I stumbled over this new video from Kid Cudi ft. MGMT. This is the alternative video for the “Pursuit Of Happiness” that came off “Man on the Moon: The End of Day“. The video looks really cool and there were at least four times that I was like “how did they do that?!”.  And the song isn’t to bad either.

As we all get to grips with the passing of the late Lee Alexander McQueen, we get to embrace his last 15 piece collection which was presented at the headquarters of  luxury titan Francois Pinault. “Each piece is unique, as was he,”  were the words spoken at the end of the show of the pieces which were all cut by McQueen, who found inspiration from the Byzantine art and Old Master paintings to the carvings of Grinling Gibbons, folding and cutting the fabric to create new and exciting shapes.

The way he found the organic movement of the heavy material with simple folds shows the quality of a true master lost. With the help of guild like pattern, the pieces come alive like a 3D movie, telling you a story of its origin to its beautiful state now. McQueen, treated this collection like a butterfly, starting like a simple caterpillar, the fabric is cacooned in the hands of the master, and re-emerges as the beautiful, expressive butterfly.

We are used to crazy colourful patters from this unique man, but it must not be fate that his last collection seems like his last ode to the past of all things beautiful. We will never know if McQueen was aware of his fate when he was finalizing this collection, but you can feel the dark but yet beautiful side in this collection. It looked as if the soldiers of McQueen were going to do their last battle in true style.

It is a shame we will not see anymore creations come from the hand of McQueen, but I really hope the brand continues in the spirit of one of the last inspirators this world had.

Marshall, from the TIK videos, lived in Korea for three years, and being as adventurous as he is he couldn’t help but to get out and see all he could in those three years. For Ajanaku, Marshall will tell us about some of the hottest spots in Seoul, Korea.

First I’ll cover shopping and introduce my favorite, Myeong-dong (명동). Myeong-dong is Seoul most popular shopping district with a variety of shops from boutiques to stores of major brand names. All shopping districts in Korea (including Myeong-dong) host their famous street vendors that serve up traditional Korean dishes like Tteokbokki (떡볶이) and Kimbab (김밥). The vendors are a convenient and quick way to grab a bite to eat while you shop to your hearts content.

Myeong-dong can get quite pricey so if you are looking for a cheaper alternative I recommend areas like Namdaemun (남대문 시장), Dongdaemun (동대문 시장), and Sinchon (신촌동). All three offer cheap shopping, entertainment, and great places to eat.

Once you get tired of shopping I recommend you visit Insadong (인사동). Insadong is “Seoul’s Art District”. If you are interested in seeing a more traditional side of Korea, Insadong combines vintage Korean architecture and relics with upcoming contemporary artist and galleries. For time to time Insadong also features foreign artist’s galleries from every corner of the world. Most important Insadong is probably the place that you’ll find the coolest souvenirs.

Once the sunsets get ready to live it up with Seoul’s amazing nightlife. Seoul features a number of clubbing/bar districts wear the party lasts until the sun comes up. My favorites are Hongik University [Hongdae for short] (홍익대학교), Cheongdam-dong (청담동), and Apgujeong-dong (압구정동). These three areas have bars and clubs all bunched together giving you the perfect chance to pre-game with all of your friends and the go club hopping after. My favorite clubs to visit are Cocoon in Hongdae, which is a Hip-Hop/R&B club, Club Answer in Apgujeong that strictly plays house music, and Circle Lounge in Cheongdam-dong that also plays house. (Circle Lounge is currently remodeling and will not re-open until 2011, but it is sure to be amazing when it re-opens).

Last but not least get out and explore the city of Seoul. Going to areas that aren’t highlighted in tourism booklets and travel magazines can prove to be the most fun. There is something amazing around each and every corner whether it is a cool hipster magazine like Cracker Your Wardrobe or a crazy donut shop with a name like Mexican Donuts. I pray that if you visit Korea you’ll have just as much fun as I did. For now,안녕!

Marshall made 4 episodes of his travels through the streets of Korea. Check them out below.

When I was young, games like “Space Quest” and “Police Quest” were the bomb – on an amber colored monochrome screen that is. Yes, that’s how old yours truly is. I remember going to the cinema with my uncle to the first Tron movie. And I thought that I was hallucinating. I was mesmerized. I was excited. I wet my pants.

I could understand that real people can’t really go into a game, but how did they do it – and I really wanted to try it. Spaceships flying in 3D, the Lightcycles… all of it seemed just impossible to make.

A couple of years ago, I remember hearing a rumor about a sequel to Tron. Initially I wasn’t very excited. Somethings you just need to leave things be; and Hollywood has a pretty good reputation in ruining a classic. But then the test footage and artwork leaked onto the internet, and I was getting excited again.

And today the trailer has been released, well it is a teaser actually. I’m old enough to understand how they make CGI like that… but still, I did wet myself. I was going to post screendumps of the trailer, but have a look at the trailer first. For the high quality versions please go here.

As online media becomes more and more important in life of a brand, it was a matter of time before brands started realizing the potential in their own branded you tube channel. Mercedes have done this by transforming their YouTube channel by adding a great wallpaper background, but still keeping the layout very ‘YouTubeish’. Adidas has however decided to take control of the layout and the user experience.

This Youtube channel and video was set up for the All-star Game not that long ago. The The videos include “Dwight gets Stronger,” where users can choose what angle they would like to view explosive dunks by Dwight Howard; “Dwight gets Lighter,” where users can make Dwight fly higher and increase the intensity of his dunks; and “Dwight gets Faster,” where users can view several of Dwight’s dunks with behind the scenes footage locked in between each dunk.  The users were able to unlock more content of “Dwight gets Faster” by viewing the 30 second “Game Changer” Web Spot more and more.

I really like how brands are taking over their YouTube channel, maximizing the viewing experience, but wasn’t YouTube all about the public making their videos visible to the world, not the big brands?

‘Can You Feel It‘ like the Jackson 5? The book Rainbow in Your Hand, gives you to reply the ultimate scene from their music video,lifting a rainbow! Okay, maybe it isn’t as dramatic, but you can feel the Triumph!

