Converse Valentine's Day Collection

While the candy companies are churning out those chalky candy hearts and boxes of chocolate that are  like life, our favorite sneaker brands are busy  bringing us the hottest releases for the lady or gentleman who  has everything. Nike, Vans, Converse, Puma and Adidas are all dropping candy sweet colourways that, while inspired by the holiday, you’ll be sure to wear year round.

Puma Valentine's Day

Each collection sticks with the typical reds and pinks associated with Valentine’s Day while also putting their own spin on the traditional themes. Converse urges us to forget chocolate and give rubber by covering their classic hi and low tops with everything from the word of the season to chalk hearts, without going too overboard on the V-day thing. Puma and Vans also kept the Val day inspiration limited to the selected colourways and trims. While Vans’ high-top is white with red trim, Puma placed a kiss on their high-top very apropos of the holiday. I must say that understated is the way to go when copping a pair of these for your guy, unless he’s into sneakers that look like they are fresh from a Lisa Frank folder.

Nike Valentine's Day

While Converse, Puma and Vans played it cool, Nike went all out with the Valentine’s theme and produced a collection that looks straight out of a pack of cards you hand out in elementary school.  The ladies Aerofit High in both varsity red and lilac along with the Air Force 1  Lows that come in leather with giraffe like patent details and canvas are a nbit too obivous for me, although they do come in a super awesome box. The standout of the collection and all of the Val Day drops as far as I’m concerned is the Nike Big Nike Valentine’s Day which while obnoxiously pink feature an ode to love n the tongue. Poetic and adorable will always win me over.

Adidas Valentine's Day Collection

Last but far from least, Adidas delivers another red and white collection featuring two Superstars, a Nizza Hi and a Nizza Lo. This collection is classic Adidas with added love. Both Nizzas feature “I love you” lace locks and the Nizza Hi is covered in hearts and the classic Adidas stripes.

All in all I’d totally rather a fresh pair of sneakers than a heart shaped box of chocolates when February 14 rolls around.

Cosmo Baker!

M.I.S.S. hit the Cut and Paste Global Championship last week (the first-ever Global event!) at the Hammerstein Ballroom to check out the event and get inspired about art. I was most excited about Cosmo Baker djing the event, but then again, I can’t even maneuver Photoshop. If you are not familiar with the event, it is described as the following on the website: “Cut&Paste is proud to present the culmination of Digital Design Tournament 2009 – the first-ever Global Championship. With the broad geographical reach of an Olympic event and the nervy psychological gamesmanship of the X Games, the championship takes the tournament’s international approach to design as spectator sport and amps it up like never before.” Basically, it’s a like a cipher, or a rap battle, but with design nerds. And it was awesomely good.

There are rules to the competition, as captured by some of my photos. The designers all had a theme (duality) and had 20 minutes on a PC or Mac to design an original graphic art piece. There were other design parameters, and a panel of judges (including a dude from Kid Robot) deciding who had the winning designs. There were several heats, or rounds, before the final design-off.

I stayed through the first round, and stood behind the mom and family of a designer named Neil. She was wearing a sign with his face on it! Despite the support for Neil, he did not make the cut for the first round. Gabriel Smetzer and another contestant were the top choices of the round, with designs of a monster next to a house and another design of a pigeon-like bird regurgitating colored blocks. According to the results, the champions were: 2nd Design – Janee Meadows, 3rd Design – Gabriel Smetzer, Motion Design – Jake Guttormsson. The event was sponsored by 55DSL and Converse, and there was popcorn and PBR being served (Pabst Blue Ribbon, for all ya’ll who don’t live the Brooklyn lifestyle hahaha).

New at Dover Street Market's e-shop!

London’s Dover Street Market have seen a few new items hit their e-shop, ready and waiting for fanatic online spenders to flex their plastic on.

Some of the things you can expect to see are scents by Artek STANDARD, Daphne and DSM’s own scent which is described as “an unusually modern construction of a classic woody fragrance”, London based Luxury luggage brand H by Harris’ quilted styles are featured, including laptop, backpack and clutch designs and the highly anticipated Play x Converse collaboration is also new to the DSM shop, with their more simplistic spin on the classic Chuck Taylor shoe.

