FUGEES ‘The Score’ Celebrate 25th Anniversary

Fugees Announce International Reunion Tour to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of ‘The Score’

The Fugees shocked the hip-hop world on Tuesday (Sept. 21) with the announcement of an international reunion tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their landmark 1996 album The Score. The outing will bring Ms. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel together for the first time in 15 years for 12 shows presented by Diaspora Calling and produced by Live Nation.

Not wasting any time, the tour kicks off on Wednesday (Sept. 22) with what a release promised will be an intimate show in New York City at an as-yet-undisclosed location. The dates will then pick up with a Nov. 2 gig at the United Center in Chicago, followed by a concert at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California on Nov. 7, as well as dates in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Newark, Washington, D.C., Paris, London, Nigeria and Ghana.

The Score, the Fugees’ second and final studio album, hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and scored hits with the indelible singles “Killing me Softly,” “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not”; the collection won the Grammy for best rap album and another for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals for “Killing.”

The Fugees have a complex but impactful history. I wasn’t even aware the 25th anniversary had arrived until someone brought it to my attention,” Hill said in a statement of Score, the best-selling album ever by a hip-hop group (at 22 million copies) and, at the time, the first by a rap group to be nominated for an album of the year Grammy. “I decided to honor this significant project, its anniversary, and the fans who appreciated the music by creating a peaceful platform where we could unite,  perform the music we loved, and set an example of reconciliation for the world.”

The group has teamed up with charitable partner Global Citizen for as-yet-unspecified philanthropic initiatives around the tour, with tickets slated to go on sale to the general public beginning Friday (Sept. 24) at 10 a.m. local time here. After splitting in 1998, the Fugees reunited in 2004 for Dave Chappelle’s Block Party concert film, came back together the next year for a 12-minute medley to open the 2005 BET Awards and played their final show in Feb. 2006 at a free gig for fans in Hollywood.

“As I celebrate 25 years with the Fugees, my first memory was that we vowed, from the gate, we would not just do music we would be a movement,” said Wyclef in a statement. “We would be a voice for the un-heard, and in these challenging times, I am grateful once again, that God has brought us together.” by Gil Kaufman

THE NIKE SB DUNK HIGH “STRAWBERRY COUGH”

Originally intended to be Nike SB’s traditional April 20th release in 2020, the infamous “Strawberry Cough” release of the Dunk High had been indefinitely postponed since it first came to light early last year. And with 2021’s 420 holiday also come and gone, a release this year seemed rather unlikely. However, official images of the weed-inspired sneaker have surfaced, suggesting that a release for this mythical pair could be looming.

A quick refresher: the forefoot of the Dunk is colored in red, with the overlays and mid-panel dimpled with touches of yellow to mimic the exterior seeds of the fruit. The Swoosh, heel, and ankle are covered in the standard hairy green suede to replicate the texture and visuals of weed, while a mascot of a coughing strawberry is featured on the heel and on the insoles. A soft heel-tab is also added, presumably to represent the leafy part of the head.

The appearance of Nike official images is by no means a confirmation of a release, but this is the most favorable developments yet. See the official photos ahead and stay tuned for updates.

LOUIS VUITTON'S SS22 MEN'S COLLECTION

Louis Vuitton Men's Spring/Summer 2022. Paris, France

VIRGIL DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THIS HARD ON LOUIS VUITTON'S SS22 MEN'S COLLECTION

We have samurais, ravers, RUN DMC-esque tracksuits, new Nikes, petticoats, Black Panther references, shredded skater-boy jeans, luggage — everything but the kitchen sink. This is Virgil Abloh having fun, this is Virgil Abloh at his best.

This season, Abloh embraced the meaning of dressing as the purest form of costumery, delving headfirst into the polarity of subcultures and their archetypes. To fully express the full breadth of this journey — which this collection truly is –— Louis Vuitton's artistic director of menswear presented a short film along with the runway, titled Amen Break and starring the likes of RZA, GZA, Saul Williams, and Lupe Fiasco.

The film zooms in on the cultural context of these varying subcultures and recontextualizes them in the most Virgil way where references are sampled and resampled. For example, the masculine world of sports fanaticism and its emblematic jerseys meets the world of gender-bending masculinity when the look is completed with a billowing skirt. Then, a B-boy stumbles into the realm of formalwear when a '90s reminiscent, boxy tracksuit is paired with a top hat. EDITORS

Per Louis Vuitton, in this way, "Amen Break becomes a metaphor for the myth of ownership in contemporary creativity," a theme that is right up Virgil Abloh's alley on the intersection of streetwear and luxury.

