Archive 2012

28 December, 2012

Once a year, at Christmas..., I find my way into the toy sections at various department stores. Each year I am tempted to spend the money intended for gifts for my friends' kids on stuff for myself.

I never did. I have enough stuff. I don't have enough space.

This year I stumbled upon the new(ish) Lego Star Wars sets and apart from all the new characters this one set in particular caught my attention: Jabba's Palace. Even though I am not a big collector and not the biggest fan of Star Wars in general, this scene in the movie is a turning point and such a great example of the universe that George Lucas created - with all the odd creatures, architecture, space crafts and weaponry – that I had to take a closer look. The new Jabba looks superb (as compared to the version from the 2003 set), Leia as bounty hunter "Boushh" is a new addition to the Star Wars Lego figure collection and Han Solo in the carbonite slab is a highlight, too. Lego did a great job with this set. And I bought it. I'm not too sure whether I'll set it up. I might just take out Jabba, but maybe I can find a nice spot for the set-up to have it on display.

No worries, by the way, there was still enough budget for gifts for the little ones.

Visit: Lego Star Wars | Lego Star Wars: Jabba's Palace (2003)

9 January, 2013

On Wednesday, January 9th, José Parlá's new mural entitled "Diary of Brooklyn" will be unveiled at the Barclays Center in New York.

Visit and RSVP Info via: José Parlá

17 – 19 December, 2013

Nike has once again teamed up with Japanese toymaker Medicom to celebrate 30 years of the AIR FORCE 1. The very limited Nike Lunar Force 1 arrived in an athletic white/orange/blue colorway and a clean black/white colorway, each carrying the Medicom Toy Be@rbrick logo on the tongue.

Take part in the Firmament photo contest* for a chance to receive one of two very rare sets including:
- One pair of the Nike Lunar Force 1 x Medicom
- Two Be@arbrick One toys, 400% and 100%

In order to participate just take a creative picture of your own favorite Air Force 1 and/or Be@rbrick and put it on your own Instagram feed.
Don’t forget to use BOTH hashtags for your post:

#FIRMAMENTBERLIN
#AF1

The deadline for all entries to be posted on Instagram is December 19th, 8pm Berlin time. The two photos picked to receive the BE@RBRICK ONE sets will be posted on the Firmament Facebook page on December 20th at 2pm Berlin time. We will also post a note on these Instagram entries!

The Nike Lunar Force 1 "THE BE@RBRICK ONE" will be available in both colorways at Firmament on 19.12.12 at 11 am - in-store.

Follow: Firmament / Instagram | Firmament / Facebook
Shop: Nike / Firmament

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*Please note that for this giveaway we can only accept one photo per person and Instagram account. The picture must be taken by the entrant; none-genuine imagery will not be accepted as entry. The prize cannot be redeemed in cash. Entries which do not fulfill the provisions stated above will not be taken into consideration for the prize draw.

8 - 16 December, 2012

On December 8th, Burton Snowboards Japan opened its concept space "Backcountry House" in Harajuku, Tokyo.

This conceptual space is host to a number of events and workshops surrounding the sport of - you guessed it - backcountry snowboarding. Surely Burton also produced a small series of accompanying goods, such as snowboards as well as snowboarding accessories and a limited colorway of the AK457 Guide Jacket.

The boards feature artworks by Fragment Design and were produced as one-offs. Only 10 boards with different graphics exist and are pictured here as part of the installation simply called "The Wall", also designed by Fragment and mo'design.

Visit: Burton Backcountry House | Fragment Design | mo'design

12 December, 2012 12:12

December will be the month of the Nike Lunar Force 1.

On 12.12.12 at 12:12 the first style of this new modernized of the Nike Air Force 1 will be launched in an all white colorway. Retail locations as well as Nike spaces around the globe will showcase this new model in unique interior setups.

A digital camo version will follow shortly after and the highlight, to be launched on December 19th, will be the "The BE@RBRICK ONE" a set of two Lunar Air Force 1s designed by Medicom.

Stay tuned for a closer look at the Digi Camo and Be@rbrick Lunar Force 1s shortly.

Visit: Nike Inc.

13 December, 2012

Launch event for the third issue of Hypebeast Magazine at the BAPE STORE® in London.

NTS Radio presents: Kutmah,Martelo & Exclusive showcase of A Bathing Ape archive pieces.
This event is by invitation only.

Visit: BAPE® EU

December, 2012

I'm happy to be able to wear test some of UVU's technical pieces this winter. The brand is relatively new but they already have quite an impressive collection.

After three years of development as an exclusive product for ultra runners, this past spring, UVU opened up its line of products to a wider audience.
To find out more about UVU, check their website. A more in-depth story on UVU should follow soon!

Visit: UVU

12 & 14 December, 2012

Cole Haan will release a new pack of four styles of the LunarGrand collaboration with Fragment Design this December.

On December 12th (NYC) and the 14th (global), two colors of a new saddle shoe as well as two versions of the tassle loafer will be available at Cole Haan retailers.

We will also receive the pack at our store Firmament in Berlin.

Visit: Cole Haan | Fragment Design

December, 2012

Here is a preview of the new Peloton magazine #17 - the photo annual. With the start of the cold and dark period of the year, this is the perfect read for quite evenings at home.

Visit Peloton magazine for a digital subscription or get the magazine through their online store.

Visit: Peloton Magazine

2 December, 2012

Last night 032c Workshop hosted the opening for their latest show, a collection of artist decks produced by Supreme since 2000. On display are works by Kaws, Ramm Ell Zee, Peter Saville, Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Marilyn Minter, Ryan McGinness, Damien Hirst, Christopher Wool, and many more.