Superfad has created a visually stunning campaign to promote the new Sony Bravia HDTV. The campaign features beautiful, surreal images expressing Sony’s global brand message of “make.believe” and celebrating the pleasure of “Eye Candy”.

“The concept was inspired by the idea that from one’s imagination anything is possible. Drawing from the theatrical world of fashion photography, Superfad chose moments of visual drama and magic, with spherical objects representing the dot in “make.believe” as a connecting through-line.”

A true feast for the eyes, enjoy!

Getting into your hotel room for the first time, many hotel now welcome you with a badly designed slide saying something like “Welcome Mr. & Mrs. Smith”. Wouldn’t it be great if you could use this modem to display art? StandArt Channel is the new in-room video art exhibit, by The Standard Hotel and Creative Time, featuring the work of 10 renowned international video artists.

This channel will debute tomorrow, March 5th at The Standard, New York, after which the StandART channel will be viewable on in-room televisions at all four Standard hotels in New York, Hollywood, Downtown LA, and Miami. This exhibiton again proves that The Standard is more than just a hotel, and together with Cretaive Time shows their ongoing commitment to presenting innovative art in the public realm. Each video curated for the program is visually hypnotic and captures the mixed emotions of city life. The following artists’ work will be featured:

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Marilyn Minter “Green Pink Caviar”
For the past thirty years Minter’s work has focused on the representations and ramifications of glamour. In Green Pink Caviar, Minter continues her interest in blurring the boundaries between fine and commercial art. The eight minute high definition video is a lush and sensual voyeuristic hallucination. Filmed with macro lenses, the models’ tongues mixed the colorful sugar with saliva,  slurping and pushing color across the glass surface to simulate painting.

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The Bruce High Quality Foundation “L’eau de vie. Un film de Jean-Luc Godard”
The Bruce High Quality Foundation is dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of the late social sculptor Bruce High Quality.  Their film, L’eau de Vie un Film de Jean-Luc Godard is period piece shot entirely on location during Art Basel Miami Beach in  2005. This fake-scathing Marxist critique mocks the contemporary commercial art world and the notion of artistic revolution at the same time.

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Mika Rottenberg “Time + A Half”
Born in 1976, Mika Rottenberg lives and works in New York City. In 2004, she received her master’s degree in fine art from Columbia University. Rottenberg’s video installations that explore the relationships between the body and production. In her piece, Time + a Half, Rottenberg produces a portrait of young woman’s hypnotic daydreaming in the workplace.

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Euan Macdonald “File Cabinet”
Euan Macdonald’s work focuses on the dynamics of change and the effects of time on pictorial and social conditions. His 2004 video, File Cabinet, presents willful abandon in the improbable form of a small wooden cabinet. Quietly subversive, the top drawer opens to evict its filed pages. Floating upwards then falling to the floor, each page escapes the confines and with it the burden of the archive.

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Casey and Van Neistat “Yogurt VS. Gasoline”
Casey and Van Neistat’s short films utilize the accessibility of off-the-shelf iMovie software and consumer-grade equipment. With no professional training, they embrace a do-it-yourself approach to filmmaking that shapes the content of their videos. Among their short films, Yougurt vs. Gasoline uses these video tools to set up a race between the two brothers, culminating in a tour of New York on bike and on motorcycle. The longer, Respectability Tour, comes out of the Neistat’s interest in art video and mainstream media colliding, overlapping, and becoming one and the same.

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Lee Walton ‘F’Book: What My Friends Are Doing On Facebook”
Currently based in Greensboro, NC, Lee Walton received his masters in fine arts from the California College of Arts, San Francisco, CA. Walton’s work takes many forms—from drawings on paper, game/system based structures, video, web-based performances, public projects, theatrical orchestrations and more. For F’Book, What My Friends Are Doing On Facebook Walton uses Facebook status updates of his friends as scripts for video re-enactments depicting scenarios that are taken to absurdly literal extremes.

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Gonzalo Lebrija “Asterión”
Born in 1972 in Mexico City, Gonzalo Lebrija lives and works in Guadalajara. Lebrija was educated at the Instituto Technológico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente ITESO in Guadalajara, and was the co-founder of Oficina Para Proyectos De Arte (OPA), a leading exhibition space in that city. In his 2006 video, Asterión, a slim, athletic businessman with an Armani suit, tie, and briefcase attempts to ride a bull. The work is graceful and slow until the very end, when his briefcase finally comes undone.

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Martha Colburn “Triumph of the Wild”
Based in New York, Martha Colburn creates work that utilizes the language and materials of filmmaking to address contemporary topics and express personal anxieties and passions. Through a collage of live action (paint-on-glass) animations, found footage, and documentary filmmaking techniques, Colburn’s films are a disturbing and at times humorous take on popular and political culture. As seen in her work Triumph of the Wild, Colburn creates elaborately layered collages, paintings, and installations that incorporate transparencies, recordings, and live performances.

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Marco Brambilla “Wall of Death”
Italian-born artist and filmmaker Marco Brambilla lives and works in the United States. Brambilla’s work has been exhibited internationally at such institutions as the New Museum of Contemporary Art and the Kunsthalle Bern, and screened in the Sundance and Cannes film festivals. Brambilla’s video installations have garnered international acclaim from publications such as Artforum, frieze, Art in America, Arena, Empire, GQ and Premiere magazine. The New Yorker praised his work as: “absorbing and delicate enough to restore one’s faith in the medium.”

The power of internet is catching on, even in the health care sector.
Towards the end of last year Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland Oregon USA danced for breast cancer awareness. All staff including medical, kitchen and cleaning put on their pink gloves and showed their best moves in the hope that 1 million people would watch them boogie. If they reached 1 million viewers the pink glove manufacturer promised to donate a portion of their profits to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. And 1 million viewers was easily reached as they are now over 7 million.

What makes this so interesting is that it does not only bring awareness to breasts cancer but also inspires other people, survivors of the disease, to make their very own flash mob. During a survivorship event women, some still ill in treatment, others facing metastatic disease and some just joining in for support, all joined forces in the art of dance.

