skateboarding Archives | Page 43 of 54

KR3W Spring 2015 Lookbook

Posted on February 22, 2015February 22, 2015 by bythelevel

Prior to KR3W‘s Fall/Winter 2014 release we were lucky enough to catch up with Jack Toledo, KR3W’s design director. We touched on how the brand and it’s collections were continuing to mature and develop, to produce more considered lifestyle driven pieces. The same direction is applied to their Spring 2015 collection entitled ‘Nobody’s Hero’, which has been showcased in this alluring lookbook, shot by Cameron Strand.

The collection is comprised of essential staples from button up shirts to long sleeve tees, featuring minimal graphics and subtle prints for a clean aesthetic throughout. There is also a healthy selection of Denim, utilising a variety of washes including white static, light stone and artisan blue. Within the collection, the ‘Rights Refused’ program returns, this time collaborating with celebrated 90’s grunge photographer Charles Peterson, applying his iconic imagery to a range of long and short sleeved tees and tanks.

The lookbook was shot in Borrego Springs in the Californian desert, capturing the essence of the collection as well as its seasonal palette of eggshell, dark teal and dark slate, with its raw imagery. The KR3W Spring 2015 collection is available now Slam City and Parlour Skate Store

Lucas Puig of Hélas Caps – Interview

Posted on February 21, 2015March 10, 2016 by bythelevel

Despite what might seem like yesterday to many of us, that miracle primo slide we saw Lucas Puig do in Lakai’s Fully Flared happened near enough 8 years ago now. Since then he’s come a long way and is now without a doubt a globally recognised professional skateboarder. As a certified favourite of ours we jumped at the opportunity to chat with him over email about his ever-growing company, Hélas.

Quartersnacks called you “the skater of the decade (thus far)”. What did you think when you saw that?

I was hyped! It’s cool to see something like that knowing I’ll never be skater of the year.

What was it like growing up skating in France? Do you think It’s influenced the way you skate now?

It was cool as I’m sure it would be growing up skating anywhere. I’ve always been inspired by my local French homies JB Gillet and JJ Rousseau, two French legends.

There’s a big list of household names riding with you for adidas. What’s it like skating with newer members, Nakel (Smith), Tyshawn (Jones) and Miles (Silvas)?

It’s always good to skate with newcomers. They show up with their fresh legs so it’s motivating for me.

Cliche and Adidas have worked with Hélas in the past. How has the support you’ve received from them helped you develop the brand?

All my sponsors had been following Hélas, then they offered to collaborate with us spontaneously. It was really exciting for me to feel that backing from everyone. It’s definitely helped us to spread the brand overseas as well as in Europe.

Are you working on any new collaborations at the moment?

TOP SECRET!

Skate companies from all over the world are getting a lot more global recognition these days, especially in Europe. Do you think that has helped Hélas get to where it is now?

For sure, European brands are way more welcome overseas than they used to be. All the Euro brands are doing it properly with a sort of different approach compared to the US scene, which is good.

What was the inspiration behind starting Hélas as a hat company?

We’d always been big fans of 5 panels and at time it was still kind of rare to get our hands on one. Me and my homies thought it was time to dive in!

Could you tell us a bit about the name Hélas and the inspiration behind the umbrella logo?

Hélas means unfortunately. We like to leave the name and the logo to the imagination of the people that check us out!

You’ve drawn inspiration from designer brands in past, notably in the “GUCCIT” collection. Do you think that designer brands particularly influence you and your products at Helas?

GUCCIT for Good Shit haha! Of course, we’re definitely influenced by some minimalist “classy” brands that we love to wear.

What can you tell us about the latest Hélas collection?

Its better than the previous one but a lot more wack than the one coming after this!

There’s definitely a strong sense of brotherhood and camaraderie in the videos you’re putting out. We’ve seen plenty of clips in the Hélas mixtapes of friends and family from around the world showing their support for the brand. Is this sense of brotherhood part of the vision at Hélas.

CAMARADERIE, FEELING, BROTHERHOOD, those words define the Hélas spirit for sure! No pressure, we skate together and we like to push our underdogs!

How’re things going with the video?

Real good, my partner Stephen is killing it behind the lens. We’re trying to meet more and more with the boys to film and push it. People we might not get to skate with as often are also filming in their own time as well which is exciting.

Is the majority of the video being filmed in Europe?

Most of it will be in Europe and some in China where Stephen is also based.

Should we expect full parts?

Full parts and some chaos for sure!

Be sure to head to helascaps.com for more information or to shop the collection. You can also pick up the latest from Hélas at flatspot.com.

Words: James P.Lees

Imagery courtesy of Hélas

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Oakley launches “One Obsession” Campaign

Posted on February 19, 2015February 19, 2015 by bythelevel

Oakley have launched a new campaign entitled ‘One Obsession’ which aims to inspire fans across the globe to pursue their passions.

The campaign will run through the remainder of 2015, launching with this short video (below) featuring some of the brands ambassadors including Eric Koston, Gabriel Medina and Matt Kemp amongst others. In the video the athletes talk of their physical places of obsession, and this campaign encourages you to show Oakley yours. The Californian brand will reward #LiveYours contributions by granting access to the athletes who inspire what you do, as well as surprise experiences.

Oakley’s SVP of Marketing David Adamson spoke on the campaign;

“Oakley celebrates those who relentlessly pursue their passions and we encourage others to do the same. With ONE OBSESSION, we are excited to facilitate conversations with professional athletes – enabling them to connect with consumers through new, shared experiences.”