032c Workshop / Joerg Koch is an exhibition space in Berlin. Centered around an eight-meter-long vitrine designed by Konstantin Grcic, its programming features several exhibition series, exploring the idea of the archive, the auteur, or the unseen.

Visit: 032c | Supreme

Follow Beinghunted on Instagram

1 December, 2012

It's not easy finding an all-black performance sneaker. Thus it's quite exciting to see this latest edition of the ever popular Nike Lunarglide+ designed to be just that. Or almost...

... almost, because the second layer is actually an all reflective membrane that will 'shield' the foot from the elements and provide for better visibility at night.

The Nike Lunarglide+ 4 Shield will be released on December 1st at premium Nike stockists. Stay tuned for further updates and more details on this particular model.

Preview: Nike Lunarglide+ 4 Shield at Firmament

December, 2012

For December 2012, New Balance is proud to announce the reissue of the New Balance 990, the iconic Made in the USA style that debuted in 1982.

To commemorate its 30th anniversary, only 990 pairs will be released worldwide in its original form and the New Balance grey color way. A precursor to many of New Balance's signature silhouettes, the 990 is a timeless style and a true testament to New Balance's commitment to domestic manufacturing.

We've just been informed that the current launch date set for December 1st will be postponed. We will provide the exact date for the release at Firmament shortly.

Visit: New Balance Classics | Firmament Berlin

1 December, 2012

Here is a preview of the upcoming new Nike Lunarglide+ 4 Shield set for a release on December 1st.

Also follow Beinghunted on Instagram for more images of this upcoming style.

Follow: Beinghunted on Instagram

November, 2012

ABOUT NTS: At 9am on the morning of Monday the 4th of April NTS streamed live for the first official time. Born from the nutstosoup.com blog, NTS aims to fill a void in the community of musically minded progressive thinking people in London.

An idea bigger than just another online community radio station – NTS is a unique platform for inspired people to present their findings, passions and obsessions.

Visit and Listen: NTS Radio

1 December, 2012

The date is set: December 1st at 032c Workshop.

Visit: 032c | Supreme

23 November, 2012

We're hosting the release of Terranova's new record 'FET&MOI' on December 1st. Join us at cookies for drinks and great tunes from Terranova, David Mayer and Reznik from Keinemusik.

RSVP: Firmament presents TERRANOVA 'FET&MOI'
Visit: Terranovarecrodings

22 November, 2012

Following the successful launch at Colette in Paris (2010) and a raving second edition at Browns in London (2011), the much-anticipated third edition of “Le Cabinet de Curiosités de Thomas Erber” opens its doors in the German capital Berlin at Andreas Murkudis’ new space.

Apart from the superb mix of art, design, apparel and accessories this showcase offers the rare opportunity to view (and purchase) one of Hiroki Nakamura's handmade teepees that are the center of the current A/W collection called "Dissertation on a man with no country". To view a behind-the-scenes video of Nakamura's project, visit the visvim website. Follow Beinghunted on Instagram to view some images from this showcase.

Le Cabinet des Curiosités de Thomas Erber
22 November – 19 January, 2012
Andreas Murkudis
Potsdamer Strasse 81E
Berlin

Follow: Beinghunted on Instagram
Visit: Thomas Erber | Andreas Murkudis | visvim

November, 2012

While looking through old things (aka 'The Archive') at my parents' house I came upon a card from the first Stüssy (flagship) store that opened its doors in NYC in 1991.

While Google is getting worse in regards to finding content from 5-10 years ago – in part due to the fact that websites are gone, and content has been taken offline - I discovered the search function for Google Books which also includes the archive of New York Magazine. A quick search brought an article from December 1991 that portrayed the new store as well as its proprietors Shawn Stüssy, James Jebbia and Mary Ann Fusco. A great read as well as a nice jump to the early days of what used to be called "skate-" or "surfwear".

Read: New York Magazine: "Stupid Hip Stüssy"

November, 2012

Nike Sportswear released this pack of all-navy colored styles last week in Japan.

Four of Nike's highly popular models are part of this "all navy" pack which also includes a number of apparel pieces.

- Nike Air Max 90
- Nike Air Safari
- Nike Free Powerlines
- Nike Air Epic

It is the second such mini collection after a prior release of all grey items.
There is no information whether this pack will see a global release anytime soon.

November, 2012

I stumbled upon these a while ago, but had forgotten the brand name and details. By chance I found them again today - of course on a Japanese website: the Dinex Classic 8oz. Stackable (duotone) Mugs.

In any case, hopefully these will become available again at one point.

Visit: Fussa General Store

October, 2012

I have been waiting for this book for three years – ever since I saw Axel Hoedt's photo story "Furchtbar Komisch" ("Terrifyingly Funny") in ZEITmagazin back in September 2009.

This new book by Axel Hoedt is a collection of images taken during the "Alemmanische Fastnacht", a pre-Lenten celebration in Alemannic folklore. Hoedt traveled through the various regions in southern Germany where this tradition has been kept alive over the centuries. He was granted the rare opportunity to enter the circles of these often secretive societies to photograph some of the costumes and their wearers.

While Hoedt's pictures have so far only been published in mentioned article, German art publishing house Steidl will release the book "Einmal im Jahr" ("Once a Year") this fall.

Visit: Axel Hoedt | ZEITmagazin | Steidl

October, 2012

A jacket like this one comes around only once. I know because I have been searching and buying jackets for over twenty years...

