Vans has now officially released what they are calling “skateboarding’s first-ever vulcanized cupsole shoe design.” And from what we’ve seen of this Andrew Allen model, the “wafflecups” are looking good. Here’s what Vans says:
Developed in four testing stages with Vans team riders Gilbert Crockett, Chima Ferguson, Andrew Allen and Chris Pfanner, the Stage 4 Low and Mid styles are the first to offer Vans’ revolutionary WAFFLECUP technology. WAFFLECUP combines the best of cup sole with its increased support and durability and the superior board feel and grip found in a traditional Vans vulcanized shoe. Simply, the best of both worlds.
A high-end Swiss watch company might be the last thing you’d think to find in the middle of the C3 Worldwide brand stable, but this past December the company became the North American partner of Home.
“I spent my first ten years working for Swatch,” reminds C3 president and CEO Bob Gundram. “I retained a lot of those contacts through my career. When I was introduced to Swiss brothers Jak and Eddie Doose last year and saw their ideas for Home, I knew we could help them out in North America.”
The company aims to differentiate itself with its Swiss heritage and high–end materials like Swiss quartz, stainless steel, and even anodized aluminum. With price points starting at $300 and topping out around $700 they aren’t exactly for the faint of heart, but the oversized styling makes them a great statement piece. Supported by team riders Travis Rice, Gigi Rüf, and Mark Sollors, Home is gaining traction fast.
Tomorrow night, (Saturday, January 27, 2012) Praxis Footwear will celebrate its official launch party in San Francisco, California at Gallery 1307.
Karl Watson is the lead skate personality and foundation for marketing of the Praxis brand. The Praxis Launch Party is brought to you in conjunction with the following co-sponsors: Organika Skateboards, FTC, Tech Vector design, Foundry Supply and Creative Edge Public Relations. Live music for the event includes DJ DSharp and Atlas.
Burton held it’s annual SIA Party last night, Thursday, January 26, 2012 inside the Jonas Bros Fur Co. loft in So-Co at 1037 Broadway street in Denver, Colorado. Sponsored by 3M-Thinsulate, SoCo Nightlife District, Hornitos Tequila, Effen Vodka, and Jim Beam, the party was a multi-roomed event with mini parties occuring on different levels of the building at all times.
Once past the velvet rope outside, guests climbed three flights of stairs to the front room. The area had a living room feel with small conversation areas and coffee tables piled with bottles of the above mentioned booze, it felt so convincingly intimate and small that at first glance it seemed like the whole party was going to be a mellow affair. But this was “The Burton Party” after all and a glance past the bar showed the room up front was just the beginning. Spilling out to the side was a long open space where the brand had set up an L-shaped catwalk for a fashion show, and past that was another room to mingle along with the stairs leading to the roof. The Morroccan-style “Rooftop Hooka Bar” had a couch set up in front of the camera lights so guests could pose for photos that looped back for viewing on a TV screen across the room.
The fashion show was a big draw with the latest wears from Burton making their way down the runway on minimally clad girls and boys. After the show was over, Cosmo Baker and Kissette took to the turntables and the party went on. Click here for photos from the party and click on through.
In his story A Chronicle of Doing It: Nike and DestructionKyle Beachy (an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Chicago’s Roosevelt University) rolls through the history of Nike and skateboarding pointing out the obvious dichotomy between corporate cobbling and the core skateboarding market along the way.
Here’s a sample:
I submit that Grant Taylor is one of perhaps three skaters recognizable more by his shoe sponsor than board company. It is the same sponsor who weathered the PR nightmare of sweatshop injustice, elbowed themselves into golf and soccer, supports SOPA, and might, though they have no reason to, someday manufacture their own skateboards. Because why not. The same sponsor whose strategy will clear away the clutter of poorly- and skater-run, middling footwear companies, the inept and frail and upstart alike, acting as our free market’s grand systematic broom. Whatever Nike’s next step is, it will be, like Grant Taylor, bigger and faster. We will ignore the rubber gloves and hear the parrot’s squawk as our own. Bigger, faster, bigger, bigger, bigger.
The aforementioned quote is in fact the conclusion to the piece, but read the whole story anyway because Beachy pretty much covers every angle of the Nike vs. Core discussion and ends up where we all do: with the realization that the winning brands are the ones who do it better than everyone else. And while it sometimes sucks to admit that, it is so true that we’re almost embarrassed even mentioning it.
Holden is proud to support Impossible on their mission to bring analog instant photography back to life by offering limited edition Holden X Impossible camera kits, which will include a Holden customized and refurbished vintage SX-70 Polaroid camera, Holden X Tanner Goods leather camera case, and custom Holden X Impossible co-produced instant film and filter presented in a custom wooden box.
But all that retro goodness isn’t all. Holden has also lined up 10 “well-known” photographers to use Impossible film and shoot the things they shoot, then those images will be collected into a traveling exhibition and shown around the world, and more importantly at Art Basel Miami Beach. For more info follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Truth: we can’t really get enough of the wooden artwork of Haroshi. And because of that we’re posting this video from the HUF x Haroshi x DLX opening party that happened a whole three weeks ago at HUF LA. That’s all.
We’ve barely begun processing Kelly Slater’s new Quiksilver travel clothing/gear/store concept VSTR and already it appears that the brand’s marketing VP Jesse Faen is on his way out and off to the wilds of South America.
The former Insight marketing guy, who had only been at Quiksilver since August 2011, recently updated his Facebook page with the following: “worked at VSTR (VP of Marketing) from Aug 2011 to Jan 2012.” His wall was updated today saying he has “tickets booked, so stoked. We leave LA the 11th of Feb, off to Chile and a whole new chapter of life about to begin.”
Obviously, we have no idea what we (or Faen) are talking about, so anyone with a little more info is encouraged to chime in. Or not.
Bonfire’s Amy Eichner has been promoted to the position of Product Line Manager for the brand and Kevin Stevenson is now Marketing Manager of both Bonfire and Salomon.
Brad Steward, Head of Action Sports at Amer commented on both of the appointments, “Amy and Kevin make this all so easy. Great riders, great concept and idea people—I now have the dream team, 2-headed monster, sonic fist of doom, to unleash on marketing and communication.”
For more on Amy and Kevin and exactly what they’ll be doing in their new positions, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Bern has partnered with 686 on a pair of helmets that will go perfectly with 686’s 2012-2013 outerwear collection. A limited edition run of Bern’s Watts and Lenox helmets will feature graphics with the look of real denim.
686 President and Creative Director, Mike West, says, “For our 20th anniversary collection, we wanted to work with companies with the same high standard of quality, innovation and unique design that we’ve come to be known for. Bern fits that mold perfectly and we’re more than pleased with the project.”