New at Dover Street Market's e-shop!

My favourite addition would have to be the The Inoue Brothers collection, which features denim, button up shirts, crewnecks and tee’s featuring photos and quotes taken from Gray band member Nick Taylor’s diary.

New at Dover Street Market's e-shop!

Along with the new items, the Dover Street Market shop also caters to those with a taste for luxury streetwear, shoes and accessories. Head on over to Dover Street Market to check it out.

2009 GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP
WHEN:
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Doors open: 7:00pm EST
Show starts: 8:00pm EST

WHERE:
Hammerstein Ballroom
311 W. 34th Street
New York, NY 10001

TICKET SALES:
Ticket prices:
$15.00 online / $20.00 door
available at Going.com

Please note:
- C&P Global Championship is a 21+ event.
- Tickets purchased online are will-call and must be picked up at the venue when doors open. No exceptions. Bring ID and the credit card used for the purchase.
- Tickets sold at the door are cash-only.
- All tickets are general admission.
- All sales are final.

For more information, visit on the web: Cut & Paste

Women Making History: Lien & Lindsay of C.C. Rider

The “C.C.” in Lien Gray & Lindsay Pfeiffer’s C.C. Rider doesn’t stand for ‘carefully curated’ but we’re wondering if it should because that’s the first thought that comes to mind when stepping in to the San Francisco store.

The second thought (or maybe it’s the other way around)? A drawn-out “Duuuude. Aweeeesome!” even if you’ve never said a ‘dude’ in your life.

So what is a “C.C. Rider,” you ask, besides an independent San Francisco skate/thrash/rock oriented collective and store that carries products made by small time artists and designers and the main hustle of this week’s Women Making History features?

Well, a “SEE SEE RIDER”, also known as “C.C. RIDER” or “SEE SEE RIDER BLUES” or “EASY RIDER” is a popular American 12-bar blues song. It was first recorded, and copyrighted, by Gertrude “Ma” Rainey in 1924, and since then has been recorded by hundreds of amazing artists throughout the last few decades.

Check out a rockin’ version from 1966 below!

So, besides the name of the store, what does this have to do with C.C. Rider owner Lien & partner, Lindsay?

It’s the vibe, baby! There’s a certain feel to the song and the rider the lyrics talk about and these ladies have done a eerily-awesome job at translating it into the essence of the store.

C.C. Rider: Threds, Art, Gifts, Jams

Lien & Lindsay break it all down below:

First off, I’d like to note that CC RIDER SF has just moved. The new location is on the same street a few blocks away from where we originally existed. This decision was made because the new location surrounds other independent shops that cater to similar clientele. We’ve sandwiched ourselves in between Bar 821, Mini Bar, and Everlasting Tattoo and have taken over our good friends from Still Life’s old location. The new CC Rider SF is on Divisadero Street between Fulton & McAllister in San Francisco.

HOW WE GOT INTO THIS BUSINESS:

An everlasting obsession with art, design, rock and roll, attitude, individuality, and community…

THE C.C. RIDER BACKSTORY:

I wasn’t able to find things out there that appealed to my tastes for classic craftsmanship and rock and roll. Many stores that have a similar aesthetic were either way out of my price range, kind of cheesy, or manufactured cheaply. I wanted to provide well made products with a sense of refinement yet affordable, laid back, and edgy. CC RIDER SF was born after tracking down individuals and artists who share a passion for these same sort of values and wanted to participate in the creation of an affordable lifestyle collection. Now CC Rider SF has become a collective team encompassing the values of humor, timeless youth, with a laid back attitude towards fashion and style.

OUR PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS:

I went to school for fashion design and worked for several years buying, managing, and traveling for various independent clothing companies before deciding to make the break and start something from scratch. I wanted something that danced to the beat of my own drum and something I could really pour my heart and soul into.

My father is a retired hippie and graphic designer and his father was an American painter. I learned to understand the importance of uniqueness and quality in product design and was influenced by their attention to detail.

