Vans OTW Collection | Action Sports, Art, Music, Design, and Authentic Street Fashion

MOMENTS WITH ALOE BLACC, MIKI AND JAYBO

Acts like Aloe Blacc are hard to find on today's radio. The emotion and richness of his voice is reminiscent of soul music from decades ago. He absolutely kills these live band reinterpretations of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and his own "I Need A Dollar". These classical-styled re-dos are part of a series Aloe Blacc, Miki Kekenj and Jaybo did with MADE. Catch the rest of the series here.

MOMENTS WITH ALOE BLACC, MIKI AND JAYBO: "I NEED A DOLLAR" PART 5/6 from MADE Blog on Vimeo.
MOMENTS WITH ALOE BLACC, MIKI AND JAYBO: "BILLIE JEAN" PART 6/6 from MADE Blog on Vimeo.

Labels: aloe blacc, billie jean, i need a dollar, made, Michael Jackson

Ed Templeton's "Deformer" Book

Ed Templeton is an artist, photographer, film maker, skateboarder and one of the "Beautiful Losers". He spent eleven long years compiling more then 30 years of his works documenting life and upbringing in Suburban Orange County. "Deformer" is like a scrap book full of wonderful photographs, notes, little sketches and personal letters that offer a very engaging experience. Check out a few images from the book after the jump.

Scratching at Acrylick

Last night I dropped by the Acrylick x Odyssey Summer Scratch Session at the Acrylick shop in Azusa. These sessions are always on point with locals rolling through to show off their skills and usually a few big names in the spin industry make an appearance as well. This sesh was no exception! World famous DJs Cheapshot (Styles of Beyond, Get Busy Committee, Fort Minor) and Icy Ice (The Beat Junkies) came by to see the locals do their thing.

Dimitri Coste in WAD Magazine

OTW Advocate Dimitri Coste goes full force in this edition of WAD Magazine playing dual roles as photographer and model for this shoot. He rides his bike through his native Paris in high-end style - rocking semi-formal apparel with the OTW Pritchard on his feet while he roams the streets of France. Very nice! Check out the whole spread after the jump!

Labels: dimitri coste, wad magazine

WU LYF Live at the Echo July 26th

UK's newest and a rather exciting band to come out in some time WU LYF or "World Unite! Lucifer Youth Foundation" played a sold out show to a very enthusiastic crowd at The Echo on July 26th. There is not much known about the band and their very well crafted culture forward website doesn't provide much insight into it, it's clear the whole anonymity steez is carefully calculated hence the expectations for the show were very high and the band did not disappoint... maybe there could have been more visual effects it was still a solid show and definitely worth seeing again once WU LYF gets a little more mature. Check out a few images and a video from the show after the jump.

Labels: live music, the echo, via Y.S., wu lyf

Complex's Top Sneaker Influencers Pick Favorite OTW Styles

Last week our friends over at Complex picked their 25 Must-Follow Sneaker Influencers on Twitter and some of our sneakerhead tweeters in the industry made the cut! We asked a few of these sole specialists to pick their top styles from the Fall 2011 season of the Vans OTW Collection. Shout out to Clyde Edwards aka Sneakerbox Clyde, Ivelisse Cassas aka Sole De Vida and Shoepreme for their selections!

@SneakerboxClyde's pick: The OTW Alomar in Rock Wool

Clyde commented on his pick: The Alomar is the perfect Fall shoe for me because it represents where I'm going with my personal style today. Grey wool is an awesome material to use on a shoe and is a sure win for the fall especially for the colder states. The materials in the upper say a lot, to me it speaks to a higher end consumer. Quality and craftsmanship like that is hard to come by these days without buying into high fashion brands. Wearable with camo, denim, khaki, even seersucker...that's the shoe for me.

@SoleDeVida's pick: The OTW Woessner

Sole expanded on the Woessners: I am truly a lover for classic authentic low pros for women. My eyes were immediately drawn to the silhouette of the Woessner line. The olive, navy, black and grey hues are colors that I love seeing during the fall. While the white solid sole is versatile enough to wear during other seasons, the upper is what truly makes this design a fall sneaker.The choice of different materials used such as premium suede, hemp and wool, to the hidden eyelets with waxed round laces, and inner pigskin lining has definitely given this sneaker an upscale-look with an affordable pickup price for all those males ready to make a fall fashion statement.

@Shoepreme's pick: The OTW Woessner in Olive

Shoepreme added: The Woessner is my favorite model from Vans OTW Fall lineup. What I enjoy most about this shoe is its simplicity, making it easily wearable for any occasion. Waxed laces, pigskin lining, and an EVA midsole...what else do you need in a shoe? Vans really did their thing with the Woessner; a modern twist on an all-time classic. With a price point that won’t break the bank and all the other praise mentioned above these shoes get two thumbs up!

