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A History of HAZE Collaborations

intern — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:10:49 +0000

Tonight, Eric Haze opens ‘NEW ABSTRACTS AND ICONS’, a three week exhibition of new works
at the LEVEL 2 Gallery at 812 Broadway (@11th Street), in New York City. If you’re around, go check it out. A-Trak and Neil Armstrong will be spinning, and the work is guaranteed fresh.

HAZE’s ability to stay ahead and on top of the ever-changing mediums of artistic expression over the last 30 years has allowed the native New Yorker’s creative impact to reach far beyond the City subway yards and skate ramps of the ’70s. From his early work with Def Jam to starting his own clothing label, HAZE was a predecessor of streetwear, being “big in Japan”, and getting down with Stüssy. Through the years, big brands have gained plenty from a HAZE co-sign, but in return the big homie got exposure and renown. Hit the jump for a history of HAZE’s work in corporate culture, from early logotypes to decking out Nike Dunks and Lotuses…

HAZE x Def Jam, 1987
HAZE’s post-train graphic art made its way onto mad classic album covers. From EPMD to Public Enemy to the Beasties—dude was the hand of ’90s hip-hop. To that, we (and you) tip our caps.

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HAZE x Casio, 1999/2005/2008
HAZE’s relationship with Casio began in 1999 when the Japanese watchmaker tapped him alongside DJ Spooky and Dog Town to be a part of a US “Artist Series” of G-Shock watches. In 2008, Casio appointed him to handle the design of the company’s 25th anniversary logo, as well as the packaging for all watches to be sold in 2008. He also got to design his third G-Shock—the only one to be available worldwide (as opposed to Japan/Europe only releases of the two previous models)—a couple of years back.

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HAZE x Nike, 2002
These much-sought-after sneakers, as well as the box that they came in, were designed by HAZE. The release marked one of the first times people actually cared about packaging.

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HAZE x New Balance, 2004
For New Balance, HAZE put his spin on this 574, and then the brand tried to trick everyone else with a similar make-up that dropped for the general release set. Real heads knew what was up.

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HAZE x Know1edge Swiss Made Watch, 2006
Only 50 of these watches were made, so if you’ve got one, hang on tight. A different version of the watch with metal straps was also released.

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HAZE x Neils Shoe Meulman Show and T-Shirt, 2007
At the “Calligrafiti” exhibition in Amsterdam, HAZE and calligrapher Neils Shoe Meulman showcased their work, some of which turned into a t-shirt design, sold exclusively at Amsterdam boutique Patta.

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HAZE x Lotus/Gran Turismo, 2008
HAZE was commissioned to add his touche to a brand new Lotus Exige as a part of Sony/Playstation’s 10th-anniversary celebration of popular racing game Gran Turismo.

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HAZE x Mountain Dew Green Label Art, 2008
In 2008, HAZE did the Dew and incorporated his signature arrows and stars into the traditional Mountain Dew color scheme. The low-run “MD Superstar” was a standout amongst the many other recent artist-designed MD bottles.

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HAZE x Standard Hotel NYC, 2009
A frequently mentioned name in many “Best Dressed” lists, celebrity hotelier Andre Balazs probably couldn’t stand the idea of his patrons rocking 5-for-$10 “I Love New York” t-shirts. That’s why he enlisted Eric Haze for a specially designed, limited-edition T-shirt for his new Meatpacking District hotel.

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HAZE x Stüssy Las Vegas Art Installation and T-Shirt, 2009
HAZE painted the wall at Stüssy Las Vegas (check out the entire painting process here—so dope), and his design inspired a T-shirt that came in two colorways.

Daily Style & Design News: November 10, 2009

intern — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:35:52 +0000

The Nixon x Primitive (Paul Rodriguez’s shop) Rubber Player goes on sale this Saturday. Get there. [Primitive]

Following a small but awesome line of bags, the Futura x Nitraid collaboration unveils a collection of “stone camo motif” accessories including a pillow, passport case, and waistbag. [Hypebeast]

Nikon presents “A Day through your Lens”, a digital film festival to be judged by iJustine, Chase Jarvis, and Rainn Wilson. Capture your typical day in 140 seconds or less for a chance to win $100,000. [Gizmodo]

The release date of the New Balance x Sneaker Freaker 850 announced via a video piece featuring Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. [High Snobiety]

Starting today, Netflix content will be available for streaming through PS3 gaming consoles. Too little too late, or juuust right? You choose. [Crunch Gear]

Check out this interview with Dee Brown, the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion who mesmerized the world with the infamous “no-look” dunk, thanks to a few pumps (jump to :50) on his Reebok Pump Onmi Lite’s. [Sneaker Freaker]

New Balance H754 Boot

Joe — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:55:25 +0000

Regardless what Hov says, no one is off Timbs, but people are looking for sick alternatives to 6” classics. That’s where these New Balance H754BGY’s come in. The boot features all the technical features you’d need to hold you down during a messy winter, and they look pretty good too. They haven’t hit stateside yet, but cop them at trusted online retailer, Caliroots right now for $92.

