OK. There are good tattoo artists, and then there are EXCELLENT tattoo artists. Daniel DiMattia falls under the category of really excellently good, with the added aspect of being incredibly unique and original, and having some of the crispest and best linework and blackwork I’ve ever seen. My ink personally to date is all black, and this is just inspiring. Maybe a bit too tribal looking for some of it - but he’s the best at it. Incredible. Look at the gallery. Found through BMEzine ( www.bmezine.com ) Faaaaaaaaantastic.
Something new. Really. Cross Lander is a new player in the SUV market, and their product is really refreshing. I am a life-long Land Rover fan, but I have to say I miss the whole look and feel they used to have with the Defender 90/110 and even the kitted Series I Discovery… Cross Lander seems to pickup where they left off. It’s a pretty refreshing looking SRV (sport recreation vehicle) with a trimmed down interior (no Connolly leather!) and nice sharp edges on the outside. While a 5th Ave girl may not be interested in taking your new ‘wheels’ down the crocodile mile, it serves as a cool looking and quite affordable (under $20k) alternative to a Jeep Wrangler or one of the other sub-par design examples of an off-road vehicle out on the market right now. Worth a look
Another denim brand. For whatever reason I find this one to be considerably more inspired. I’m feeling the cut and wash of this particular one (check the link)… The Eternal 811 that, thanks to Google’s translator, is a 9 month wear with 7 washes style. And after doing some other research it looks they are using Japanese Selvage denim. Nice contrast with the fading. I know there are tons of people that thing jeans should ‘wear-in’ on there own… I have NEVER had a pair of jeans get that worn out while wearing them over time… Possibly because the only ‘intensive’ activity I engage in is taking the elevator in my building from the 2nd to the 1st floor and then walking about 20-30 feet to my car. Wow. Either way… I don’t know where to buy a pair of these. But I need a pair.
I’m not a huge fan of belt buckles. And don’t even get me started with those LED ones. Terrible. But this Louis Vuitton Jeans Belt 45 is quite a specimen. I first saw this belt at the store in SoHo and I was intrigued by how non-LV it was. It doesn’t scream LV as it is seen in today’s world. Some people forget that LV has been doing it strong since the 1800’s and they had some pretty classic design back then. This belt takes it back to the days of grand travel, big steamer trunks and all that is bourgeois. One recommendation… Don’t tuck your shirt into it or behind it to show off. I know you want everybody to see it, but just let it flash a little bit here and there… Price? $415.
Quick question… What are you going to wear these with? I can’t even come up with a potential outfit… And please, SOMEBODY tell SOMEBODY that ‘gators’ just are not fashionable anymore. I’ll be real honest, I never thought they were. I see ‘cats’ rocking gators with like 8 button suits… I’m sorry, you look like a villain from a Disney movie wearing gators and suits like that. And Nike gators don’t change that. For real. Looks like you should drive long Great Gatsby looking car with the exhaust pipes all on the side and you might wear a monocle too. Either way, these shoes are terrible. Just check NikeTalk.
On eBay as of this post with about 9 days and 6 hours left, this 18x24 inch screenprint poster by Dave Kinsey is starting around $78. Worth it? I’d say yes, although it will probably go up quite a bit, a Kinsey screenprint beind a nice glass frame with a thin light oak border would look real hot in any room…Unless you’re not into mobster looking, fat, balding pimp-type dudes staring at you all day. Kinsey is a master and you should go to www.kinseyvisual.com for more.
‘Smartphones’ as they call them have changed my life. In fact, I think I have a mild case of ADD because of them. I have everything with me at all times; phone, multiple email accounts, web, camera, AOL IM, text messaging, mp3 player, all in a hip little phone. You can’t understand how it will change the way you wait for things in life. I can’t wait 30 seconds in line at the grocery store without check one of my email accounts, seeing what the weather is like in Bora Bora, texting Chuck, reading Page Six, etc… What did I do before this? Just stand there? Either way, this particular phone, the BENQ P50 is not yet released, but when it is, 2 things will happen, it will change how people communicate, and I will own one. Do a little research on this thing… It has WiFi and Skype…on a cell phone. Think about it, international calls, for FREE in hotspots. Broadband content while your own the phone talking. That’s the nerd in me right there.
Dior has, in the last two years or so, had what I consider to be some of the absolute best fashion photography in the industry. The newest shoots have a really ‘blown out’ light feeling to them. Very murky, vintage lit feel to them. Beautiful models make it even better, and the illustration and animation on the Dior site is just…too good. Inspiring is the right word. Louis Vuitton and Undercoverism also have some pretty hot photography in their campaigns, but I must say Dior takes the cake.
I love the packaging. I bought Anthony stuff for the first time a while back strictly because of its packaging. My walk-in shower has to have nice product in it. Fortunately for me they have fantastic stuff INSIDE the package. I would personally recommend the Algae Facial Cleanser and the Everyday Shampoo with Coconut Oil. It’s quality product for guys that doesn’t make you feel all feminine. And to anyone hating on face wash thinking its all ‘metro-sexual’…check the mirror scrap, if you have acne after your 20 you need to step you game up. You don’t want ‘Dame-Dash-Neck-Bumps’ all over your face. Cons: Supposedly it’s sold at ‘Express for Men’ and their website design leaves something to be desired.
Saab… It’s almost a confusing brand. I have always been a fan of their brand (read ‘The Branding Gap’) and the whole ‘feel’ of what Saab is. And I have taken one on a test drive when I was in buyer mode a while back. I am particularly interested in the Saab 9-5 Aero. I almost have a hard time writing my thoughts on it. I love the design, I love all Swedish design. I love the ‘quietness’ of the brand. They don’t say much, I like that. I like the owner group which is quite important to me as a buyer. Maybe I am just so turned off by the other competitors such as BMW and Audi. Either way, check the Saab 9-5 Aero, give it a second glance if you haven’t already.
