FRESHLY SERIOUS™» fashion

Euro PoloRican: Living the Lo Life in the UK [documovie]

S.D. Rockswell — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:16:55 +0000

In the late 80′s 2 sets of fashion hungry kids from Brooklyn teamed up to become one of the strongest forces NYC would see to this day. The crews, Ralphies Kids and Polo USA formed the Lo-Life’s [read more]. Draped in primo POLO by Ralph Lauren they created a culture for themselves that continues to span generations. And now with the official endorsement from Lo-Life founder RACK LO, the Lo Lifestyle is popping overseas. In 2010 the London Ralph Lauren Chapter (LRLC) was formed. Although, we should probably keep an eye on they’re charter status. Because if they can’t even posse up for a crew photo shoot, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to carry on the legacy of Lo-Life’s in the UK. A well done video by Bristol outfit, Broken Antenna. S/O Roger Gastman for the original plug.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jay-Z Goes Gusto and Buys BBC Ice Cream

S.D. Rockswell — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:59:54 +0000

Just days before the release of Watch the Throne, his highly anticipated album with Kanye West, Jay-Z’s is making more moves on his Illuminati chessboard. As of today, Jay-Z’s fashion house, Rocawear, is the sole manufacturer and distributor of Pharrell Williams’ Billionaire Boys Club. With this (ultimate financial) alliance, Pharrell will continue as the creative director while Hov handles the business end of things.No need for the label whores to lose it. BBC is not going to end up in MACY’s or Floomingdales. It will remain in the upper echelon of the streetwear arena, business as usual. As brands are folding everyday due to the economy, this is the kind of backup one could only dream about.. For now we’ll watch and see how this thing turns out. We’re thinking Too Big To Fail.

Futura 2000 x Clarks Originals Fall/Winter 2011

S.D. Rockswell — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:03:16 +0000

The drop that we’ve been waiting for is finally here. After premiering at this years Bread and Butter in Germany, the union of Clarks and legendary graffiti writer Futura 2000 is back with yet another take on the classic Wallabee.

Forged out of the same ballistic military grade nylon as last years fave the Clarks x Stussy, this one is a whole new look altogether. Natural crepe outsole of course. Futura’s signature style is emblazend on the upper with, electric blue accents on the collar, eyelets and laces. Attention to detail appears via leather label with the classic Futura 2000 handstyle. HEAT! These are available now via The Hanon Shop, and we’re trying to find out about stateside retail. Stay tuned.

Fotos via HighSnobiety

Not Black, Not White, but Polo-Rican. Living The Lo-Life

Trilly D. Millions — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:19:34 +0000

Foto: ProFreshionalismRalphies Kids and Polo USA. Two boostin crews from two different sections in Brooklyn. With an obsessive affinity for the classic styles of fashion designer Ralph Lauren, they joined forces to become one of the most notorious problems the streets of NYC would ever deal with. They named the new unit, The Lo-Lifes. Even with other crews like A-Team, Face Heads, G (Guess) Force, Fila Mob, and the Steam Team, The Lo Lifes garnered respect from them all. And do you think Ralph Lauren and his Polo brand blew up during the nineties because of well planned ad campaigns? We’ve been researching the Lo-Life story on and off for the last couple of weeks with the intention of a full feature. Eventually. But we can rest easy for a second as somebody has already started telling the story. And as someone stated else where on the innanets, “The young kids of the hypebeast era need to know about the LO era – Real Streetwear history.” Can’t say we disagree.

LIVING THE LO-LIFE BY DOUGLAS BRUNDAGE Polo by Ralph Lauren was originally intended for the preppy yacht-and-tennis set. In the 80s and 90s, however, it was discovered by fashion-forward folks in the projects of Brooklyn who began obsessing over it and boosting it from stores in mass quantities, creating one of the most incongruous subcultures of the last three decades. They called themselves the Lo-Lifes, and Brayden Olson recently shot some of them for our Photo Issue.