Top Shelf: The 10 Best Sneakers You Can Buy At ALIFE Right Now

intern — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:58:26 +0000

Sure reading about sneakers that come out in three months is cool, but too often product drops get lost on these internets. That’s where Complex comes in. In our new column “Top Shelf” we’ll check in with the dopest sneaker stores around the country to put you up on the footwear they’re stocking right now.

First up, we hit up our homies at ALIFE NYC to see what sneakers were moving units, and some kicks the managers were co-signing. Hit the jump to see the goods from usual favorites like Nike, and Jordan Brand as well as some bangers from New Balance and Warrior, as well as some sneakers your wifey might be interested in.

10. NAME: NEW BALANCE MTG 580
PRICE: $120
COLOR WAY: Lime
ALIFE SAYS: If you can pull them off they’re really dope.

9. NAME: NIKE LUNAR MARIAH
PRICE: $110
COLOR WAY: Black/Black-Red
ALIFE SAYS: New lightweight banger. Not mad at the speckled sole.

8. NAME: NIKE AIR FORCE 1 LOW TIER 0 “BUSY P”
PRICE: AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
COLOR WAY: Black/Black-Varsity Maize
ALIFE SAYS: Dope Air Force Ones that are a part of the Livestrong series.

7. NAME: BLAZER MID SUPREME TZ
PRICE: $100
COLOR WAY: Sail/Sail-Metallic Gold
ALIFE SAYS: A great alternative to all white Air Force One’s, don’t be afraid to F these up.

6. NAME: WARRIOR FOOTWEAR-BASKETBALL
PRICE: $60
COLOR WAY: White/Red
ALIFE SAYS: The original Chinese brand introduced in 1935 comes back for revenge.

5. NAME: AIR JORDAN DMP 7
PRICE: $350
COLOR WAY: Multi/Multi
ALIFE SAYS:Learn your history. Homie dropped 60+ points in these classics.

4. NAME: NIKE DUNK HI TZ-”FLOM”
PRICE: AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
COLOR WAY: Black/Black-Varsity Maize
ALIFE SAYS: Probably this year’s most limited shoe.

3. NAME: ALIFE: CHUCK-TOXIC
PRICE: $155
COLOR WAY: Black/ Clear Blue Sole. Also comes in gray.
ALIFE SAYS: Available at ALIFE NYC, Hollywood, Tokyo, and Vancouver.

2. NAME: ARC X NEW BALANCE 1300
PRICE: $165
COLOR WAY: Teal
ALIFE SAYS: Exclusively available (world wide) at ARC Sports .

1. NAME: NIKE X ARC DUNK HI TZ
PRICE: $158, 125$ FOR NY RESIDENTS WITH I.D.
COLOR WAY: Black/White/Gum/Bang!
ALIFE SAYS: A.R.C.’s Second Collab. with NIKE this year. Tier Zero releases. Only place in the world to get them is at the ARC Sports store.

AND FOR THE WIFEY:

3. NAME: NIKE WOMAN’S VANDAL HI
PRICE: $90
COLOR WAY: Matte Silver

2. NAME: WARRIOR FENCING
PRICE: $45
COLOR WAY: White/Blue

1. NAME: GIRLS JORDAN 1 RETRO HIGH
PRICE: $80
COLOR WAY: Cool Gray/Hot Red-White.

ALIFE STORE INFORMATION:
Alife Rivington Club
158 Rivington St.
Ny,NY 10002
212-375-8128

ALIFE NYC
158 Rivington St.
Ny,NY 10002
212-375-8116

ARC Sports
157 Rivington St.
NY,NY 10002
212-253-0363

Also follow ALIFE and A.R.C. on Twitter:
@alife_official
@arcsports

NOTE: All stores are open Monday-Saturday Noon-7 and Sunday from Noon-6

Live From The Agenda Tradeshow: Complex’s Twit-Pic Recap

Joe — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:23:25 +0000

Baby Supra Skytops, available in size 2-10. Coming soon to Factory 413.