Flash mobs have been done a lot lately but when it is for such a great cause, could not let the opportunity go by to share it. And who knows maybe inspire some more people do go out and dance!

Molecular gastronomy approaches cooking from a scientific point of view. It studies the physical and chemical processes that occur during the cooking process and tries to understand and explain the transformation that takes place within the ingredients. Everyone who has cooked an egg before knows how different cooking times and temperatures will effect your egg, right? Molecular gastronomists who have a better understanding of these processes can use this knowledge to deconstruct food and reassemble them in bizarre new forms and shapes; edible cocktails, carrot caviar, you name it.

Combine this knowledge with the technology of a 3D printer and you have food printer which could print food in any shape by your own design. This would offer endless new possibilites to present food. A nice extra feature is that this printer would even allow you to adjust the nutritional value of the food that is being printed, perfect to keep a balanced diet.

UK based Lazy Oaf are moving out of their Kingly Court shop, and moving to the spanking new Fouberts Place shop… Don’t worry, the shop is just up the road from the old location! To celebrate this moment, Lazy Oaf are inviting us all to join them at their shop opening tonight. These are many reasons to attend tonight, like meeting designer Gemma Shiel, or the 10% off… But I want the 50 goodie bags sponsored by Jelly Bellys…..

More info on their Facebook event page..

I still take time out of my day once in a while to look at the book that made me go crazy in Berlin, SKATEBOARDING 3D, by Sebastian Denz. I really felt that this classic form of 3D was the way to go for offline print. The images are crazy enough without the special 3d glasses, but really come out, literally, when you have the glasses on. Baldovino Barani, decided to mix this classic technique with the latest in high fashion, for a editorial in Archetype X, named TOTAL ECLIPS OF THE HEART. If you don’t have glasses, why not have a go making your own, because if things keep on going the way they you will need the more and more.

Yesterday I finally watched the first 4 episodes of HBO’s new series “How To Make It In America“. The series was down to earth and basically the real-mans Entourage. Hanging with your friends and thinking of ways to make it BIG! For the intro for every series you need a song that catches the essence of the story line and the characters. For “How To Make It In America”, Aloe Blacc, gives us his single ‘I Need A Dollar’, that captures the whole feel.

‘I Need A Dollar‘ is the lead single off his coming album Good Things, to be released later this year, produced by Truth & Soul, and featuring the backing band known as Expressions and El Michels Affair. Aloe Blacc is a South Californian native who started out as a MC in ‘95, where he joined up with producer Exile to form the mainstay indie rap group, Emanon. Now as a Solo artist, he has be dubbed “the indie R. Kelly” by online retailer Turntable Lab, giving us latin covers of John Legend’s “Ordinary People”. His wide influences from folk artist Cat Stevens to the soul sound of Negro Spirituals, gives us the great sound he produces with a touch latin thrown in.

German Panther tank created by ballons, glue and air. I like how they let the kids destroy and clean up the mess from this war machine in the end.

Nike, Parra and Patta are up to it again.
You might have seen pictures passing by on the internet, you might have heard the rumors. But it’s finally here.
March 13 the most anticipated sneaker of 2010 will be released.
We present you the Parra x Nike Air Max 1 Tier Zero.

Burgundy suede and mesh upper, terry chenille on the Swoosh, multi-color outsole and subtle details like the Parra-branded tongue patch and hand-drawn shoe-liner graphic.
The colorway might look familiar. That might be because the same colorway was used by Parra on the “Lovely Underachieving Loners” jacket which has been released last Fall.

So get your sleepingbags out, pitch your tent in front of Patta.
This release will be exclusive to Patta in The Netherlands and very limited quantities at selected Nike Sportswear-stores.

Who ever remembers the Honda Accord Commercial about 4 years back, must still love the Action-Reaction theme. the band OK Go, have done a 2010 version for the video for their single “This Too Shall Pass” off of the album “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky“. The video was directed by James Frost, OK Go and Syyn Labs. It took the team several months to design and build the “machine”, which was filmed and housed in a two story warehouse, in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA.

Our friends at Individualism went to the TOPMAN LFW MAN show, during London Fashion week, and show us the A/W 2010 collection. We also get to hear how the designers of TOPMAN feel about the collection and what their favorite pieces are. Great job boys!

]]> http://www.ajanaku.nl/topman-lfw-man-show-autumnwinter-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.ajanaku.nl/jr-women-are-heroes-video/ http://www.ajanaku.nl/jr-women-are-heroes-video/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:00:44 +0000 Marco http://www.ajanaku.nl/?p=8939

Last Fall Parisian artist JR did one of his enormous works in Paris called “Women Are Heroes”
After “Portraits of a Generation”, inspired by events in the suburbs of Paris, and “Face 2Face”, which was displayed in the Middle East, “Women” is the third phase of the 28 Millimetre project, taking its name from the wide-angle lens that requires the photographer to be only centimetres from the model in order to take the portrait.

“Women” grew out of many pictures and few words. JR’s words were necessary, of course, to convince more than 70 women around the world to take part in the project. JR went to meet those living in the shadows, the real pillars of their societies despite daily violence, wars or simply discrimination. His desire to shift certain limits by using unusual places allows him to deal with subjects in the news in an innovative way.

JR

JR owns the biggest art gallery in the world. He exhibits freely in the streets of the world, catching the attention of people who are not the museum visitors. His work mixes Art and Act, talks about commitment, freedom, identity and limit.

After he found a camera in the Paris subway, he did a tour of European Street Art, tracking the people who communicate messages via the walls. Then, he started to work on the vertical limits, watching the people and the passage of life from the forbidden undergrounds and roofs of the capital.

JR creates “Pervasive Art” that spreads uninvited on the buildings of the slums around Paris, on the walls in the Middle-East, on the broken bridges in Africa or the favelas in Brazil. People who often live with the bare minimum discover something absolutely unnecessary. And they don’t just see it, they make it. Some elderly women become models for a day; some kids turn artists for a week. In that Art scene, there is no stage to separate the actors from the spectators.

