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.”
From the official news released today it would appear that Mike “Chief” Nusenow has a new boss of sorts, and someone who shares his SVP, winter sports title at Quiksilver.
Clark Gundlach, the former (wait, it’s a really, really long title) “Senior Vice President leading Sales, National Accounts, Sales Operations, Licensed Store Platforms, and Multi-Channel Distribution in North America and the Southern Hemisphere for Burton, RED and Anon brands” has been named Senior Vice President and General Manager of Winter Sports at Quiksilver, Americas.
“Clark, Chief, and the rest of the snow team in the Americas, along with athletes like Travis Rice and Torah Bright, are going to take our brands and our business to new places,” stated Rob Colby, President of Quiksilver Americas. “I couldn’t be happier with this crew.”
Gundlach will report directly to Colby and Nusenow will report to Gundlach. If Quik wants to make inroads into the heart of the winter sports market there’s no better way than by hiring one more person away from the leader in the category. Follow the jump for the official word from Quik. [click to continue…]
Outerwear designers in Europe and Asia still have three more days to enter 686 and ISPO’s Reclaim Project.
For those interested participants living in Europe or Asia, join ISPO and 686 from January 29 ˆ February 1 for the design competition! . . . This contest will give three designers the opportunity to make an original outerwear garment from reclaimed materials, trims, and left over items from the 686 production facility. The contest will begin the opening morning of both shows but first, we have to find THREE qualified designers who can come show their stuff on the show floor.
The finalists will be blown to ISPO in Munich, Germany to create a master piece. For all the details, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
After finishing up its biggest show ever at the Long Beach Convention Center, The Agenda Show lights up New York City January 23-24, 2011. Click the link for more details.