I also know that leopard prints are everywhere at the moment, which could be somewhat of a letdown in regard to this particular specimen. However, and this is important when 'collecting', one always has to consider such purchases with foresight. Currently, no other jacket – or any other piece of apparel with a leopard theme for that matter – with a similar pattern can compete with this one from WTAPS. Of all the leopard jackets, this is the best one. Which also means that it will stay that way. In a few years time, when the animal print trend has passed, it will still be relevant and valuable from a design standpoint (and maybe even in a monetary sense). You will take this out and people will damn you for having it...

I had a similar 'moment' five years ago when I was lucky enough to stumble upon the WTAPS Gore-Tex Camouflage Sherpa Jacket. For me that jacket also has a very special value as it was part of our first order for Firmament that we placed at the WTAPS HQ in Tokyo.

Visit: WTAPS | SlamJam Archive

October, 2012

This guy has some gems in his record collection and from time to time he shares his finds with the web audience through his site "Coldblood / Lazersun". Not only do I like his choice of tunes but surely also the design - stripped down to the bare, yet meaningful minimum of graphic elements.

Everything is placed where it should be.

Visit: Coldblood / Lazersun

October, 2012

A couple of weeks ago the fine folks responsible for the European branch of Hypebeast's "Others" project - part of i am OTHER - stopped by at Firmament for a feature and interview.

It's always a little strange to see and hear oneself, but I believe the guys did a pretty good job with the feature that I had the pleasure of hosting at (and around) our store Firmament in Berlin.

Even though we all take pictures and frequently add comments to our social media status pages, we never really capture our daily life and jobs in more detail (do people still keep diaries?). Thus I am quite happy to see this feature, to have something to look back at in a few years time and to show friends and family.

Thanks so much to Chris and Jordan, the fine folks at Hypebeast and i am OTHER!

Visit: i am OTHER | Hypebeast | Chris Read | Firmament

October, 2012

Over the years I have collected quite a number of pieces from visvim - footwear, apparel and accessories. Each season I am looking for an item that in my opinion reflects best the company's product philosophy and which captures the season's general theme and spirit (while still being affordable...).

Last summer I found such a piece in the superbly crafted "Blackfoot" jacket which reminded me of the style of vintage military uniforms of the early 1900s. This jacket was carefully re-created by visvim in a more contemporary cut for modern-day-use. Even though I had been happy with this particular piece, I was again captured by an updated version found in their A/W 2012 collection. This one, the "White Owl" jacket, shows even more characteristics of the mentioned uniform styles. With both jackets I now believe that this category should be covered thoroughly. Let's see what S/S 2013 has to offer.

Visit: visvim

27 October, 2012

On Saturday, October 27th, we are celebrating the launch of Mission Workshop bags and apparel at Firmament with a custom retail set-up and "Día de los Muertos"-themed party.

With Mission Workshop's base in San Francisco's Mission district, we thought it would be a great idea to bring some of the Latin character of this area to Berlin for this special occasion. Please RSVP through our Facebook Event page and look out for more information regarding the specials we have prepared for the evening.

RSVP: Firmament M.W. Launch Party
Visit: Firmament | Mission Workshop

20 October, 2012

To celebrate their 10th anniversary in the UK, BAPE will release a limited edition series of items with imagery from the discontinued British version of the brand called "Very Ape UK".

For the occasion, A Bathing Ape are also linking up with i-D magazine for a special photoshooting. Visit i-D online for further details and the BAPE EU website for information regarding the items.

Visit: BAPE EU | i-D Online

December, 2012

The wires are running hot these days with the first preview images of the upcoming Nike Flyknit HTM Chukka boots. The release date for this new style - in grey/blue and red/black - is set for December. Stay tuned for further information regarding this release.

Visit: Nike Stadium Milan | Solifestyle

9 October, 2012

Ever since I started cycling - race bike that is - not too long ago, I have found that this is the one sport that I can and will grow old with.

What I learnt in the process of getting into this new world is that, surely, I picked (or was introduced to...) an activity that is also the one with the most 'stuff' to be had. Shoes, bibs, base layers, jerseys, glasses, helmet, gloves - and, of course - the bike with thousands of options for each part of it. In the end, however, cycling is about the fun to be had on the road, the joy of riding in a group of friends, to be out in the countryside - or in the street late at night - or find new routes all on your own. But with good gear, this sport is even more fun!

After having gone through some more basic kits and the discomfort some of the lesser 'technical' fabrics were causing, I quickly learnt to invest a little more for a better pair of bib shorts and either a warmer, more breathable or lighter jersey in accordance with the varying weather conditions. Assos, Rapha and Gore Bike Wear are surely among the best manufacturers of bike gear at the moment. However, there is a wave of young brands quickly emerging who have the drive and ambition to create great stuff. A friend of mine, Lyle from Mission Workshop, pointed out a new brand from California by the name of Cedar Cycling. I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing their jerseys in person but from the look of it and from seeing their gear on the riders, these could be a good choice. Even more so, I must admit, due to the fact that they are produced locally - in the US. I am looking forward to seeing more from those guys. A bib short maybe...? That would be the ultimate...

Visit: Cedar Cycling | Mission Workshop | The Soulsearchers

12 October – 17 November, 2013

"Stone Free", a new exhibition by Ângela Ferreira, sees the artist inspired by two famous holes in the ground: Chislehurst Caves in south London and the Cullinan diamond mine in South Africa.

Visit: Marlborough Contemporary

9 October, 2012

Just recently, a great publication on the Japanese master craftsman Goro Takahashi was released in Japan.

This softcover book/mook showcases an impressive collection of Goro's work as well as background information and archival imagery. Unfortunately, however, all texts are in Japanese. However, as with most Japanese publications, this one is well worth it for the many photos alone.