After these local exhibitions, the images are transported to London, New York, Berlin or Amsterdam where people interpret them in the light of their own personal experience.

As he remains anonymous and doesn’t explain his huge full frame portraits of people making faces, JR leaves the space empty for an encounter between the subject/protagonist and the passer-by/interpreter.

This is what JR is working on. Raising questions…

If you like to see more or have some more information about the project, look here.

hard graft is an Austrian and English combination that set out to create  all-time classics, with the use of sustainable materials, 100% wool felt and premium Italian vegetable tanned cow leather. These materials combined to create great products. I have been able to choose two of my favorite: the Sling MacBook Sleeve & the Phone Tough Case. I love how the x-sling of the MacBook Sleeve  holds the extra compartments and other accessories in place. The practicality to protect the iphone of the Tough case is also a great touch.

These are only two examples of the impeccable craftsmanship of hard grafts products. They limited the number of production runs to small numbers, keeping the products original and timeless.. Check out the rest of their products here and try and keep yourself from adding a piece to the cart!

What do you do with your old skate decks? Do you hang them on your wall, burn then in a bonfire or use them as trays to serve hot espresso’s to your friends? Haroshi wanted to explore, as an artist and skateboarder, what else he could do with these obsolete pieces of wood.

He recently had an exhibition showcasing all things made with skate decks. So get inspired, and do something with your decks.

Undefeated presented their lookbook for the Spring 2010 collection last week.
The collection is already available at the Undefeated e-store and your local Undefeated dealer.

Along with the lookbook they also showed a big part of their collection. And it’s just as you can expect form Undefeated.
Some great sweats and tees with the Undefeated logo on it, and take a look at the duffle bag.

Take a look at the pics below for the full lookbook and the Undefeated Spring 2010 collection.

New York based ALIFE is giving a look at their Fall/Winter 2010 collection.
All the simple items that ALIFE are renowned for are there, button-downs, fleece, and of course graphic tees. Along with their standard tees, hats, and crewnecks, the collection continues on the timelessness that ALIFE has worked for over the last years.

More images and news about the ALIFE Fall/Winter 2010 collection is expected in the near future.
So stayed tuned, we will keep you updated.

Simplicity was in the mind of Designer Jihun Yeom when he came up with the Aurora. A watch that has no face, but uses to mini lasers to be the hands for the watch. The red beam indicates the minutes and the blue, the hour. By tapping the edge of the Aurora, the beams get activated to show the time.

What makes Trash, a laptop bag, unique, is the classic craftsmanship mixed with intelligent design. The bag, which took them two years, is made of the finest Italian leather, and has compartments for the modern traveler. It has a hock resistant laptop compartment, compartments for your cigar, business cards, phone, sunglasses, plane tickets and more. The compartment for the plane tickets is my favorite little piece of genius. I hate always having to zip open the main compartment, or stick my passport in my back pocket.

The next product of theirs has also been in the works for 2 years, and boosts to be an intelligent suitcase with features travelers have never seen before. Coming in May, the Trip will be the first carry on suitcase that transforms into a chair, without losing any luggage space. This means never having to wait standing for that one delayed flight. The Trip has to be a great piece of industrial & aesthetic design, as 3 of their team members, 2 industrial designers and 1 engineer, worked 24/7 on the project.

Travelteq has the goal of creating the best travel gear, which means for example, the best bike, travel clothing, or any kind of gear they find innovative. Before all this they will be bringing out their weekend bag in June. Along with the products, their travel blog, is a great new way to look at finding that special place for your trip. They focus on the few special gems a city has to offer, and unlike other sites or books, bombard us with 90% useless tips.

You can tell that the guys from Travelteq are true to style; naming Tods and Moleskin as their favorite brands; defining style as buying timeless and distinguished items; Saying that every man should have at least have one white shirt in their wardrobe; and their best tip, “Buy a private plane.” Gotta love this way of thinking!

On March 6th Meet The Streets will celebrate their 5th anniversary with a killer party at the place where it all started, the Maassilo in Rotterdam.

And we’re giving way 2 tickets.

All you have to do is to add us on Twitter, Facebook or Hyves and send us an email or DM saying:

“Give Me Those Tickets”

If you’re the lucky one we’ll let you know this Thursday if you won 2 tickets worth €30,-

During this anniversary there will be a festival full of Hiphop and Eclectic House. Live acts, DJ’s, dancers and preformers.
But besides that there will also be a fair, hosted by MESMO, Flybird, Morecult, Green Paper Boys, Van Dalen Design, Violette Hoogakker, and our good friends No Boys Allowed, Vruchtvlees and Taufiq Hosen that will definitely inspire you through the night.

Line up:

Main:
Live: Dio
Live: Winne
Live: Jayh
Live: Flinke Namen
Off The Wall
The Partysquad
The Flexican
Melody Kane (UK)
DEF b2b Danny Delgado
Sepehr
Crowdhyper Mick Swagger

Area 2:
Quintino
Willie Wartaal
D-Rashid
Jeremaine S
Mirwais
Stefan Vilijn en Domingoss
MC Bizzey

Area 3 Lifestyle: Bazar
Fashion
Lifestyle
Streetart
Beauty
Live shows
Dance battles
Shopping

Basement:
Henzel & Disco Nova
Filthy Jerks
Dj Dash

We recently stumbled across the work of artist Baptiste Debombourg – and found this aggravure artwork pretty cool. Comprised of 35,000 staples, 75 man hours, and a blank section of 2.5m by 2.7m wall, the artwork represents the renaissance grace of a falling Icarus in the medium of ordinary and everyday office stationary. Whether the work represents “the tacker as a material and media, which plays with the contemporary agression and the profanized utility of the everyday life” or just simply a cool and creative way to kill some hours with a staple gun, is for you to decide…

Written by Coolography

When a designer creates a product like the Sorapot teapot, you know he will come with another amazing design soon after. Designer Joey Roth has now come with the aesthetically pleasing Ceramic Speakers made of porcelain, wood and cork, while the amplifier is made of stainless steel. The choice for these materials was made as they are beautiful in their natural state and the choice for porcelain was made because of its density and acoustical deadness that is just as good as wood and plastic.

