Nigo is the undoubtedly one of the forefathers of streetwear. He left Bape over two years ago to focus on other ventures, and the brand is still thriving today. One of his most notable projects to date is his new label Human Made. It is a unique situation; Nigo, native to Japan, has created a line centered around Americana graphics and motifs.
While Bape was more true to streetwear’s rugged reputation, his new line’s offerings propose an antithesis to the common aesthetic. Still irrevocably cool, Nigo injects his 50’s era adoration into Human Made’s graphics with whimsical illustrations. This season is marked with signature style graphics and highlighted by Nigo’s take on the classic striped tee.
The collection is available in store and online at RSVP Gallery. For more information or to place an order email please@rsvpgallery.com or call (773) 770-6666.
Recent collaborations with Supreme and NikeLab, along with cosigns from artists and musicians have brought Stone Island to the forefront. Despite the label’s recent success and step into the scope of popular culture, Stone Island has been quietly crafting for 34 years and counting. Massimo Osti’s innovative sportswear brand has been perfecting every aspect of its garments, whether it be through fabrics, fibers, or the dye used to give the clothes their discernible appearance.
The brand stands upon two pillars: LAB and LIFE. According to their philosophy, LAB is the endless examination and exploration into the metamorphosis and enrichment of fibers and fabrics. This dedication to constant advancement has led the brand to the forefront of new production and dying techniques that have been previously unutilized in the clothing industry.
LIFE. “The lived experience, the identity, the perceived status of anyone who wears Stone Island.” Stone Island has deep roots in subculture, and the aesthetic emulates that of military uniforms and workwear. Each garment is a testament to their modus operandi, providing the utmost functionality to the wearer, without sacrificing the labels refined style.
Check out the photos above and the video above, as our team attempts to emulate LIFE, one of Stone Island’s “two souls.” The collection is available in store and online at RSVP Gallery. For questions or to place an order, email please@rsvpgallery.com or cal (773) 770-6666.
In an unsual fashion, an art show in New York’s Lower East Side invites people to touch the art. In fact, they’re encouraging skaters to bring their boards and ride through the exhibition and pieces on display.
The New York skate culture, which thrived in the 90’s, has changed drastically over the past two and a half decades. Chinatown Soup, the new downtown gallery, aims to make viewers reconsider New York skate culture with “All Valid.”
The exhibit, curated by Leila Samii and Sean Gallagher, features photography, decorated boards, paintings, and two interactive pieces, including a quarter pipe in the backyard inspired by legendary skate spot the “Chinatown Banks.”
“All Valid” will run through Sept. 15 at Chinatown Soup: 16 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002.
If someone ever told you your sneakers look like a work of art, their statement now holds some serious validity. To see an awe-inspiring display of history’s greatest kicks, sneaker enthusiasts flocked to the Brooklyn Museum this week to see the debut of “Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture.”
The exhibition, which is on its first stop of a traveling tour, showcases a complete view of the history of sneakers; from the first running shoe in the 19th century to the global sneaker culture that we know today.
The show includes rare archived originals such as Adidas’ tennis shoes from the 1960’s, which shaped into the Stan Smith in 1971, and a pristine pair of 1982 Air Force Ones. The main attraction of the exhibition takes you through the hip-hop, graffiti, and basketball subcultures that had a great cultural impact which started in the 1980’s. An in-depth perspective of the Air Jordan displays twenty-three signature models–all originals.
Today, a decade and a half into the 2000’s, sneakers have become a staple in the fashion world, thanks to frequent sneaker brand collaborations with designer labels.
The exhibit gives a very interesting perspective for not only sneaker heads, but those interested in design, fashion, or simply history and culture.
“Out of the Box: the Rise of Sneaker Culture” at the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights is on display until October 4th, 2015.
“The idea came out of my head about a year ago. In Paris, there was an outdoor exhibit in 1990 (or) 1991. That’s the first time I had ever seen photography displayed so the masses could see it… I started thinking of Michael (Jordan) and the joy he brought here (to Chicago).” Walter Iooss, the award-winning photographer behind the lens of some of Jordan’s most recognizable images, aims to bring that joy back to the city. In celebration of Jordan’s rookie season’s 30th anniversary Iooss set up “Open Air,” a free outdoor exhibition overlooking the city. Iooss first photographed Jordan in 1987 before Jordan’s first NBA Championship. For twelve years after, Iooss followed Jordan around like a detective, pointing out that “it was almost impossible to take a bad picture of him.” As for Iooss’ work, Jordan once commented “he’s quick and he’s good.” Both reviews are apparent in the thirty on and off the court Jordan photographs showcased in “Open Air.”
Walter Iooss “Open Air” photo exhibit runs until July 31, 2015 and is located outside of the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois.
Kieth Lemley’s first New York City solo exhibit “Arboreal” unites material, light, and architecture to create a scene contrasting natural and synthetic. One inspiration Lemley often seeks is the fundamental geometry that makes up the universe we live in. With his large angular neon installations, Lemley achieves the unity of space through light and line. According to Lemley, six years ago a large Chestnut Oak tree fell near his studio in Appalachia. He began to carve the wood uncovering close to two centuries of history; from there he shaped sculptures that come from the knots and imperfections of the tree. To compliment this natural beauty, neon extends from the shape of the carved wood to become an exaggerated narrative of the trees growth had it not fallen. The sturdy wood and the delicate neon play off each other incredibly to produce a captivating gallery experience.
We sat down with Lemley and he gave some insight on “Arboreal” and his love for neon:
Q: What is the inspiration behind your exhibit?
A number of years ago a large old oak tree fell on a ridge at my studio and since then I’ve been thinking of how to use it as raw material in my work. I’ve also been thinking about discovery and recent theories that may connect disparate notions of how the universe works through an underlying problem of geometry. With that in the back of my mind, I spent time really getting to know the particular architecture of Mixed Greens [Gallery] and everything began to come together in my mind for a light based installation.
Q: How does geometry play a role in your work?
I am interested in curiosity and discovery, and how the architecture of our minds and bodily systems connects to the architecture of the universe and the vast amount of information that is beyond our perception. Really, the systems or structures that are in place where there seemingly are none, and the paradox of discovery – that the more we know, the more we know we don’t know. I use geometry in a way that connects viewers, my work, and the site, in a fleeting momentary experience.
Q: Why neon?
All neon is made by hand, and I found it fascinating that I could form a glass vessel, and then process it into a working light source. Making neon is like drawing in space. Nearly anything that can be drawn as a continuous line can be made in neon. Inside the glass tube is a nearly a perfect vacuum with only a very small amount of rare gas. When electrified the gas becomes plasma, and if you look closely it appears as a fuzzy illuminated stream. With a few torches and some lab equipment, I can make glass microenvironments that emulate the plasma in a star.
Q: What makes neon an important medium for your work?
Light is both something and nothing. The neon tube becomes a sort of frozen moment; it gives a physical, tangible existence to something as intangible as light. Then, it emits that light into a space, expanding to fill whatever volume surrounds it.
Q: What does neon mean to you?
Neon allows me to manipulate light itself and create a phenomenological experience in a given space.
Keith Lemley’s “Arboreal” is on display from February 19, 2015 to March 21, 2015 at Mixed Greens Gallery in Manhattan, New York.
