Air Dior

From Virgil Abloh’s role as Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton to Matthew M. Williams taking the helm of Givenchy as Creative Director, streetwear culture has permeated the upper echelons of fashion. With that being said, Air Dior has become the latest project at the intersection of urban apparel and luxury retail. 

The collaboration between Christian Dior and the Jordan Brand first surfaced on December 3rd, 2019 courtesy of Travis Scott, the venture’s lead model. Following similar marketing tactics as Virgil with the Off White x Jordan Ten, Dior’s Kim Jones chose a select few such as Robert Pattinson and David Beckham to debut the collection’s pieces—especially the Jordan 1’s—at multiple Dior shows. 

After having been teased for months, both the high and low models of the Air Dior 1’s were finally up for grabs on June 25th through “an exclusive online experience”—or in simpler terms: a lottery—after unfortunate release delays due to COVID-19. In tribute of the 1s’ 1985 introduction to the world, 8,500 pairs of the highs were produced whereas the lows were much more limited with only 4,700 pairs in circulation. The coupling of streetwear and high fashion is evident with the Air Diors as the iconic Jordan 1 silhouette is built upon with Dior’s characteristic fine-calf leather and gray color scheme. The Nike Swoosh itself is filled with the classic Dior Oblique Jacquard print, emblematic of one of, if not the most, impressive collaborations of the decade. In addition, the renowned Jordan wings are remixed to read “Air Dior” and the soles of either shoes are laser-etched with “DIOR” in bold print. 

Those of you lucky enough to participate in the lottery will be notified of the results on July 1st, and the few winners will be able to pick up their pair at one of four Dior flagship stores: Beverly Hills Rodeo, Miami Design District, New York Soho, or New York 57th Street. At these locations will also be the remaining pieces of this capsule collection, including cashmere sweaters, polo shirts, square silk scarves, and more; each piece in its own unique manner represents Jordan’s innovative style complemented with Dior’s Midas touch. 

To those who intend to buy these shoes for resell price, they will run you a cool 10 to 20k! If your pockets can take a hit like that… respect. 

By the way, thanks a ton for this dope grad gift Sasha!

Written by Vignesh Mannemela

One For All, All For One

Whether it be Taylor Swift and John Legend on One World: Together at Home or Supreme’s COVID-19 relief bogo made in collaboration with Takashi Murakami, the entertainment industry never ceases to amaze me as they do their part in bringing people together during these unprecedented times. And, as of last week, Travis Scott and Lebron James can be added to the list of entertainers who are spreading hope.

The two superstars created a t-shirt between their two brands (Lebron’s athlete empowering Uninterrupted and Scott’s label, Cactus Jack) to celebrate a confused batch of students: the graduating class of 2020. The back of the sky blue tee boasts bold graphics which feature an ovular map encompassed by a ring of children in a thermal colorway, emphasizing the spirit of togetherness. Above the design lies “CLASS OF 2020” in eye-grabbing text. And below, we see the stamp of both brands with Uninterrupted in text encircling the Cactus Jack logo; Lebron’s classic number 23; a unifying “We’re All in This Together” phrase in commonly used Astroworld merchandise font; and 5.16.20, the release date of the tee, lying side by side.

The piece ran customers $40, and as with all of Travis Scott’s recent merchandise, sold out immediately. All proceeds were donated to the Lebron James Family Foundation, which plays a key role in organizing the “Graduate Together” TV special and yearbook. Funds were also given to Feeding Texas, a nonprofit organization and network of food banks striving to end hunger in Texas.

To the graduating class of 2020, we truly are in this together.

Written by Vignesh Mannemmela

Get Flee In The New Flea

About a month ago, Cactus Plant Flea Market released a rather unique iteration of the Nike Blazer Chukka which sold out before it could even cool down! (Get it? Blazer...y’all ain’t ready for the bars).  Made under the Swoosh’s “By You” customization platform, customers were able to remix their respective pair with an array of materials, patterns and colors. The shoe itself features deconstructed edges, quiltings you can find on your grandmother’s favorite comforter, asymmetric textiles and a tan upper comprised of mixed materials.  

Now, Cynthia Lu’s brainchild is gearing up to deliver yet another hotly anticipated sneaker with the american multinational corporation utilizing its classic Air Force 1 model.

Already worn by two of Hip Hop’s major braided up players, Travis Scott and ASAP Rocky, the CPFM x Air Force 1 is made with the silhouette’s triple black and white colorway. As seen on Instagram, Flacko rocked the “Air Flea” version in black, while La Flame flexed in the “Air Sunshine” pair in white. Rimmed with a potent reflective material, the bold letters (they resemble those on Scottie Pippen’s Uptempos) are located across the kicks’ upper.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on when these are going to drop. Knowing CPFM’s style, these bad boys will be sold in limited quantities!