I was drawn by the San Francisco punk scene at a young age. My youth was riddled with rebellion and question. I spent countless nights at shows & gatherings, bouncing ideas about living a lifestyle which didn’t advocate large corporate business and generic product. There was a lot of emphasis on DIY business and self contained micro communities. Customization of style and handmade clothing were abundant and found this to be incredibly inspirational. The music scene, which was also closely connected with the SF skate scene, was a melting pot of characters who shared my enthusiasm for rock and roll and rebelliousness. I met a lot of interesting people during that period in my life.

THE PATH WE TOOK THAT LED US HERE:

The Highway to Hell and the Stairway to Heaven.

A look inside C.C. Rider, San Francisco, CA, USA.

THE VIBE & INTERIOR DESIGN OF THE STORE:

CC Rider SF is a cozy little hole-in-the wall packed full of wonderful things new and old. The inside of the store is a friendly environment where music, art, and counter culture enthusiasts convene to clothe, swaddle, and immerse themselves in treasures. The shop pays homage to the 60’s by showcasing locally hand crafted and hard to find items. Everything is attainable at realistic prices, making it easy to incorporate style into a skim budget. The store has a laid back and entertaining feel, it shows positivity and encouragement for the SF art and music scenes, and is top to bottom rockin! PMA all day!

WHAT WE HAVE IN THE STORE/WHAT WE CARRY:

Vintage rocker shirts, denim, sneakers, skate mags, a select collection of collectible skateboards, beer coozies, locally handcrafted belts and leather goods, T-shirts, outerwear, rare vintage eyewear, flannels, posters, photographs, skate and art videos, photobooks, trash novels, zines, badges, buttons, converse, vintage clothing, deadstock items, handcrafted jewelry, charms.

Cheap monday, Kill city, Look fromLondon, Keep shoes, Altru apparel, Thrasher T’s, Vans, Blood Wizard, Rebel 8, Lowcard, Vintage Casio, Rare Eyewear, Vintage Pendleton, Maximum rockn’roll, Worn Free, Featherwitch, Bandit Brand, The Driven by Jason Jessee, Rock n roll workshop, Rayban, Maui Jim, Vuarnet and tons more..

OUR CUSTOMERS – beautiful losers, rockers, skateboarders, fashion and music enthusiasts, artists, and everyone with a liking towards unusual but super sweet finds.

ONLINE SHOPPERS- we’re about to unveil the new online shop and website we’ve been working on for what feels like decades. Stay tuned!

FABULOUS THINGS FROM OUR STORE THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT:

Rare Vintage designer sunglasses ($45-175), a stone washed bandit brand t-shirt ($35-40) , and a 24k gold dipped chicken foot charm ($25) – (its voodoo luck babe).

Now, the ladies each break it down to what’s really important (turn ons & turn offs, yeeeeaaaah!) via the M.I.S.S. survey!

Lien of C.C. Rider

Lindsay of C.C. Rider

THE FOLLOWING IS A COLLABORATION OF ANSWERS FROM BOTH LIEN GRAY and LINDSAY PFFEIFER OF C.C. RIDER SF:

M.I.S.S.: What woman, besides your mom or grandmother, do you find inspirational?

LIEN GRAY: JOAN JETT, LOT LIZARDS, OPRAH,

LINDSAY PFFEIFER: Malia Spanyol of Pop’s, Thee Parkside, and Red Rat Industries. She seriously kicks ass.

Inspiration for the C.C. Rider...

M.I.S.S.: How did you get your start?

LINDSAY PFEIFER: Asked Lien, she birthed CC.

LIEN GRAY: I haven’t “birthed” anything….more like REGURGITATED…THE CREATIVE SIDE OF MY BRAIN!… into this little treasure trove where you can kind of creep inside my mind and purchase little pieces of all the things that swirl around in it…. with a dazzle of Lindsay and Brette’s (another co conspirator) minds sprinkled on top. We’re basically treasure hunting for cool beautiful wearable things and thought provoking goods.

