Format Magazine Urban Art Fashion » Karmaloop

Sweatin’ ‘em

Karmaloop — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:33:17 +0000

More so than any year past, sweaters have become more and more prominent on the site this winter and the trend has been met with open arms – by not only by us degenerates at The Blogs, but by most of you all as well seeing how quickly these fuckers go out of stock.

For good reason; cardigans are the official new shit, rocking hoodies every day is beyond us (we’re some old folks now) and the four gems below are simply too fresh to ignore.

The Rubicon Sweater by Beta Unit is our pick of the lot; composed of 50% alpaca wool and 40% acrylic, The Rubicon is soft enough to be the latest garment your girl conveniently “borrows” until next winter, and the additional 10% of standard wool makes this joint tough enough for your grizzled, old grand-dad to grunt at in approval. Complete with innovative leather belts at the hem and collar with antique wooden button-closure, the vintage aesthetic shares a crazy modern look when the hood is taken into account, and show us a man who doesn’t like simple welt pockets at the waist and we’ll show you a goddamned liar.

A close second from our dudes at Mishka, The Crest Shawl Collar Sweater is killin’ shit with the embroidery. The logo at the chest pops in red, and the giant green-on-green “Bad Luck Skull” embroidery at the back panel features detail deluxe on one of the hottest logos in the game. You should all know about Mishka cut & sew quality by now, but if not, this piece is the perfect introduction to one of your new favorite brands.

From Shepard Fairey and Co. is The Longshore Sweater in Black, a double-breasted style from Obey that exudes more class than holding in a fart throughout a dinner date. Options is the name of the game here, offering a couple different looks depending on your personal style, the elements or the rest of your outfit. We’re partial to the fully-buttoned look, but you don’t have to take our word for it (we’re crazy).

The Perez Henley Hoodie by Comune has been steady catching our eyes since it dropped, and we’ve warmed up to this one (literally) once we finally got a chance to try it out – craaazy. All the comfort and familiarity of your favorite hooded sweatshirt with the warmth and sturdiness of a sweater, and the hyper-detailed Southwestern-inspired stitching pattern beneath the solid black hood is the clincher.

All these and more live on the site right now – click here to check ‘em out.

Flüd Wärning

Karmaloop — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:04:41 +0000

Our dudes at Flüd came through once again with yet another clean, innovative and simply unfuckwithable line of watches for the winter, sure to heat up whatever climate you’re stuck in.

Established in 2007 by a few good dudes deeply rooted in the streetwear arms-accessory race, Flüd Watches began as an effort to bring the watch back to its rightful place as the ultimate accessory with a goal to create unique, fresh timepieces minus the price tag or douchebagishness that goes along with most high-end watches. Just a couple years and some killer lines later, we would say “mission accomplished,” but the Flüd crew is not one to rest on it’s collective ass.

Flüd pieces have been seen on a wide array of folks in and around the sports and entertainment industries, including professional ballers Ron Artest and Corey “Homocide” Williams, skateboarding legend Stevie Williams, hip hop icons Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Caz, Grand Wizard Theodore, DJ Jazzy Joyce, as well as rising stars Mickey Factz, Curren$y, Charles Hamilton, Keri Hilson, Joell Ortiz, Black Milk, Amanda Diva, and Joe Budden, not to mention radio and television personalities Angela Yee, Dee Vasquez, Lord Sear, Cipha Sounds, JoJo Simmons, DJ Whoo Kid, DJ Teddy Ted, DJ Kay Slay, DJ Drama and DJ Green Lantern… shit, with co-signers like that, who needs advertising?

Highlighting the winter drop are a couple collaborations from the Far East, The Tableturns collaboration with RockSmith and The Cartridge effort with heralded Japanese artist Yasumasa Yonehara.

Photography junkies are sure to recognize Yonehara’s name, but for those of you unfamiliar with the man and his work, just look at an American Apparel advertisement – each is a watered-down version of his photographic brilliance featuring far less-desirable models wearing shitty clothes. Want proof?

“I was in Japan with Hiroshi, our Japanese distributor, and he and his wife are old friends with Yone,” said Doug Cohen of Flüd. “They brought me to his lab and we just built on it. Yone is an incredibly cool guy and we just hung out – he was really hospitable and he’s obviously a genius. He sent us the flicks, we did our thing and that was really it.”

