Bag by Jack Spade; Shoes by Mark McNairy
Putting together a more sophisticated wardrobe isn’t nearly as daunting as it may seem. To start out, all you really need to do is invest in a few basic essentials. For the times when a t-shirt and dunks aren’t the look, you would be doing yourself a great service by copping a couple of the staple items needed for a more formal look. We’re not talking three-piece suits here: we’re talking about an outfit that you can rock to a nice dinner or when you go to meet your girl’s parents. In our 2009 Style & Design package we highlighted the Jack Spade Leather Supply Brief and the Mark McNairy Chukka Boot (pictured above) as two items that can hold down any refined wardrobe. We picked out 10 more items to really help you start putting your new look together…
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When the Great Depression ended, it wasn’t because of bailouts, but because of effort. We built a new country out of sweat equity, and the clothes we did it in were built for the long run: hardy fabrics, reinforced seams, and everything put together with deference to the way a body moves. And while the value of honest workwear never went away, today more than ever we appreciate the idea of pulling ourselves out of a rut.
Whether it’s classics like Woolrich and Levi’s or modern interpretations like PRPS and Engineered Garments, American style is form and function. No preppy entitlement here, kids; before the yacht clubs and golf shirts, “Americana” meant little more than dependable jeans and self-respect. As a companion to the article in our 2009 Style & Design special, we chose six brands who are keeping the real American aesthetic alive…
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Illustration by Sophia Chang
Although you’ve probably dropped major paper at Supreme in the last few years, you might not have known the man behind the clothing. Don’t get it confused though, Brendon Babenzien’s resume doesn’t start and end with Supreme. Babenzien is also the creator of impressive clothing labels like Aprix and Noah. Yeah, he knows what he’s doing. Because we’re into looking forward, we tapped Babenzien to give us his trend predictions for the coming year in the annual Style & Design special from our latest issue. Check out the extended online cut below…
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For the last month, we’ve been highlighting pieces from our annual Style & Design magazine special, your cultural cheat sheet for 2009 and beyond. As part of the “Fashion” section, we selected five designers to watch next season, from emerging brands to an unexpected preppy classic. Check out our picks below…
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Each Monday in August, we’ve been hitting you with a collaboration between an artist and a sexy model from our annual Style & Design Issue—Ming x Bill McMullen, Melody x Hush, and Pearl x Mike Perry. This week, we’re unleashing our final collabo (which represents the “Fashion” section of our Style & Design package), a shot of sexy Russian model Olga Akhunova, with creative direction by NYC graffiti duo Mint & Serf. Watch the behind-the-scenes video below to see how it all came together, then read on for an interview with Olga…
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Face it, fam: Japan can’t make everything. As globalization continues to level the playing field, nations that have historically depended on foreign imports for luxury items are creating their own lines of affordable homegrown goods. As featured in our 2009 Style & Design package, we’re taking a closer look at the pros and cons of three notable new products made in developing countries. Read on to see how the whole world is getting involved…
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In Complex’s 2009 Style & Design issue (on stands now!), we asked a variety of cultural tastemakers to list their “Predictions”—things that are they feel are going to have an impact moving forward. Representing the “Technology” section is Kevin Rose, Digg founder and all around gadget/tech guru, along with his partner on the Diggnation podcast, Alex Albrecht. Read on as two gentlemen who rarely have to call tech support prognosticate about the immediate future of technology…
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Besides Microsoft, no other company has changed the way we use technology more than Google. The company started by two Stanford grad students has revolutionized the way we search for and interact with information. But we don’t have you tell you that, besides the fact that the word Google is officially now a verb in the Merriam-Webster dictionary you probably just came from the actual Google site or one of their many web properties like YouTube or Picasa.
We know they’re the illest in the game, but how good are they really? In our 2009 Style and Design issue, we looked at six our favorite Google innovations and graded them. Here we added four more to make it an even ten. Read on to see how your favorite Google offerings got marked.
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Forget buying $100,000 tracks from super-producers—the ability to self-produce beats in-house has become a financial and creative necessity for rappers. Shrinking budgets and little to no A&R involvement mean that artists who produce their own beats, like Soulja Boy and The Cool Kids, have a leg up. But for an up-and-coming rapper who doesn’t make their own music, the best move is to recruit someone you mesh well with to become your go-to in-house producer. Let’s not forget that most of today’s biggest hitmakers—from Timbaland to Swizz Beatz—earned their stripes as in-house producers before going on to find freelance success. Could the following 5 newcomers be next?
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Creative Direction by Bill McMullen; Photography By Matt Doyle
Another Monday, another sick collaboration between a dope artist and a sexy model from Complex’s annual Style & Design issue. This week, we’re presenting a stunning image created by New York-based artist/graphic designer Bill McMullen, who you probably know from his work on famous album covers like the Beastie Boys’ Hello Nasty and DMX’s It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot. For his collaboration with stunning Chinese model Ming Zhao, he incorporated a crazy wood-carved piece called “The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection” from his recent exhibit Hype Hustle Rip-Off into the background. Watch a behind-the-scenes video below to see how it all came together, then keep reading to learn more about Ming with an interview and bonus photos…
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