YEEZY Gap

“Yeezy, Yeezy where you been, uh?” Making history, of course. Back in June 2020, megastar creator Kanye West took to Twitter to officially announce a colossal joint venture with his brainchild brand YEEZY and Gap.  Finally, after a full year of anticipation the garment giants have unveiled the first release of their whopping 10-year partnership.

The YEEZY Gap “Round jacket” is a bold outerwear piece made with recycled nylon and boasts an eye catching blue hue. What’s truly unique about the unisex puffer is its unconventional collar—well, technically there’s none.  Furthermore, the jacket does not feature a closure so there’s no way you can hide that winter gut (I mean, there’s nothing wrong with having one…just sayin’).

Last week in Los Angeles, Ye himself was snapped wearing the jacket with a pair of Nikes! (::Gasps:: talk about marketing!).  Priced at $200, The YEEZY Gap “Round Jacket” will be available for preorder starting June 7 exclusively in the good ol’ US of A on Gap.com.  Unfortunately, shipping is scheduled to take place this Fall.  Check this out though, in order to access the preorder you must first enter your contact information, shirt size, pant size, shoe size and social security number (just joking…pretty believable, right?).

In grand Yeezus fashion, YEEZY Gap will showcase its “Round Jacket” floating projections in major cities starting with New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Peep the exact locations below:

New York City
Madison Square Garden
Guggenheim Museum
New York Public Library
Spring Street Salt Shed
The Met Breuer
New Museum
166 Lafayette Street
142 Spring Street
184 Wythe Avenue
Essex And Rivington Streets

Los Angeles
Disney Concert Hall
Hollywood Palladium
LACMA
Staples Center
The Broadflower St And W Olympic Boulevard
Melrose Avenue And N Virgil Ave
Abbot Kinney Boulevard And San Juan Avenue
Dolby Theatre
Santa Monica Avenue And 2nd Street
Vine Street – Walk Of Fame
8349 Sunset Boulevard

Chicago
Michigan Ave And Roosevelt Road
1601 N Milwaukee Avenue
1453 N Milwaukee Avenue
1927 N Milwaukee Avenue
621 W Fulton Street

OMO Frendy

There’s really nothing to explain here. The FRNDY LMRN “OMO” T-shirt is for all of my supporters—especially those from my BAPE days.

Head over to the shop to own a piece of history!

Rowdy Sneaker Shopping

Rowdy Rebel recently went Downtown to meet up with Joe La Puma for a special edition of Complex’s Sneaker Shopping series.

During their unorthodox interview, the Brooklyn Drill master spoke about finally being out of jail, his basketball playing days, affinity for Air Jordans, comical unfamiliarity with Off-white and reuniting with Bobby Shmurda.  My favorite moment in this sitdown (well, standup rather) is when Joe mentioned the famed sneaker store on Utica Avenue in BK called “Sneaker King.”  Sh*t, I’m surprised he even knew about that spot (great research, my guy!).  

A few years ago, I lived a few minutes away from the aforementioned shoe shop, and I must say, it is clutch for limited releases. Shout out to “Get Set” on Nostrand Ave. as well! I’m not sure if they’re still open for business, but I did stroll down the old hood to take a quick flick for those who are not familiar with it:

Watch Rowdy ball out on some “boots” below:

Hood By Air is Byke

Shayne Oliver’s brainchild Hood By Air has boldly returned to the fashion industry with its first official ready-to-wear collection starring none other than Naomi Campbell.

Aptly titled The Prologue, HBA’s forthcoming offering consists of three distinct sections: Mother, Veteran, and Merch. Naomi, being the Empress that she is, was picked as a spokesmodel for the initial portion to accent its essence.  “She is such a mother figure to so [many people in fashion] and has always been so outspoken about Black people in fashion, Black identity and Black creativity,” says Oliver to Vogue.  

Photographed by Luiz Alberto Rodriguez, Campbell is seen rocking pieces fundamentally based on function and utility such as: a leather puffer, leather motocross pants and a handy-dandy top equipped with zippers, straps, and belt clips (Playboi Carti must be salivating looking at those pics right now). Shout out to Carlos Nazario for a great job styling this one.

Since Shayne and ASAP Rocky made up, I hope to see these two collaborate on something major for the brand’s advancement. After all, he is a..Veteran...in HBA wear. (Damn, I’m nice).

FOAM des GARÇONS

“The hood fashion n*ggaz are going to love these!” is what the designers of this otherworldly sneaker collaboration thought when they visualized its conception. Alright, that scenario probably did not occur. However, the masterminds behind the Comme des Garçon HOMME PLUS x Air Foamposite One were definitely aware of the frenzy it would cause in the streetwear and high fashion realm. 

