LEGO® ADIDAS ORIGINALS SUPERSTAR SHOE

Since September 2020, LEGO and adidas have delivered a roster of classic silhouettes reimagined with color palettes, branding and detailing inspired by the Danish company’s iconic building blocks. Recently, the two European institutions have unveiled another component to their partnership via an adidas Superstar LEGO Brick Set.

Although previously-seen adidas Originals have included colored blocks as accents, none have been able to boast construction made entirely out of toy bricks. The latest product to emerge out of the aforementioned alliance isn’t meant to be worn, but it features all of the “shell-toe’s” signature details. For starters, the set takes on the sneaker’s original “Cloud White/Core Black” colorway. Shimmering “Metallic Gold” branding on the lateral profile and tongue further nod to the model’s retail version. The iconic toe-cap is recreated, but not out of durable rubber. Laces, however, are transplanted from the made-to-wear shoe, delivering yet another touch of accuracy to the special edition release. Lastly, the U.S. 7.5-sized “shoe” arrives with a display stand and plaque, collectible shoe box and 17 additional LEGO elements to create a one-of-a-kind model. Mixing in bricks from outside sets also works.

Enjoy official images of LEGO’s adidas Superstar Brick Set here below, and find the collection available via adidas.com on July 1st.

For more experimental takes backed by the Three Stripes, check out all YEEZY release dates for 2021 and beyond. by Jovani Hernandez for sneakernews.

LIFELIKE DETAILS
Includes adidas Originals Superstar graphics, shell toe shape, trefoil logo and 3-Stripes – just like the real thing. It even comes with laces and a shoe box.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Comes with 17 extra LEGO® elements so you can decide to build the left or right shoe. Customize with your own LEGO bricks to make it truly yours.

SPARK CONVERSATIONS
Add this never-seen-before LEGO creation to your sneaker collection to get people talking. A true collectible with display stand and plaque.

EXCLUSIVE BUILDABLE SHOE FROM THE LEGO® SUPERSTAR COLLECTION.
In this never-seen-before LEGO® shoe, you can recreate the iconic Superstar sneaker from bespoke LEGO bricks to make a collectable display piece that's sure to spark conversations. Just like the real thing, this LEGO version includes the iconic adidas Originals Superstar trainer graphics, shell-toe shape, trefoil logo and 3-Stripes.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dimensions: 4.7" x 10.6" x 3.5"

• Authentic adidas Superstar sneaker details

• Lace closure

• Display stand and plaque

• Building instruction booklet includes the history of the shoe

• Collectible shoe box packaging

• Real shoe size: US 7.5

• This set is designed for adults

• Imported

• Product color: White / Black

• Product code: FZ8497

JEREMY SCOTT & ADIDAS OFFICIALLY REPRISE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP

Before collaborations became mainstream, there was Jeremy Scott x adidas. Eclectic, bizarre, and yet all the rage, the designer’s Three Striped offerings defined the sneaker culture of the late 2000s and beyond, appearing on the feet of notable celebrities like A$AP Rocky, Rihanna, and even the ever-revered Kanye West.

Earlier today, without any warning, Jeremy Scott and adidas have officially confirmed that they’re reprising their collaborative relationship, with the first release to arrive Fall 2021. We can expect not only footwear — likely some revivals of old favorites — but also apparel and accessories, all lensed through Scott’s playful and recognizable design language.

“Partnering again with adidas feels like a homecoming and I’m thrilled to be home,” Jeremy Scott exclaimed.

As we await further details on the Fall 2021 line-up, enjoy a brief short of the collaboration’s past greats below.

On June 2nd, adidas announced that it’d be renewing its partnership with American designer, Jeremy Scott. And although their first collection was teased as launching in fall, official images have recently emerged of what seems like the collaboration’s first drop: four rather tonal colorways of the adidas Forum Hi.

The adidas Originals canvas isn’t new to the Moschino creative director, but the latest propositions diverge from Scott’s past work. Instead of protruding wings at the profiles or plush teddy bears at the tongue, Scott’s quartet of the adidas Forum sports uniform orange, green, blue and black ensembles. This batch of sneakers is surely the first of dozens prepped for the renewal of one of the most-coveted shoe lines of the early to mid-2010s, but they might lead many eager fans – in particular those who’ve been following Scott’s namesake label for decades – to feel underwhelmed. The Three Stripes hasn’t hidden how much it’s pushing the Forum, but perhaps it should’ve only green-lit pairs infused with the rebellious spirit Jeremy Scott has put forth since 1997, especially given that its platform helped bring bold design after bold design to the masses. For the time being, glossy, monochromatic pairs with the designer’s face on the tongue will have to do, but fingers are crossed for a retro roster from the compelling partnership.

Enjoy official images of all four pairs here below, and anticipate Scott’s first Three Stripes collaboration in years to launch via the adidas CONFIRMED app by autumn.

Elsewhere under the adidas umbrella, Kanye West has prepped over a dozen YEEZY restocks between now and November.

AIR YEEZY 1 PROTOTYPE SELLS FOR $1.8M

Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototype
Sells For $1.8 Million At Sotheby’s.

One of the most documented Yeezy sample sneakers in history has sold at a mind-blowing $1.8 million at Sotheby’s auction. Known in the sneaker community as the “Prototype”, this sneaker first came to light when Kanye West himself wore them during his live performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards; eyes were glued to Ye’s feet as he and Daft Punk collaborated on the show. It is considered to be the rarest Yeezy sneaker ever.