The finished product, in both white and red colorways, features Yonehara’s work for a Diesel campaign a few years back. Intertwined legs in fishnet stockings fill the band and the face displays Yonehara’s signature stamp, making this joint a must for any photo nerd or sucker for sexiness.

The update to one of Flüd’s most popular designs, The Tableturns Watch, is now available in swank brown and bronze and killer all-black colorways with a RockSmith x Flüd commemorative emblem on the deck – destined to be a hit with b-boys across the globe from Tokyo to Texas.

“Rocksmith are the homeys,” Cohen added. “The entire RS team are some of the coolest guys in the business, bar none. We had wanted to do a limited edition Tableturns for a while, and RS’s hip hop vibe is similar to ours, so it just made perfect sense. They freaked the interlocking RockSmith x Flüd logo and the rest is hopefully on your wrist!”

Flüd came through in a big way this winter, and there’s plenty more on the brand’s page, including welcome tweaks to The Big Ben Watch with interchangable silver and gold and leather bands, and more colorways than a box of Crayolas on the Negative Space, Exchange and new THN models. Click the banner below to check ‘em out!

New Crack from MindRite

Karmaloop — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:23:53 +0000

MindRite is back at The ‘Loop with it’s signature hyper-detailed prints, and with this winter’s crack, our dude Jose is set to have you all fiendin’ again until the next drop. Following the success of last year’s Cake Tee featuring Lil’ Wayne is The Boss Tee, featuring fellow Southern rap kingpin Rick Ross as “Bawse Hogg” with inspiration drawn from The Dukes of Hazard. Next up: Trina as Daisy Duke (we wish). Also stocked for the winter drop are takes on the source of the H1N1 virus (like you didn’t know) and how the MindRite CEO sees himself in the mirror every morning. Check ‘em out:

The Think Big Tee

The Boss Tee and The Swine Flu Tee.

Punkers love Cake:

The Cake Tee

Silver an’ Gold (‘Fore We Grow Too Old)

Karmaloop — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:58:33 +0000

I’m gonna go out dancin’ every night,
I’m gonna see all the city lights.
I’ll do everything silver and gold,
I got to hurry up before I grow too old.

The Propulsion Hi Sneaker and The Jetpack II Sneaker (Android Homme).

The LTD Edition TK Society and The Skytop in Distressed Black (Supra).

The Dicoco Sneaker and The Milano Hi Premium Sneaker (Creative Recreation).

The Stan Smith I Style Sneaker and The Nizza Lo Sneaker (adidas).

I’m gonna take a trip around the world,
I’m gonna kiss all the pretty girls.
I’ll do everything silver and gold,
And I got to hurry up before I grow too old.

LRG Spring 2010 Preview

Karmaloop — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:47:38 +0000

The KarmaloopTV crew spent some time in New York City with our peoples at LRG, and lo and behold – a fucking party breaks out, booze is spilled, Mick Boogie, CurT@!n$ and Peter Hadar rock faces off, and you lucky motherfuckers get a chance to see what’s in store from the Lifted Research Group in just a few months. Click above and check it out!

Know1edge

Karmaloop — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:42:56 +0000

Our Hong Kong crew at Know1edge will have you lookin’ wicked fuckin’ smaht, ked. Check out the cold-as-ice Holiday ‘09 drop:

The Max Beanie (left); The Spade Fedora.

The Terence Scarf in Black (left) and Red.

The Claravall Sweatshirt (left); The Brook Buttondown Shirt.

The Bombs Tee (left); The Loco Tee.

The Mbo Jean in Indigo (left); The Tim Pant in Black.

The Bling Belt (left); The Kaliente Belt in Red.

The Landi Bag in Black (left) and Brown.

Complex Magazine: Cut & Show, featuring 10.Deep

Karmaloop — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:34:03 +0000

Via Complex:

“In street-wear, it’s all about consistency, and if any brand has remained consistently awesome throughout the years it’s NYC-based label 10.Deep. Creative Director/Founder Scott Sasso and Co. have managed to grow the label out of their Brooklyn office into an international company that’s known as one of the top street brands in the game, while offering a proven mixtape platform for rappers like Kid Cudi and Donnis to launch their careers.