The two juggernaut brands have joined forces in the past, but their latest venture truly reimagines the Nike Air Foamposite One (synonymous with basketball legend Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway) like we’ve never seen before. Its traditional upper molding containing vertical ribs is discarded and replaced with an...artsy circular pattern that only CDG can conjure up. Furthermore, the forefoot’s itty-bitty swoosh branding remains in the same position, while COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS text is seen on the black and white iteration of the beloved kicks. 

The CDG Homme Plus x Nike Air Foamposite One were unveiled as part of the label’s Fall/Winter 2021 show. We can expect a release date for these bad boys later this year.

The 'We Outside, Outside' Collection

If an adult Dora The Explorer and P Diddy had kids (just follow me on this), they would be the first ones on the block to effortlessly rock the extravagant pieces from Gucci’s collaboration with The North Face. 

Alessandro Michele, the luxurious Italian fashion house’s lauded Creative Director, truly believes that man is not separate from nature. During his tenure at Gucci, he has pushed the brand to become environmentally-friendly with moves such as its “off The Grid” sustainable collection, which utilizes recycled, organic and sustainably sourced materials. Gucci’s latest offering continues its earth-conscious trek with none other than TNF, who is also taking strides in making a positive impact on the environment.

Teased back in September via Instagram, Gucci’s joint venture with The North Face focuses on the great outdoors and channels the spirit of exploration. Don’t get it twisted—these pieces ain’t for your regular hypebeast camp-outs, you dig? The collection, inspired by The North Face designs from the 1970s, remains true to Gucci’s maximalist aesthetic and TNF’s functionable outerwear.  It includes retro climbing gear-inspired backpacks, belt bags, a tent, a sleeping bag, hiking boots, beanies, shirts, and coats. These offerings take coziness to Mount Everest Heights!

The North Face x Gucci collaboration is available in select boutiques worldwide.  And as of today, online at Gucci and The North Face.

Roadman Wear

Nike possesses a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to handpicking partnerships. The Oregon-based mega brand is on a seemingly endless winning streak with the major players it has courted in the realm of sports and entertainment. Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest hooper of all time, has the Jordan Brand, auto tune gawd Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack is dominating in the paint alongside Phil Knight’s brainchild (straight up!), and most recently, Drake has collaborated with the Swoosh to conjure up Nocta.

If you’re like me, the initial thought that popped in your head after reading Drizzy’s Nike division title was: “What in the world is a Nocta?”. But after much research, it all made sense (that boy good *Joe Budden Voice*). The roadman inspired apparel’s moniker is derived from the nocturnal nature of Drake’s creative process. In other words, he thrives on that Demon time, ya get me! Nocta draws heavily from sport. Furthermore, Aubrey’s Nike sub-label provides functional, comfortable and sleek everyday essentials for those who are always on the move.

Nocta’s initial capsule, which made its official debut on December 18, included cozy black and yellow puffers, hoodies, socks and fleece pants . As you may have guessed, all the pieces sold out instantly! Fortunately, the brand’s next drop is on February 23.

I wish you all luck in copping some gear! May your neighbors respect you, and angels protect you from any postal service workers *coughs* accidently loosing *coughs* your Nocta threads.

Sicko Mode

2019 has officially been the year of the upload for comedic duo Jae and Trey Richards. Not only have they been consistently delivering a myriad of new Random Order podcast episodes, the 4YE boys are also pumping out gut-busting skits faster than a celebrity break up!

This time around, the Brampton-bred bros are disguised as exuberant hypebeasts who are attempting to cop merchandise worn by their fashion idols.  The “Sick Guys” are serious when it comes to style...even if they have don’t have a clue about what they’re actually rockin’.

I may or may not my have seen these types of scenarios go down during my time at Nigo’s former shop (let me stop, y'all know I have). But hey, who am I to judge? 

Check out the sickness below:

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.

Barneys' Bankruptcy

The hood’s Bergdorf Goodman Barneys New York has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection!  Arranged on August 6, the Chapter 11 filing allows Barneys to stay open while it works out a plan to rev up the business and pay off its debts.

According to Business of Fashion, the luxury department store has been struggling with high rent and changing consumer tastes.  Below is Barneys’ official statement regarding its surprising move:

“For more than 90 years, Barneys New York has been an iconic luxury specialty retailer, renowned for its edit, strong point of view, creativity and representation of the world’s best designers and brands.  Like many in our industry, Barneys New York’s financial position has been dramatically impacted by the challenging retail environment and rent structures that are excessively high relative to market demand. In response to these obstacles, the Barneys New York Board and management team have taken decisive action by entering into a court-supervised process, which will provide the Company the necessary tools to conduct a sale process, review our current leases and optimize our operations.”