Visit: Goro's

6 October, 2012 – 20 January, 2013

Wolfgang Tillmans is one of the leading artists of his generation and is constantly in the public eye, with exhibitions all over the world.

The exhibition at Moderna Museet is Tillmans’ first major show in Sweden and brings nearly twenty years of picture-making to a new audience. Moderna Museet is delighted to welcome Wolfgang Tillmans – an artist who has extended the boundaries of photography and redefined the medium of photography as an artform.

Visit: Wolfgang Tillmans | Moderna Museet

11 October – 14 October, 2012

Frieze Art Fair features over 170 of the most exciting contemporary art galleries in the world. The fair also includes specially commissioned artists’ projects, a prestigious talks programme and an artist-led education schedule.

Visit: Frieze London

11 October, 2012

After a very succesful pre-launch during Berlin's fashion week, Stone Island is hosting several launch events at its flagship stores across Europe.

On October 11., the long anticipated London launch is taking place at Stone Island's new flagship store:

Stone Island
79 Brewer Street
W1F 9ZN London

Visit: Stone Island

November, 2012

032c Workshop presents an exhbition featuring NYC cult brand Supreme.
Stay tuned for further updates regarding this event.

Visit: 032c | Supreme

20 November, 2012

Massive Attack re-releases its debut album "Blue Lines" as a remixed and remastered edition.

Twenty one years after its original release, the iconic album will be released as a 2012 remix/remaster in a single CD edition, a Deluxe Box Set and high res digital edition.

The Deluxe Box features the CD, DVD with 96k/24 bit high resolution audio files, the album split over two 180g vinyl LPs and the original Blue Lines promo poster.

Visit: Massive Attack

5 October, 2012

As much as I like 'all black everything' I feel that it's time for colors from this season onwards. Whether it'd be footwear or apparel, it is great to see that a lot of companies have started releasing new products in bold colorways and with superb color blocking.

This autumn/winter, Patagonia clearly has the best color palette with an exceptional collection of outerwear and layering pieces. These three items are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out the rest on their homepage!

Visit: Patagonia

4 October – 10 November, 2012

Anonymous Gallery, Mexico presents: Kostas Seremetis "Human Kind".

In the exhibition, Human Kind, the common image of Felix The Cat is reinvented and reconstructed not only in form, but with surreal settings and offbeat character depictions. Kostas adapts the elegance and style of Felix and ads the powerful iconography used by the Black Panther Party – a symbol of self-defense and revolution.

This ambitious body of work embodies exploration of signification and reconstruction; Kostas sub-consciously paints with no personal language but the meaning of popular images. He shifts the architecture of both subjects finding the way to integrate them within the same structure. In the end, the construction of these new narrative paintings creates their new identity. The composition of the new provides a fresh world of values, meaning and activity. Here all boundaries are faded and the principles of the previous forms reestablish in thought and experience.

Six grand scale works on canvas, two massive mural size painting, and introspective video work, creating nine lives, that will engulf the gallery walls from October 4 – November 10. We are proud to present the artists first solo exhibition with Anonymous Gallery and his second presentation in Mexico City, after his inclusion in The Draw Show, at Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico. The gallery will be producing a 52 page catalogue including the entire series of works.

Kostas Seremetis (lives and works in Brooklyn NY) is a celebrated artist: painter, filmmaker, and sculptor. An artist with a large international following, he has exhibited in major art centers around the world including Tokyo, Paris, Berlin, London, New York and Los Angeles, to name a few. Kostas had his first solo exhibition at the Mary Anthony Gallery in New York City (1997) and has shown in group exhibitions among artists like Gerhard Richter and Jean-Michel Basquiat at Murakami's KaiKai Kiki Gallery in Tokyo, Japan. Inspired by his Spartan culture, Seremetis' signature style, his fearless representation of realities in popular culture is evident. Illustrative of a successful and varied art career spanning over a decade, Seremetis has shown at museums (Parco Museum, Tokyo; Triennale Museum, Milan, Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico), galleries (V1 Gallery – Copenhagen, The Hole Shop – NY, Anonymous Gallery – NY) and is in private collections worldwide. A young and explosive artist, Seremetis has just begun his life's work.

Visit: Anonymous Gallery | Kostas Seremetis

5 – 27 October, 2012

V1 Gallery is proud to present "Free To Be You & Me" a solo exhibition by Todd James.

Luminous colored Somali pirates, smoking cigarettes as the sun sets, drinking tea, making hostage demands on satellite phones, brandishing AK 47’s and rocket propelled grenades populate Todd James new body of work. The paintings have an alluring innocence at first glance. Under the seductive colors and smooth compositions a darker truth lurks. These are portraits of modern pirates, as men at work. Time and time again they jam an AK 47 into the wheels of the global economy and flow of goods, reminding us that the world is not equal for all and that humans will go to great lengths to secure riches. The duality of the work is typical for Todd James, not passing judgment, rather illuminating contradictions in contemporary society. His work is informed by the images we know from the constant stream of media we are swimming in. He distills these images, giving the viewer a chance for brief contemplation, in a time that rarely offers that.

The second part of Free To Be You & Me is a recreation of the Vandal’s Bedroom – a large-scale installation – that premiered at the Art In The Streets exhibition at the MOCA in Los Angeles. The changing installation, mimics a teenage graffiti vandals bedroom and working headquarter, with hundreds of rough sketches pinned roughly to the walls, pop culture references, slogans, appropriated cartoon characters and art supplies. The piece is an homage to the environment Todd James grew up with and in part informed his later practice.
According to Todd James, both vandals and pirates step over invisible boundaries put in place by faceless power structures every day. Both also anonymously make claims (to space or to cargo), their deeds forcing society to confront the undeniable complexity of right and wrong.
The exhibition and title poetically questions the inherent dilemmas of freedom in our world.