We talked to two of the Lo-Lifes—one of whom likes Ralph Lauren so much he raps under the name Meyhem Lauren—to learn what it was like to rock and rack Lo. We also spoke with Brayden about his experience with the Lo-Lifes.

Foto: Brayden Olson

VICE: How old were you when you got involved with the Lo-Life crew? Meyhem Lauren: I was always into fashion and paying attention to clothes, but I’d say I was about 12 or 13 when I got into the whole scene and started racking Polos. There’s a difference between wearing Polo and rocking Lo. It was about coming through with the graphic shit, y’know, big crests, the wings, everything. It was about putting things together in a certain way.

Everything I’ve heard about this era makes it sounds like how you got the Polo gear was just as important as having it, like you wouldn’t get respect if you bought it. Meyhem Lauren: It was more about the pieces for me. I didn’t care about buying, I didn’t care about racking, I just wanted it. There was a time in my life when I was racking Polo, pulling schemes for Polo, and spending checks from my day job on Polo. At the end of the day, it was about coming through fresh.

How many pieces did you have at your peak? Meyhem Lauren: Over 1,000.

Wow, do you still have that many? Meyhem Lauren: Not hard pieces with big symbols and graphics, but I probably have 1,000 items. Chris Lo: I don’t have as many. Throughout the years I’ve kind of fallen off the bandwagon. Most of the stuff I’ve kept from back then are items with battle scars on them that I won’t get rid of because of sentimental value. But I probably have a good couple of hundred pieces left.

What would you say is the most valuable piece you own? Meyhem: You know, it all depends on the person. There’s a lot of 80s pieces that older Heads value more, because that’s what they wore coming up, and kids from the 90s, like me, might drop their money on something more graphic than the 80s pieces. It all depends on what type of Lo-Head you are and where you’re from. Different pieces held different weight in different neighborhoods.

What’s the most expensive piece that’s been sold? Chris Lo: The most expensive piece right now is the Martini turtleneck. It’s probably like seven or eight grand.

Lo-Lifes circa 1988 / Foto credit unknown

What about really rare pieces? Were there certain ones that you couldn’t find anywhere? Chris Lo: There are pieces that are like, mythological. Meyhem: The Never-Ending Bear.

The Never-Ending Bear? Meyhem: Well, supposedly there’s a knit out there with a bear rockin’ a knit with himself on it, and he’s rocking a bear, and it just goes on and on forever [laughs]. Guys will swear they have three of those but they never bring it out, never rock it for flicks, but supposedly it’s there.

Ralph Lauren must have a bunch of rare items in storage somewhere, right? Meyhem: One of my friends works for Ralph Lauren, and he told me that they have a warehouse with a bunch of old pieces: collector’s items, valuable things, items that would go for a lot of cash. But they test them before they release them. So he’s like, “Yo, I’ve seen them take Indian Heads and cut them, just to test the fabric, slice them all up, take a square out of the middle of a sweatshirt.” And this shit is crazy to me, it’s like telling me they put a baby in a cheese grater [laughs].

Meyhem Lauren – ‘Got The Fever’ NYC Graffiti New York City
Click here to view the embedded video.
When you were racking Lo, what were some of your techniques? Chris: We weren’t petty thieves, that’s one thing I want to make clear. Meyhem: When it went down, it was a lot bigger than just Los. We wore Los, but we were boosting all types of shit. We had more money as kids than a lot of adults do right now. Chris: We used to take book bags and put tinfoil in them or use Café Bustelo cans so the sensors wouldn’t go off. Later on they started coming out with those ink alarms— Meyhem: But with those, you just throw a balloon on top of them so the ink would go in the balloon. Chris: There are people who had tools to take the alarms off, too. Meyhem: I didn’t really boost that crazy in New York City, we were hitting like Woodbury or Frankie Mills, the outlets upstate—they weren’t ready for us. Chris: There’s people I know who used to go to Puerto Rico to the outlets and Lo rack. They’d buy a plane ticket, go out to PR and rack, and come back with mad gear.