Due to the bankruptcy, Barneys New York is closing 15 of its 22 brick-and-mortar shops, which includes their locations in Chicago, Las Vegas, and Seattle branches. Furthermore, 7 of the company’s 9 Barneys Warehouse stores and 5 concept stores will also be shut down (no Skepta). Fortunately, the luxury retailer will keep 5 flagship locations in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston. My online shopping heads are in luck because Barneys online stores, Barneys.com and BarneysWarehouse.com, will also remain in business.

What was the first piece you ever copped at Barneys?

Three's Company

I was a bit conflicted upon seeing Pharrell Williams rocking Human Made sneakers in his GQ France cover shoot last month.  Obviously, I wanted to know how I could cop them beauties, but then again, they might have been an exclusive one-of-one pair gifted by his longtime comrade Nigo. Fortunately, they’re not!  

It was recently revealed that the shoes are in fact a collaboration between the two fashion icons and adidas.  Utilizing Pharrell’s adidas Solar Hu Glide model, the white and cream kicks showcase Human Made’s blue heart logo (P wore the red one prior), with splashes of 3M on its shoe laces, and of course the German design company’s three stripes logo at the tongue.

The only bad news is that the adidas Pharrell x Human Made Solar Hu Glides are only available at Human Made’s Kyoto store, which officially opens on May 3rd.  Hopefully they’ll make their way to the states shortly after!

New Flavors

I’m not going to hold you, Aime Leon Dore’s latest sneaker collaboration with New Balance is super clean!

ALD incorporates their vibrant aesthetic to the Boston footwear company’s 997 model with the addition of bright colors towards its rear (they alternate between the left and right shoe). Meanwhile, the midsole, outsole and toe box of the collaborative New Balances feature dark undertones, such as grey, beige and green sued.

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A post shared by Aimé Leon Dore (@aimeleondore) on Apr 8, 2019 at 7:28am PDT

The Aime Leon Dore x New Balance 997 is scheduled to drop this Friday at the brand’s New York flagship location (214 Mulberry Street, you’re welcome) and their online store at 11am.

Kawhi's "New" Shoe Deal

Breaking news! Kawhi Leonard has just signed a multiyear contract with none other than the grandfather of all dad shoes, New Balance.

Yup, I know exactly what you’re thinking: “This is a move only Kawhi would make!”  The new face of the Toronto Raptors organization is sort of regarded as a rather...unique NBA superstar with a questionable laugh [insert The Joe Budden Podcast sound effect here], but his latest feat is just as clutch as he is during the final seconds of a championship game.  NB certainly doesn’t have enough hops to jump over the Jumpman, however, they’re dishing out major cash that would entice any player in their elevated mind.  According to ESPN, Leonard, 27, was offered more than $5 million per season, positioning himself among the top 15 shoe endorsement deal earners in the league! Kawhi’s last sneaker venture was with Jordan Brand where they paid him less than $500,000 a year.

Twitter is having a field day with this unexpected news.  Check out some of the humorous tweets below:

Human Made x KFC

I haven’t eaten chicken from KFC in about 6 years, but with the announcement of its new collaboration with NIGO’s fashion label Human Made, I just might break my (semi) strict diet to taste what the hoopla is all about.

To be brutally honest, this joint venture is the epitome of a “weird flex but ok,” Instagram caption. Fortunately, the track record of the legendary Japanese designer is more than commendable so, in my book, his unlikely pairing with the fast food chain is…genius (haha).

Not much information is revealed about Human Made’s KFC mash-up but we can expect their delectable debut on November 16, 2018 in NYC. For now, check out the dramatic promotional video captured in Japan below:

Jansport's Desert Collection

Serious cojones were needed in order to rock a fresh JanSport bookbag back in my middle school days.  Yes, owning one of the iconic American apparel company’s bags automatically made you “the man”, but it also came with a hefty price of having to always be on guard against menacing classmates who were ready pounce on your unattended prized possession. (especially if the bag was decorated with multi-colored strings on its zipper.) Well, Jansport has returned with a new capsule in hopes of reigniting the grandeur it once possessed.  

Inspired by the sandy desert mountains, their Fall 2018 Desert Collection consists of the SuperBreak backpack, the Fifth Avenue waist bag and the Half Pipe FX mini.  Constructed with soft leather and suede, the bags are available in “mistral grey”, “vintage brown” and good ol’ black.

The Desert Collection is now stocked at NYC’s Extra Butter and will be sold at Jansport’s official website on October 28th.  Check out its lookbook below:

The Flame Style 36 SF

These new kicks from Vans are absolutely fire in every sense of the word! This summer, my shoes of choice were the Flame Old Skool Blacks from the popular American skate company so I’m really happy to see that they’ve made a new iteration of the scorching silhouette.