All these projects started with obsessions over nostalgia and love for unique and thought provoking design. San Francisco bay is one of the most culturally diverse areas in the states and the years ive lived here have cultivated my appreciation for style and lay a groundwork for my enthusiasm for travel and craftsmanship. I tend to lean towards local products or items that evoke understanding or conversation of historical and cultural movements of the area. The culmination of all those things paved the way for the way for the inspiration used to create something that I could immerse myself and friends into and support ourselves to live while doing so…

The walls of a young C.C. Rider's bedroom would be covered with this stuff!

A young C.C. Rider's high school locker would have this inside!

M.I.S.S.: What’s your favorite thing about what you do?

LIEN GRAY: Digging through massive hot sweaty time warp towns for buried treasures and driving my car fast to get there. Then being able to bring smile after smile on people faces when they are so stoked to see and purchase these hand picked items.

LINDSAY PFFEIFER: Supporting my friends and hanging out on Divisadero Street.

M.I.S.S.: What is your goal for the store?

LIEN GRAY: To create a community center where you know you’re always gonna find something rad.. to buy, to wear, to read, to listen to, to go out and do… we’re inspired by inspiring others to get into their own rhythms and live rad and creative lives.

LINDSAY PFFEIFER: To make the shop into a one stop destination for anything you’d ever need in life… that’s awesome.

C.C. Rider girls.

Gear for the C.C. Rider...always stocked!

A C.C. Rider can be a guy or a girl!

M.I.S.S.: What part of your work process is the most challenging and do you dislike the most?

LIEN GRAY: Not having enough time to accomplish everything I want to do…. You really have to love this sort of thing.. cause its long hours for mediocre pay.. but the happiness of being surrounded by people and stuff you love everyday is PRICELESS, man, PRICELESS! Shop Local! Support the little guys.. they’re totally working hard for it these days.

LINDSAY PFEIFFER: Not having enough money to hire some help around here! We’re looking for interns San Francisco!

C.C. Rider rocks the jewelry!

C.C. Rider does art. Most of their ads are hand drawn and they sell some awesome posters and magazines.

M.I.S.S.: Any advice for ladies who are just starting out in a career path similar to yours?

LINDSAY PFEIFFER: BEWARE OF LURKERS!

LIEN GRAY: haha.. yeah.. being able to read situations well and not get ripped off or taken advantage of is key! Be confident in yourself but be real…treat people with respect and concentrate on making this world a more enjoyable to hang out in… Concentrate on the quality and value of your product and what it means to your customers…Support other local businesses around you and never give up. TRUST THAT KILLER INSTINCT!

So if you ever find yourself in San Francisco—first, make sure you wear a flower in your hair—stop by and say hello to the ladies of C.C. Rider and buy yourself a thing or two from the store!

FLAGSHIP RETAIL STORE LOCATION:
C.C. RIDER SF
835 DIVISADERO ST
SAN FRANCISO, CA 94117
415-418-4265 (shop manager)
415-596-2182 (buyer)
415-441-4484 (shop)

Site: http://www.ccridersf.com

Blog: http://ccridersf.com/wordpress

Jelly NYC: Girl Talk

There was a huge line last Sunday at 90 Kent Avenue for the second-to-last installment of Jelly NYC – the series of free outdoor concerts described as pool parties in Willyburg, Brooklyn – but it moved quickly. Upon entering the park, there was an intense game of dodgeball going on to the left of the field, the stage was far right, and the beer tents were to the far left. Good setup. Forgoing the dodgeball (too many bad memories), I headed straight for the beer/wine tents as Wiz Khalifa prepared to perform.

Wiz K. was just O.K., they were not memorable at all in my opinion. The party really started when Max Tundra came onstage though….I knew nothing about him before the gig, so seeing him perform was QUITE a treat. He is a balding, approximately 5-foot tall man from England, and when he came out he was wearing a black and white striped t-shirt and faded jeans. The music came on, music which sounded like electropop – and then the dancing began. HILARIOUS!! Max Tundra (nee Ben Jacobs) dances like he is having a seizure. Fist pumps, inappropriately timed leg kicks, and head bobs galore. When he sings in his shaky falsetto, he reaches out to the audience as if he were in a musical,, singing the finale song. In terms of the music, M.I.S.S. Gee and I could not decide if he was completely horrible or absolutely brilliant. The music seemed complex enough, more complex than a poor musician would make – but it was not necessarily pleasing to the ear at the same time. I felt somewhat bad for the little nugget, as the audience was barely moving throughout his whole set. I can say this: He was very, very entertaining.