The Air Yeezy 1 “Prototype” was certainly not the beginning of Kanye West’s foray into footwear, as he collaborated regularly with Nike (on special colorways), A Bathing Ape, and Louis Vuitton before launch his first true signature shoe with Nike in 2009. But the Air Yeezy 1 was pivotal in Kanye’s development into a true industry competitor that just a decade later is competing with Michael Jordan in sales of lifestyle fashion sneakers. After the Air Yeezy 1 launched in summer 2009 to much fanfare, resell prices eclipsed $1,000 – a rarity during that era of sneakers. $1,000 is just one grain of sand in today’s massive sneaker resell industry, but at the time, it was unheard of. The sequel, the Air Yeezy 2, dropped in 2012, with the infamous “Red October” launching in early 2014. During that time gap, Kanye and Nike had a quiet yet dramatic split, leading to the birth of the YEEZY brand under adidas. Letting Kanye walk to its primary competitor stands as perhaps their most questionable decision of the modern era of the brand.

Before sneakers caught the attention of luxury auctions houses, the Prototype Yeezys were a regular fixture on eBay. These 1-of-1 Prototypes at one point were listed at $50,000 and later $75,000 by private sellers, which obviously pales in comparison to the $1.8 million it sold for at auction.

The buyer is RARES, which specializes in fractional ownership of collectible sneakers and other goods. Gerome Sapp, CEO & Co-Founder of RARES, commented: “We are thrilled to work with Sotheby’s on this acquisition. Our goal in purchasing such an iconic shoe – and a piece of history – is to increase accessibility and empower the communities that birthed sneaker culture with the tools to gain financial freedom through RARES. We look forward to working with Sotheby’s to continue to identify rare finds that will help elevate, preserve and uphold sneaker culture.” Those who are interested in owning a piece of the Air Yeezy 1 “Prototype” will eventually do so through the RARES platform.

Zion Williamson’s Jordan Zion 1

Power-Forward? Power-Guard?
Zion Williamson’s Jordan Zion 1 Is For All Positions

Point-Forward? Power-Guard? In an era of position-less basketball, Zion Williamson is further blurring the lines between set roles with his unprecedented balance of power, finesse, speed, and brute force. No one player has been able to juggle those actions, but the New Orleans Pelicans superstar-in-the-making is proving that one man wield all that power and not implode on himself, but rather allow its surrounding bodies to shine just as bright.

Although Zion has barely played in 100 NBA and NCAA games, the lore around the number-one pick has many volumes. In the chapter titled Sneakers, we can’t help but recall that time at Duke he literally burst from a pair of Nike PG 2.5s, leaving the entire city of Beaverton holding their breath while the Swoosh stock took a momentary stumble. After being drafted in the summer of 2019, Zion officially signed with Jordan Brand, beginning a youth-focused revamp of the roster that included the likes of Jayson Tatum and Luka Dončić, each with their own strong gravitational pulls.

Today, Jordan Brand officially announces the first signature shoe of this current generation of star athletes. Officially called the Jordan Zion 1, this new model boasts a full-length Air strobel, minimizing excess while maximizing cushion coverage of the foot. Fore-foot Zoom adds even more explosiveness to Zion’s feet, which are the closest things to human-made jet-propulsion engines we’ve ever seen. The fore-foot band should provide ample containment, a certain point of interest given the aforementioned sneaker mishap in college.

The launch colorway of Black/White will officially launch in stores on April 23rd, but three more have already been confirmed. The purple “ZNA” speaks to Zion’s duality of stardom and relatability as it represents the crossover of being out of this world, but also down to earth. The wild “Noah” colorway nods to his younger brother. The bright fuchsia “Marion” commemorates his hometown and middle school in South Carolina.

The Jordan Zion 1 “Noah” Is Inspired By Zion Williamson’s Kid Brother

With Zion Williamson being the first Gen-Z athlete in Jordan Brand and Nike history, his first signature shoe, the Jordan Zion 1, is being met with much anticipation—and rightfully so. From his rise to stardom to his hometown in South Carolina, the Pelicans player’s personal experiences are creatively channeled by four revealed colorways for the model. Among these offerings is the wild “Noah” style, named after and inspired by his younger brother.

The proposition sees a textile and synthetic construction that is divided between black and white by a fittingly Z-shaped overlay at the center. As seen on Zion’s Air Jordan 34 PE, another shoe inspired by his sibling, this new pair is also bursting with colors and utilizes drawings and doodles throughout. Specifically, overlays of multicolored brushstroke letters spelling “ZION” are atop the black sections of the design while the outsole sports a colorful pattern reminiscent of melted crayons. As explained by Zion himself, these motifs are inspired by the time when Noah was handed some crayons and a pair of Air Jordan 1 Lows to draw on when he and his family visited the Nike headquarters. He added that the mix of bright hues also reflects his brother’s colorful personality. To complete the basketball silhouette, a sturdy, full-length Air Strobel layered over a Zoom Air unit underneath the forefoot has been added for superior stability, as well as a forefoot band and unique traction pattern for the security and responsiveness demanded by the hardwood.

YEEZY FOAM RUNNER RED

Better late than never. The first-ever all-red adidas Yeezy shoe release is finally coming, and it’ll be in the form of one of the most provoking “sneakers” of the modern era. That would be the trending Yeezy Foam Runner, a shoe made of recycled algae and currently taking the footwear world by storm for its prehistoric look (as well as its many comparisons to Crocs). According to Yeezy Mafia, a release is  expected in October 2021 and is officially dubbed the “Vermilion”.

All-red has become a signature color-scheme of Kanye West after he introduced with his Air Yeezy 2, the swan song of his short-lived tenure with the Swoosh. Many expected the all-red look (commonly referred to as the “Red October” colorway) to establish itself on  a more mainstream model – possibly the Yeezy Boost 350 v2 or Yeezy 700, but there’s no better way to pair the audacity of the flooded hue with the Foam Runner Yeezys.

