  To purchase the capsule collection and for additional images…CLICK HERE!

More images on the flip…

Check out the  Women’s New Balance Black Licorice 442 collection for fall 2009!

The Black Licorice 442 pack is sweeter than sweet and combines clean black uppers with hints of bold neon.  Score a pair of these in black/fuschia, black/pink and black/lime versions featuring neon rubber outsoles, extra neon laces to show off your own personal style, and it even comes in a special, Black Licorice black/neon collector’s box!

Grab a pair of these today at Shoe Carnival, Shoe Show, or Finishline.

More images after the jizzzuuuummmpppp…..

]]> http://www.vaporsmagazine.com/2009/10/new-balance-black-licorice-442-pack/feed/ 1 http://www.vaporsmagazine.com/2009/10/dearly-departed-x-highpoint-family-first-collab/ http://www.vaporsmagazine.com/2009/10/dearly-departed-x-highpoint-family-first-collab/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:04:39 +0000 Ragmaasyday http://www.vaporsmagazine.com/?p=6270

New street apparel brand, Dearly Departed gives us a look into an upcoming collaborative effort with Arizona boutique, Highpoint Shoes. The fitted features a unique barrage of both parties logos in metallic thread applications, intertwined with each other and a “Family First” rear-hit rounds it all off . This limited release will only drop at Highpoint (they take phone orders) in the next coming weeks. Stay tuned for more heat from both camps this season.

Cash Crop Clothing is a brand new eco collection that has created a line of T-shirts and jackets using recycled and organic goods. The idea behind the line is to bring quality, fashionable streetwear to the public, while staying conscious and above all, eco-friendly. It’s difficult not to admire such an ambitious goal, especially when the results turn out pretty stylish. A nice competent to the design of the clothing is that, for the most part, it is devoid of huge logos, instead relying on clever statements or graphic designs to promote alternative ways of thinking about various ecological issues.

The real stand out  in the collection for me is the “leather” jacket (pictured above). Cash Crop ingeniously came up with a process to create the look and feel of leather using recycled plastic spun into fibers that could then be used to make this one of a kind piece. It is certainly one thing to just put out a new line of streetwear and hope people catch wind of it, but to actually have a mission statement like this and deliver on your message, both on the production level and design, is something to be applauded.

Check out the full line at Cash Crop Clothing.

A different spin on traditional lifestyle, Teruo Artistry is a fresh, design-first, and art driven line.  In it’s innovation, Teruo Artistry surrounds itself with the motto, “…any dream is necessary.”  With the fusion of art and design, this creative lifestyle brand breaks out into the fashion scene with more than just your every day average look.  All the way from skateboard decks to hoodies to the t-shirts and down to the eye-popping Giclee art prints, Teruo Artistry makes a permanent appeal statement.  A do-it-yourself attitude, which pushes them beyond their collective creativity and into the representation of more than just art.

More after the jump.

Seen above, each item from the collection is adorned with a piece of unique fabric, hand picked and recycled from all around the world.

Teruo Artistry, also finds the devoted drive to the support over 20 musicians, photographers, and artists in forming a strong and diverse Artist Collective, who all contribute to their distinctive rare designs.

The name “Teruo” comes from the late Teruo Iyama, a US Citizen who was incarcerated in the concentration camps during World War 2.  Through his hardships, Iyama was able to rebuild and launch a successful career as a multi-talented artist; lending his talents to everything from architecture to painting to gardening onto carpentry and stained glass work.

Today, his two grandsons, Brian and Timothy Watters honor him with the founding of this unique line and sticking to the belief of, “What we wear defines who we are. Wear yourself.”

You can follow Teruo on Twitter @TeruoArtistry

fan them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/teruo

or visit their website http://www.teruo.com