Once Girl Talk went on, the crowd went totally bonkers. He mixed Outkast, Notorious B.I.G., and a bunch of 80’s songs together for a virtual mixed bag of treats. If you have never heard of Girl Talk, he is a DJ that relies on Fair Use to make his unauthorized remixes. He specializes in mash-ups and digital sampling, and all of his “remixes” contain less than a minute of each song most of the time. Thus, he creates a master mix of recognizable hits squished together in an interesting way. This is phenomenal for our nation of ADD twenty-somethings, and as soon as Greg Gillis AKA Girl Talk gets onstage, time flies. In essence, it feels like one long MP3 of heaven.

The rest of the afternoon was pure bliss, despite the light rain and the short time of silence from the equipment caused by the unexpected rain. But hipsters are the new hippies, so their concerts are never ruined by a bit of precipitation. Roaming the V.I.P. area was Ashley Olsen (in a red turban, smoking cigs, and NOT eating the free food), her boyfriend, actor Justin Bartha, DJ Dances with White Girls, and Ninjasonik. Plus, the M.I.S.S. ladies were blessed with some hot-ass Converse Jams at the Converse tent. But I’m not bragging; you can get some 4 cheap on sale here at the Converse website.

The next and LAST Jelly NYC concert of the summer on the Brooklyn waterfront is this Sunday, featuring Grizzly Bear, Beach House, and Vega. Check it out and end this summer with a bang! The forecast calls for rain on Sunday, so just make sure to bring an umbrella – and your dancin’ shoes.

Women Making History: Jasmine Takanikos

M.I.S.S. brings you another installment of Women Making History. This week, we’re honoring Jasmine Takanikos of Jasmine Takanikos Consulting Group.

As a successful trend spotter and tastemaker for several major brands, Jasmine Takanikos has accumulated an immense knowledge of both East and West lifestyle markets. Jasmine is able to translate her knowledge of the street into lucrative and viable concepts for her clientele. She is hands on, working with her clients from insight to fruition- making the message strong and viable, from product to retail. Her innate ability to forecast the needs of the market, along with her vast network of global insiders allows her to bond clients to their distribution channels- thus capturing the consumer. Brand development is driven by emotionally targeting the consumer, driving the message straight to the heart; Jasmine Takanikos operates at the pulse. Her eclectic sense of style, trademark ambition, and confidence have established her in the world of lifestyle brand strategy. Her clients include- Droga5, New Balance, PF Flyers, Palladium (K Swiss), Converse, 80%20 Footwear, Farylrobin, Fusicology, Marais USA, The Gossip, Red Light PR, Pa:nuu Denmark, & P-13 Production Company.

Let’s get familiar with Jasmine via the exclusive M.I.S.S. survey:

Women Making History: Jasmine Takanikos

Click on the image below for a look at Jasmine Takanikos discussing her craft. It’s very inspirational!

Jasmine Takanikos discusses her craft (click on the image to view).

A look at some of Jasmine’s projects:

Jasmine Takanikos Consulting x PF Flyers

Hands under your chins ladies cause your jaw is about to drop! Check these out:

1LOVE indeed!

A true creative, Jasmine answers her interview questions visually:

M.I.S.S.: What woman, besides your mom or grandmother, do you find inspirational?

M.I.S.S.: How did you get your start?

M.I.S.S. What's your favorite project that you've worked on?

M.I.S.S.: Who do you want to work with?

M.I.S.S.: What part of brand consulting is the most challenging and do you dislike the most?

M.I.S.S.: Any advice for ladies who are just starting out in a career path similar to yours?

Thanks so much, Jasmine!

Now for an exclusive first look at the Palladium, a Jasmine Takanikos  Consulting Group project officially re-launching today!