SOUTH PARK x ADIDAS CAMPUS 80's “TOWELIE”

adidas has been working with collaborators like Disney to bring Star Wars, Toy Story and other franchises to sneaker form for the past few years. Within the first four months of 2021, the German sportswear institution has revealed plans with The Simpsons and South Park, the latter lending the worrisome, but charming Towelie character for an adidas Campus 80s set to launch tomorrow, April 20th (420), in celebration of a beloved marijuana holiday.

When glancing at the collaborative pair from the sides, the “Chalk Purple/Footwear White”-covered proposition seems in-line with the two-tone adidas Originals styles to emerge in the last few weeks, but closer inspection reveals special detailing. For starters, the terrycloth-material that runs throughout the entire upper works in-tandem with the eye graphics embroidered onto the top of the tongue to nod to South Park’s genetically-engineered talking towel. The tongues’ undersides boast two of Towelie’s (not “Towlie”) catchphrases right above stash pockets big enough for nuggets of various kinds typically consumed on 04/20. Included keychains depict the sneaker’s inspiration in two states, which the eyes on the tongue also do when exposed to UV light.

4/20 is nearly here and adidas is more than ready to celebrate. Alongside the skunk-esque ZX 420, the Three Stripes is inviting South Park’s Towelie to spread the gospel of weed culture.

Rarely has there ever been a character so actively indulgent, using everything from marijuana to crystal meth. The anthropomorphic towel, which has made appearances throughout the TV series and subsequent video games, has toned it down a bit in recent years, however, as he’s presumed to only partake in Mary Jane and Mary Jane alone.

No better a guide for the mostly innocent adidas, Towelie is soon to transform from household essential to Campus 80, bringing along both his signature facial features and textures. Comparable to chenille at first glance, the towel-like material wraps most of the exterior, setting a baby blue base atop which the leather stripes and heel tab dress. Moreover, the tongue features his big, toony eyes, going from pure white to bloodshot depending on the lighting. Then, South Park branding meets the German sportswear label’s own at the insole.

CRAV* INDUSTRIES 2ND COLLECTION

CRAV* INDUSTRIES 2ND COLLECTION F/W21
Featured Products:

BURNING DESIRES* LONG SLEEVE TEE: As a spinoff of the “IT’S OK TO LOVE” Oversized Tee featured in last collection, this shirt symbolizes the passion our heart truly carries. Every person has a passion and a drive that forces them to be something greater than their current self. For CRAV*, our burning desire is change towards a more peaceful environment within our society.

TI:RED: OUR LAST BREATH HOODIE: We are tired of the constant injustice in our country, plain and simple. In this piece we honor the lives of those lost at the hands of systemic racism and oppression some live by everyday. Rest In Peace Kings and Queens.

“CALL IT WHAT IT IS" HODDIE: In August of 2019, Donald Trump called two US mass shootings that had taken place in a time span of 13 hours cases of “mental illness.” Even though they both could have easily been considered racially profiled, they were labelled as results of mental instability. However, when a group of black kids allegedly assault a white woman, they are labelled as “thugs.” Let’s stop sugarcoating and start calling what these racial attacks really are.

Nike VP Resigns

Nike VP Resigns After Family Tie to Sneaker Reseller Uncovered.

Ann Hebert, a Nike employee of 25 years who most recently served as a VP overseeing its North America business, left the company on Monday, according to an internal email viewed by Complex.

“Ann Hebert, VP/GM, North America geography has decided to step down from Nike, effectively immediately,” the email reads. “We thank Ann for her more than 25 years with Nike and wish her well.”

Nike also put out a press release this afternoon publicly announcing the end of her tenure and confirmed the move in a statement to Complex.

“Ann Hebert made the decision to resign from Nike,” the brand said.

Hebert’s leaving Nike comes days after the publication of a Bloomberg piece focused on her son, a 19-year-old sneaker reseller named Joe. The piece mentions a credit card Joe used for his reselling business, West Coast Streetwear, that was registered in Ann’s name. The reseller insisted to the story’s author that his personal connection to a Nike exec not be written about in the piece and cut off communication after it was brought up.

Joe Hebert, reached via a third party, did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Nike does not permit its employees to participate in sneaker reselling, and the practice of buying shoes at their retail price only to sell them at a higher price is still taboo to many collectors. A Nike spokesperson told Bloomberg that Ann had disclosed information about the business to her employer in 2018 and there was “no violation of company policy.”

The Bloomberg story sparked outrage online, where commenters questioned whether the younger Hebert was gaining unfair access to limited-edition sneakers with the help of his mother. Some brought up the six pairs of rare Nike Mags, which sell for over $12,000 each, that he said he’d randomly discovered in a storage unit in January 2020, speculating they were obtained through more nefarious means. One source claims that Joe would buy pairs in large quantities from Nike outlets using his mother’s discount and resell them later.

Ann Hebert’s purview at Nike included its SNKRS app, a destination for coveted product where shoes regularly sell out immediately, only to be resold on secondary markets. The brand spends a good amount of energy and money trying to protect the platform from bots that can help resellersbuy out stock faster than any human. Bloomberg’s piece on Joe Hebert’s business describes him using bots to compromise online launches, mentioning that he rang up $132,000 in one morning for a launch of Kanye West sneakers on the artist’s Yeezy Supply website. That same card, a corporate American Express, was registered in his mother’s name.

BYBRENDAN DUNNE

AIRPODMAX

AirPods Max.

Exhilarating high-fidelity audio and the effortless magic of AirPods. Introducing AirPods Max — designed to fully immerse you in rich, deep bass, accurate mids, and crisp, clean highs. All delivered with ultra‑low distortion across the audible range. The ultimate personal listening experience is here.

Introducing AirPods Max, a perfect balance of exhilarating high-fidelity audio and the effortless magic of AirPods. The ultimate personal listening experience is here.

