Street Snaps: 1

Model: Doc Dadson

Outfit: Mishka ‘Keep Watch’ melton wool New Era fitted cap
Penfield two-tone Vassan jacket
Carharrt Tapered Denim
Nike SB Stefan Janoski
Obey Uptown Mountain Backpack

Favourite Shop: Kong, Coventry

Just to let you know – I’m Jeffrey Opoku (aka Jay) the street snapper based in the Midlands, UK. I am obsessed with streetwear – supplying a good amount knowledge on Nike Air Max and all other streetwear related apparel – and photography! Stay tuned to see regular updates featuring the latest looks that I’m feeling, fresh off the streets from around the UK!

The Kanye West Collection – DW

I’m going to be honest here and admit two things – 1) you don’t care to read paragraphs on paragraphs of me admiring Kanye West and 2) I don’t know very much at all about women’s fashion. For these reasons, I’m going to post a bunch of photos from today’s Paris Fashion Week showing of Kanye West’s much anticipated women’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection below and if you are interested, you can read about the whole lead-up to the collection plus my thoughts on everything afterwards.

 

To be honest, we cover almost nothing to do with women’s fashion – we’re not sexist or anything, just prefer to cover stuff we can actually wear and as far as I’m concerned, bikinis don’t work on a six-foot something male. However, Mr. West is in the building and his swagger is indeed on a hundred thousand million, his designer swag that is. As a long time fashion follower and trend setter, it seems as if a collection designed by the fine man himself was on the cards for a while and after his on again – off again Pastelle label was eventually cancelled in 2009, we were all left wondering if it would ever happened. Several appearances at numerous different Fashion Week shoes and even a handful of collaborations with the likes of Louis Vuitton later and news of a runway-worthy collection finally broke, but something didn’t seem quite right…..

Being that he is in fact a male and so he wears male clothes (well there was that one time….) I think we were all expecting some gear for us fashion conscience lads. But alas, it seemed a sex change or at the least a bold fashion statement was in order as it was later confirmed that the collection would actually be for the women of this world. In a way, I was disappointed that – even though the prices would have been extortionate – I would have no chance of getting my mitts on something but in another way, I was excited to see how ‘Ye would dress up some size zero females at Paris Fashion Week.

Weeks and months of rumours passed until eventually, pictures of an invite to the show surfaced. As expected from someone who has previously acknowledged and embraced the fact he is “egotistic”, Kanye’s name featured most prominently on the card, towering above address and RSVP information. However, there was one more thing – the initials DW above the name. The internet conspiracists went to work and everyone’s most obvious guess was the name of Kanye’s late mother, Miss Donda West. Was this the name of the collection? A subtle nod to his inspiration? Or was it just there to make Ye look slightly less big headed? WHO KNEW! But a more pressing question still remained – what would the collection be like?

Well we waited this long and Paris has not failed us, with the collection being shown on the runway earlier today. As I said before – I know very little about women’s fashion so I’m not going to comment on the quality of the designs or anything. Besides, I’m sure Kanye doesn’t care too much about what a male teenager from Scotland thinks of the collection and is more focussed on what fashion’s finest think, many of which were present at the show – Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld for example. But I will say this; many people probably didn’t expect much from a “rapper turned designer” and I’m sure Kanye was more than aware of this but in my eyes, he did it right. Obviously his name was used to a vast extent when both producing and presenting the collection but he could have just gone for the ‘done thing’ and put his name on a collection he knew nothing about and that someone he hired had designed but he didn’t – he applied for and then got internships at fashion houses in Europe and obviously learnt a thing or two about the business, educating himself before jumping in at the very deep end that is Fashion Week. From what I can see, the collection turned out pretty well but that is a very uneducated punt in the dark.

And so, you have (maybe) reached the end of my reasonably lengthy post and so I suppose I should have some sort of concluding sentence but I don’t. To be frank, I’m sick of typing now so feel free to tell me your thoughts via Twitter, Facebook or in the comments section below…

 

TAKE A BOW

When Fashion Met Art: FELIX MAJOR

Do you ever wonder what might have been if some of the world’s most infamous figures had been alive today? Imagine if William the Conqueror had an AK47. Think of the great things Archimedes could of achieved with a calculator. What if Pablo Picasso had a Macbook and PaintShop Pro at his disposal? Difficult to contemplate, but the closest we’ll come to an answer in regards to the latter is the works of Félix Major et al.

Based in Montreal (the home of Ahoodie), Major aims to display creativity and inspiration in his fashion, collaborating with many artists in the process. Instead of using canvas, each piece is printed on t-shirts made from organic cotton using non-toxic inks, turning the consumer into a living, breathing art gallery. In return for their work each artist is given a percentage of the sales from their specific item of clothing, meaning the more impressive the design, the more likely they are to succeed monetary-wise. But of course the label isn’t about being a faceless, cash grabbing corporation. Major is a self confessed perfectionist, conducting quality control on every item to ensure not a single bit of clothing falls below his high standards. In a time where mass production rules supreme, this sort of dedication is more than admirable.