Even though the design looks like the 21st Century Gramophone, it has a certain simplicity and DIY feel. The speakers can connect to your iPhone, and other digital player,but I suggest that people should hook up their vinyl players to the speaker to get the best feel and sound. I have had a listen myself, and can just melt with the great sound coming out of such a design master-piece. At $495, it isn’t cheap, but is worth it…..

It was a typical rainy day on the Nieuwe Hoogstraat in Amsterdam, but this didn’t stop the fans and on lookers to start moving to the beats of Dret&Krulle. This was the first of six instore concerts “The Suede Road“, from Puma, will be held in the coming months. The sneakers store SeventyFive, provided the location for the real-life manaquins to blast their latest tracks, including the hit, “Verder“, and share their ‘De Bijlmer’ life in rap.

To celebrate the start of The Suede Road, we are giving away a pair of PUMA Suede shoes. All you have to do is email us the name of one of the traks they played during the instore concert. Tip: scroll up to the previous paragraph…. Don’t forget to send us your shoe size. It couldn’t be easier.

Check out the Photo Reportage below of the concert, shot by Anouk Swart

Jamie Lidell’s fourth full-length album Compass’ will be released on May 17th 2010 (May 18th in the US).

Listen to a stream of the brand new title track at the bottom of this article, or over at the jamielidell.com holding page. Pitchfork have already described ‘Compass’ as a “shape-shifting mini epic… a track that sounds like nothing Lidell has done before”.

The album was recorded in Los Angeles, New York and Canada, and it includes collaborations with Beck, Feist, Gonzales, Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear and Pat Sansone of Wilco.

Sessions began at Beck’s Hudson Studios in Los Angeles, where he gathered Jamie together with Wilco, Leslie Feist and veteran drummer James Gadson (who’s played with Bill Withers, Quincy Jones among many others) for Beck’s Record Club project (where a group of musicians cover an album in a day). Inspired by the chemistry of those jams, they shifted to the legendary Ocean Way Studios. There, they were joined by producer/keyboardist Brian Lebarton, singer Nikka Costa, and Justin Stanley. All would have an important impact on the album. Pat Sansone from Wilco and Chilly Gonzales (who’s played on both Multiply and Jim) were present as “musical meta-spirits”, recording their parts remotely and delivering them via the internet. As Jamie says of this formidable line-up of brilliant collaborators – “You don’t fuck with them”

Back in New York he began to make sense of this “great big mess on the hard drive”. Then it was up to Feist’s ranch the Niagara Escarpment, Canada with Chris Taylor, member of Grizzly Bear.

“I wrote every song in a month,” Jamie says, “It’s been an emotional couple of years, so I tapped into what I wanted to say and started writing. There was a lot to draw on.”

Source: Warp Records

A soft breeze, sunlight on your face, sound of the waves against the shore….summer time has arrived. At least that’s how it feels when you look at the new Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton ‘Cosmic Blossom’ collection.

Imagine parading over the boulevards with a few of these items; sure to catch the eye of some men and also the ladies, desperately wishing they also could own these products.

The Japanese Murakami, known for fusing manga graphics with traditional Japanese pictorial motifs, has playfully combined smiling flower faces with Louis Vuitton’s iconic Monogram flowers. Serigraphed onto the fabric, it will come in rose, blue and violet.
The collection consisting of clothing, shoes and accessories to be released on April 15, 2010 is enough to make any girl happy.

New Amerykah Part Two, the album will be out soon. http://www.erykahbadu.com

This will probably the most important book on Denim history: Denim Legends – published by by WeAr Global Magazine. 400 pages of Denim madness and most inflential denim pieces; from a pair of Levis 1870 (presumably the oldest jeans ever) all the way to current jean designs. Details on buttons, labels and stitchings. Brands include, Citizens of Humanity, 7 for all mankind, Replay and other denim innovators. We all would like one. But… only 2,500 copies were made, and they costs €890 …. each. You get the guarantee that there will not be a re-print – so it might well become a collector’s item.

I really love handmade products. Whether it’s sunglasses (like Super) or laptop covers (like laptopCover), the makers really create their products with care and love. As we are moving towards the vintage and classic trend, I was checking out the products that Billykirk are making. Timeless and trendless designs. All handcrafted pieces of  traditional leather Americana.

Chris and Kirk, two brothers with southern roots, started their company in 1999, in Los Angeles. And 11 years later, they still stand by their way of working and the use of materials.

Chris – When developing the concept of our brand we knew, first and foremost, that our collection had to have a clear mission.  Our thinking was that no matter what we designed it would have to be cohesive and flow nicely from one style to the next.  We also decided early on that our brand would only use top quality leather and hardware.  It was paramount that we started with a decent product that we felt proud to make and wear.  We knew that if you started with a cheaply made item and then wanted to change into a higher-end item you would most surely fail.

Kirk – When we were beginning our initial designs and concepts we wanted to keep the designs simple and let the organic qualities of the leather speak for it self.  Leather is always changing and that in itself is very appealing to us.  There are so many companies out there that add all sorts of unnecessary embellishments that they end up looking the same.  We have never been a company that follows fads; instead we just try and design stuff we like.

Their products take me back to the time of gold-diggers and settlers discovering America in the 1800’s. I’m very positive that their products will stand the test of time, and that in lets say 200 years they will still function and look amazingly vintage. Here’s a video where their talk about their brand.

Here is proof that skateboarding can reach across the globe and speak many languages. In central Africa lies the country of Uganda, which like most African country has to deal with vast poverty, where kids are learning to master the mini ramp and rails. You are probably asking yourself, “A Skateboard ramp in Uganda?”, the answer is yes and here is how The Uganda Skateboard Union all started.

In April of 2006 a Ugandan named Jackson Mubiru and a South African named Shael Swart decided to do something for Uganda before Swart returned to South Africa. Saving up their money to buy materials, together with land supplied from Jack’s family, they built Ugandas first mini ramp. There was a Grand Opening and two skateboards were donated to the locals to train on to learn the basics ramp skating; pumping, kick turns, and dropping in. Shael unfortunately had to leave to South Africa and the task was left upon Jack to train the other youths.