A radically original composition. The over-ear headphone has been completely reimagined. From cushion to canopy, AirPods Max are designed for an uncompromising fit that creates the optimal acoustic seal for many different head shapes — fully immersing you in every sound.
• The canopy spanning the headband is made from a breathable knit mesh, distributing weight to reduce on‑head pressure.
• The stainless steel frame is wrapped with a soft-to-the-touch material for a remarkable combination of strength, flexibility, and comfort.
• Telescoping arms smoothly extend and stay where you set them, for a consistent fit and seal.
• The beautifully anodized aluminum cupsfeature a revolutionary mechanism that allows each cup to rotate independently and balance pressure.
• Crafted with acoustically engineered memory foam, the ear cushions gently create an immersive seal that is the foundation of incredible sound.
• Five colors. Anything but monotone.

Audio quality. Sounds like an epiphany.
AirPods Max combine high-fidelity audio with industry-leading Active Noise Cancellation to deliver an unparalleled listening experience. Each part of their custom-built driver works to produce sound with ultra-low distortion across the audible range. From deep, rich bass to accurate mids and crisp, clean highs, you’ll hear every note with a new sense of clarity.

Immersive listening.
To cancel unwanted external sound, AirPods Max use a total of six outward-facing microphones to detect noise in your environment, and two inward-facing microphones to measure what you’re hearing. Beamforming microphones help isolate your voice on phone calls, so it’s heard clearly — even in windy situations.

Immersive listening

To cancel unwanted external sound, AirPods Max use a total of six outward-facing microphones to detect noise in your environment, and two inward-facing microphones to measure what you’re hearing. Beamforming microphones help isolate your voice on phone calls, so it’s heard clearly — even in windy situations.

Hear every detail.
The Apple-designed dynamic driver produces a wide frequency range that uncovers the rich details of every sound — delivering your favorite songs with previously unheard texture and accuracy.

Distortionless playback.
Modeled after those in high-end floor-standing speakers, the driver’s dual-neodymium ring magnet motor minimizes total harmonic distortion across the entire audible range. The result is consistently clear playback, even at full volume.

Computational audio. Key to performance.
With a powerful Apple‑designed H1 chip in each cup, our custom acoustic design, and advanced software, AirPods Max use computational audio to create a breakthrough listening experience. By tapping into each chip’s 10 audio cores, computational audio helps block outside noise, adapts audio to the fit and seal of your ear cushions, and makes movie scenes sound like they’re happening all around you.

Industry‑leading Active Noise Cancellation counters external sound with equal anti‑noise, allowing you to immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.

Press the noise control button to switch to Transparency mode, which lets outside sound in so you can interact naturally with your surroundings.

Adaptive EQ tailors sound to the bespoke fit and seal created by the ear cushions. Inward-facing microphones measure what you’re hearing, then adjust the frequencies of your music to deliver a rich, consistent experience that faithfully reproduces every note.

Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking gives you a theater‑like experience for movies and shows, with sound that surrounds you. Using built-in gyroscopes and accelerometers, AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad track the subtle motion of your head, anchoring sounds to your device.

Magical experience. Elaborately simple. AirPods Max inherit all of the wireless, effortless magic of the AirPods family. From setup to Siri commands, they make the listening experience completely fluid — day to day, device to device.

One-tap setup. AirPods Max connect immediately to your iPhone or iPad. To pair, simply place AirPods Max near your device and tap Connect on your screen.

Seamless switching. Seamlessly move between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. If you’re playing music on your Mac and take a call on your iPhone, AirPods Max will automatically switch over.

Audio Sharing. Easily share an audio stream between two sets of AirPods on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV. Bring any AirPods near the device you’re listening to and connect in a tap.

On-head detection. AirPods Max pause audio when you take them off, and resume playback when you put them back on. So you never miss a beat.

Announce Messages. Let Siri speak incoming messages as they arrive with Announce Messages. You can even tell Siri to respond — no hands required.

Always-on Siri. Get directions, check the weather, schedule a meeting, and more with a simple “Hey Siri.” With an expansive set of commands, your favorite personal assistant is more helpful than ever.

A case with staying power. When stored in their soft, slim Smart Case, AirPods Max enter an ultra‑low‑power state that preserves charge.

A battery that keeps stayin’ alive. 20hours of listening, movie watching, or talk time — with Active Noise Cancellation and spatial audio enabled. Simply charge via Lightning connector. A quick 5‑minute charge delivering 1.5 hours of listening.

Buy AirPods Max At Apple $91.50/Month or $549.00

PlayStation®5 Play Has No Limits

PS5 Digital Edition is an all-digital version of the PS5 console with no disc drive.
Sign into your account for PlayStation Network and go to PlayStation®Store to buy and download games.

Backwards compatibility

Play a back catalogue of digital PS4 games on your PS5 Digital Edition.

Game Boost

Enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in select digital PS4 and PS VR games.

Upgrade digital PS4 games to digital PS5 games

The PS5 Digital Edition gives game publishers the ability to let players upgrade their digital PS4 games to digital PS5 games.4

PlayStation VR integration

Connect your PlayStation VR to your PS5 Digital Edition to enjoy supported digital PS VR games. To set up your PS VR with your PS5 Digital Edition, you'll need your PlayStation Camera2 for PS4 and a PlayStation Camera adaptor (no purchase necessary). More details on how to claim an adaptor will be shared on PlayStation.com when available.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Experience the rise of Miles Morales as the new hero masters incredible, explosive new powers to become his own Spider-Man.

Horizon Forbidden West Join Aloy as she braves the Forbidden West — a majestic but dangerous frontier that conceals mysterious new threats.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Blast your way through an interdimensional adventure with Ratchet and Clank.