Palladium SP09 Lookbook

Palladium was founded in 1920 to make tires for the fledgling aviation industry. Tires were made by layering canvas bands underneath vulcanized rubber. Palladium’s expertise was so advanced that soon the majority of Europe’s aircraft were using Palladium tires.

After World War II, with aircraft manufacturing screeching to a halt, the demand for tires decreased dramatically. Palladium decided to open a plant in Pont De Cheruy, France, to start producing footwear that was as hard wearing as their tires. In 1947 the legendary Pampa boot was born, and the functionality, comfort and durability were so outstanding that the French Foreign Legion adopted it for their use. The Foreign Legion put the boot to the test in the harsh desert conditions of North Africa, and throughout the rugged terrain of the Atlas Mountains.

Today, the original design, classic lines and time tested utility are as relevant as they have ever been. Combining over 60 years of authenticity with modern manufacturing, premium materials and cutting edge styling, Palladium boots are ready to help you explore your street, your city, or the world.

Palladium SP09 Lookbook

Palladium SP09 Lookbook

Palladium SP09 Lookbook

www.jasmineconsultinggroup.com
www.jtcgroup.blogspot.com

Mirror, Mirror - Uniqlo White Button Down Shirt & Black Ben Sherman Tie

A few weeks ago I went to the Bird Flu Show at Space Gallery to support one of my favorite photographers, Amanda Lopez. On that particular night, I wanted to get a little dressed, but also wanted to keep it casual. I’ve also been wanting to go for a more professional, “grown” look, hence the tie. I definitely like the way this outfit turned out, and I’m putting it online reluctantly as I will be sporting this outfit (or variations of it) pretty frequently. Here’s what I wore from top to bottom…

Earrings: Tahitian Pearl Earrings, Macys (over 50% off – they have great sales!)
Shirt: White Button Down Shirt, Uniqlo
Neckwear: Ben Sherman Black Tie
Tie Clip: Faux Chanel earring, Thailand
Jacket: Black Leather Bomber, Keednim
Handbag: Louis Vuitton, Speedy 25
Bracelet: Louis Vuitton
Pants: H&M Divided Black Trousers
Sneakers: Leather Converse Chuck Taylor Highs

All Photos: OHW2007

THEY’RE BACK.

So over the past few months, the emails have been piling up and everyone’s been asking, “dude, what’s up with the Pool Parties?” Well DUDE, so sorry to keep you waiting, but here at JELLY we’ve been working our asses off to bring you one of the greatest free concert series in history: the Pool Parties.

The Pool Parties are going to be extremely crucial this year, “epic” or “amazing” as you people say these days. Seriously, eight weeks of FREE shows on the waterfront of Williamsburg? Does it get any better? You might be thinking “waterfront”? Yeah, in case you didn’t hear the McCarren Pool’s closed so get over it, and yeah we kept the name Pool Parties even though the East River’s not at a pool, so what?
We’ve still got DODGEBALL, basketball, DJ’s, bands, burgers the works!

We love you more than your parents ever could.

JELLY presents THE POOL PARTIES 2009
at the Williamsburg Waterfront – aka the East River State Park
90 Kent Ave. @ N9th, Brooklyn

in partnership with: Converse, Bud Light, SPIN, MySpace Music, Gibson,
Café Bustello, SESAC, KEXP, The Open Space Alliance, New York State Parks

JULY 12
Mission of Burma
F***ed Up
Ponytail
Jemina Pearl (of Be your Own Pet)

JULY 19
Dirty Projectors
Magnolia Electric Company
White Denim

JULY 26
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
The Black Lips
HEALTH
Grupo Fantasma

AUGUST 2
Round Robin show w/
Deerhunter
No Age
Dan Deacon

AUGUST 9
Simian Mobile Disco (DJ set)
Fiery Furnaces
Dark Meat
The Netherlands

AUGUST 16
Del tha Funky Homosapien
Prince Paul
Gravytrain!!!!
DD/MM/YYYY
Kenan Bell

AUGUST 23
Girl Talk
Max Tundra
Wiz Khalifa

AUGUST 30
Grizzly Bear
Beach House

FOR MORE INFO:
www.thepoolparties.com
myspace.com/thepoolparties
twitter.com/thepoolparties