Complex Blog » Skate

adidas Skateboarding Gazelle

Joe — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:28:10 +0000

The best thing about the Gazelle is that it will never go out of style. What started out as an indoor soccer sneaker back in 1968 has been re-appropriated as of late for the skate set, which really just means adidas is making them more comfortable. This new blue/yellow colorup just hit Caliroots for $75 and is perfect whether you’re a kick-flipping machine, or just feeling nostalgic. Brewers fitted not included, nor recommended.

A History of Model and Porn Star Skate Decks

Bradley — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:31:52 +0000

We first heard about the the Supermodel Skateboard series last September, a collaboration between the Swiss brand Doodah and fashion photographers Claudia Knoepfel and Stefan Indlekofer (Vogue Paris, i-D, and others). Each board in the series featured hot (and naked) models Isabeli Fontana, Lara Stone, Toni Garrn and Edita. Erin Wasson (far left in the image above) will be joining her partners in Aphroditic awesomeness as the newest addition to the set, announced yesterday on Doodah.ch and available in mid-August.

Using hot chicks on skate decks goes back to the beginning of time, and while a definitive history would border on impossible, check out a breakdown of our favorite Hot Famous Chicks on Skateboards below…

Rosa for Shorty’s: (1990s)
Shorty’s pimped out Rosa like crazy in the ’90s—she was on every poster, catalog, skate shop wall and deck. She even made it to video.

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Claudia Schiffer for Blind’s Jason Lee pro model (1992)
Illustrator/artist Sean Cliver put this image together for Jason Lee’s signature board. Chances of Claudia having officially signed off? We’re going to take the over/under on “not so high.”

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Kobe Tai and Heather Hunter for Birdhouse (Late ’90s)
Birdhouse liked Lee’s model so much, they got Cliver to come over and do some Vivid girl graphics for them a few years later. Kobe Tai and Heather Hunter: you will always have a place in our pre-pubescent hearts.

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Bettie Page for Stink Skateboards (2000)
Before the Internet really got poppin’ you could make a T-shirt or skateboard out of anything and by the time they found you with that cease and desist order, you were already sold out. RIP Ms. Page.

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Jenna Jameson for Zoo York (2008)
Jenna started her adult career in 1993, the same year Zoo got on its feet. Fifteen years later, the two went in on a collab. Jenna leant her boobs, Zoo lent the wood. Sold out right away, but there’s always eBay.

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Yuko Ishida for Manik and Kiks TYO (2009)
These decks were put together for Kiks TYO’s 3rd anniversary and feature Japanese pop starlet Yuko Ishida. Hit up Goods in Seattle if you’re looking, they might have some of these left in the back room.

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Sunny Leone, Nikki Jayne, Hanna Hilton and Meggan Mallone for Control MFG (2009)
The Vivid girls teamed up with the obscure Canadian skate company Control MFG last year for a Jan. 2009 team series. Getting your name plastered all over the porn “fan sites” is one way to get your name out there.

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Kate Moss for Glimmer Skateboards (2009)
We’re not co-signing Glimmer Skateboards at all, but we figured there had to be a Kate Moss deck out there somewhere. If you were wondering, here it is. Oh Dissizit also jumped on the “Kate Moss clipart” tip and made these in 2008.

Cons CTS

Joe — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:52:17 +0000

Some ideas don’t work out so well (ahem vintage running shoes) others, are genius. Take making the ever-popular Chuck Taylor into functional skate sneaker. Converse nailed it with their new skate line with this CTS model being the standout. Comfort-wise expect a thicker tongue, and a sole that’s a bit more padded than the extremely flat original CT. If you’re having trouble locating the sneakers, hit up KCDC in Brooklyn who’s accepting phone orders and won’t judge you if you’re not a skater.
$60, www.converseskateboarding.com

Street Detail: Skate Pride

intern — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:03:53 +0000

NAME: Alex

AGE: 16

OCCUPATION: Student

HOME BASE: New York

HAT: Supreme

SHIRT: UNIQLO

JEANS: Levi’s

SNEAKERS: Nike

WATCH: Nike

BACK PACK: Jansport

What inspires your style? The hip-hop culture at an affordable price. Nothing beats a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.

What city has the best style? New York

What movie best captures your style? Kids by Larry Clark. R.I.P Justin Pierce.

Who has wack style? Guys that wear Coach loafers annoy me.