In July of 2006 Jack met a Canadian by the name of Brain Lye, who was amazed by the presence of a mini ramp in Uganda, and the youths skating on it. He however saw that the two skateboards that were donated at the grand opening had reach their last legs, that he decided to have good friends in Canada send over several new boards. With a lot of luck the boards made it to Uganda and the kids could start learning new tricks.

With only one mini ramp, Jack and Brain felt the need to build a smal course to allow for more skating and fun. With the help of friends from Canada and around the world, a fundraising effort was begun to help build Uganda’s first skatepark. Starting construction on September 4th 2006, made completely by hand, the course was finished on December 23rd 2006 and the fun could begin!

To keep the skatepark and boards fresh, Jack and Brain decided to turn the Organisation into a NGO (Non-Govermental Organisation), so to make donating possible and get the backing they needed. Still their initial reason to build the mini ramp is upheld; to fight idleness and boredom among Ugandan youth, as well as teaching them about many issues facing them in todays world.

I completely love this project, and if you love it to, why not donate to help them out. Click here for more details.

Also check out the mini documentary below about The Uganda Skateboard Union, made by photographer and filmmaker Yann Gross.

Pictures from BBC News

If you close your eyes and someone say the word ‘Tuscan’ to you, I bet you will think of a red stained open farm field, with a house on the top of a hill. These are the images we are shown on Google, ads, and in travel guides. When you take away the colour, you start appreciating the other things that make Toscana great. To get an idea of what I am talking about, have a look at these mesmerizing pictures taken by Weston Baker, and take your time to really see the beauty in each shot.

Check the rest of his pictures below or on his Behance site.

Fixed gear bikes are not just a modern urban fad. Since the inception of bicycle track racing, the only bikes used on the wooden banks of the velodrome have been fixed gears.

From the 1890s through the 1920s, bicycle racing was among America’s favorite spectator sports, often drawing crowds that rival modern-day sporting events. Despite losing market share to road races like the Tour de France, track racing continues as an Olympic sport and remains a popular activity where facilities exist.

In Japan, track racing still enjoys tremendous popularity in the form of Keirin racing. With over 50 racetracks, highly trained professional riders, strict regulations and heavy betting (reminiscent of American horse racing), Keirin racing is a 1.5 trillion yen industry. Not surprisingly, nationally approved Japanese track racing equipment (stamped NJS) is highly sought after by American fixed gear enthusiasts. ( Via Rotterdam Fixed Gear , Read the whole article )

If you are intreseted in converting your old roadbike to fixed mr Sheldon Brown is your best resource! For the dutchies i found this blog, which explains how to convert a mountainbike.

Shop for frames, wheels parts and tools here:
- Pristine Fixed Gear (Amsterdam)
- 24K Bikes (Rotterdam) (Soon)
- Single Speed Shop (Hannover)
- Tokyo Fixed Gear (London)
- Check out Marktplaats or eBay if you know what you are after.

If you don’t want to ride but be involved with the so called “subculture” you can follow these blogs:
- Eindhoven Fixed Gear (new website )
- Rotterdam Fixed Gear
- Amsterdam Fixed Gear
- Utrecht Fixed Gear
- Fixed Gear London
- Prolly is not Probably
- Pedal Consumption
- Fixed Gear Switzerland
- 407 Fixed Gear
- Aloha Fixed Gear
- Fixie Pixie
- Fixed Gear Bikes
- Volume Bikes
- Charge Bikes
- MashSF

If you hate bikes, but you love women you can always check out Girls on Bycicles or Chicks and Bikes.

And last but not least some nice wanna/must haves:

Eddy Merckx Shirt by Faster

Ongetemd Chain Shirt

T-LEVEL Bags



Wedges have been on women’s minds for quite a while [some year and a half or so-and] and has been considered a trend by main fashion magazines such as Vogue last year, while in collections of Burberry Prorsum, Channel, Acne, Opening Ceremony and other brands. They have definitely stayed on women minds and more & more, on their feet. Traveling across Berlin, Copenhagen and London Fashion Week, the wedge was present on the styliest of women.

Minimarket, Bibi Ghost amongst others have used them on their models in shows this past Copenhagen Fashion Week. A pleasant visit to Acne’s showroom in Copenhagen exposed their AW10 collection including a signature wedge & evolved to be more special, detailed and higher.

TopShop ever so present(ed) at LFW* – whether you like it or not, they are up-close and with designer labels, and on trend with wedges. You can’t miss ‘m, they are on the opening page and footwear floor [*by sponsoring main locations and supporting local young designers, while streaming catwalk shows in the windows and offering the world of fashion through take-down exclusive TS lines of Ann-Sofie, Mary Katrantzou, Emma Cook, Minimarket and alike].

DoverStreetMarket sells Puma’s suede wedges with a subtle logo on the side as the suede is embossed, offering the ancle and the boot verion. Staff at Browns Focus wearing vintage Famolare wedges [the Italian 'health' shoe with crepe/rubber sole]. Not every wedge is the same though…walking down on New Bond St, Hermès has got their appropriate version in the window.

Several blogs mention the same trend, and speaking to The Clothes Whisperer confirmed the same [see her on one of the previous blogposts]. But if it’s not enough, please check out more on some of these: Dazed & Confused Susie StyleBubble blog, Vogue UK and Italy, Acne, Lookbook.nu, and other blogs like high snobiety, avant-garde, stylescout and so on.

**Please check out the full report with all pictures on my Flickr page [lots of product pictures from different AW10 and current collections**

]]> http://www.ajanaku.nl/elevate-yourselves-wedges-chunky-heals-trend/feed/ 0 http://www.ajanaku.nl/the-suede-road-puma-giveaway/ http://www.ajanaku.nl/the-suede-road-puma-giveaway/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:49:23 +0000 AJANAKU http://www.ajanaku.nl/?p=8540

The Suede Road goes on and on…. Puma are celebrating their 40 years of the Suede with a new campaign called Suede Road. Suede Road takes us on its musical journey through time, by releasing six new colourways which pay tribute to the different musical styles and cultures which welcomed the Suede over time: hip hop, acid jazz, punk rock, skate grunge, reggae dub and britpop. Along with the new colourways, Puma will be hosting six instore concerts, 6 limited edition mini-fanzines, and have also launched their very own blog.