Gran Turismo™ 7 Gran Turismo 7 builds on 22 years of experience to bring you the best features from the history of the franchise.

Returnal Break the cycle of chaos on an always-changing alien planet in this third-person roguelike shooter.

Sackboy A Big Adventure Take Sackboy on an epic 3D platforming adventure with your friends.

Deathloop Take part in the eternal struggle between two extraordinary assassins.

Godfall Hunt for loot and don legendary armour sets in a new looter-slasher for PlayStation 5.

Demon's Souls™ Entirely rebuilt from the ground up, this remake invites you to experience the unsettling story and ruthless combat of Demon's Souls.

Destruction AllStars Pile on the destruction from behind the wheel or on-foot in the global phenomenon that is Destruction AllStars.

NBA 2K21 With extensive improvements upon its best-in-class graphics and gameplay, competitive and community online features, and deep, varied game modes, NBA 2K21 offers one-of-a-kind immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and culture – where Everything is Game.

EA Sports FIFA 21 Whether it's on the streets or in the stadium, FIFA 21 has more ways to play than ever before – including the UEFA Champions League and CONMEBOL Libertadores.

JUST BEING GIVEON

The Long Beach-born artist discusses his debut E.P., “Take Time,” where the vocals take center stage.

West Coast musicians are fond of drawing upon one another for inspiration, though Long-Beach native, Giveon, has a perspective that is entirely his own.

For Giveon, vocals are central, and inspirations are culled from the smoky, late-night lounges of the Rat Pack and Frank Sinatra as well as the distinct R&B edge found from contemporaries such as Frank Ocean and Miguel. “There’s soul to it. There’s pop to it,” said Giveon of his signature style. “However, I want to speak on relatable things everybody thinks about, but nobody says — in a classy way. The goal is just to be Giveon.”

According to the singer/songwriter he had a sort of epiphany after hearing Sinatra for the first time. “It was the very first time I heard a baritone singer,” he said. “I got into Bobby Caldwell and Barry White from there. I realized my tone at this point.”

For the artist, creating music has always been a very personal process, looking to his own experiences to inform the music and lyrics. Drake also took notice of the singer’s vocals, featuring Giveon in his 2020 release of “Chicago Freestyle.”

“My writing process starts with the story of something I experienced, or a close friend experienced,” said Giveon. “After that the composition is made and the lyrics come last. I’m an artist, a self-starter, an entrepreneur, a creative, and most of all a thinker. I sit around and think a lot. That’s an inspiration as the songs reflect my thoughts.” Giveon says that while fashion hasn’t sparked any inspiration for his music, it is something he considers when he is creating a new project. “Fashion means a lot to me because it helps me tell a story,” said Giveon. “For example, if I’m shooting for a project, the look I’m wearing lets you know what’s going on before anything else. I wouldn’t say fashion sparked any inspiration for the music. I would say it’s the other way around.”

Still, fashion is definitely an area that the artist has his sights set on for his future.

“First, I want to establish myself as an artist,” said Giveon. “Second I want to expand into fashion. Fortunately for me an artist like Kanye West has already paved the way for someone like me to be taken seriously as an artist while being respected in the world of fashion.”

“At the moment My favorite designers are Rick Owens and Kerby Jean-Raymond,” said Giveon. “Rick Owens for the way he approaches patterns and fabrics and Kerby for his innovation and the way he approaches design.”

"LIKE I WANT YOU" Official Music Video

Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation

The post-graffiti moment in 1980s New York City marked the transition of street art from city walls and subway trains onto canvas and into the art world. Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) became the galvanizing, iconic frontrunner of this transformational and insurgent movement in contemporary American art, which resulted in an unprecedented fusion of creative energies that defied longstanding racial divisions. This exhibition features his works in painting, sculpture, drawing, video, music, and fashion, alongside works by his contemporaries—and sometimes collaborators—A-One, ERO, Fab 5 Freddy, Futura, Keith Haring, Kool Koor, LA2, Lady Pink, Lee Quiñones, Rammellzee, and Toxic. Throughout the 1980s, these artists fueled new directions in fine art, design, and music, driving the now-global popularity of hip-hop culture.

“Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation” illuminates how this group’s subversive abstractions of both visual and verbal language—including neo-expressionism, freestyle sampling, and wildstyle lettering—rocketed their creative voices onto the main stages of international art and music. It is the first major exhibition to contextualize Basquiat’s work in relation to hip-hop and marks the first time his extensive, robust, and reflective portraiture of his Black and Latinx friends and fellow artists has been given prominence in scholarship on his oeuvre. Notable among those works is the much-revered painting Hollywood Africans, which lionizes Toxic and Rammellzee, the legendary artist/philosopher who is also represented with multiple works in “Writing the Future,” and with whom Basquiat created the prophetic, influential, and talismanic rap song “Beat Bop.”

Learn more about Basquiat, his peers, and New York’s post-graffiti era.

October 18, 2020–May 16, 2021
Ann and Graham Gund Gallery (Gallery LG31)

KERBY JEAN-RAYMOND x REEBOK VP CREATIVE DIRECTION

Reebok Names Kerby Jean-Raymond/Pyer Moss
Vice President of Creative Direction

The CFDA Award winner will also release in 2022 the first products of Reebok's Product With Purpose program.

Kerby Jean-Raymond is assuming greater responsibility at Reebok.

The New York City-based designer and founder of Pyer Moss has been named vice president, creative direction, for the sports brand. In this role, he will provide creative leadership and work closely with Reebok’s product, global marketing and development organizations to ensure consistency across all areas.

Jean-Raymond will also be at the forefront of the brand’s Product With Purpose program, which is part of its commitment to United Against Racism. The program will launch in 2021 and the first products by Jean-Raymond will release in 2022. In addition, he will serve on the Reebok senior leadership team and report to president Matt O’Toole. O’Toole confirmed that the Reebok by Pyer Moss collection will continue as planned.