Todd James (born in New York, 1969, lives and works in New York) has exhibited extensively around the world. He has been an integral part of the genre expanding and defining exhibitions: Street Market, Beautiful Losers and Art In The Streets. He has recently exhibited at Nazuka Underground in Tokyo, Gering & López Gallery in New York and the MOCA museum in Los Angeles. A new book on his work Yield To Temptation has just been published on the occasion of his latest solo exhibition in Tokyo. Free To Be You & Me is Todd James second solo exhibition with V1 Gallery.

Visit: V1 Gallery | Todd James

1 October, 2012

It is hard to imagine today that there was a time when using the internet meant plugging in a modem into your phoneline, dialing some odd number, hearing those whistling sounds and, of course, waiting. A lot of waiting: for pages to appear, for images to load, for animated GIFs to start moving, for search result texts to appear on your screen.

I used to spend whole Saturday and Sunday afternoons in front of the screen - keeping our one phone line busy for the entire time - searching through the then US-only eBay (for POTA collectibles) and various Japanese A Bathing Ape bulletin boards. Since there were no blogs or news websites, these forums were the spots where information was exchanged and discussions took place. In Japanese, however, but then it was more the photos that I was after, anyway.

While before the internet, I would keep the magazines or collect cut-outs of cool stuff, I began saving JPGs of the stuff that I found (and wanted for that matter) online. With no international version of eBay, having those images was the closest I could get to owning a BAPE T-shirt at the time. Which, obviously, was no alternative and didn't relieve me of my desire to own some of them, for sure...

Luckily, I've kept transferring those folders from one computer to the next as I kept moving up in the leagues of processing power and just recently I rediscovered some files that I had collected during the late 1990s. I must say that it must have been one of the best periods for A Bathing Ape in regards to their graphics. Above is a selection of some of the T-shirts I found on mentioned bulletin boards. Keep in mind - some of these were 'regular' photographs which had then been scanned to be used online.

When I tried to find some of these old images by Googling various search terms I hardly found anything like the photos I had collected. Proof for the idea that the internet actually does forget. So, if you see something you like now, you might want to save it for later.

6 October, 2012

In-time for Halloween, Original Fake will release a new collectible, the Snoopy Halloween Pumpking ceramic bowl reworked by KAWS. Set for a release on October 6th in Japan, the figure will be shipped out to global retailers towards the end of the month.

Visit: Original Fake

13 January, 2013

In January 2013, Medicom will re-release two repdrouctions of Herman Makkink's famous sculptures "Christ Unlimited" and "The Rocking Machine". Both pieces were created by Makkink in 1970 and were featured in Stanly Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" - as props in Alex's bedroom.

The first edition of these collectibles from a few years back was quickly sold out and are almost impossible to come by nowadays. Luckily,Medicom has decided to do a small re-run for early 2013.

Christ Unlimited
W: 475mm x H 600mm x D 280mm, 6kg

The Rocking Machine
W 545mm x H 465 mm x D 895mm, 10kg

If you are interested in pre-ordering either, please contact our store Firmament until October 3rd.

Visit: Herman Makkink | Firmament / Contact

 

13 October, 2012

On October 13th, the new GYAKUSOU Running Collection by Nike and Undercover's Jun Takahashi will be launched at Firmament in Berlin.

As before, the full line - apparel, accessories and footwear - will be displayed in a special retail set-up. For the first time, Firmament will also be carrying a selection of key pieces for women.

Visit: Firmament

13 September – 3 November, 2012

Backslash is proud to announce Surface, the first solo show by Dutch artist Boris Tellegen — better known by his DELTA tag — to be held at the gallery. His installations, wood and paper collages and photographs take the visitor on a journey into a constructed universe where the intersection between the real and the conceptual is anchored in a geometrical style based on reversed perspectives.

Visit: Backslash Gallery | Boris Tellegen

20 August, 2012

This will be a fun day! On August 20th we are hosting the Odd Future Sweatshop at Firmament in Berlin. It's the only pop-up store they are doing in Germany and we're expecting quite a hoopla. If you are around, stop by!

Visit: Firmament Berlin / FB Event

July, 2012

The last time I was truly enthusiastic about the design and technology of a new style of performance footwear was in 1999 when the Nike Air Flightposite was launched. For me, this was the shoe to celebrate the approaching new millennium and a preview of what Nike had to offer for the coming years... but then... I never felt that after 2000 anything similarly exciting followed.* Surely, there were some great advances in design like the Woven, some new technologies like Shox (sorry to have brought this up again when we've almost forgotten about it, thankfully) and exciting specials like the Hyperstrikes and SB releases, but then the past ten years were dominated by 'lifestyle' and 'retro'.

For quite some time now, I've mentioned to my friends at Nike that I was keen on seeing the performance line of products. Not so much because I run (I don't - sorry, Nike, but I missed your time in road cycling by a couple of years) but because I felt that something really cool was going on. The first sign for a slight change came in the form of the Gyakusou running collection by Jun Takahashi a few seasons ago: true running gear. Not just the apparel but also the footwear. I think it is and was only a logical step for Nike, after or parallel to 'lifestyle', to shift the focus back to the core of the company, the athletic side, and to surprise us with innovative concepts in this area.

Flyknit represents exactly this kind of a surprise with the energy and momentum to revive the interest in people like myself who have slowly grown tired of 'sneakers'. As mentioned above, the Flightposite triggered such a notion in me, too. At one point I owned doubles of certain colors and had purchased six or seven versions of it over a period of 12 months. Over a period of two weeks I've now acquired seven pairs of Flyknits. A record! And by 'acquired' I mean 'bought' as in 'full retail, no discount' which I haven't done in almost ten years.