Fresh off the red-eye, we’re back from Huntington Beach, California, where we attended the Agenda Tradeshow. The two-day exhibition for streetwear and sneaker brands to show their upcoming lines was heavy with sales appointments, but we found the time to Twitter periodic updates from the floor, complete with photos of new product (click here to follow Complex on Twitter if you aren’t already).

Unfortunately, some of your favorite companies wouldn’t let us snap pics, but we did manage to TwitPic enough interesting new products to do a mini re-cap. Hit the jump below to see what New Balance, Huf, Vans, Reebok, Mighty Healthy, DC and more have in store…

Mighty Healthy is introducing a denim line with the fits named after boxing legends Sugar Ray Leonard, Sonny Liston and Lennox Lewis.

New Balance James Worthy retro 790. Dropping in classic team colorways for spring 2010.

DC Sector 7 WT and Admiral WT suede. Releasing 11/1/09

Freshjive “Gaylife” snap-back hat. Freshjive’s Spring 2010 line will not have the FJ label anywhere on the clothing.

Converse Black Flag Line. Converse Sea Star, new colorways, dropping Spring 2010.

Reebok Dominique Wilkins O.G Pump. These will release early next year, and have ID options for you to create your own colorway.

The Hundreds x SE Racing PK Ripper bike.

Hurley Phantom bathing suit, 140 percent stretch material with Nike Flywire Technology. Limited release for 11/25/10

Vans Apparel x Starter snap-back hats. Releases 8/15/09 to limited accounts like KCDC.

adidas Skate retro, vulcanized sole, suede upper. Releases 1/1/2009.

Huf Buffalo Stripe Flannels, release August 1. (2 weeks)

Nike 6.0 Zoom Cush new colorway.

Skullcandy Headphones hot model. Release: N/A.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW COMPLEX ON TWITTER!

A History Of Jeff Staple’s Pigeon Collaborations

Joe — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:19:32 +0000

Like Birdman, Jeff Staple knows a lot about cash money. The streetwear vet has managed to build his brand strong enough to get the attention everyone from Nike to energy drink companies, and he’s doing it by using one design: The Pigeon.

Yup, the official bird of the NYC streets, the one Staple made into a dunk has become one of the most recognizable colorways in the cool-guy world. Some say it’s merely a copy and paste, but hey the kids are buying the shit out of the Staple x [Insert Brand Here] products. With the latest collabo, a 5-panel hat with Kangol, hitting the Internets late last week, we take a look back at all the collabos Staple’s pet pigeon has shat on…

NIKE SB PIGEON DUNK LOW PRO
RELEASE: MARCH 2005
• The design that spawned everything else on this list. 150 pairs of the SB Dunk were released in NYC, causing riots among sneaker heads. Arrests were made, and the release made the front cover of the post.
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NIKE SB PIGEON SOCKS
RELEASE: JUNE, 2007
• Most blogs wrote “if you missed out on the pigeon dunks, these will make up for it.” No, they won’t. They’re just socks worth nothing compared to a pair of $2000 sneakers people almost got shanked for.
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LOMO x STAPLE COLORSPLASH CAMERA
RELEASE: JUNE, 2008
• Oh, awesome! Now you could take pics of your pigeon sneakers with your pigeon camera.
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NEW ERA FITTED
RELEASE: AUGUST, 2008
• Not much of a shocker here, but it might have been a bit more on time if the hat dropped around the same time that dunks did.
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NEW BALANCE 575
RELEASE: AUGUST, 2008
• Before Converse hooked up with Staple and after Nike did, New Balance released this collabo with Staple on a 575. Insiders say the Converse make-up actually used scraps left over from this shoe. We keed.
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CONVERSE SEASTAR
RELEASE: FEBRUARY, 2009
• Converse got at Jeff Staple for its boat shoe make-up the “Sea Star Hi.” Jeff complained on his twitter about the coordination of the global launch of the shoe, but we’re thinking he forgot about how bad it went once the checks started to roll in.
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AMP ENERGY DRINK PIGEON FRIDGE
RELEASE: APRIL, 2009
• Not an official collabo, yet…AMP Energy Drink produced this pigeon camo-splatter fridge and sent it to the Staple office a couple months ago. Cranking out pigeon designs takes energy, sometimes you need a place to stock the Red Bull.
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KANGOL 5-PANEL SAFARI HAT
RELEASE: JULY, 2009
• Once you do the fitted, you have to do the 5-panel too right? Just last week, this Kangol x Staple 5-panel safari cap released.