A Brief History Lesson on Cactus Plant Flea Market

The fast rising label was founded by mysterious designer Cynthia Lu, who was a former intern for Complex and then later worked as Pharrell Williams’ assistant.  As you can see, she took a page right off The Jeffersons and swiftly moved on up “to a deluxe apartment in the sky,” which, in her case, is inhabited by other streetwear giants.

Lu has done no interviews. As a matter of fact, fans had to get their Sherlock Holmes on just to figure out that she was the mastermind behind the booming brand.  They started piecing the puzzle together after Pharrell gave her a shout out during his awe-inspiring acceptance speech for the CFDA Fashion Icon award in 2015. “So you see, I’m not a style icon. I’m just inspired—I am Other, and I’m ok with that. Someone’s gotta do it,” says a humble P.  “And to my genius assistant Cactus, listen to your instincts and the people who see the qualities in your differences, because you too might just make a difference.”

In just over a year since its inception (2015), the brand was co-signed by many tastemakers, including Big Sean, Cara Delevingne, Tyler, the Creator,Travis Scott, and of course Skateboard P (I mean, it can’t get any better than the Gawd himself).  In March of 2016, Lu revealed that CPFM would be sold at Dover Street Market New York.

The playful label has collaborated with a slew of prominent brands such as Nike, Nigo’s Human Made, motorcross brand Alpine Star and even designed merchandise for the ASAP Mob, Kanye West and Kid Cudi.

Travis & Reese’s Puffs

Travis Scott can now add ‘cereal box designer’ to his long list of skills. The Astroworld ring leader recently took to Instagram to prison pose in between two boxes of his very own Reese’s Puffs, which were protected in glass casings (too many cereal grabbers out here—one must remain cautious at all times, you know?).

La Flame and General Mills’ special-edition box features a cactus—signifying Travis’ Cactus Jack record label—behind a bowl of cereal. Furthermore, lightning can be seen in the background with hand-drawn stars and clouds. According to US Magazine, the delicious cereal itself will remain the same.

The wonderful hypebeasts of Paris will get first dibs on Scott’s collaborative sweet and crunchy cereal at a pop up during PFW (June 25). Not in Paris? No worries, you can still cop them this Friday (June 28) on Travis Scott’s website for $50.

To eat or not to eat? That is the question...

Don Toliver Has No Idea

Most of us are familiar with the popular idiom: “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” but in the case of Travis Scott and Don Toliver, the tree we’re talking about is actually a Cactus. I’m not insinuating that Scott’s’ Cactus Jack signee is his “son” in any shape or form—they just share similar tones, and a superb knack for conjuring up mesmerizing hooks.

Last year, Toliver absolutely murdered his guest appearance on “Can’t Say” from his label mate’s mega-successful album Astroworld, which left us wanting more.  Fortunately, we were blessed with a new track from the rising spitter in the form of a guitar-laden lullaby entitled, “Best You Had,” earlier this month. Now, he’s back with another chune that’s even better (in my humble opinion), rightfully called “No Idea” because, apparently, we have absolutely no clue how good this kid really is!

The Wondagurl-produced single is a dark, yet bouncy bop which spotlights Don’s smoother-than-a-baby’s-bottom flow and surprising singing range.  Check out its Grant Singer-directed visual below:

Nav and Trav Are Champions

As soon as I finished writing my previous post (see below), I gave Travis Scott's latest album Astroworld a proper spin, and I must say, it's truly one of the best projects released so far in 2018.  Kylie Jenner's baby daddy's winning streak continues as he is featured on the new scorching single from NAV.

Rightfully titled "Champion," the celebratory chune is from the XO rapper/producer's debut album Reckless. Its visual, directed by fellow XO member Amir "Cash" Esmailian, finds the two multitalented acts living splendidly in Hawaii with their all star crew.

Check out the clip below:

Stop Trying To Be God

Travis Scott wasted no time to unleash the cinematic clip for his Astroworld cut "Stop Trying To Be God."  Truth be told, I haven't heard the Houston emcee's latest offering yet, but from the sound of the aforementioned song, it seems promising.

As soon as my ears picked up on Cudi's heavenly hums, I knew this particular track would be awesome.  Also featuring James Blake, Earth, Wind & Fire's Philip Bailey and the legendary Stevie Wonder on harmonica, the mellow tune is all about Scott's budding god complex. 

Directed by Dave Meyers, the song's accompanying visual showcases a plethora of biblical imagery.  Check out the madness below:

Marcato

Damn!  It's been a while hasn't it?  I'm really glad to be back writing for FRNDY LMRN.  I wanted to hold off on releasing this article because I knew all of the big things that were ahead for the person I'm going to write about.  I wanted to incorporate everything for you guys in this piece so here we finally are.  Please allow me to introduce my longtime friend and latest interviewee, Marcato.

Meet Prince Nasir Dean, better known by his stage name, Marcato.  Nas is a budding music producer based out of Miami, Florida.  We have known each other since we were about six years old through our mothers.  We spent our adolescent years running the streets of Atlanta.  When Nas moved to New York in 2011, it was a huge change for the both of us.  A few years later, he relocated back to Miami and has been living bi-coastal ever since.  