At this point I think that performance wins over lifestyle. And for the first time I must say that the latest HTMs were also clearly beaten by all ten of the general release Trainers and the two amazing colorways of the Racer. Why change that sleek, elegant athletic sole to the now (over-)omnipresent Lunar? Why take off one of the coolest elements of this shoe, the sprayed-on Swoosh, and replace it with a tiddly heat-embossing...? The previous HTM collections were cool(er), but to me these products are literally just 'virtual' due to the exclusive/limited/tight distribution. A concept that is outdated as well as tedious. The opposite of what Flyknit is and should be. And, yes, I have not been this enthusiastic in a long time...

Hopefully 'Flyknit' will catch on, develop further and keep my interest for sneakers alive. I will have to lock up my credit card, though, if this continues...

Visit: Nike Flyknit HTM  |  Nike Flyknit Performance Track Spike

 

 

 

{*The author's enthusiasm might culminate in exaggeration for stylistic purposes.}

July 2012

Stay tuned for the release of DJ Kaos' Mix CD and T-shirt: "Live From Ashra Tempel Manuel Göttschig Concert in Berlin – "Sommergarten" 2012. The package containing CD and T-shirt will be available exclusively from SlamJam and Firmament shortly.

Visit: Pig Magazine (in Italian...)

28 July, 2012

Nike and Dover Street Market come together to release a unique collection of Nike Air Force 1s to mark the 30th anniversary of a classic. The DSM AF1 features a “materials first” for Nike footwear called Ventile, which is a woven fabric that is naturally waterproof and windproof with an impeccable resistance to tearing and fire. They also feature a Tyvek tongue tab marked with 17-18, the street number of Dover Street Market London and a nod to the race day numbers worn by competitive runners.

The Dover Street Market AF1 will launch on July 28th at DSM and select global retailers.

Visit: Dover Street Market | Firmament

July, 2012

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed that I became quite keen on cycling - thanks to my good friend Artoo over at The Soulsearchers. After having bought my first gear at CM Bikewear and taking part in some of their Racetours, the owner, Carsten, asked me whether I could help out designing the CM Bikewear Racetour kit. Indeed, I could...

The result is a jersey and a pair of bib shorts in the team colors black, bright green and white featuring the sponsors' logos of Giro and Nalini (who also produce this set) as well as our unofficial motto "Der Wind ist unser Berg" (The Wind is our Mountain). If you have ever made your way out of Berlin on your bike you know that a) there are no mountains and b) there seems to be a strong wind always blowing in your face.

The kit will be available through CM Bikewear in abour 4 weeks time. If you are interested in purchasing it drop me a note through the contact form. In the meantime check out the CM Racetour Blog to join the tours or get connected with our The Soulsearchers team.

Visit: CM Bikewear Racetour | The Soulsearchers

5 July, 2012

Stone Island Archivio '982–'012, is the title of the book born from the desire to illustrate the story of Stone Island. It is an examination into the huge archive of the brand which has left an indelible mark on the history of sportswear over the last 30 years.

After its premiere in Florence, Archivio '982–'012 will be launched at FIRMAMENT on July 5th. A limited number of copies will be sold at Firmament from that day, too.

Visit: Firmament / Facebook Event

25 June, 2012

I just got back from one of the most fun trips that I was invited to by Nike in the past couple of years. When Nike+ was introduced in 2006 I attended the launch in New York. Besides learning about the technology and cooperation with Apple, the key part of this presentation was the trial runs all guests were allowed to take. This year, on June 29., Nike launches an updated version of Nike+ and I was among a group of people to try it out in Los Angeles, one full week before the official date.

After an introductory lunch on the beautiful rooftop of Hotel London in West Hollywood - and Germany's winning game against Greece - we received an in-depth briefing about the new Nike+ gear by Ricky Engelberg, Experience Director for Digital Sport at Nike at The Vault.

We were then escorted to front row seats in the LA Live square for a performance by Schoolboy Q and the Nike+ Basketball Dunk Contest, a perfect demonstration of the new Nike+ technology. Justin Darlington, aka Jus Fly, won the contest with a cartwheel, between the legs dunk. Jus Fly's vertical leap for the winning dunk was measured at 42.3 inches by the Nike+ Basketball system.

As a big SNL fan myself, the following was a true highlight as Nike had invited one of the show's main comedians and head writer Seth Meyers to greet us at the historic Montalban Theatre in Hollywood, where our night of testing began. Split up in eight groups we had to compete against each other in the Nike+ Trial Zone where the Nike+ system measured how high we jumped, how fast we moved and how hard we worked through the Vertical Leap, Foot Fires and Jump Rope tests respectively. Even though our group had the leading spots in several of the disciplines we didn't win, unfortunately. But then not every group stuck to the rules and the winning team had now girls on their roster either...

The finale was set on the rooftop of the Montalban where the contestants of the prior Nike+ Basketball Dunk Contest, once again, showed their skills and invited guests to join in to find about their own basketball skills.

I'm looking forward to more try-outs of the Nike+ here in Berlin as our own Nike Space now has a Trial Zone set-up of its own. Stay tuned for info about upcoming battles!

Visit: Nike+

23 June, 2012

As an avid follow of G.O.T. you might know that having pet dragons is all the rage this year. If you can't afford the real thing, maybe go for the second edition of the Nike Air Force 1 Lows to be launched this June.