To celebrate the first instore concert at Sevetyfive, Amsterdam, with Dret&Krulle, PUMA together with AJANAKU are giving away a pair of spanking new PUMA SUEDE’s. All you need to do is go to the instore concert this Saturday at Sevetyfive, Amsterdam, and email us the name of one of the tracks Dret&Krulle performed.

All the latest information on where and when the Suede Road will come through will be online at Suede Road. Follow the Suede Road blog and explore each musical stop a little further. The site is updated on daily basis with new concert dates, old quotes and images from the early days.

The new Suedes will be sold at only 14 selected sneaker shops throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. The new colorways are divided in 2 drops, the first three (pineneedle/white, limestone grey/midnight navy and heliotrope/gold) are now available in-store, the second drop (golden cream/white, burnt orange/white and river blue/white) will be available from the 6th of March. All stores will exhibit custom displays featuring zine-style illustrations inspired by the music genres.  Also available only at sneaker stores selling the Suede are the limited edition “mini-fanzines” . These are full of interesting informational tidbits about the Suede and the musical genres it has helped to inspire.

——-

The first three concerts will be:

Artiest: Dret&Krulle

Datum: 27 februari 2010

Tijd: 17.00 – 18.00 uur

Locatie: Seventyfive, Nieuwe Hoogstraat 24 te Amsterdam

——-

Artiest: JtotheC

Datum: 6 maart 2010

Tijd: 16.00 – 17.00 uur

Locatie: Avenue, Lange Klarenstraat 29 te Antwerpen

——-

Artiest: PACESHIFTERS

Datum: 13 maart 2010

Tijd: 17.00 – 18.00 uur

Locatie: Re-Issue, Telefoonstraat 41 te Tilburg

With the likes of MTV coming with their own telephone service in Holland, with the focus on social media, PUMA has decided to focus on the phone itself and come with a new mobile smartphone made by Sagem Wireless. By doing this, PUMA focuses on what they are know for with their apparel and shoes, the design.

The PUMA Phone has the features you expect to find on all smartphone like internet access, messaging, GPS localization, video calling, Bluetooth photo sharing. One specific great new feature is the built-in solar charger and built-in spin and scratch music player and radio tuner.

There is a direct link to the multimedia catalog on the PUMA website, with option to download the PUMA applications to the phone. Other features are  a 2.8-inch screen (resolution of 240 x 320) , a built-in camera (3.2MP resolution with LED flash). Have a look at the great technical stuff pdf by PUMA. The PUMA Phone will be launched  in April.

Full of technology, crazy silhouette, and just a explosion of colour, these new hybrid conceps from Nike, the Lunar Woven Chukka, are introducing their new colourway. This new colourway looks like it made a trip through the Skittles factory. Luckily the craziness is brought down to earth by the monotone navy blue of the laces, lace trim,  tounge and heel. Like mentioned before, Nike relies on their Lunar foam sole to be a big hit this year. The woven wonders will be available at the end of Marchin Japan, at SOPH.SHOP, Parco andIsetan.

One of our favorite designer/entrepreneur Jeff Staple, founder and creative director of Staple Design (Reed space, Kia Soul, Nike), walks through Bastille together with Dj Neil Armstrong, the official Dj of Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 Tour. Great conversation, great projects, and just great viewing.. Get inspired by these great creative minds and the City of Light..

When team AJANAKU went to Berlin for the Bread & Butter tradeshow last January DIESEL seriously had taken over Berlin. On every street corner there would be a “Be Stupid” billboard or poster.
Along this campaign DIESEL had their first stand at Bread & Butter, which is the main fashion tradeshow in Europe, for a very long time. The DIESEL stand, which looked amazing, was one of the highlights of the tradeshow and showed that DIESEL is still standing strong.

Now DIESEL is known for their creative and sometimes a bit unusual campaigns. And this campaign is a good example of one of those great campaigns. In January we could see the first installment of the campaign consisting of the “Be Stupid” texts. Now DIESEL showed us the second installment consisting of images of people in more then unusual situations.

You can find more of the Spring/Summer collection of DIESEL in their online shop.

I love it when object come about by a situation the person/designer found themselves in. This is how Kristen, from Wintercheck Factory, came up with the Julian Scarf. Here is her story:

Last winter, Kristen and Sarah were at a club in downtown New York (They’re still not sure why). The coat check was expensive and the dance floor was hot and sweaty, so Kristen stashed her jacket in a dark corner somewhere in the vicinity of the DJ booth, praying nothing would be stolen out of the pockets, while Sarah kept accidentally whacking people on the dance floor with her gigantic purse. Determined to avoid this in the future, Kristen designed a scarf that functioned as a small tote so that someone could shed his or her coat or bag but still keep valuable items safe and close.  Thus, the Julian Scarf was born.

Some of the great features are the lightweight 100% rodeo cotton flannel outershell, water resistant 100% nylon ripstop pockets, invisible YKK zippers, Remay label and wash tag. stickabush // STAB in Berlin have just recently gotten their hands on a few, so check out their webshop to get your hands on them too.

Gorilla Manor is the debut album of the Silver Lake based band Local Natives. When first listening to the album, the 70’s folk-rock sound, harmony-singing and sometimes chanting of the band members reminded me of Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear, and some parts even of Arcade Fire (yes it’s there, just play close attention). But after hearing the album over and over again that resemblance is soon fading and you will start to hear the true genius of this album.

The album title “Gorilla Manor” refers to the house they all lived in, in Orange County. This was basically the conception of their sound, where friends came over to trash the place and experiment with music. They moved to Silver Lake to work on their song and put together an album. Interestingly they are also involved in all the artwork related to the album.