The multi-channel campaign will span over 22 countries and will include digital, social, advertising, outdoor, retail activations and live events, with over 450 athletes participating. You can find out more on the campaign at www.oakley.com/one-obsession and get involved with the movement using #LiveYours

Supreme Spring/Summer 2015 Lookbook

Posted on February 18, 2015February 18, 2015 by bythelevel

Following news that the brands creative director Brendon Babenzien is set to leave to restart ‘Noah’, Supreme drop the visuals for their highly anticipated Spring/Summer 2015 release.

Once again, Supreme draw influence from a range of different themes including vintage sportswear, traditional Japanese designs and military styles for the latest release. The collection sees various prints and patterns applied to several unique, considered styles, with a strong selection of outerwear taking centre stage. There is also custom artwork from the likes of Daniel Johnston and stand out pieces such as the all over Malcolm X photo print Baseball Jersey; each of which represent the bolder items of the collection. Each piece offers up something completely different, and thats where Supreme excel. Amongst the bolder pieces there are more simplified items that utilise the brands iconic logo designs as well as new takes on the type.

Despite drawing from a number of subjects, Supreme always stays true to and representative of the NY skate scene. It’s ability to take inspiration from different cultures and turn it into some very New York is reflective of the city. Whether you are a fan of the clothing or not, it’s hard to deny that the brand continues to push the boundaries of design and style, season after season they continue to have people across the globe battling to get their hands on a piece.

The Supreme Spring/Summer 2015 collection will be available at the brands London store from Thursday the 19th of January and online at www.supremenewyork.com from the 26th of January.

Nike SB x De La Soul – Dunk Pack

Posted on February 17, 2015 by bythelevel

Hip-Hop and Skateboarding collide once again this Spring as Nike SB give a slightly reworked re-issue of the De La Soul Hi and Lo silhouettes to celebrate the shoes 10th year anniversary.

Once again looking to the Hip-Hop pioneers ‘3 Feet High & Risings’ debut album as inspiration, the highly anticipated release features custom artwork applied to the shoes panelled overlays. The Hi is offered up in a premium white leather, with perforations on the toe box, while the Lo arrives with a brown suede base, with green pops on the swoosh and midsole, with elephant print also applied to the shoes overlays.

When the Dunk was introduced to the world in 1985, it was quickly adopted by skateboarders and sneaker heads alike, thanks to its robust construction, thick flat sole and ankle protection. The Nike SB Dunk followed in 2002 to pay homage the shoes influence in skate culture during the 90’s. Appropriately both Nike and De LA Soul celebrated their influence within skateboarding with a hip-hop inspired collab first released back in 2005, which featured similar reworks to that of the latest release and is considered now as one of the most celebrate colour ways of the SB Dunk.

This years re-issue is sure to give much of the same and with the highly-anticipated release available in limited numbers, I’m sure these wont be around for long. To commemorate the release, Nike SB have put together this short video which sees pro-rider and DC native Bobby Worrest skate in the Hi’s.

The Nike SB x De La Soul will be available in the UK from the 6th of March at nike.com

Butter Goods Fall/Winter 2015

Posted on February 17, 2015February 17, 2015 by bythelevel

The guys at Butter Good’s return to offer up more lo-fi, skate ready goodness for Fall/Winter 2015, and thanks to reverse seasons, we get to enjoy it this Spring/Summer 2015.

Despite the alternate seasons, there are many pieces in the collection that would work just as well in the ‘British summer’. The Australian skater owned company is passionate about supplying apparel for skaters, and this collection follows much of the same themes from the brands previous releases. Heavily graphic based, the release features bold back prints mixed with subtle pocket designs applied to a range of tees, long sleeves, sweaters and polo tops, as well as a solid selection of headwear.

The visuals give a great representation of the brand and capture their honest designs in an authentic way. Shot by James Whineray and Garth Mariano in their hometown of Perth, the look book features riders Chris Luu, Issa Hassan and Dylan Esposito.

The Butter Goods collection is available now at www.buttergoods.com and Bristol’s www.5050store.com

Converse Cons present the Breakpoint Collection

Posted on February 12, 2015February 13, 2015 by bythelevel

Converse CONS have announced the launch of the Breakpoint collection, which sees the brand link up with four of Europe’s most renowned and influential footwear stores to create an exclusive pack of limited edition sneakers.

Londons Footpatrol, Amsterdam’s Patta, Berlin’s Solebox and Starcow based in Paris all apply their own unique take on the silhouette which is made up of a premium mix of materials, including nubuck, suede, nylon and a heavy cotton twill. Each design pulls inspiration from the stores surroundings and local culture, adding their own colour applications and sole constructions based on the individual stores influences. All of the styles feature Converse CONS’ iconic Star Chevron logo and dual branding on the heel tabs and insole, as well as a choice of tonal or contrasting laces. The shoes functional features aren’t lost as a lightweight cusioning is added for comfort and a padded tongue provides protection for the top of the foot.

Converse CONS have also introduced a Breakpoint Zine which will be available in each of the partner stores. The zine gives a visual representation of each stores cultural influences with 20 pages of inspirational artwork, artist submissions, musicians, photographers and filmmakers. It’s a nice touch from the brand to round off 4 solid reworks of the low profile shoe.

The Converse CONS Breakpoint collection will be available exclusively at the four locations in limited numbers from Saturday the 14th of February. The blue suede rework shown above will be available at Footpatrol London.