“I am thrilled to be evolving my role at Reebok and joining the leadership team as the head of creative direction,” Jean-Raymond said in a statement. “I welcome this opportunity to help invigorate the brand with new ideas, while also focusing on instilling a sense of social purpose into our work.”

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Jean-Raymond expanded on the statement: “I started working with Reebok in 2017 after meeting Damion Presson [Reebok’s director of entertainment marketing]. I was brought in to support the launch of a shoe at the time called the ‘DMX Fusion.’ We made our own version called the Experiment 1 and were asked to make some apparel to support one of their retail partners at a mass market price point. I’m not really too good at following rules, so I didn’t pretend to try.

“Instead we made a series of collections we believed in, incorporated our collaboration into our runways and created content that spoke to what we were already doing at Pyer Moss. Campaign 1, Seven Mothers (Campaign 2) and a series of videos called ‘Imma Ball Anyway’ were some of my favorites. Many of these projects were a result of us seeing how far we could go before someone yelled ‘uncle.’

“No one did, and I was grateful.

“Today, that collaboration will evolve. Pyer Moss is not just a partner of Reebok, but I am now the creative director, globally. Or technically…vice president, creative direction. To my Reebok fam, there’s a lot of work to do. Can our mind-sets collectively evolve to serve the future? Are we inclusive enough? Are we bold enough? Are we challenging tradition enough? Are we ready to unlearn? It’s going to be difficult. I’m ready though.”

Reebok and Jean-Raymond have worked together for four years on the Reebok by Pyer Moss collection, a popular footwear line. Their work together led to Jean-Raymond winning Footwear News’ 2018 Collaboration of the Year Award and the 2019 FNAA Person of the Year Award. He took home the CFDA Award for Menswear Designer of the Year and Designer of the Year from Harlem Fashion Row this year.

Last year, he was named artistic director of Reebok Studies, a new division created to foster emerging talent, and this year launched with Kering, Your Friends in New York, a fashion, culture, wellness and philanthropy platform to foster the next generation of innovators.

“Kerby is a fashion visionary with a bold approach who has established himself as a leader and a passionate activist,” O’Toole said. “We are incredibly excited about the impact he will have on Reebok from a design and brand purpose perspective and for him to bring his unique voice and direction to the Reebok brand more broadly. This is certainly a big opportunity for both Reebok and for Kerby — he understands the value of our rich heritage and iconic silhouettes and how he can build on that and take Reebok in an exciting and evolved direction.”

Jean-Raymond had been transparent about the beginnings of the Reebok relationship. The designer was ready to step away from Pyer Moss, but stayed in order to partner with the sports brand, which helped the designer keep his brand. He said at the WWD CEO Summit in November 2019 that Presson said he could offer “at least 10 times the amount” what another brand was offering Jean-Raymond to join the Reebok team.

Jean-Raymond said he believes the future of fashion is experiential, which calls to question what his output for Reebok will be in this new role. This year, he launched a new mentorship platform, announced a film and directed two music videos. But he hasn’t forgotten about the product. The first in-house Pyer Moss sneaker, Sculpt, launches on Oct. 3, retailing for $595. The silhouette bears resemblance to the Reebok Experiment 4 Fury Trail by Pyer Moss with an exaggerated sole similar to the Pyer Moss x Reebok DMX Experiment 1 sneaker.

The first Reebok by Pyer Moss collection debuted at Spring Studios in February 2018 with the “American, Also” collection. Jean-Raymond would show two more Reebok by Pyer Moss collections under the “American, Also” moniker at Weeksville in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and Kings Theatre in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

They released more sneakers as well, the Daytona DMX Experiment, Mobius Experiment and the Fury Trail styles. He said in November 2019 that his footwear, in particular “sells out within the first four minutes.”

Last year, he established Reebok Studies, which he described as “a division where I can sign talent, give them collaboration deals, give them sponsorship deals so that they can have money to grow their companies.”

And this year, Jean-Raymond remained very busy, directing music videos for rappers Wale and Joey Bada$$, and also through philanthropic work, donating in March $50,000 to support minority and female-owned independent businesses impacted by COVID-19 through Your Friends in New York. He also asked for mail-in donations of masks and gloves and contributed $5,000 for supplies.

He also announced he will premiere a film, “American, Also,” chronicling his runway shows and the Black experience in America. The project that was filmed over two years was slated to premiere this year at drive-in theaters and to bring the community and New York City together and engage with fans, but the date and format have not been confirmed yet.

“It’s always been our mission to show the amount of thinking and laboring that goes behind putting together a collection — we’ve been slowing down the speed of how much we produce and improving the quality of what we produce throughout the years,” Jean-Raymond said in a statement announcing the film. “This film aims to show the love and care our entire company puts into every single moment we create and will show that we appreciate fashion as an art form and communication tool.”

By Obi Anyanwu on September 30, 2020

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Why Is Fashion So Obsessed with Jean-Michel Basquiat?

An interview with Micaiah Carter, who photographed Coach's latest collaboration with the artist.

Why is the fashion world still so fixated on Jean-Michel Basquiat? How does an artist, 30-some years after his death, continue to be such a constant collaborator? In part, it is the fact that his estate has long been partnered with the licensing agent Artestar, thereby ensuring that his signature and imagery would appear on Off-White T-shirts, New Era caps, and even Peloton uniforms for years to come.

But Basquiat also had a certain way of moving and was a great beauty, which made him the perfect runway model for, say, the spring 1987 Comme des Garçons show. He also combined his passion with a cool remove, posing for the New York Times Magazine in 1985 wearing a paint-streaked Armani power suit, barefoot. It’s the kind of impertinent dance with consumer culture that artists today are usually too self-righteous to undertake.