"Designed with the dragon boat concept as a primary inspiration, the upper includes red suede with an embossed scale pattern, while the outsole and part of the upper are made of bright blue leather. The overall design echoes that of a dragon boat, evoking a red boat floating on a blue lake, with the golden Swoosh emphasizing the nobility and majesty of the dragon.

2012 is known as 'the Year of the Water Dragon', and this interpretation of a dragon rising out of the sea conveys the idea of prosperity for all. The multi-colored knitted tongue design represents the cultural features of the Dragon Boat Festival and best wishes for safety and health.

The shoe’s tongue top uses the ‘dragon in clouds’ pattern, identical to the Year of the Dragon Air Force 1 from Spring. Additional details include the multi-colored cloud pattern on the cushion, representing good fortune. The character for ‘dragon’ in ancient oracle bone script on the heel counter, pearl dubrets with the Roman numerals “XXX”, and the premium aglets. The extra set of red shoelaces provides an additional color element.

The Year of the Dragon special edition AIR FORCE 1 LOW will be released on June 23, the date of this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, at select global retailers."

Visit: Firmament

3 July, 2012

Together with our friends at Vans Vault we invite you to join us in the first week of July when we celebrate the start of fashion week in Berlin. We will be partying with our good friends Radio Slave, Terranova and Patta Soundsystem. Check the details on our Facebook Event page.

Stay tuned for infos on the three T-shirts to be released for this special occasion! They are in the making and will be launched in the same week...

Visit: Firmament at Cookies

15 June – 14 July, 2012

The Outsiders London is delighted to welcome to the gallery the first ever exhibition by one of Europe's foremost graffiti crew 'The Chrome Angelz'. Formed in the early 1980s crew members Mode 2, Pride, Zaki, Scribla and Bando have come together again more than 20 years later to showcase photos from their unseen archive, canvases, as well as brand new paintings and sculptural pieces. The Chrome Angelz exhibition will offer a rare insight into their unique and proud history.

Visit: The Outsiders London

Welcome to a new era of high performance road bike braking, the Colnago C59 Disc.

Colnago have taken a bold step towards the future of road bike evolution with the introduction of the C59 Disc. Featuring fully hydraulic front and rear disc brakes it is set to bring a whole new level of performance and safety to the Colnago road bike line. The frame and fork are fully compatible with standard PM calipers too.

I would welcome this bike instantly...

20 June – 23 September, 2012

In the summer of 2012, the Schirn and the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung turn their attention to the work of American artist Jeff Koons (born in 1955), an artist who has been setting trends in the art world since the 1980s. The two simultaneous exhibitions dedicated to Koons’s oeuvre deliberately separate his sculpture and painting, presenting each in its own context.

The Schirn presentation Jeff Koons. The Painter will focus on Koons’s structural development as a painter. In his monumental paintings—whose motifs draw upon the most varied sources of high and popular culture—both hyperrealistic and gestural features give rise to highly complex concentrations of image and content. By contrast, in the exhibition Jeff Koons. The Sculptor at the Liebieghaus, both world-renowned and new sculptural works by Koons will enter into a dialogue with the historic building and its collection spanning 5,000 years of sculpture.

Visit: Koons in Frankfurt

25 July – 26 July, 2012

Rooted in the California lifestyle, LAUNCH is a platform provided for inspired, design-driven brands focused on uncompromised product integrity and innovation to reach their true potential. Comprised of the latest garments, accessories, gadgets, and equipment for an active lifestyle, LAUNCH is a carefully curated collection of brands, designers, artists, and visionaries at the vanguard of design and West Coast culture.

Located geographically and aesthetically between Fairfax and Dogtown at Santa Monica’s historical Barker Hangar, the LAUNCH show blends bleeding edge technology with classic, timeless aesthetics to create a trade event atmosphere never before experienced on the West Coast.

Coupled with an exclusive roster of stockists, media, and market influencers, LAUNCH provides a select assortment of exhibitors access to an extensive network of like-minded, business oriented creatives, and is poised early in the selling cycle to ensure that each product presented at the two day show is a true debut.

Visit: LA Launch

26 May – 12 August, 2012

Adolescent beauty, sexuality and drug-induced action – Larry Clark radically and realistically documents the everyday life of US teenagers, transgressing bourgeois moral concepts. From the drug scene in his hometown of Tulsa in the early 1960s to contemporary skaters in Los Angeles his works capture extremely intimate moments. The authenticity of Clarke’s images expose the consequences of a dysfunctional society and question the social responsibility and moral stance of its members.

Visit: C|O Berlin

Even though I own quite a few T-shirts I never really liked wearing them in the summer as I found them uncomfortable due to the lack of proper ventilation - as compared to short-sleeve shirts.

This summer, however, I somehow feel that I could manage. Especially as I discovered - sorry for my ignorance, but I haven't been paying much attention to the retail side of skateboarding for some years - that Powell Peralta has been re-issuing some of their old graphics by VC Johnson. Amongst them the Oval Dragon which I am looking forward to seeing on a crisp white T-shirt. Hopefully the pictured Per Welinder Nordic Skull will follow soon.

Visit: Powell Peralta

3 October – 5 October, 2012

World Architecture Festival is the world's largest, live, truly inclusive and interactive global architectural awards programme. It is a unique meeting point for architects, suppliers and clients, attracting hundreds of entries and visitors from all over the world.

Visit: World Architecture Festival

May 2012

It will be interesting to see what the re-launched ambush and ambush 02 stores will look like and which brands they'll carry. The first one - run by Earn Chen - was first mentioned on Beinghunted back in 2003 when the store had just been refurbished: Beinghunted Archive. Check out those original pieces from Kaws!