What trend do you want to see die? Bondage pants, star tattoos, peace signs, and Starbucks as the only hot spot for coffee.

Vote on whether this week’s subject is “Stylin” or “Wildin” below…

Last clothing item you purchased? A baseball cap.

Most money you ever spent on a single item of clothing? $100 on a hoodie.

Favorite online shop? Vans.com.

What is your favorite brand? New Era.

What do chicks dig about your style? I could rock my shirt inside-out and I’ll still be fresh.

What’s the most common statement people make about your style? I’ll rock anything and make the best of it.

What’s the item currently in your closet you most regret buying? There was this one time I ordered a shirt that I thought was my size but ended up to be a kids’ size. It was so tight that the shirt almost tore like the Incredible Hulk.

What do you see as the next big trend? The mockery of the ’80s all over again.

What is your dream job? Owning a local skate shop in the community.

Last book read The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding.

What is your trend-proof style advice for our readers? Decide for yourself and try not to care what others have to say.

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

Want to be featured in our weekly Street Detail blog? Email a head-to-toe picture of yourself to: streetdetail@complex.com

DVS Huf Mid Throwback

Joe — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:46:37 +0000

Looking for a solid skate shoe this summer? Done. For our June/July issue (on newsstands now) we asked Jahmal Williams of HOPPSSKATEBOARDS to put a batch of this season’s skate shoes to the test, and included in the set were these DVS Huf Mid Throwbacks. How’d they do? We’ll leave it up to the expert:

“These are great lighweight shoes with good board feel. The construction is good and the silo is clean. The color is a little crazy, but I like the sneaker.”

The shoes should hit DVS locations sometime this month, if you’re in a metallic silver x superior board feel kind of mood. Picture of the sole when you kick-flip the jump.
$75, dvsshoes.com

BJ Betts x adidas Skateboarding Collection

Joe — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:32:35 +0000

BJ Betts Bucktown ST, $80
Renowned tattooist and typography style artist, BJ Betts hooked up with adidas for a collection of footwear and apparel that will release next month. Included in the range is a Bucktown ST'a skate shoe that is modeled after classic basketball sneakers'and a Ciero Mid, a slim cut silo that works for skating and fixed gearing. Check all the pieces below and check in with adidas skate retailers in January if you're looking to cop.
www.adidasskateboarding.com

CIERO MID (BJ BETTS), $85

BJ BETTS FROM ABOVE TEE, $34

BJ BETTS PATCH TEE, $34

adidas Skateboarding Superstar Vulc

Joe — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:29:15 +0000

Superstar's have been a mainstay in adidas' skate line every year, and for the new season, the three stripes are dropping these two subtle color ways to ride out in. The heavy-vulcanized models will ensure increased durability so feel free to skate the shit outta 'em. Check adidas skate retailers this month.
$65, www.adidasskateboarding.com

adidas Samba ST

Joe — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:26:05 +0000

This fall, adidas’ popular indoor soccer shoe The Samba, will go from the turf to the streets when this new skate-friendly make-up drops. Dubbed the Samba ST, the sneaker is re-vamped with skate-tech like Geo fit collar cushioning, and a more durable upper so it’ll take more than a few free-kicks for them to fall apart. Check for them to hit adidas skate retailers in the next few weeks.
$65, www.adidasskateboarding.com

KCDC’s Online Store Is Open For Business

Bradley — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:03:33 +0000

You’d think that a city the size of New York would have more skateshops, but hey, sometimes it’s more profitable to open a rollerblading warehouse. Brooklyn’s KCDC, the best known, and arguably most legit shop in the city, just launched its online edition with its series of T shirts including collabs by Jeremy Fish , French, Grotesk, Beau Garrett and Adam Squires .

Hopefully the skate shoe connect goes live soon, so we can cop some shredders. See below to see a video that we just put together with owner Amy Gunther where she breaks down the shop and how they make it so awesome.

‘Touch Grind’ Flips iPhone Fingerboarding

jerwin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:57:58 +0000

To skaters of a certain age, fingerboards (miniature plastic skateboards originally marketed as keychains) evoke memories of countless hours spent doing boardslides on schoolbooks and executing ollies five times the length of the board. Now Illusion Labs has introduced a new iPhone game called Touch Grind that improves on the concept for the digital age.