Most recently, Basquiat’s work appears in the fall 2020 collection of Coach, which today debuts its collection of bags, T-shirts, and sweatshirts printed with the artist’s imagery, like the crown and dinosaur. The campaign was shot by Micaiah Carter and features Michael B. Jordan, Jennifer Lopez, Paloma Elsesser, Jon Batiste, and Basquiat’s niece Jessica Kelly, to name a few. In addition to the images, Coach will release a number of videos on social media in which subjects meditate on subjects like the family and art.

Basquiat, Carter says, “was a springboard for people to open up conversations that I think people weren’t having as often. And it resonated with the people that we shot, who are all people in the community who are all advocating for equal rights, not just for people of color but for all types of people.”

But Carter, who is 25, also points to something else: “A lot of it was New York.” He recalled arriving in the city from his small California hometown and thinking, “You have no choice but to adapt into your own ways” of approaching style. “Given his success, he still really made it his own with these designers and with these luxury brands to make it come back down to earth and really put his mark on everything. I think today people are inspired by that bravery that he had, to just do what he wanted to do.”

Carter’s signature is combining an easy sense of intimacy with a warm majesty. (It was firing on all cylinders in his photographs of Pharrell, posing in a Moncler gown, for the November 2019 issue of GQ as well.) Carter captured his subjects with an attitude that echoes the easy, stylish cool he attributes to Basquiat—Elsesser grinning, Jordan in a perfect crouch, and Lopez with her hoodie yanked over her head and nails painted electric blue. “They’re all artists,” he says, “and so there’s this respect—this level of collaboration.”

The other secret, Carter notes, is the perfect playlist. “I think that sets the mood.” Erykah Badu, City Girls, Playboi Carti, James Brown, and gospel music are all standards for him.

J. Lo brought her own playlist, however, and, Carter says, “I was able to vibe with that and really connect with her.” On the playlist? “Remixes of her own songs. I mean, that really gets you in the zone.” Barefoot Basquiat would approve. BY RACHEL TASHJIAN

YOUNG RIOT: POOLSIDE

YOUNG RIOT: POOLSIDE

LET US REFLECT AND REJOICE THE TRIUMPH OF SPIRIT. THE RESILIENCE OF BLACKNESS THAT TRANSMUTE OPPRESSION AND THEREBY WITHIN PLIGHT FINDS SOLACE. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WRITE A LOVE LETTER TO YOUR CHILDHOOD HOME AND, IN DOING SO, YOURSELF TO FIND (READ:CONFRONT), SELF, A BLACK MAN MUST WADE THROUGH WATER, HOWEVER METAPHORICAL IN NATURE.

HERE, DAVID HOCKNEY’S PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST SERVES AS A VEHICLE TO EXPLORE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN IDEALIZED SENSE OF SUCCESS AND A MAN WHO, IN THE FACE OF VIOLENCE AND TRAGEDY, CONSTRUCTED A BEAUTIFUL PATH TO FREEDOM. LURKING A LAYER BELOW, THIS EXAMINATION PRESENTS US WITH THE REALITY OF OUR PAST CIRCUMSTANCES. THAT IS A MAN TRAPPED IN A PRISON; HE WAS NEVER MEANT TO ESCPAE. HIS VOICE IS THE ONLY MEANS WITH WHICH HE MIGHT ESCAPE THE BOX. POOLSIDE. 

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THE HUNDREDS X BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB

In the summer of 2003, Ben and Bobby Hundreds launched The Hundreds at the same time Pharrell Williams and NIGO were introducing Billionaire Boys Club to the world. For the first time in 17 years, both streetwear brands are collaborating on a T-shirt to raise money for Black Lives Matter and the Black Mental Health Alliance. Today, Bobby and Pharrell shared the following conversation around being a Black brand owner in the industry, mental health, and the importance of “sharing the codes.”

BOBBY HUNDREDS: As we all know, there is a lack of Black owned streetwear brands in proportion to the amount of influence black culture has on streetwear's design and perspective. But back in the early 2000s, there was even less Black leadership and ownership in the street fashion space. When you launched Billionaire Boys Club, was this on your mind? What was it like for you starting up your label as a young Black man in an industry that was predominantly owned and profited off of by white people?

PHARRELL WILLIAMS: When I launched BBC [ICECREAM], I was a different person. My concerns were different, my thought process was different, my self awareness was premature. I considered myself a black man and making chess moves was enough at the time because that’s what the people I looked up to were doing. I was proud that they were black and I thought it was enough. Since then, I’ve educated myself and realized that would never be enough when the playing field was never leveled. It’s never been a leveled playing field since the beginning of time. It took traveling around the world and seeing what people go through to open my eyes and humble me and recognize how blessed I am. Aside from achieving, my biggest responsibility is to hold open the door and show the way for my own people... and to explain to those who have the power over these doors why they need to open their doors or not have them at all. With BBC, I always say ‘Wealth is of the heart and mind, not the pocket.’, but that wasn’t enough.

“Wealth is of the heart and mind, not the pocket.” This is the Billionaire Boys Club mantra. I’ve addressed this before in prior projects, but streetwear culture has been slower to adopt the mental health movement. Why is that? And how can we be better?

We just have to open our eyes, open our ears, open our minds and hearts. We don’t think like that because a lot of us are just like “I’m good” and that’s all that matters. The system trains us to be like “Don’t worry about them, worry about me. Did I make it? Ok good, ‘cause it’s hard out here.” We have to take it upon ourselves to look each other in the eyes and realize that we’re stronger together—there’s power in numbers. And now more than ever, we can’t afford to not galvanize, not mobilize...as Killer Mike says. We need to figure our way forward and upwards. If you have a brand—especially if you are of African diaspora— it’s your job to educate. And how about this, even if you’re not Black, but you trade on the likeness of us—it’s your responsibility as well. You gotta tithe...you gotta give back to that which is giving you everything that you have right now.