Labels: alomar, Complex, shoepreme, sneaker influencers, sneakerbox clyde, sole de vida, Twitter, Vans Otw, Woessner

Acrylick x Odyssey Summer DJ Session

Tonight the Acrylick x Odyssey Summer DJ Session is going down at the Acrylick shop in Azusa from 8pm to 12am. Local DJs will roll through and show the crowd what's up! Indie lyricist Trek-Life hosts the summer sesh which features:

-Quick/Trick Mix Battle (3 mintues)
featuring the Allen & Heath Xone:DB4 Mixer
-LED Light Demo from Odyssey’d Flight FX Cases
-DJ Exhibitions featuring Skratch Pad Los Angeles
-Raffles to Support Camp Spin-Off

The scratch session are a lot of fun, those DJ battles get intense! If you're in the area check it out at:

Acrylick
631 N. Azusa Ave.
Azusa, Ca 91702
626.334.9922

Labels: acrylick, DJ, odyssey, scratch session, summer dj session, turntablism

Sneak(er) Peek: Eric Elms x Vans OTW

Here's a sneak peek at the upcoming Eric Elms x Vans OTW Collection footwear project. OTW Advocate Elms met with our design team and customized one of his favorite OTW silhouettes for his second collaboration with the Vans brand. What will the final product look like? Which model did he use? You can check out an overview of his last footwear project with the Core category to get a feel for his design taste.

Labels: advocate project, collaborations, eric elms, otw advocates, sneaker collaboration, Vans Otw

Augmented Reality Advertising Takeover App Hacks Ads into Art

The Public Ad Campaign and The Heavy Projects have created an innovative and technological way to reclaim public space in the name of art - a smartphone application which hacks outdoor ads into works of Ron English, John Fekner, Posterboy and other artists.

Will Sherman tested the Augmented Reality Advertising Takeover app in Times Square. Check out the takeover after the jump!
Read more »

Labels: apps, Augmented Reality Advertising Takeover, New York, street art, the heavy projects, the public ad campaign, times square, will sherman

Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive"

Nicolas Winding Refn's first "Hollywood" feature film "Drive" starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan is shaping up quite well and judging by the newly released red band trailer it's very much worth the hype. "Drive is the story of a Hollywood stunt driver by day, a loner by nature who moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor, Irene. When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best - drive."

Labels: drive, Film, Nicolas Winding Refn, via Y.S.

Photo Recap: Beyond Bro at Max Fish

Check out this photo recap from The Blackouts' "Beyond Bro" show at Max Fish via Atiba. New Yorkers packed the house for the Jefferson brothers' photo exhibition which ran into the wee hours of the morning. Check out more sights from the opening reception after the jump!

New Video! Mister Cartoon: Art In The Streets

Vans OTW Advocate Mister Cartoon breaks down his piece in MOCA's "Art In The Streets" exhibition and opens up about his journey thus far - from his past as a tagger to his present life as an established street artist. Check out the new video from our OffTheWall.TV crew after the jump!

Beastie Boys "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" directed by Spike Jonze

Beastie Boys present the official Full Length, Ultra HD and Explicit Director's Cut music video for "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" Directed by the legendary Spike Jonze. The video features very rare 12-inch Beastie Boys figures released in 2000.

Labels: beastie boys, Music Video, spike jonze, via Y.S.

"Fish" - Bambu de Pistola (Directed by Estevan Oriol & Presented by Frank 151)

Rapper Bambu de Pistola and Estevan Oriol first linked up for Chapter 45: Philippines edition of Frank 151. In Chapter 45, Bambu opened up about his personal journey - from his youth as a gang member and experience as a marine to his current life as a father, lyricist and activist, with Oriol's shots accompanying the feature piece in Frank. The arrangement worked so well that it lead to another collaboration between the three parties - the music video for Pistola's "Fish" directed by EO and presented by F151.

Labels: bambu de pistola, Estevan Oriol, frank 151

"Medusa, Anamorph" by Ninjal & Mach505

Snake hair and cold eyes aren't the most attractive features but Ninjal and Mach505 of the Truly Design Crew make it work. By creatively positioning their painting and utilizing multiple parts of a factory back drop, the duo brought Medusa into the 21st century of urban art. Graffiti adorns sections of pillars, ceilings and walls to form the face of the mythical monster at a specific angle. Take a further look at "Medusa, Anamorph" after the jump. Don't stare directly at her though, as you may turn to stone by doing so.