He has also followed in the footsteps of other successful fashion brands by releasing his collections in limited numbers, a stalwart marketing tactic proving that less is often more. Also, as of 2012 the brand will be donating 1% of their sales profits to non-profit organisations.

You don’t have to be an art connoisseur to dig Major’s work, with some instantly recognisable imagery on display many will be left scratching their heads trying to remember where they know it from. I may not be a frequent gallery-goer myself, but the likes of Dali and Magritte appear to be amongst the influences on show.

But hey, what do I know? Make your own mind up by visiting FelixMajor.com

Here’s a small sample of his work to wet your appetite;

« Futuristic, Ecological, Artistic, guided by passion but also obsessed with perfection. The company is in my image. » Félix

FASHION: Banc Shop

It has come to my attention that several brands in the east have begun to take western culture and propagate their admiration onto their collections.  Within that subset of legalized plagiarism, brands begin to steal each other’s identities as well. Banc Shop and Colonize, both Korean brands, seem to offer the same visual identity.

However, it seems that Colonize has copied the original “copier”, WrongWroks, a Vancouver based Japanese brand. Wrongwrok’s philosophy could be viewed as original and not a fake of another brand. He takes several elements from other brands and revamps them not to copy them in their image, but his own. However, Colonize on several occasions took Designs from Wrongwroks and copied the same image as him. How thin is this line of plagiarism.

Bancshop seems to fall in between the cracks. They manage to take elements western streetwear and keep the mentality of the east. I am not crediting the west for everything streetwear has to offer either. However, in a historic point of view,  a lot of back and forth has been made between the west in the east, being that the west had been first to export. I find that Bancshop is the perfect demonstration of globalization, much like it, Bancshop has some great things to offer just as much as it has some bad things to offer.

You can try to navigate through their horrible flash website.

HOODIES: Fyasko Omega Light Weight

Just because I love you guys so much, I’m blowing my cover and probably risking marks on my professional attitude in class, because Yes Ahoodie is Pro… oh wait how does that work ? Anyways, I think I’m feeling really asshole-ish with the models this month, but I mean whatever he has long emo hair, but brown so he’s excused because he looks like Athenewins.

The hoodie is pretty cool for only 60$. Nice design and cut the colors look great. This would go well with the Hover BcFly from McFly.
The hoodie is available on 80s purple and the shirt is available here on the Cereal McFly online store for 45$.

HOODIES: Stereo Panda Green Mile Windbreaker

I wish Stereo Panda gave a description of their clothings so that I wouldn’t have to be thinking this hard at this time, but anywho this windbreaker is pretty nice. I find that windbreakers that are super colorful always make a rainy day look better, but then again you might be one of those hipsters that wear windbreakers on sunny days. In that case you just f*cked my day up.

The jacket is available on the official Stereo Panda website for 90 €.

WALLPAPERS: CEREAL clothing desktop backgrounds

New japanese Cereal clothing brand released new wallpapers and we’re the first to have them. Enjoy.

Also check out all the wallpapers here on our desktop background wallpaper page.

SWEET: CEREAL CAKE!

Finally, the cereal® collections have been released online. To celebrate the opening of the online store the cereal and mcfly team was offered a cereal box cake that actually tasted like cereals (every item is sold in a cereal box)…I wonder what that tastes like. I want some :(.

More info on cereal clothing soon.

FASHION: BBC Ice Cream Vintage Hockey Jersey

Out of respect to Admin2, I think it is my duty to go on a rant for him to protect his French Canadian Heritage. Ice Cream just dropped this “Vintage Hockey Jersey” That’s actually not overpriced considering the product they’re offering. Actual Hockey Jerseys go for around 300 a pop, but Pharrell ? Last time I came to Montreal I brought back “Poutine“, not the tricolor.

The jersey is available on the online store in 2 colorways for USD 275$ here. (But the online store only ships to the US, those darn people at the Nowhere Factory keep stealing good things and repackaging them as their own.)

FASHION: Rich Yung Society Collection

In 2005, rapper Fabolous, set out to create his brand like every other rapper except little light was shed on his clothes. Since then, the website has been going on and off just like Pastelle only showcasing very limited pricey items.

After months of looking for designers and doing his research according to his fan base Rich Yung released a Lookbook showcasing the Brand’s upcoming items.  There is no current status on the availability of these items online, but we will keep you posted once we find out. There is a store locator on the website.The brand resembles very much Rocawear or other Streetwear brands that try to have a more chic serious look. The collection over all is nice and we’re anticipating more from this brand.

For more details check out the website at Rich Yung Society.

Check out the collection after the jump.

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FASHION: WESC London Coat

For the more chic gentlemen WESC presents the London coat in a Dark blue Gray colorway featuring the WESC insignia on the inside pocket of the jacket.

The jacket is available at 80s Purple for USD 189$ for a limited time. Not a lot of sizes are left so you might want to jump on that.

FASHION: Orisue The Elliot Jacket

Who’s got the Midas touch ?

Apparently Orisue does. This jacket is very reminiscent of the American Apparel Jackets except it’s cool and not cheesy looking and it happens to be in my “I want to buy” list ! The jacket appears to be waterproof meaning it’s okay to shine in the rain and also features 6 pockets in the front.