Read the rest at Vice Magazine: LIVING THE LO-LIFE – Viceland Today

If your’re in the market to weight up on some of those classic RL POLO styles checkout KEY CITY VINTAGE. Staying constantly stocked, they’ve got you more than covered.

Click here to view the embedded video.

More Lo Life adventures can be found here > Lo Head: 88Keys | Just Blaze 1967 | Polo Pirates Log |

Star Wars x Adidas FALL/WTR ’11 Look Book

S.D. Rockswell — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:20:05 +0000

Everybody on the planet nerds out about something. Whatever that particular something is, they’ll run off at the mouth for hours with all the dusty dirt, dates, details, and demographics whether you want to hear it or not. Act like you could care less about their nerdiness, they get sensitive and what not. One the other hand, If you pull that on a Star Wars fanatic you liable to get your head busted to the white meat.

That said Star Wars people, The Adidas Imeprial Guard Stan Smith 80′s? As Ghostface would say, “Yo, That’s not a good look B. That’s not poppin for you son.” TJ Maxx and Marshalls wouldn’t even carry those joints. In actuallity, most would agree that the previous Adidas x Star Wars releases haven’t hit the mark outside of the DeathStar fanboys. That is up until now. Some where someone either A) put their head in the game and touched The Force or B) got fired, because the 2011 Star Wars x Adi union is rather fresh. Add the right character references to the look book concept and its a done deal.

Star Wars x Adi Originals – SW S Leather Darth Vader A15 Jacket

The new line takes ques from the cocaine 80′s Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, when the Imperial Army gotted mobbed out by the Rebels for the planet Hoth. The designs are actually direct reflection of the iced out Hoth’d lifestyle. Loaded with Rebel and The Dark Side, the Darth Vader leather down is nice, as are The Hoth field jacket and the Fighter Pilot jacket.

Star Wars x Adi Originals – SW S Hoth M65 Field Jacket

For the footwear selection Darth Vader is repping for the Stan Smith 80s this time. The green + orange color way is setting it off for the Military styled Forum Mid. Then there is the Wampa Campus 80s, which may be a bit to Liberace for the average Jedi. On the other hand, if you’re really in touch with The Force, you’re styling on suckers.

Star Wars x Adi Originals – S.W. Hoth Forums

Star Wars x Adi Originals – Stan Smith 80s Mid Vader

Star Wars x Adi Originals – Forum Mid Military

Star Wars x Adi Originals – Campus 80s Wampa

via Press Release For their latest collaborative collection with Star Wars, adidas Originals reflects back to 1980′s Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, where the Rebel Alliance clashed with the Imperial Army in the epic battle of Hoth. With designs inspired by the icy planet, adidas has tied in a winter sports vibe that introduces the characters, creatures, vehicles and styles of Hoth to the adidas DNA.

Colder weather and Hoth inspiration means the need for jackets, and Originals has an impressive lineup of them ready to roll out. A Darth Vader leather down jacket leads the pack, while a militant flight jacket and winter camouflage field jacket are sure to resonate well with purists. New footwear styles include a Vader-inspired colorway of the Stan Smith 80s, Wampa Campus 80s, Military Forum Mid and the S.W. Hoth.

Dirty Secrets: CANAL+ ‘T-Shirt Stories’ [TRAILER]

S.D. Rockswell — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:46:39 +0000

With the name ‘T-Stories’, it doesn’t take rocket science to determine what this movie is about. France’s provider of exclusive content, CANAL+ presents a documovie that centers around a rather panache group of entrepreneurs who have all built their fortunes from the ground up. starting with guess what? T-SHIRTS. Also featured are the obsessive collectors of T-Shirts and a few of the artists and designers that make each T-Shirt unique.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Produced by upstart filmmakers Dimitri Pailhe and Julien Potart, ‘T-Shirt Stories’ is thorough analysis of the most essential pieces of any wardrobe. Casual wear to Streetwear. High fashion, low fashion or no fashion, the importance of the T-Shirt can not be denied. Featuring the likes of skateboard legend Tony Alva, Pedro “Busy P” Winter (Ed Banger Records), Earsnot (ALife/IRAK Crew), and The Don – Dov Charney, ‘T-Shirt Stories’ airs June 29, 2011 on CANAL +