For the latest installment of our “Cut & Show” series, we spent a few days in Brooklyn with the 10.Deep collective and got insight on how the brand was started out of Sasso’s dorm room, as well as a glimpse into the making of the brand’s paintballin’ Holiday lookbook.”

Click the image above to check out the video!

Guess what we’re doing all weekend?

Karmaloop — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:56:25 +0000

We’re gonna roadtrip up north and fuckin’ hurt ourselves!

There is nothing – nothing - like the freedom one feels hiking up to the park run after run (to hell with lift tickets) and going big, getting inverted, finding your spot and stomping that shit like you’re J.P. Walker. The sound of a board screaming down handrails is music to our ears, the smell of clean, cold, fresh air is second only to the smell of ridiculous hydro – even the force of a face-first bail after underestimating the landing and hearing your buds scream on your behalf holds a special place in our shriveled black hearts. Throughout our short holiday break coming up, it’s time for livin’.

We know there are more of you out there who daydream of flawless runs, fresh powder and untouched backcountry while suffering from inner city blues during the work week, and Karmaloop has primo shit from some of the market’s best and most reliable brands. Allow us to give you a chance to dream a little longer this afternoon and check out some of the latest snow gear that’s dropped here at The ‘Loop.

From the brand that started it all, Jake Burton Carpenter and company have been doing it since before they even knew what they were doing.

Founded in 1977 after improving on a children’s toy called a “snurfer,” Burton started the revolution and damn near 30 years later, they are still the undisputed kings of the mountain. The company is filled with dedicated snowboarders, and their experiences riding before, during and after work around the company’s Stowe Mountain-based offices go into each and every product, from the hardware to outerwear. For beginners and established pros alike, Burton gear is simply unfuckwithable.

The Burton Traction Jacket

The [ak] BK Insulator Jacket

Providing style, performance and protection wherever your adventure takes you, be it the backcountry, glades, parks, snowy stairways or trooping through the elements on the way to the subway during your morning commute, Isaora is challenging stereotypes by creating high-end snowboard apparel designed “with an elevated aesthetic” that performs both on the slopes and the concrete streets. We love these folks since they are all about living on, and for the edges – a good challenge is what makes life so worthwhile after all, and Isaora has met all challenges head-on, producing some of the snow scene’s cleanest jackets with the most innovative fabrics on earth.

The Mercury 3L Hard Shell Jacket

The ISA-ID 2-L Printed Tech Jacket

What started as just another hustle in 2002, purchasing blank beanies, hats and headbands before marking each with hand-painted logos, Shaun Neff’s fledgling headwear brand found notoriety soon after after linking up with pro snowboarder Nate Bozung on the fresh glades of Utah’s picturesque slopes.

Realizing a very particular niche could be satisfied after getting props from the likes of Travis Rice, Likka Backstrom, Lauire Heiskari and skateboarders Lizard King and Adam Dyet, NEFF was born as the first authentic, market-specific headwear company for snow and skate and has since gone global with it’s aspirations.

The Jessie (left) and Daily Beanie

The Fold (left) and Trio Beanie

Hope to see some of you on the mountain this weekend! Here’s to wishing you all a very happy holidays from your friends at Karmaloop – have fun, be safe, and you’ll be hearing from us on Monday!

KarmaloopTV x Bad Rabbits + Free EP

Karmaloop — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:53:10 +0000

First: Check out the unofficial Behind the Music: Bad Rabbits episode and see what went into the making of the debut Stick Up Kids EP.

Second: Download your FREE copy of the EP here.

Third: Jam the fuck out! Music hasn’t been this fun since that dream we had featuring an andre 3000-fronted Morris Day & The Time cover band at C.B.G.B. circa 1982 for our wedding reception after wifing-up 1970’s-era Blondie.

Finally: Stay tuned for the unveiling of the “Stick Up Kids” music video, featuring more cameos and madness than a House Party with Bilal at the decks.

Wale x KarmaloopTV

Karmaloop — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:14:23 +0000

Wale and Interscope Records want to give all the Pretty Girls out there a chance to show off your style and looks on Karmaloop.com. Check out the video.