The collection is also punctuated by a rather lackluster new Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1, whose unmerited hype detracted from the collection's power more than it contributed. But LV easily made up for that disappointment with a rainbow range of luggage and accessories that relied equally on atelier classic and super-modern style cues.

Overall, the collection, and accompanying film, were sublime. And in the end — much like I think Virgil intended — this is a collection for you and whichever version of yourself you choose to present.

Despite a truly spectacular outerwear offering, this jacket stood out for all the right reasons. A boxy leather jacket in venomous green that fades into yellow, the piece features a rave stick-figure across the front. It's impressive as is, but when the model turned around I actually gasped. A black panther steals across the back becoming one with an equally menacing LV logo. It's a moment that fully changes the context of the entire jacket.

The yellow and green color story transforms from playful palette choice and into a political reference to the Pan-Africanist struggle and Black nation, which frequently used this color combination. Then the raver graphic reveals its indebtedness to the hip-hop wardrobe.

TRACKSUITS

Since we're on the subject of luxury-to-street crossovers and references to the Black cultural canon, we need to talk about tracksuits.

Abloh really honored the art of the tracksuit with this collection. From billowing '90s-era B-boy trackies to the more streamlined suits we see on UK grimers, it's all there. Yet, they're not reserved to their popular contexts. According to Louis Vuitton, there's nothing you can't do with a tracksuit.

FACE MASK & BACKLAVAS

While most designers this season have made it a point to look forward to the post-COVID days, there's one thing Virgil doesn't want us to leave behind: face coverings.

In this "new normal," face masks and balaclavas are part of a stylish wardrobe and LV SS22 presents us with many options to incorporate this safety precaution into our dressing, from suave to street.
by SARAH OSEI

LOUIS VUITTON x OFF-WHITE x NIKE AIR FORCE 1

Since entering mainstream consciousness, Virgil Abloh has demonstrated that he’s never not working. The Illinois-native’s relentless drive has produced collections with IKEA, speakers with Ojas and most recently 21 pairs of the Louis Vuitton x Off-White x Nike Air Force 1.

Unveiled at the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring 2022 runway show in Paris on June 24th, the collection of sneakers mark yet another expansive project from Abloh. Unlike “The 50,” however, the upcoming series of the Nike Sportswear classic in low and mid-top trims boasts an assortment of colors and patterns. Off-White’s signature “Canary Yellow” makes an appearance on a two-tone pair featuring “LV” monograms all across the premium leather and canvas upper; Louis Vuitton’s oft-imitated Damier pattern is superimposed with ostensibly skate-inspired prints; off-center, co-branded labels on the tongue, fluorescent green tabs on the lateral swoosh and Helvetica text on the medial mid-foot reprise their usual roles throughout the latest Off-White-backed Air Force 1s.

Although Abloh’s latest endeavor has quickly garnered much more excitement than the aforementioned Nike Dunk Low capsule, it’s already drawn comparisons to the cheap customs one would find on a sketchy website trying to pass replicas off as good deals on popular sneakers. The shoes will undoubtedly be of good quality given their association with LV, but their excessive branding and bold design surely comes off as gaudy to some – especially when compared to the Dior x Air Jordan 1, Off-White’s upcoming Air Force 1. Nevertheless, the “Amen Break” collection’s Nike shoes serve as yet more glimpses into the mind of one of the most sought-out designers of the last five years.

Enjoy images of of some of the upcoming pairs here below, as you wait for more details on what’s sure to be one of the most intricate roll outs in NIKE, Inc. history.

For more from under the NIKE, Inc. umbrella, check out all rumored and confirmed Jordan release dates for the remainder of 2021 and beyond.

ROGER FEDERER’S THE ROGER PRO

Shortly before making his professional return after a 13-month hiatus (and with a win over Dan Evans at that), Roger Federer and On introduced THE ROGER Pro signature shoe.

Touted as the Swiss company’s first performance-tennis option, THE ROGER Pro marks the first on-court shoe designed by Federer since he left NIKE, Inc. in 2018. Throughout his 24-year-spanning partnership with the North American sportswear giant, the now-39-year-old had a handful of tennis shoes inspired by both the Nike Air Max 95 and Air Jordan 3. His new proposition with On doesn’t reinvent the look of made-for-grass (or clay) footwear, but it tackles energy return, impact absorption and durability in a new way.

