ANOTHER DAY

Checked out the bbc/icecream store at soho

I'm not going to lie. I am not really too big on bbc but their store really made me respect the brand more. The store is prob. the best designed store i have ever been to. It def. feels like another world and the ambience has a way of making their products more attractive. I was impressed. Who wouldn't be, everything wonderwall touches is gold. By the way wonderwall is a japanese design firm by Masamichi Katayama. His firm is known for breaking boundaries when it comes to architecture. Ever since they started in 2000, They have made a name for themselves not only in japan but worldwide. They are responsible for designing the stores of Original fake, bathing ape, bbc, uniqlo, the new colette, dean & deluca, apc japan. I may not know alot about architecture but i can say wonderwall def. have an eye for not only fusing art with their projects, but function. I was really inspired after visiting the bbc store, it gave me a new look about the brand

one of the many a bathing ape stores wonderwall has designed

the uniqlo store in new york. They are def. ahead of the game

I also had a chance to check ground zero. This isn't my pic but that area is really bigger than it seems. What a tradegy, anyhow

Street artist Banksy has been making alot of headlines in the community with his political work. Most recently his work in new orleans, and now his 3 story piece which i saw in soho. Magnificent. Banksy is a genius

Speaking of politics, it is really important that we make a difference and vote. It's time for a change. I was mad bored this weekend and did some random sketches of our future

Of course i didn't take these seriously at all. I did these in one take....anyhow who cares. Biden is the man

I know i watch too many cartoons, but palin looks too much like a bugs bunny roger rabbit loony toon Betty boop chick. I can't lie she aged well though.... But back to what i was saying. Register to vote and make a difference. Cough * obama* .. and also you cannot and I REPEAT YOU CANNOT WEAR ANY TYPE OF CAMPAIGNING GEAR TO VOTE, THEY WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO COME THROUGH if you do, so please look normal, it is important

streetwear?

I made a stop at union in soho today and spoke to the crew about the market. First of all shout out to the union crew holding down the spot. I really appreciate the feedback ( prob the best.) i got as far as the direction and designs of dobale. The fact that they compared my brand to perks and mini really says alot about it. But we spoke about how dum down the market is now. I know you hear about this type of talk everytime but let me break it down in my perspective. First of all dobale is def. not my source of income and is not my main thing. I just have a new found passion to make a name in this media. There really isn't money in this streetwear market and honestly its alot of work. I keep saying it to folks everytime that this shit here isn't what it seems. For example there is brand i follow from LA ( which i won't name). This brand has been around for 5 yrs. They have 2 boutiques in cali and an online store etc. They only made $2 million last year in revenue. Now don't get me wrong $2 mill. is alot of money, but think about the expenses that have to be paid to maintain the brand. Warehouse costs, employee costs, travel fees, showrooms like magic(which can cost up to $15,000), production cost, property and all the bills concerning the 2 stores alone, the money you would have to re-invest into the brand etc. You will see that it isn't alot of money. When i hear that i know it isn't worth the stress at all. Now getting back to what i was saying about the conversation we held at union. I have been getting alot of feedback about how overqualified my brand is and how it isn't dummed down at all which is a good thing because i don't plan on doing that. But it bothers me when I hear these pioneers that started streetwear telling me that they now have to cater to 'cool' guys that want no substance but the most colorful dum down products. Can i blame them? no not at all. They have a business to run, paying the bills in new york is not a joke, so i don't blame them at all. But its crazy now i tend to ask, who is my customer, what is streetwear? or is this streetwear? Since when did quality and substance die.

When i first started dobale. I always wanted to go to magic trade shows in vegas, but seeing how saturated the market is. I realized to stay out of it. Not because the brands i look up to don't go there, but i realized the once artist driven culture no longer exists. Shout out to leo ( manager) at union. He told me today's customers are not about education or substance, but about what 'lil wayne has on.' or what 'kanye calls cool.' He also told me that my brand should've existed 8 yrs ago when quality was the key. Trust me this isn't the 1st type of feedback i have heard. I have heard stuff like ' too religious' or too ' deep' or ' offensive.' One of my retailers didn't buy my 'pig chasers' shirt because of the message behind it. But the bottom line is, this is what it is today like the picture above. It's all about the most colorful cool stuff and obvious 'rockstar' image. Is that what streetwear is about? I really don't speak much on it but i had to after talking to the leading pioneer of the market. How they had to dum it down to pay the bills. Sad but true, but what can i say, it's a business at the end of the day. This also brings me back to houston. Honestly the city is the 4th largest in the country and i believe it can get there, but i really don't see it. How many people do you see with painted 'dunks' and true religion jeans with a mo-hawk and kanye shades. Ok what about ed hardy. I will not say my opinions on ed hardy but what if i tell you my printer can get that same burn effect that he does for his shirts or what if i tell you i have heard of a printer in la that prints for the brand and other brands in america that charge way less, would that change your view on why you buy the brand. Obviously quality is not involved with why ed hardy is expensive. I know some friends that want to start stores and brands. These people i know have told me i've inspired them which is a good thing. The way they want to market their idea from what i understand is genius... but i ask them ' is it worth bringing that creativity to a market that is all about logo and following celebrities ?' I'm glad i may be a part of their dream and i hope the current state of the market will change but in the meantime, while i'm in school. I will make whatever the hell i feel like, make my 2 cents and go back to the lab. Thank God i already have enough to support it. I have already gotten a suggestion to start consulting for people who want to open up boutiques but honestly.. i already got enough shit on my hands. Signing of