I can’t really choose which tracks on the album are my favorite, but if I did have to choose I would say: “Wide Eyes”, “Airplanes” and their cover of Talking Heads’ “Warning Sign” – which, and I hate to say this, is a much superior version than the original.

If you are a programmer at a venue, please book them – trust me – they will go big in the festival scene. If you are a music fan, please get the album because it’s good and go check them out at festivals… because programmers are booking them.

Watching his father working at the confectioner’s shop while he played at his feet with plasticine, creating miniature imitations of his pastries and sweets, is the fond memory Oriol Balaguer has of him and his father.

After attending the Confectionery Trade School of Barcelona and the best patisseries in Spain and Belgium, he was hired to work with the team of Ferran Adrià, who defined him as ‘one of the most well-rounded professionals in the world of gastronomy’. In 1993, when he was only 23 years old, he received the distinction as the Best Spanish Artisan Confectionery Master.

It was no surprise that in 2003 he decided to take his talent to the next level by creating a brand that would bear his name, and give him the chance to show his creative talent, formidable energy and personal attitude in the products he loves. Being inspired by architecture and design, Oriol Balaguer creates sweets and pastries that harmoniously blend refined artisan techniques and perfect taste balance. With all his talent, one could call Oriol the Inventor of New Sweet Pleasures.

Oriol Balaguer’s creations represent the symbiosis between confectionary preparation and cooking. Sublime aromas and contrasting textures that are visually breathtaking combine his knowledge and experience. His edible artworks are housed in over 100 prestigious addresses in 11 countries, but it is a must  to visit one of his flagship sotres in Barcelona, Madrid, or Japan and let the art pieces roll down your tongues.

Together with his creative team, Balaguer invents, designs, and makes new confectionary collections twice a year with a commitment to creating the most exquisite sweet cuisine and developing new techniques that create modernity and exclusivity in the new collections. An example of one of his master pieces is The Best 6, pictured below, which a selection of 6 creations with the flavors: olive oil, crunchy toasted corn, mascleta, saffron, tartufo, and yuzu. Have a look through the rest of his images below to see the mouth watering inventions.

Process Recess is a beautiful print book containing dreamy, poetic, fantasic drawings and paintings in surreal settings that keeps on mesmerizing. And if you dont have any space left on your bookshelves you can follow the instructions on the back of every page how to hang it up.

Enjoy!

Process Recess vol. 2, 4C Cover, 64 4C pages, 15″ x 11″,ISBN 978-0-9770304-6-0

Also see the last post: the Art of Tadahiro Uesugi.

In December 1999 a bulldozer called ‘The Opposite of December: A Season of Separation’ came blasting through my loudspeakers. Responsible for this influential piece of musical destruction was Florida metalcore band Poison The Well. The album probably still holds the title for ‘most played album’ in my record collection and brings back good memories of visiting hardcore- and punk shows and getting to know a lot of new people from all over Europe that I still keep in touch with today. During the turn of the century guitarist Derek Miller and I sent a couple of e-mails back and forth about the band playing some European shows. It wasn’t until 2003 when I saw the band play an impressive gig at the Goudvishal in Arnhem and it was the only time I saw the band perform with Miller handling guitar duties. In 2004 he left the band and somehow it felt as if the musical brains of the band left with him. From that moment on I always kept in the back of my head that Miller would probably pop up in a different band making music. At a Poison the Well show in Amsterdam in 2007 I briefly talked to current guitarist Brad Clifford and when I asked about Miller’s musical involvements, he said Miller moved away from Florida and was still busy making music. Somehow it felt good to hear Miller was still making music, but I never actively searched for his musical endeavours. Luckily for me I didn’t have to search for it myself…

Exactly ten years have passed since the release of ‘The Opposite Of December’ and at the end of last year a track called ‘A/B Machines’ came thundering down my loudspeakers. Sleigh Bells was mentioned in several media as one of the bands to watch in 2010 and from the first second on the unpolished dirty guitar sounds in combination with the bouncing beats and female singing make for an impressive sonic experience. And as you guessed it…responsible for the music in Sleigh Bells is Derek Miller! Along with singer Alexis Krauss, Miller creates a fresh breath of air that is super infectious. The duo creates loud beats, guitars howl as sirens and Krauss impresses with diverse vocals ranging from pop melodies to hip hop like vocals. To create even more impact, the production of the songs is raw and in your face. Listen to ‘A/B Machines’ and ‘Crown on the Ground’ on the duo’s Myspace and you’ll know exactly what to play at your next party. Boost Sleigh Bells at maximum volume and it will get your party going without any doubt. With positive reviews from music websites Pitchfork and Stereogum and a high profile showcase at CMJ in New York, the sky seems to be the limit for Sleigh Bells. A record deal seems to be a matter of time and in the meantime the duo is in the studio recording it’s first full length, a tour with Yeasayer and Major Lazer has been booked and brings the band all over the US in April and May and to top it all off, Miller was also asked to produce songs for M.I.A.’s upcoming album that is due somewhere in the summer of this year. As said before, I didn’t have to look for Miller’s next musical steps…he lets everybody know he’s here!

Almost all men would love to have a wedding with Claudia Schiffer and lots of Dom Pérignon. Karl Lagerfeld is bringing us closer to that dream, by having Dom Pérignon release a never before seen image he snapped years ago of Claudia Schiffer. This image will be used for the Dom Pérignon Wedding international ad campaign. Claudia, who drank Dom Pérignon at her wedding explains that “For me, Dom Pérignon is the ultimate symbol of luxury, elegance and quality”, adding “I had Dom Pérignon at my wedding and since then it is always with us to celebrate special occasions”. Other famous people who have  chosen Dom Pérignon for their special day are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, as well as Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

Dom Pérignon Wedding contains 12 bottles of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000 along with a beautiful white lacquered box which holds an additional bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000. This 13th bottle has a unique silver label which can be personalized with a bride and grooms name and wedding date. Dom Pérignon is a great brand that embodies the elegance and atmsphere of such a beautiful occasion.

Dom Pérignon Wedding can be purchased by special order at Crush Wine & Spirits in New York and elsewhere around the world.