Call It The Week Of Leaks

donniek — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:29:51 +0000

We were California dreaming (word to The Mamas & the Papas) with the state’s hottest chicks. [LINK]

Protect yourself from getting sick with these streetwear Swine Flu masks. [LINK]

Now that Kelis deaded her relationship with Nas, we wondered, “Is she’s a wifey or a trifey?” [LINK]

Just imagine a world where some of your favorite athletes are mayors. [LINK]

Check out ESPN correspondent and certified hottie Erin Andrews talks about video games, dream dates and movies that makes her cry. [LINK]

And From The Complex Network:
Bastardly: Miranda Kerr and Bar Refaeli trigger your lesbian fantasies. [LINK]

Nah Right: Is Mos Def rapping again? Check out “Casa Bey”. [LINK]

Nice Kicks: New Balance MT580 Black is that running shoe you need. [LINK]

On Smash: Red and Meth still get it crunk (la, la, la, laaa) with “How Bout That”. [LINK]

Kicks On Fire: Marc Jacobs meets Vans (Chukka’s & Slip On’s). [LINK]

Das Gamer: See how Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption takes on the Wild West. [LINK]

Kelly Brook: Live From Barbados

Joe — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:07:55 +0000

Haven’t taken a vacation yet? You can always picture yourself on the beach with Kelly Brook and her super-duper TWOS.
[Bastardly]

Sure he gets more emotional than Carl Thomas over posts we do, but Hip Hop Update put together a solid Wale mixtape. Check it out HERE.

Kanye’s kicks aren’t the only glow in the dark bangers. Peep these New Balance MT576s. [Nice Kicks]

Here’s all the funny links you missed on the Internet today.

This “ramp house” is a skateboarder’s wet dream. [Baller House]

Daily Style & Design News: March 24, 2009

Bradley — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:02:40 +0000

This Camo green version of Pentax’s K2000 might have you ditching the point and shoot and signing up for that “Nude Heiress/Cocaine Photography” class at NYU. [Gizmodo]

The Dell Mini 9 is on sale for $199, today only. It’s a netbook, so basically a cheaper (bigger), non-Mac iPhone. [Dell]

New Balance paint-dipped MT580 Japan collabs. Summer fiyah. [Streetthing]

The Peek Pronto might put the whole iPhone vs. Blackberry debate to rest. Minimalism, and murdered out black. So sick. [Crunch Gear]

New Parra show in L.A., April 4th. [Slam x Hype]

Watchmen Movie = weird, long, lame. Watchmen Be@rbrick = weird, short, lame. [Hypebeast]

ALIFE and KRINK skate decks. So hoooooooood! [Freshness]

Eugene Kan of Hypebeast goes in hard on the financial times, and interviews a series of influential show owners on how the recession is affecting the hype world. [Hypebeast]

Daily Style & Design News: February 12, 2009

Joe — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:00:01 +0000

France-based graffiti artist Zevs flipped the google homepage into his own website. Genius. [Gzzglz]

New Balance is holding a contest giving people the chance to design their own 576 and 1700 models. 600 pairs of the winning design will be sold in stores. Get paid. [Shoes-Up]

If you're looking for a sure-fire-way to never get laid, cop a pair of these Tri-Block shades. [Hypebeast]

Expect the Vans Mountain Edition to pick up steam next season. This satin pack is sick. [High Snobiety]

This mini 5-mega pixel digital camera from Minox is perfect for stealthy point-and-shooters. [Freshness]

Daily Style & Design News: February 2, 2009

Bradley — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:33:37 +0000

The ALIFE x Barneys Court Cup sneakers are on sale now, part of an ongoing collaboration between the two brands. This metallic “modernization” of a Stan Smith comes in white on silver, black on silver, white on gold, and white on red. Cop at Barneys New York locations for $145.