The Jacket is Available on Karmaloop for USD 90$.

FASHION:To-Orist Zebra Sweatshirt

To-Orist has got their thing down, forget the old “Are Zebras black with white stripes or vice versa” dillema, it’s white with rainbow holy sh*t stripes. The sweater isn’t bad asides from the 140$ price tag. But hey, what can you expect, these guys solved an old rhetorical question, they deserve a Nobel prize rather than just your money.

It’s available here at Oki Ni.

FASHION: Jem Sportwear and Awake Transformers Collection

With the new Transformers 2 film coming up it’s only natural to see brands mooching off our beloved robots. Thanks to my wonderful friend Vanessa who was browsing the special anniversary edition of Nylon Magazine; this one article caught my eye as Optimus was on the cover with the words “Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto” were spelled at the bottom of the image in shiny yellow (see images after the jump). So I begged her to pass me her magazine which she kindly did as all good Autobot compatriots share.

Jem Sportswear and Awake Inc, decided to create some Transformers themed articles to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Transformers. The collection should include hoodies, t-shirts, tank tops and various other articles that should be released in May in select stores. More data shall be gathered within the coming months. Enjoy ! (:

Check out more pictures after the jump.

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HOODIES: Mishka Clutch Fleece M.C. Hoodie

For all the punx who can’t still commit to the leather m.c. Mishka offers you an alternative with this fleece zip up completed with a hood attached. The jacket comes in two colorways for the hefty price of USD169$.  It’s available for retail here on the official Mishka Website.

JACKETS: Choncordia “Ultra” Track Jackets

Hip Hop Hooray!

We’re excited to see some new goods out from one of our fave brands, the Choncordia Skateboard Co. Our buds over at Choncordia recently released the Ultra track jacket, currently available in purple, Kelly Green and Red, with a few more colourways due out any time now. The Choncordia gang is currently putting the final touches on their catalogue, so we should be getting a look at some more new jackets and sweatshirt really soon. Hooray!

Pick up Choncordia’s Ultra track jackets online now for $70 USD.

FASHION: The Brooklyn Circus Spring 2009

The Best Dressed Clowns in Brooklyn

Set for release on Saturday, April 4th, The Brooklyn Circus’ Spring 2009 Collection reeks of class. In menswear, fine tailoring is what makes or breaks a collection and The Brooklyn Circus definitely hit the nail on the head.

These spring pieces are handmade and feature top of the line trimmings like brass hardware, Kidskin Leather, and Melton Wool; all tailored in the good ol’ U.S. of A. The collection has Yeezy written all over it! He won’t admit it, but I bet he wishes some of these were Past.Tell.

Pick them up at their New York and San Francisco locations. See the detailed pics after the jump. read more

HOODIES: 10.Deep Spring 2009 Sweaters

Just Another Manic Monday

We gave you a look at 10.Deep’s spring 2009 lookbook last week, and you loved it (how do we know?…CUZ WE SAID SO)! So here’s a detailed look at what 10.Deep has to offer us in the hoodie department this season. After All, this is Ahoodie.com!…alright, alright we did sneak a few crewnecks and cardigans in there too.

Kudos to 10.Deep for putting together a strong line of knits; each of these sweaters are great pieces with unique trims and details. There’s also something about their colour-schemes that give a more refined appeal to your common cotton fleece. Ahoodie can’t get enough of the slit pockets, the wooden buttons, shawl necks, and all their labels on the hoods and collars.

LOOKBOOK:10.Deep “Nineteen Ninety-Now!” Lookbook

It’s graduation day and we’re going to party like it’s Nineteen Ninety-Now.

10.Deep’s Spring 2009 “Nineteen Ninety-Now” lookbook has a yearbook theme and Ahoodie was voted “Most Likely To Be The Nicest Website EVER“.

The 1o.Deep crew takes a class photo in the gym to commemorate “a time when street style was based on adopting the preppy sportswear brands of the penny loafer generation and injecting it with a large dose of swagger”.The result is a selection of solid hoodies, classic button-downs, over-sized graphics and chunky stripes. The collection has just the right amount of “cool” to make a nobody look good, and a somebody look great; and in high school that’s all anyone can ask for! Basically, 10.Deep’s Spring ’09 collection is composed of pieces which stand on their own and allow your personal style to make the statement. Pick up the Spring 2009 collection here.

FASHION: Phenomenon Spring ’09 NEW ARRIVALS

The Funk Phenomena

Feast your eyes on some of the most recent Phenomenon Spring 2009 items to drop over at ChoiceIsYours.jp.

 As a spin-off of their Kung-Fu Tuxedo jacket released earlier this year, Phenomenon now offers the Kung-Fu Jersey for all of you on-ice or on-the-court ass-kicking needs. The jacket is availble in both black and red colourways.

Take a look at some of our other favourite newly released goods including The Coke Necklace, The Big (square) Crew Sweater, and The Shirts Shorts which have the hem of a button-down shirt affixed to their waistlines.