Via SNAV: Shade 45 with Freeway & Statik

SNAV checked in and this time he hung out at the Shade 45 studios with Freeway. SNAV was at Eminem's satellite radio channel for the Statik Selektah Show where Freeway was plugging his upcoming project. Check out the full update after the jump!

I just recently had a chance to go to Shade 45 to Statik Selektah show and his guest was Philadelphia Freeway. Freeway is about to drop a new project called “Diamond in the Ruff” coming out soon. Radio has come a long way since back in the day.

NORM "Always" exhibition opening recap

NORM's exhibition "Always" with fellow artists Trevelen, Steel and Lani Lee opened last Saturday at Known Gallery drawing lots of graffiti and tattoo heads together for a night of art. Check out a few photos from the opening night after the jump.

The SHAOLIN JAZZ – Album Cover Design Contest

This past April, Gerald Watson and DJ 2-Tones teamed up to mash the raps of the Wu-Tang against the rhythms of old school jazz in The Shaolin Jazz "37th Chamber" Mixtape. Due to the positive response from Wu-Tangers and music enthusiasts, Watson and Tones wanted to further engage fans in a unique and creative way that would allow them to interact with the project graphically, so they developed The SHAOLIN JAZZ – Album Cover Design Contest. The winning designer will receive footwear from the Vans OTW Collection and apparel from Staple Design. Get all of the details for the contest after the jump!

"Mickey Loco does Compton" by Mister Cartoon

Orale, it's Mickey Loco! OTW Advocate Mister Cartoon provided his personal version of Mickey Mouse for the Travelling Mickey Project with Disney and streetwear brand CLOT. "Mickey Loco does Compton" was created with the same styling techniques Cartoon uses on his his lowriders and tattoos, utilizing candy custom paints and strict detailing for this remix of the iconic cartoon mouse. "Mickey Loco" is now available for auction with half of the proceeds going to the China Youth Development Foundation for social welfare and educational purposes. Follow the link below for more information about this special project.

Get more info: The Travelling Mickey Project
Get in on the action: Bid on Mickey Loco

Labels: charity, CLOT, Disney, mickey loco does compton, mister cartoon, mr. cartoon, otw advocates, the travelling mickey project

Catching up with Cartoon: July Tatts

Here is some of Cartoon's recent work. Keep up with OTW Advocate Mister Cartoon and check out his official blog (which he updates on a regular basis). More images after the jump!

Pirovino KAWS Collection

Art consulting group Pirovino Projex recently gave photographer Brandon Shigeta a sneak peek into their private collection of KAWS work. Headed by Ronnie Pirovino, Projex has been acquiring KAWS pieces for several years and plans to showcase their assortment in an upcoming exhibition. These are serious KAWS-heads right here! Check out the rest of the Pirovino KAWS Collection on Hypebeast.

Labels: hypebeast, kaws, pirovino projex, ronnie pirovino

Peter Hook and The Light Live in Australia vinyl

Co-Founder of legendary Joy Division and New Order Peter Hook returned to music biz in 2010 performing live with favorite tracks from Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" LP providing lead vocals with his band "The Light". While there have been multiple bootlegs of these amazing performances from around the world the "Live in Australia" vinyl marks the first official release for the project. Peter Hook actually does an amazing job singing these known tracks without trying to emulate late Ian Curtis's voice and let's be honest this is as close as one gets to see this cult band live. "Peter Hook and The Light Live in Australia" vinyl as well as CD are available now but it may be a little hard to find as the release was pretty limited.
More images after the jump.
Read more »

Labels: Joy Division, live music, New Order, Peter Hook, via Y.S.

Video: A Day With Dimitri Coste

The guys over at Eastpak France met up with our Parisian OTW Advocate Dimitri Coste, hung out with him for a day and caught it all on film . His life is nonstop! Check out what a day in the life of Dimitri Coste looks like after the jump.

Via SNAV: Behind Door #1

SNAV checks in from the Vans showroom in New York and takes a glimpse at some of the upcoming releases we have coming your way in 2012. I had to distort some of the pics to keep them a secret until then! Hey, good things are worth waiting for! Check out his entire update after the jump!

Today I had a chance to go to the Vans showroom in NYC. I feel like a kid in the candy store when I get to stop by. Behind this door is where all the magic is at. I could feel the goose bumps as I saw the black door.

I tell you getting to see all of the sneakers at once is just a great view. Being that I am a size 9 it’s always time to get gifts when I come through. I went over to the OTW section and I was not mad at all.

Thursday, July 28, 2011