Coined the Flame Style 36 SF, the fiery footwear is made in a monochrome colorway (unlike the aforementioned sneaker with orange and red flames embellished on each of its side).  The Flame Style 36 SF features an UltraCush insole and a rubbertoe cap. Furthermore, the Style 36 SF Vans includes sturdy canvas and suede uppers, water-based inks and glues, and classic waffle rubber outsoles.

Cop your pair now for a measly $62 here.

Tha Carter V Gear

Lil’ Wayne fans worldwide are rejoicing after hearing the “Young Money Millionaire” proclaim he will be releasing his long-awaited, Tha Carter V, album on his birthday aka today, September 27th. Unfortunately, the project is nowhere to be found, which ultimately means that its official premiere date has been bumped up to Friday (cross your fingers).

What we can be sure of getting, though, is some good ol’ products, commemorating the highly anticipated project. The merch collection will consist of Weezy-centric gear conjured up by 14 designers. The first at bat is Kanye West’s longtime collaborator, Heron Preston.

Preston’s tee displays an airbrushed portrait of the megastar rapper on the front, with bright pink “The Carter V” branding positioned at its center, and of course, the designer’s name “Heron Preston” at the bottom. On the shirt’s back, Wayne’s famous “A Milli” line, “What’s A Goon To A Goblin,” is showcased in a bold green airbrush, while “The Carter V” branding is located at the bottom.

Like what you see? Then, head over to Tunechi’s online shop to cop. Damn, I almost forgot to mention these shirts are only available for 24 hours. Hope you were one of the lucky ones!

CDG PLAY x Converse Fall/Winter 2018

COMME des GARCONS PLAY and Converse are gearing up to unleash a new shoe! The iconic labels have been collaborating since 2009, spewing out various sneaker silhouettes with CDG’s beloved ‘heart with eyes’ logo.

Their latest offering utilizes the American shoe company’s Chuck Taylor model with the aforementioned motif, appearing nine times around the base of its upper. I might be wrong, but I think this is the very first time a CDG PLAY Converse is splattered with this much hearts! Usually the CDG Converse Pro Leathers are flooded with them.

Available in white and a new khaki colorway, the collaborative leisure sneaks are valued at approximately $145 USD in either high or low top iterations.

Interested in copping a pair? If so, they will be available for purchase at all Dover Street Market locations on September 21st.

Yezzzir

I’m not one to hold on to the past, but gotdamn it’s difficult not to reminisce about the golden era of iconic streetwear brands, BAPE and Billionaire Boys Club/ Ice Cream. That particular period of time truly influenced me to become the man I am today. (Heck, I was blessed enough to work at BAPE NYC.) From NIGO’s lustrous kicks to Pharrell’s unorthodox, skateboard duder swag, the iconic style icons boosted my confidence to live my life unfiltered. Palm Angels’ latest collaboration brought the nostalgia right back!

You guessed it! The Los-Angeles based, skate culture influenced brand tagged team with Billionaire Boys Club to conjure up a kickflipping new varsity. Featuring an OG Ice Cream logo filled with Swarovski crystals, the letterman jacket is constructed from polyester and nylon. “Palm Angels” is written diagonally across the jacket’s chest, while pink and green stripped detailing can be found on the sleeves, collar and hem.

Unfortunately, there is no information on the piece’s official release date. I guess we’ll have to patiently wait in line like the true OG hypebeasts that we are (yeah, I’m excluding all you new n*ggaz…just kidding).

Vogue x Air Jordan 3 AWOK

Right on the heels of her Air Jordan 1 Zip High AWOK debut earlier this summer, Vogue's editor in chief Anna Wintour is running it back with the Jordan Brand to launch yet another stylish, high-flying sneaker for the ladies.

Utilizing the classic Air Jordan 3 silhouette, the Vogue x Air Jordan 3 AWOK is really an aesthetic piece inspired by the polarising fashion figure's affinity for tweed suits and big ol' designer shades.  The shoe's upper consists of a shimmering tweed, while its heel display Anna's signature, which signifies her ultimate approval--"AWOK" is actually an acronym for Anna Wintour Ok.  Furthermore, Wintour's second collaboration with Jumpman is equipped with a hangtag that reads, "Edited By Vogue."  Talk about a subtle flex, eh?

The red and black versions of the Vogue x Air Jordan 3 AWOK are expected to drop sometime next week (on the sixth, I believe).  'Tis the season to be boo'd up so fellas cop this joint for the shorty you really want to canoodle with.