A DESIGN PROCESS

This is the garment district of new york. This is where alot of brands go for their sourcing like garments and materials needed to put collectons together etc. This is where everything gets done. I would say today was def. a learning experience for me

Like i said today was a big learning experience for me. I got to find out first hand the design process of constructing garments. For starters there are 4 stages in this process

showrooms

The 1st stage you have to look for your materials like cotton, wool etc. They had alot of warehouses that had these, but to my knowledge this one was top-notch.

This store had 3 floors worth of materials, textures, patterns etc. To pick out one was def. not an easy job. You have to know the feel, how many yards you will be using for production etc. I realized i had alot of work to do

There is also a section for designer materials. Famous designers like armani etc. would get rid of materials they don't need anymore after their collection is done and give them to stores like these. This is actually a real fendi one laying around

2nd stage. Which we didn't go to, but you have to take it to a pattern maker. The pattern maker helps you with the sizing and draw out the design of whatever you are creating, the exact measurments and so on. Its sort of a blueprint guide to the tailors.

This is actually the 3rd step. We rolled around the cutting room.

This is where they would look at the blueprint and cut out everything from the material you hand to them. The sleeves, the chest and so on.

The 4th stage is where everything is pieced together. The final stage of constructing everyting

This particular cutting room offer services to some of new york's best designers like rag and bone and patrick ervell

That was def. a learning experience but shout out to go go curry for their top notch local japanese food. New york got alot of these spots around

FIT Institute. One of the top fashion and art schools in america

the bullshit continues

this is the gallery district. They were alot of galleries around here

This is the comme des garcons new york store. The most respected brand in japan by the richest japanese designer Rei Kawakubo. She is known for deconstructing and going left field when it comes to branding. Let wiki. help you with more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rei_Kawakubo

comme des garcons

comme des garcons

comme des garcons

interior is a maze filled with every brand rei has ever done. She is def. one of a kind. Signin off, deuce

ORCHARD MORNING, RIVINGTON AFTERNOON

Checked out this cool spot at orchard street called BBlessing.

http://www.bblessing.com/

BBlessing is decked out in a red interior full of nicely built custom furniture. The store has a mix of middle class new york and euro brands like surface to air, rag and bone, opening ceremony, raf simons etc.

bblessing also stock their in house label

Not too far from bblessing was reed space. One of the best streetwear boutiques in new york that is def. ahead of the game. Ran by street wears leading pioneer, jeff staple. Jeff staple really finds a way to stand out from the saturated market. Jeff is known for so many collabos like the pigeon dunks which caused a riot in new york, timberlands and more recently idiom and starter. Jeff also runs a graphic design firm. A taste maker that def. pushes the envelope in the market. His staple line recently started to focus more on their cut and sew line instead of their graphic tees. Youtube Jeff to check out his interviews; He will def. inspire you just like he inspired me

Reed space along side their annex store which is running a sale. I recommend you swing by if you are around.

reedspace stock many streetwear fav. like crooks, in4mation, the hundreds, stussy etc.

Reedspace is also a lifestyle store. They have books, bags, music for those who are looking for something fresh. Their interior is also genius

REED SPACE

On the walls of reedspace has information of all the brands they stock. Information like their origins, inspirations etc

Shout out to tim and oni for the hospitality. They gave me the latest issue of LTD magazine. LTD magazine is a streetwear bible. More like a guide to every boutique across the world

insdie LTD magazine. They feature pictures and information of boutiques all over

And interviews of tastemakers all over

LTD

I also stopped by the alife rivington store. Shout out to the alife crew for their service

I made a promise not buy any graphic tees anymore but i couldn't resist their recent collabo they did with bun-b for their alife sessions.

Next stop sugarheadquaters. Good folks, shout out to them, we were talking about the greatness of king stampede and how much ahead they are of the game

King stampede is easily becoming one of the best american streetwear brands. They are def. on their own lane unlike many brands. They used to be a vinyl shop years ago but after sales declined in their store, they transformed it to a lifestyle line. King stampede is inspired by music of the 70s, cults, sombrero galaxies and religion. Their brand is def. artist driven and is a big inspiration to my own brand. Their word play really and use of negative space really does it for me.

and that brings me to the next season of dobale. Recently i have been studying early christianity which was a cult back then. I have also been working on my own quotes and playing with different words and negative space. Alot of people that have seen the current season of the wonder chronicles like it but it scares some people away because of the religious influences

These are some ideas i have been developing for the shirts which will be out next year. I used the same method for this season which was a success.

I will be at some factories tomorrow, but i gotta go. Q-TIP has a listening party tonight. Check out his new single

http://www.youtube.com/wat

ch?v=KcL3_GKS0wg

it feels good