As with its near-ubiquitous-in-major-cities running sneakers, the Swiss manufacturer’s latest model began with a conscious effort to explore sensation. Federer’s feet were scanned with 3D-technology to deliver a detailed look at their anatomy. Tennis’ heavy reliance on lateral movement led the On Lab team to produce a high-density, high-performance foam for the midsole, while coupling it with tooling with reliable stability and traction. On’s tried-and-proven Speedboard® carbon fiber plate enables high-performance impact absorption and energy return. Elsewhere, the sparsely-branded engineered mesh upper delivers breathability and abrasion-resistance for long, high-intensity sets.

Enjoy campaign imagery of THE ROGER Pro here below. Given that the shoes are still being informed by feedback gathered throughout Federer’s return to the tour, they’re currently a one-of-one. On, however, may release the model to the public in the future, with improved design choices.

For more footwear originally produced for tennis, check out the latest from the adidas Rod Laver.

ROGER FEDERER’S THE ROGER PRO BY ON TO DROP EXCLUSIVELY AT KITH

Fresh off a (“lucky,” to some) win over Adrian Mannarino, Roger Federer and his On family have announced release details for THE ROGER Pro, the Swiss duo’s first performance-tennis option.

Teased in early March, the upcoming shoe marks the start of Federer’s new signature sneaker line since leaving NIKE, Inc. in June 2018. The 39-year-old has been testing out prototypes of the sleek, innovative tennis silhouette for the past three months, but is now ready to share the final iteration of THE ROGER Pro with the public. On this front, Federer and On had entrusted the Ronnie Fieg-led KITH to handle the shoe’s global release tomorrow, June 30th. As the exclusive stockist of the Speedboard® carbon fiber plate-equipped model, KITH is likely to have a collaborative capsule in the works. To start, however, Fieg’s brand will ensure the Swiss-engineered performance sneaker arrives to customers in New York, Paris, Tokyo and everywhere else it’s established a physical and digital presence.

Enjoy detailed imagery of THE ROGER Pro’s debut colorway here below, and head over to Kith.com tomorrow, June 30th, at 10am EST for a chance at a pair.

Elsewhere in the performance-focused sneaker space, the Nike MetCon 7 has recently been revealed.

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.

HENNESSY x NBA

Hennessy partners with the NBA.

Hennessy is proud to be named an official Spirit of the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards. Together, we'll celebrate the moves, the players, and the fans that make the game great.

Hennessy raises a glass to the season that never stops, the game that never settles.

ENJOY AN NBA-INSPIRED COCKTAIL

Tune into the NBA All-Star 2021 game & enjoy one of these refreshing cocktails inspired by the NBA.

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

BEAUTIFUL GENIUS

BEAUTIFUL GENIUS : JORDAN PIANTEDOSI

Jordan Piantedosi is an interdisciplinary maximalist based in Boston.  She is energized by genre-blending & subverting the expectations of a medium - the design of bizarre textiles, (the feminine gaze, the subversive domestic, repetition and tessellation) and comics, (literary, narrative-driven, cinematic, humorous), and oil painting, (sensuality, mythology, grandiosity, symbolism, historically elevated.)  The spirit of simultaneity and proximity in the digital age invites comparison between these disparate sets of expectations, their varying levels of formality, where they are located in a cultural hierarchy, whether they contain a linear sense of time, and how they interact with oppositional forces.  Who do we identify as a protagonist?  An honest painter must admit that the act of painting, in all of its hilarious physicality, is the dragging of hairs through slime.  One could say “painting is dead,” or “take a picture, it’ll last longer,” but in the activated state of observation, the eyes become two ants, and they devour a desire very slowly - the labor of artwork is a desire that cannibalizes itself.  Simultaneously, at the atomic level, the trajectory of a particle in motion will be influenced by the expectations and desires of the scientist who bears witness to it.  As the artist misrepresents the muse, the art lover projects herself into the artwork's window of negative space - a sensual hologram.  The eyes drink color as if it were wine.  When we become bashful from so much looking, we hide behind the artwork to feel seen.  In this way, the artist makes herself useful.  

JORDAN PIANTEDOSI: BEAUTIFUL GENIUS
In 2016 I designed textiles and hand-painted leather for about one-third of the pieces in Erin Robertson's winning collection at NYC Fashion Week for Project Runway. I attended the taping of the final episode & you bet I DID get kisses from Heidi Klum.