Available next month from the iPhone App Store (price TBA), Touch Grind takes old-fashioned fingerboarding to the next level. Whereas version 19.89 was predicated on the stickiness of fingersweat to perform tricks, the Touch Grind deck relies on finger gestures, allowing players to do flip tricks that were impossible with the 20th Century version. Check out a video of the game below.

[Touch Grind via OhGizmo]

CONS Skate Shoes By Converse Preview

Bradley — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:16:04 +0000

This November, Converse returns to the skate arena with CONS, a series of skate shoes that re-interpret the brand’s iconic silhouettes. The updated classics have added performance features like a comfy footbed and memory foam to provide ankle padding and support.

The line will be available at a select group of core skateshops in limited numbers, with additional shipments hitting those shops in December and January. We’ll be hitting you with prices, proper names, and retail doors as the drop date gets closer. See some exclusive photos of the shoes below…

[Click On Any Image To View Full-Size]

Paul Rodriguez’s Signature Collection For Incase

Bradley — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:01:28 +0000

A couple weeks ago, we showed you a first look at Paul Rodriguez’s Signature Collection for Incase. That was the more limited, more premium (and more expensive!) collection, but Incase just hit us up with some photos of the standard series that will be dropping in wider distribution.

This tier of the Signature Collection will feature the same styles in ballistic nylon, but lacking the premium leather accents of the LE series. It will be available in the next few weeks at skateshops around the country and at Incase. Check out a full rundown of the collection below.,

Overnite Bag, $225 (main image and below)

Skate Pack, $175

Skate Bag, $325

Nike 6.0’s 8-Wheel Truck Needs A Name

treats — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:56:37 +0000

Even though the X Games are a wrap, skaters, surfers, and BMX riders are still on their grind. Since they’re always hitting the road to get to the next competition, Nike 6.0’s team built an eight-wheeled camper to cover every athlete under the brand’s umbrella.

The automotive beast features grind rails, surf board racks, a fold-out quarter pipe, a stereo system that runs on two car batteries, as well as a deck for BBQ sessions in between tour stops. The only problem is, they don’t know what to call the damn thing. Maybe P-Rod’s Shaggin’-Waggin? See more of the truck below and learn how you can help Nike name it…

Right now, Nike’s top three favorite names for the truck are:
1. Shred-a-baggo
2. Ill-mobile
3. Precious

Think you can do better? CLICK HERE to suggest a name for the 6.0 truck.

Incase’s Paul Rodriguez Luggage Collection

Bradley — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:24:30 +0000

Last night, Incase officially announced its Paul Rodriguez Signature Collection, a three piece collaboration that contains a skate bag, an overnight bag, and a backpack, all of which will be available this October.

We were able to snap some photos of the premium version of the collection (Limited to 150 pieces of each), featuring 1680D Ballistic nylon and pebble grain leather. It will drop with a more price acessible takedown release as well. See photos and get more details on the skater’s new set of luggage below.

SKATE BAG: $425

Feature Details:

Leather carryall handle w/ built-in hidden pocket

Heavy-duty YKK zipper pulls divide bag into four equilateral compartments

Split top compartment w/ mesh and wet/dry gear storage

Removable pouches for valuables and travel accessories

Exterior zippered side pocket

Bottom storage compartment accesses complete setup

Dividers provide storage for extra decks

Two zippered compartments for spare trucks and wheels

End-loading leather handle w/ built-in hidden pocket

End-loading faux-fur pocket

Custom buckles w/ rubberized soft-touch coating

Slide-out tool compartment

Removable padded, ergonomic shoulder strap

SKATE PACK: $250

Feature Details:

Leather top-loading and side-carrying handles w/ built-in hidden pockets

Dedicated iPod pocket w/ faux-fur lining

Padded, ergonomic should straps

Adjustable sternum strap

Adjustable waist stabilizing strap

Custom buckles w/ rubberized soft-touch coating

Heavy-duty, water-resistant YKK zipper pulls w/ closed-seam construction

Two primary exterior zipper compartments provide ample storage

Extensive array of variably sized interior pockets

Large exterior vertical zipper pocket

Hidden pocket in front compartment

Padded hip belt with storage pockets and headphone port

OVERNIGHT BAG: $300 (Images not currently available for this piece)

Back To The Future’s Hover Board Hits eBay

bfred — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:03:01 +0000

A small piece of your childhood probably died when you realized that the hover board Marty McFly jacked from a little girl in 1989’s Back To The Future II was actually a piece of plastic held up with harnesses and cranes. Even 20 years later, levitation technology still isn’t available. What the fuck?

