Long Drive Home: Broken Bells

My overcast clouds pour star like raindrops as the joint burns flooring the freeway, on this “Long Drive Home.” In the midst of the the tranquil experience it would not be the same without the coinciding soundtrack to theme today’s adventure. This project is a combination of production by well renown producer “Danger Mouse” (Gnarls Barkley,Danger Doom, & White Album) and  Portland’s own James Mercer of “The Shins” on the lead vocals.

What they did was create a hybrid of melodic pop with experimental influences of jazz, hip hop, folk, etc. Making a wonderful piece for an occasion like mines. The tone of the record is very acoustic and hollow with the youthfulness harmonies of Mercer. Often while listening to this record I cant help but feel as if I had just killed a man, and this was my exit music for my “High Road” home. Enjoy.

Who is JeanLeon??

Found this on ThatDenimGuy’s Vimeo. Apparently he’s a budding director as well.

JeanLeon

People:That Denim Guy

"A Field of Dreams"

Cotton fields, service gas stations, coal mines, and train tracks. That Denim Guy is blog focused on branding and private collection development. Created and facilitated by a TRUE ‘Southern Gentleman’ this newly formed website is a mix and mesh of the steps that goes into meticulously developing a brand that is also an extension of self. Paired with fun-filled stops along the way in territories spanning from LA to LA or Los Angeles to New Orleans. Watch out for rising star cameos. If you missed the first half of the CurT@!n$ interview — it’s time to play catch up.

Paper Denim = EVISU

Paper Denim/Earnest Sewn denim developer and creative director Scott Morrison has recently obtained new employment. Morrison is now the creative mind and CEO behind the cult culture Japanese denim, Americana inspired brand EVISU.

The design aspect doesn’t seem to be what Morrison will be focusing on–to start. Branding and repositioning EVISU as a leader in denim to the masses is his current and, maybe, most exhausting task. There is no doubt that EVISU is still above average in quality and design but its, once highly coveted, Seagulls have seemingly lost their flare.

The question is whether Morrison is the guy for the job. What did you think of Paper and Earnest??

EVISU ADVERTISING WAS ONCE VERY ENTICING.

Cheap Thrills & Good Collectibles

Prada recently released a new book of images as a visual representation of yester-years and accolades. Taking a different approach (why it’s being posted) Prada’s creative directors decided to make the entire book thumbnails. It may seem annoying but if the care is there patience is just around the corner.

Good Grieges

Being classy is all about customizing your look. Often taking things that already exist and having the foresight to see what they can be instead of what they are currently. Producer Pharrell is often the most recognized for his ability to see things as a raw material that need his own personal attachments. Hence, if you have a Birkin bag, he needs the custom Croc leather in eccentric colors with diamond encrusted, gold plated hardware. But he was not the first to need his precious pleasures customized– case given:

The inside was sprinkled with cedar and a humidor was placed inside.

Mario x Jim Riswold

 

Recently on a trip to Seattle for traffic violations and a pair of pants I had tailored, I made a pit stop to a store introduced to me by none other than Senor Homme a while back.  Mario’s wasn’t to be passed by that day.  In reviews I have seen few complaints about snotty staff but on this day I was treated as a king (okay not a king but close enough right?).   The part of me that is in love with a good wine tells me to include the fact that chilled champagne will be waiting for you inside, no special occasion involved.  Cheers. While looking through the store you may be wowed by the excellent assortment of premium denim and all the new cuts and washes in almost every size. Lifetime pieces are definitely found here but on this rare sunny day in Washington I kept to the essentials and picked up a shirt I was quite fond of. Seattle’s own Jim Riswold did a collaboration with Mario. Very soft fabric, funds go to an art charity, signed by artist Jim Riswold, I’m in.

For those of you who don’t know about ol’ Jim, he spent time advertising campaigns such as the Mars Blackman (Spike Lee), Michael Jordan commercials for Nike as well as the famous Bugs Bunny–Jordan pairing. Created the Bo Knows campaign for Nike and with all the Tiger Woods commotion it wouldn’t make sense not to mention the commercial entitled “I Am Tiger Woods” that he was also behind.  Riswold became a full-time artist around 2005 and his works have been shown in galleries throughout the Northwest. Here are a few of his works…

Personal Style Kudos: Griege Picks

Finding a personal style is a journey best explored in private. On a regular basis outside bias are effective in changing how we perceive things. Fashion and artistic aesthetics in general are the easiest to sway. Think about how sales associates are viewed by the public in high-end department stores. Most consumers walk into these locations with the predetermined thought that employees are knowledgeable enough to know right, wrong, good, or bad. Often they take suggestive sales tactics to heart when making important purchases; such as, their first peacoat, proper winter outerwear, and even wedding suiting. Note: There are times when sales associates do actually know what they are talking about. 

The lesson here is to go with personal intuition and satisfaction let onlookers be onlookers.  They do. 

 

Please note--brooch & brown belt

2" of stack properly accented with appropriate stud placement

Not a crew-neck but a U-neck--an eye for innovation

GANT2010

The eye of many fashion activists has developed over time, as far as runway is concerned, and it’s concerning us. Piece for piece things are gorgeous, must have items even at times. But these days what most fashion show on-lookers sit idly by and witness are poorly arranged layers at best. The result – making eye sores out of, some of, the world’s most complex and influential brands.

Prime example: Gant by Micheal Bastian. Does that remind your mind of some post polo days?? Question.

"Who's styling this shit??"

New Order > Joy Division

"That's the price of love."