BONUS: Dov Charney speaks…

T-Shirt Stories – Dov

@TheFreedminds SF Summer 2011 Lookbook

S.D. Rockswell — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:11:24 +0000

Ahhh….Summer 2011. We’re going to coin a new phrase tho and call it “lookbook season”, because we’ve seen a grip of them. Now even though a lookbook is suppose to let you know what your favorite brands have coming around the corner, they should also give you a realistic glimpse into the lifestyles that are behind the brands themselves.For the sake integrity, that glimpse should noticeably be true and honest (unless you prefer fraudulence). It’s always good to know what kind ideologies you’re sliding into. That said, when the homie Sumner created this video preview, he gave us real deal look at the breezy SoCal lifestyle that is The Freedminds.

Brick Stowell captured the lifestyle associated with the brand as well. The look-book is comprised of a few Southern California locations and features a few quintessential SoCal residents by the likes of Julian (THLA), Anwar (Peas & Carrots), & Jasper (Odd Future). Unlike other look-books, it features a few essential ladies as well. Cop at The Freedminds online shop, or InfiniteSF if you’re Left Coast. High Quality Contraband Indeed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Freedminds. High quality contraband indeed.

S.D. Rockswell — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:09:02 +0000

When the homie Sumner isn’t walking his beast through your back yard at night or juicing up videos for Blunt Fang, he’s cranking out mini commercials for next brands like FreedMinds in less than 24 hours. Keep up with him on KindaLikeAnImmigrant. Note to all parties involved: A friend of ours from Lower Haight is coming pay you a visit if a LISA BONET doesn’t get here within 2 months. High quality contraband indeed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part III: Playboy x Air Jordan Countdown #12-5 (NSFW)

S.D. Rockswell — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:10:59 +0000

This is the number 3 installment of the Air Jordan countdown and probably the biggest. We’ve seen heard comments and thoughts from a wide cross section of people pertaining to the countdown. True, everyone had something to say about the ratings and the shoes that were selected, but when you add 23 of the finest women on the innanets to the equation nothing else really matters. After this countdown is over the Nike Air Jordan brand will never look the same again.

Part I: Playboy x Air Jordan Countdown #23-19 #NSFW
Part II: Playboy x Air Jordan Countdown #18-13 #NSFW

Video: Macho Man – Last of the Mo’Freakins

S.D. Rockswell — Sat, 21 May 2011 00:55:48 +0000

Just like every other unbelievably epic news drop this year, I caught it on Twitter. One of the baddest mu’f^&kers to step into the ring. The only mu’f^&ker that would kick everybody’s ass at least once, then 3 weeks later would be tag teaming with them. The only mu’f^&ker that could make a black dude say “honky tonk” with out being on some racist shit. He had undeniable style for miles. He had the temper that seemed like it was always on full tilt. And he had the once in a lifetime Ride or Die Chick. Well until Ric Flair started spitting game. At the end of the day he was the WWF’s ultimate geeked up anti hero.

I can’t remember where I read it, but someone called Macho Man the David Lee Roth of the WWF…BITCH! HE WAS THE RICK JAMES OF THE WWF!!! Look at the picture!! Those man tassles looked like they flew right out of Rick James closet. But that’s another argument for another time. This being the last post of the day, we’re going to close it out with 2 of Mr. Honky Tonks most feeling himself moments. EZ.

SD Rockswell

Classic Material: Wrestlemania 8 The Nature Boy Ric Flair and Shady Ass Bobby “the Brain” Heenan, after Macho Man Randy Savage pulled his signature “comeback from a major ass whoppin at the last minute routine”. He takes home the belt and Elizabeth who was tricking off with Ric Flair for a hot second. Lotta cocaine in the early Wrestlemania days. Damn.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Large up my dude Sumner (nohomo) for digging up this crazy rare footage of Mean Gene Oakerland as he catches Macho Man in crazy rare form.

Click here to view the embedded video.