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Wake N’ Watch: Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson “Relator”

bfred — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:38 +0000

After releasing an album of depressing Tom Waits covers in ’08 and a Jeff Buckley cover on a soundtrack earlier this year, Scarlett Johansson continues her streak of swagger-jacking classic singer-songwriter with her new Pete Yorn duet album Break Up. There’s no covers on it, per se—Yorn wrote all the songs and recorded them with Scar Jo in two days—but the album was heavily inspired by the late ’60s French pop stylings of Serge Gainsbourg and actress/sexpot Brigitte Bardot. In the world of actresses-turned-singers, that’s probably about the best you can strive for (sorry, Jasmine Guy). Check out the first video “Relator,” then watch a classic Gainsbourg/Bardot duet below…

Tune in to Complex.com every morning at 8 AM for your daily “Wake N’ Watch” video.

BONUS VIDEO: SERGE GAINSBOURG & BRIGITTE BARDOT “BONNIE & CLYDE” (1967)

The 10 Best French Clothing Brands & Stores

frederickm — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:40:41 +0000

France has given us some cool brands over the years: Peugeot, Dom Perignon, and Perrier, to name a few. But no type of French import has had as much impact globally as the country’s fashion. Without a doubt, some of the world’s sickest fashion collections and brands have been birthed in the République Française. Since we already showed you its top 10 stunners, in honor of Bastille Day, we’re paying homage to the top 10 French brands and stores. From runway looks to Parisian street wear, Dior to Colette, check out which ones made our list. Vive la France!

BRAND: Louis Vuitton (Spring Collection)
FOUNDED IN: 1854
WHY IT’S COOL: Long before ’Ye, this quintessential luxury brand has been keeping the world stylish for centuries.

BRAND: Dior Homme (Spring Collection)
FOUNDED IN: 1947
WHY IT’S COOL: Combining the expert talents of Kris Van Assche and Hedi Slimane; the former made it crisp, while the latter added a rock-star twist.
• Check out its leather high-top sneakers.

BRAND: Lucien Pellat-Finet
FOUNDED IN: 1994
WHY IT’S COOL: The king of cashmere collaborated with Murakami and most recently Mr. for its fall/winter cashmere and T-shirts collection. Be prepared to drop lots of Euros.

STORE: Colette Store
FOUNDED IN: 1997
WHY IT’S COOL: The newly revamped streetwear emporium carries the dopest books, gadgets, apparel, and accessories as well as limited-edition pieces.

STORE: Starcow
FOUNDED IN: 2000
WHY IT’S COOL: Parisian shop fuses skater sneakers and streetwear apparel into a one-stop shop.

STORE: Surface to Air
FOUNDED IN: 2000
WHY IT’S COOL: Known for its clean and simple silhouettes, this brand teamed up with adidas Adicolor and North Face Roots of Life for recent collaborations.

BRAND: April77
FOUNDED IN: 2002
WHY IT’S COOL: Denim lifestyle brand deeply rooted in new French-wave rock. A favorite amongst the hipster Parisian crowd.

BRAND: A.P.C.
FOUNDED IN: 1988
WHY IT’S COOL: Its raw jeans are a must in your wardrobe. The understated simplicity of this brand doesn’t detract from its luxe roots.

BRAND: Saint James
FOUNDED IN: 1889
WHY IT’S COOL: Nautical brand classic is having its comeback this year—not just for the Riveria anymore.

BRAND: agnés b
FOUNDED IN: 1975
WHY IT’S COOL: Originally named Agnès Troublé, this design house knows how to use patterns and florals without losing its balance of masculine and whimsical Parisian style.

Worldwide Wednesday: The 9 Hottest French Women

intern — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:13:18 +0000

The French take pride in beautiful art, beautiful food, and beautiful women. Shit, even the president bagged a supermodel for a wife. So, in honor of yesterday’s Bastille Day celebration (aka France’s version of July 4th), it’s only natural we pick the 9 sexiest French girls for a countdown. Feel free to continue the celebration for another day, and get to clicking. Ooooohh Oui!

#9. LAETITIA CASTA
CLAIM TO FAME: Supermodel known for being featured in famous ad campaigns, magazines, and a Pirelli Calendar. She’s so bad we had to include her in the countdown, even if she’s been laying low since the ’90s. Fuckin’ childbirth!

CLICK NEXT TO SEE MORE SEXY FRENCH WOMEN!

Caught on Tape! The Craziest Tour de France Crashes

jerwin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:01:29 +0000

Happy sports holiday weekend everybody! On Saturday, July 4th, the Tour de France bike race kicks off, and…whooooooaaaaaaaaa, hold up a got-damned second! The Tour de France is starting on America’s birthday???!!! WTF!!!??? Maybe if those Frenchies hadn’t been so busy riding bikes and helped us go kick some…oh nevermind, we’re just gonna rename the thing the Tour de Freedom, how you like dem apples? And the freedom part of the Tour de Freedom includes the freedom to fall on your smug mug, so without further adieu (drat! They’re so insidious!), we present The Craziest Tour de France Crashes…

CURB YOUR DOG!
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SOMEBODY FORGOT TO HAND-SIGNAL!
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SOMEBODY TRYING TO SABOTAGE LANCE! (0:41)
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HOW DO YOU SAY “CHEAT!” IN FRENCH?
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SOMEBODY CALL PETA!
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TWO WORDS: TALLER GUARDRAIL
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EFFIN’ FRENCH COPS…
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THANKS, BUT NO THANKS
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YO HOMIE, YOU HIT LIKE A CYCLIST!
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A LITTLE CLOSE TO THE BARRIER, IF ABDU SAY SO MYSELF
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DON’T COUNT YOUR POULETS…

Street Detail: International Ballers

treats — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:47:21 +0000

Vote on whether this week’s subjects are “stylin’” or “wildin’” after the jump.

Pictured On The Left:

Name: DJ 6ZIX

Location: Nimes, France

Occupation: DJ

Shirt: DUMPE FRESH

Jeans: Evisu

Sneakers: Nike Air Force II

Bag: DUMPE FRESH

Pictured On the Right:

Name: DTWICE

Location: Nimes, France

Occupation: DJ Manager

Shirt: DUMPE FRESH T-Shirt

Jeans: Gap

Sneakers: Supra Skytop

Bag: DUMPE FRESH

[Want to be featured in our weekly Street Detail blog? Email a picture of yourself to streetdetail@complex.com]

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

You Lookin’ Like Breakfast

bfred — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:07:48 +0000

Dutch artist Parra collaborated with the French ghettotech/pop group Le le for their new music video “Breakfast”, and guess what? It's awesome. You know what else is awesome? All the new Rockwell gear that just went up on Parra's site. Watch the video and peep some of the new Tees after the jump.

[Click on an image to view larger]

Le le “Breakfast” (2008)