We are donating our proceeds to a mental health organization that puts its emphasis on the Black community. Can you speak on why that is specifically important?

Of course it’s important. There are a lot of variables that affect the minds of the people whose likeness gets traded on and marketed towards and then don’t receive benefits from it at the end of the day. And not everyone can get access to mental health resources like therapy or rehab, not everyone has people around to help. If you never really dealt with the erosion of your mental state, then it only continues to erode. There’s so much to unpack when it comes to this but, the fact that the fashion industry is thinking about the importance of mental health and how it affects the African diaspora is a very important step that we all need to take.

After George Floyd’s murder, America’s response was that of anger, frustration, and protest. Now that we are settling into a groove of consistent activism, there is discussion on what our hard goals are. There are many different answers to this, but I’m wondering what goals you’d like to see out of this? Whether it’s a short-term goal, or one that will take the rest of our lives to accomplish?

There’s no doubt that this is the American Revolution 2.0. It’s also an evolution because there are people that are opening their eyes—they didn't realize they were sleeping the entire time and being complicit to the things that affect us and continue to lead to the untimely death of people that look like George Floyd and us. We’re also dealing with a very different Washington [D.C]... they are just overt with it [racism], there’s no hiding it. What I’d like to see is for there to be some accountability online so that at least we can get our facts straight. We can’t get our facts straight when our system is being infiltrated by foreign agents and bots. I mean, as a sneakerhead, the first thing you try to do when copping is getting around the bots. We have to do the same thing here. There is a world of divisiveness on our internet. The best way to divide people is to use the tool of selfishness. I would like all of us to be aware of all the variables at hand—there’s a lot going on. While it is dark now, I know there is a God and He is the greatest. But we gotta get ourselves up out of this. Faith without work is dead, so we have a lot of work to do...and most of it is just being more self aware. If you’re kind and think of others, then you're heading the right way. But they get you with the lure of being selfish. Being woke is cool but man, but it’s like driving home at 4am and you don’t really know that you’re tired until you swerve. And at that point, you realize you ain't woke. That’s when you say “I’m up now..I am going to continue to work on myself and continue to challenge the people around me to wake up.”

Whether you appreciate it or not, your influence and visibility as a Black owner of a streetwear brand inspired an entire generation of Black youth to believe they could also be the ones in charge. From Tyler [the Creator] to some of the kids in my crew today.

You know, I’m honored for things like that. But going back to the earlier question...I feel like I didn't do enough. At that time, it was about me, I was being selfish and I thought being black was enough. So if I could encourage you all to do anything, it’s to take your people with you...don’t make it just about you. That’s why you see me with my hands together [prayer pose]. Some of us pat ourselves on the back, others of us beat ourselves on the chest. That’s cool, I'm gonna let you do that...but when you’re done, bring people with you. Share the codes...share the cheat codes. A lot of us had to figure it out ourselves...that’s where we go wrong. The more of us that learn the codes, the stronger we are. That’s how we get to market share. If we don’t have market share, we don’t have a voice. If you don’t have a voice then you’re going to need help with healthcare, education and the biases that are ingrained in our legislation that makes the gravity 2x heavier on us. Share the codes, hold the door open.

Did you have a figure that you admired when you were growing up? And what would you say to a young Black man or woman today who is thinking of entering the space?

The people I tend to admire don’t make sense when I get asked this question because what I admire in people doesn’t really resonate with most people. I’m into people who are more like sages and seers. My grandparents, my mom and dad...wise people who see things. You know, the type of people who can read you from head to toe when you walk in a room..those are the people who I spend most of my time talking to. I find value in the things unseen. That doesn’t work for everybody because it’s not a tangible thing. I don't give names of people who you can see the things they have tangibly done. What I would say to any young black man or woman today who’s thinking of entering the space, is to surround yourself with people that are better than you. Do it because you love it so much that you would do it for free and you can’t believe that you can actually get paid for it. Hold the door open. Talk to your partners about them understanding more, listening more, watching more, and being more open.

Share the codes...share the codes...share the codes.

And, you know what, get really excited when you see others doing well. Some people take Ambien, some people take melatonin. But, I can honestly tell you the best sleeping aid known to mankind is good will. Be excited when your brother wins. Be excited when your sister wins. Don’t block their blessing because when you do that, you’re blocking yours. Whatever God got for you is yours. That’s it...share the codes. Be happy when you see someone making it because you’re going to want them to smile when you’re doing the same.

***

BIGGIE SMALLS x FILA

BIGGIE SMALLS CELEBRATES 48th BIRTHDAY
WITH A FILA COLLABORATION CAPSULE FOR SUMMER.

Thanks to his laundry list of iconic rap tunes, Notorious B.I.G. will be forever remembered as one of the greatest hip hop artists to ever walk the planet. And in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his legendary “Ready to Die” album, as well as what would have been his 48th birthday this Thursday, FILA has decided to create a commemorative capsule in his honor. Alongside a full apparel range is a duo of special Biggie x FILA Tennis 88 footwear renditions. Serving as updated version to the Original Tennis model that sparked popularity for the Sportswear brand amongst the Brooklyn community in the 90s, the kicks pay tribute to the late rapper through dual branded tongues that print out the number 25 just beneath its crown insignias, the famous baby photo from the album art translated onto the footbeds, as well as the words “Ready To Die” embroidered on the heel counter. Two colorways including a cream/red as well as a white/aqua blue are set to release first on FILA.com on May 19th, and at additional retailers on May 21st for $90 a piece.
VIA SNAKER NEWS BY ELLIOT SANTIAGO