Mid-top deck shoes might be the coolest thing for ‘09. You decide whether that’s a good or bad thing. Journal Standard x Danassa Deck Shoes Mid [Hypebeast]

Whoa. Check out this art exhibit of Rolex time sand. Your life, in a bunch of paper bags. [Gizmodo]

The new Gourmet footwear is dope. Too bad the company can’t keep its leaks under wraps. [High Snobiety]

The New York City Subway graf artist “Poster Boy” just got himself into a bit of trouble. [Gawker]

Um…New Balance Snowboarding? [Rad Collector]

We love to hate on Fragment Design’s minimalism (how hard is that?) but sometimes you got to give in and admit that this stuff is awesome. New Nike Tennis Classic collab. [Kicks on Fire]

Worlds collide. Check Kanye, Spike Jonze, and Eric Koston collab-ing on a short film from the new Final Flare video? [Kanye's Blog]

New Balance 993

Joe — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:39:35 +0000

Ask the majority of serious runners what their go-to is and they'll tell you the New Balance 99_ series. With the 991/992 already being high-mileage classics, NB introduces the 993, equipped with tweaks like a better fit and improved cushioning. They gray make-ups have been around for a minute, but look for this new black-blue colorway to drop later this month at athletic stores around the nation.
$145, www.newbalance.com

November 2008’s Hottest Sneakers

Bradley — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:23:40 +0000

Nike x KR Air Force 1, $200. Drops Black Friday at 21 Mercer in NYC

New sneakers leak every day, but sometimes it’s hard to actually track down the shoes you want. By the time they actually come out, your attention has already shifted to something that’s coming out in Fall 2010. If you plan on going to get some shoes that are out now, read on below to see the sneakers that are coming out this month that we’ve given the Complex co-sign to….

SUPRA SKYTOP

These East Coast Skytop bangers hit on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Chances of you being able to get them on Saturday, the 29th? Ha. Buy them on the 28th for $140, at one of these spots.

ADIDAS O-STORE PROJECTS

adidas Originals stores are making a transition into “O Stores” for 2009, and exclusive projects will now be part of the “O Collection”. These ZX700 Boat Series will kick it off for $120 at adidas Originals Stores this month.

ETNIES PLUS x ADULT SWIM

We teased these a little while back, you can get them now at a handful of quality shops for $70. Check an interview we did with the creators here.

JORDAN COLLEZIONE PACK 15/8

Jordan Countdown packs are running out, but these are one of the best yet. Grab the 15/8 for $330 on 11/15 at your local Jordan drop spots. jumpman23.com

Click NEXT to the rest of November’s best sneakers.

New Balance’s Spring 2009 Line Hits WSA

Bradley — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:10:29 +0000

New Balance footwear is showing at WSA in Las Vegas today, and the upcoming sneakers are a standout amongst an otherwise stagnant tradeshow. For 2009, the brand’s top-tier product focuses on tech-forward hits, including a Gore Tex MT580 pack, a 998 Zip Runner hybrid from Japan, a collection of premium Italian leather 991s with metallic cues from the European crew, and a Space Odessy 2001-inspired 996 from the Americas.

The first quarter of 2009 will also see the last installment of the NB 1300, so if you’re into that silhouette, make a note and plan on copping. Hit the jump for more photos of the product that will hit shelves in February 2009.

998 Zip Runner hybrid:

Italian leather 991:

Space Odessy-inspired 996:

MT580 Gore-Tex pack:

NB1300:

New Balance Goes Vintage

Joe — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:08:37 +0000

Sneaker heads had the screw-face on when Nike launched their vintage line, but apparently the brand was on to something. Converse, Puma, and now New Balance have all followed suit, hooking up classic silhouettes in an old-school steez.

The New Balance collection focuses on their 1970s-dated runner the 420, re-interpreted into a dusty aesthetic (see more models after the jump). Look for the throwbacks to hit Footlocker this July. $55, footlocker.com, newbalance.com

Daily Swagger: Stussy x Hectic x New Balance CM670

Joe — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:00:01 +0000

The triangle offense of Stussy, Hectic and New Balance are back to work on this CM670. The legion blue/gold and gray color way will be available at relmad Hectic and Stussy retailers overseas this Saturday for 16,590 Yen. Sick.
[Source,via ]

Daily Swagger: Limited Edt x New Balance 577

Joe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:30:49 +0000

Sure you can't chew gum in Singapore, but you do get blessed with some low-run black and red bangers like these New Balance 577's. These special make-ups stem from a collaboration between NB and the ironically titled Singapore-based boutique Limited Edt. The shoes are limited to 140 pairs and will release March 1. Dig up a connect, or play the observer.

[Source, via]