Luckily, if you’re a McFly fan who has at least $30,000 taking up space in the trust fund, you can now own the actual hover board used in the movie. It won’t hover, but a prop like this will certainly make your fantasy that much more vivid. The pink Mattel toy will be open to bidders on eBay this Friday (August 1), so lace up your Hyperdunks and get ready to bid HERE. After the jump, see the other side of the board and watch the classic Back To The Future scene.

[eBay via Slippery Brick]

Vans x Taka Hayashi LTD Cruiser Skateboard

Bradley — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:39:42 +0000

Vans was in NYC this week to celebrate the launch of the sneaker they created with smoking hot Victoria's Secret Supermodel Marisa Miller. Although the California-brand is best know for it’s mash-ups with skaters and artists, Vans said eef it and added the leggy-model to their already stacked collabo roster.

Besides bringing the Sports Illustrated cover model by to meet the crew (she looks even better in real life!), Vans thanked its NYC connects by gifting these skateboards designed by Taka Hayashi to friends, family, and VIPs. You might recognize the graphic from the Authentic LXs that Taka did in back in May. Hit the jump for close-up photos of the decks.

See Jeremy Fish’s Story In ‘Once Upon A Time’

jerwin — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:10:21 +0000

The Fourth of July weekend is supposed to be about cookouts, fireworks, and sharking, but if you’ve had enough outdoor fun and want to post up at the crib with a good book, you could do worse than Jeremy Fish’s latest, Once Upon A Time…

The SF-based artist/skate mogul/Aesop Rock pal has compiled some of his favorite drawings, photographs, and paintings in a leather-bound tome that retails for $50. Highlights include a foreword by the aforementioned Def Juxer and a section devoted to photos of people who’ve gotten tatted up with Fish’s work. Pick it up at Upper Playground stores or online and check a few pages from the book after the jump.

[Juxtapoz]

Go Skateboard Day & Emericaâ€™s Wild Ride Invade NYC

Joe — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:44:45 +0000

Each year on June 21st, National Go Skateboard Day seems to get bigger and bigger. This year, close to 4,000 kids descended on the city, starting at the Brooklyn Banks, traveling to Tompkins Square Park, and then making their way to KCDC in Brooklyn for the finale, which included a concert by the band Children, the Emerica pro team fresh off from the Wild Ride motorcycle tour, and enough free stuff to keep even the craziest of the monkeys satisfied. Click the jump for photographs taken at the KCDC stop by our Lifestyle Editor Bradley Carbone.

Brand Profile: SLBarbier

treats — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:06:49 +0000

Above: Salvador rocking the SLBarbier Plissken denim

In the basketball world, MJ’s Air Jordan could be the most iconic sneaker of all time. But in the skateboarding world, there aren’t too many kicks that can compete with the classic signature shoe from Sal Barbier, another athlete who’s associated with the number 23. Released in 1994, his Etnies Sal 23 sneaker quickly became the standard bearer for the sport’s understated cool. Barbier’s own reputation as a trendsetter grew, allowing him to found both 23 Skateboards and Elwood clothing in the mid-'90s.

These days, the SLB brand is experiencing a bit of a resurgance with SLBarbier, his apparel and lifestyle company that makes everything from denim to trilby hats. Last year, the SLB flagship store opened on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, where they sell all Barbier-related products and a slew of trusted brands. And coming full circle, Etnies and In4mation recently teamed up with the skate vet for a new version of the Sal 23 sneaker, which is available now in both black leather and red suede. After the jump, see a few kicks from the company.

Black Dusty by SLBarbier

In4mation x Etnies Sal 23

Brand Profile: Manik Skateboards

treats — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:27:57 +0000

Since the death of Kurt Cobain, Seattle hasn’t had much presence on the national pop culture landscape. Luckily skateboarding has emerged as one of the city’s thriving cultures, led in no small part by a company known as Manik.

Started by Eric Green, Marshall “Stack” Reid, and Nin Truong in 2002, Manik started supplying riders with graphic decks, which would later spawn their line of photography and art-inspired T-shirts. Last year, for their annual artist of residence program, photographer Charles Peterson recaptured the iconic imagery of Kurt Cobain in his bad boy heyday on a line of skate decks and tees. Take a look at some of Manik’s products below.