Growing up, Nas was always involved in the music industry.  His father is the super successful music producer Swizz Beatz, so of course his musical influence is apparent.  Over the past few years, Nasir developed his musical passion and is currently on the journey of becoming a staple in the music business.  What I admire most about Nas is his relentless grind and passion to make it on his own.

Nas has gained tons of success in the last few months.  He received several hit placements with various recording artists throughout the nation!  Furthermore, Nas produced his first hit on IDK's latest single, "Star."  At the end of June, Nasir came to Atlanta to develop his music with several heavy hitters in the industry such as Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, Rick Ross, Kodie Shane, Gwen Bunn, Black Metaphor and more.  Recently, Nas joined the A&R team at Epic Records!  I can truly say that as both a friend and his publicist, he is only going to the top from here.

While Nas visited Atlanta in June, we sat down to discuss life and his future.  Check out our conversation below:

JULIEN:  What's the origin of your stage name Marcato? 

NASIR:  The origin of my stage name stems from my self-development and self-discovery.  Marcato is a musical instruction indicating a note, chord or passage to be played louder than the surrounding music.  That's what I feel my music represents.

JULIEN:  What genre of music do you consider your work to fall in?

NASIR:  My sound fits in the Hip-Hop, Musical Theater, and Pop genres the best.

JULIEN:  Who influences you the most musically?

NASIR:  Michael Jackson, Jimmy Hendrix, André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, J. Cole and Pierre Dutour influence and inspire me the most.

JULIEN:  When did your interest for music initially come about?

NASIR:  I first realized that I was interested in potentially pursuing a career in music when my dad gifted me my first beat machine for my 10th birthday. I didn't know what to do with it at first though.

JULIEN:  Have you ever felt any type of pressure to do music due to your father and step-mother's great amount of success?

NASIR:  No, never.  Truthfully, I feel as if I was born to do this regardless.

JULIEN:  Could you briefly describe your music-making process?

NASIR:  My first step in the process of composing music is constructing the melody, percussions then finally the 808's.  Other than that, a good amount of the process is mental preparation—thinking positively.

JULIEN:  What environment do you produce music the best in?

NASIR:  Everyone's different, but for me, I prefer to produce music in the nighttime and ironically at school.

JULIEN:  How has your sound evolved since you first began producing?

NASIR:  Over time I have unlocked many new abilities by introducing myself to new techniques through focus.  It usually comes naturally when I'm working on my craft alone in the solitude of my quiet time.

JULIEN:  What is your biggest challenge musically?

NASIR:  Currently, music theory is my biggest challenge.  It can be overwhelming to completely grasp.

JULIEN:  Do you ever get stuck?

NASIR:  All the time!  I can't imagine there being any artist who doesn't get stuck.

JULIEN:  How do you get your creative juices flowing when that occurs?

NASIR:  If I get stuck during the daytime hours, I shelf the idea for the night.  I work best at night and try to have a positive day with great vibes and energy.  Usually the outcome at night reflects the energy I put out during that day.

JULIEN:  Which artists would you like to collaborate with? and why?

NASIR:  I would like to work with J. Cole and Travis Scott because their records inspire me.  I listen to them repeatedly to decipher and understand what it is that I like about their particular song.  Music should make you think!  It's going to happen when the time is right.

JULIEN:  What are your favorite songs out right now?

NASIR:  Right now, my two favorite songs are "Kevin's Heart" by J. Cole and "Mo Bamba" by Sheck Wes.

JULIEN:  What is your favorite album of all time? 

NASIR:  It would definitely have to be Metallica's Master of Puppets album.  I listened to it at a very young age—It truly helped develop the love of music I have now.

co-JULIEN:  What is the ultimate direction that you wish to go in musically?

NASIR:  I want to become a music aficionado and leader of the next generation's musical youth prospects.

JULIEN:  Can fans expect an EP from you anytime soon?

NASIR:  Yes!  One is currently in the making, but in the meantime, check out IDK's latest song "Star," co-produced by myself.

JULIEN:  What goals do you want to accomplish within this upcoming year?

NASIR:  I would like to develop my own record label.  I am going to be under Sylvia Rhone at Epic Records, which is huge for me!  I have an amazing lineup of creatives that I'm working closely with.  I am eager to explore and develop the projects.

JULIEN:  In five years, where do you see yourself?

NASIR:  In five years, I see myself in Corsica, France with Scarlett Johansson leading my companies to its highest pinnacle and beyond.

JULIEN:  When it comes to success, how do you define it?

NASIR:  To me, success embodies the inspiration for all generations.  My musical expressions create freedom of the soul from my artistic expression.  That is success.

JULIEN:  What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received?

NASIR:  The best advice I ever received was from my mother Nichole.  She always reminds me to keep an open mind.

Written by Sir Julien George

Photographed by We Own The City

For any inquiries regarding Nasir Dean, feel free to visit Notemarcato.com or email 13th@notemarcato.com.