Visit: ambush & ambush 02, Singapore

26 May – 16 September, 2012

“My collection, that’s me – my childhood, my friends, my heroes, my role models, what I enjoy, what moves me. Pictures from my journey: ‘at home I’m a tourist’.”
(Selim Varol)

If you think you have seen toy collections or 'collections' in general, you will need to reboot your system after experiencing this exhibition. You have seen nothing yet... Follow the link for a quick-and-dirty preview of this incredible show to open this coming Saturday in Berlin.

From 26 May to 16 September 2012, me Collectors Room Berlin will be presenting the collection of Selim Varol. The exhibition will thus mark a return to an essential leitmotif of the foundation: the theme of collecting and the passion of the collector. The 39-year-old collector from Düsseldorf with Turkish roots has been collecting toys since his childhood and owns one of the largest collections of figurines in Europe, numbering some 15,000 pieces. A further focus of his collection lies in works by artists who trace their origins back to street art and ‘Pop Surrealism’. One characteristic shared by all the works in this collection is the close link between art and the everyday, as well as their often playful and humorous or subversive character.

For more information, visit me Collectors Room, Berlin and Toykio.

 

25 May & 1 July, 2012

When it launched in 2000 the Air Woven tipped footwear design into the new millennium. Immediately turning heads with its unusual textile pattern and supreme comfort and fit, the Air Woven’s birth was a moment in time that has become indelible in the NIKE design history.

The shoe’s upper is hand woven using a combination of elastic and polyester webbing to ensure the perfect fit, acting as a second skin on the foot. Air Woven comes to life with various colors incorporated into the hand-woven upper. The shoe’s midsole is molded phylon for added comfortable fit and feel.

Featuring a Nike Air unit in the heel, the new colorways have been created in honor of some of the teams and players who will compete this summer on football's biggest stage. Three new versions will be available globally at select retailers on May 25th and the final color will launch on June 1st.

16 May – 30 June, 2012

Kaws' solo show at the newly opened Emmanuel Perrotin gallery in Hong Kong.

Visit: Emmanuel Perrotin

17 May – 20 May 2012

Back for its fifth year, ART HK 12 will take place 17-20 May 2012, preview 16 May, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). This year, ART HK 12 will showcase the very best in contemporary art from 266 galleries representing 39 International territories. Widely acknowledged as an important platform for networking in the international art community, ART HK brings together leading collectors, curators, artists and galleries from across Asia and the rest of the world.

Visit: Hong Kong Art Fair

25 July, 2012

Global release of the third installment of Nike's Flyknit collection designed by the HTM triumvirate Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker.

More infos soon!

July 31, 2012

Written by Monica Ramirez-Montagut, Foreword by Peter Saul, Contribution by Angela Stief and KAWS.

Rizzoli

20 June – 7 July, 2012

Stone Island turns thirty and is ready to celebrate. From June 20th to July 7th, Stazione Leopolda in Florence will host the exhibition STONE ISLAND 30, produced by Stone Island in collaboration with Fondazione Pitti Discovery, curated by the art directors Simon Foxton and Nicholas Griffiths.

The exhibition explores the three decades through eight specific areas enquiring the themes of excellence defined by Stone Island over the past 30 years. From sportswear to textile research through technical avant-garde, the exhibition explores the growth of Stone Island's manufacturing knowledge that led the brand to become a point of pride within the Made in Italy scene. Protagonists of STONE ISLAND 30 will be more than 200 garments from our archives, with the countless treatments and processes that contributed to their creation; from fabric coatings, to resin and plating treatments, from the investigations of thermo-sensitive and light refraction textiles, to the ubiquitous research of in-garment dyeing techniques.

STONE ISLAND 30
Stazione Leopolda
Via Fratelli Rosselli 5
50144 Florence
Italy

Global Launch.

The Nike & Tom Sachs: Tom Sachs: NIKECraft collection.

Space travel is physically demanding in countless ways. Astronauts must first be as fit as an elite athlete to even withstand the rigors of exiting the earth’s atmosphere. Their daily tasks require a substantial effort and endurance. Equally, their equipment must be up to the task of performing under the most unforgiving conditions.

The needs of a space traveller create an interesting design challenge. They seek product that is lightweight and athletic, yet durable to an extreme degree.

It’s exactly the kind of problem solving exercise that designers at Nike would embrace. But while Nike has certainly employed aerospace innovation to sportswear over the years in cushioning platforms like Nike Air and Nike Lunarlon, they create for athletes, not astronauts.

That is, until, the opportunity of supporting artist Tom Sachs and his team in the “Space Program: MARS“ presented itself. Sachs and his team were looking for high performance product to train in to prepare for their mission.

The journey itself would end up inspiring the Tom Sachs: NIKECraft collection - The Mars Yard Shoe, the Trench, The Marsfly Jacket, and the Lightweight Tote. Nike design and Sachs applied materials that have never been used in sportswear, taken from automotive air bags, mainsails for boats and the space suit itself. Each piece is packed with functionality that would prove useful in the voyage through space. Zipper pulls that double as storage containers, paracord that can be fashioned as a tourniquet and embellishments like the periodic table of elements screened on the inside of a jacket - they all merge visual interest with purpose.

The Tom Sachs: NIKECraft collection will be available at premium Nike retailers globally.

More from KAWS & Original Fake.

The ever-popular KAWS Companion returns.

This new Companion pillow by Original Fake will be released later this month at select retailers globally as well as the Original Fake flagship store in Tokyo.

Spring/Summer 2012

More from Undercover x Nike for the runners.

March 3rd will the see launch of the new running collection by Nike and Japan's Undercover Lab headed by Jun Takahashi. For the first time a women's line has been created including tops, shorts and sneakers.