GILT X SAMSUNG

GILT X SAMSUNG

LEVELing up with Samsung’s New Audio Range

By: Brandon Liu | Photographer: Courtesy of GILT x Samsung

July 18, 2014

Get ready to amp up, Samsung Level is launching with GILT. For 72 hours, GILT will exclusively be carrying the range of Samsung Level audio products before hitting the shelves of major retailers.             

In the battle for supremacy, Samsung has just launched its first range of headphones in North America. Simple, minimalistic, modern, and reminiscent to clean Scandinavian designs, Level incorporates the best of both worlds with crisp and clear audio reverberations without having to sacrifice pristine and stylish design cues.

What sets Level headphones apart from the competition is its smart and intuitive design. The most premium model, Level Over is not only wireless but also has touch controls located on the earcups. That means playing, pausing, and Leveling up and down are a breeze and with Samsung mobile devices, it can even activate S-Voice. The rest of the range consists of Level On and Level In, which are wired models that come with tactile button controls. But despite which model you choose, the Level range has powerful and premium sound reproductions with its 3-way speaker system. That in turn provides for clear, crisp, and powerful bass with Powerful Dynamic Speakers.

In addition, Samsung is also offering the Level Box, a Bluetooth speaker that pairs effortlessly via NFC. GILT is offering an exclusive bundle for both the Box and Level On headphones at a reduced price from retail outlets.

Samsung makes a strong and compelling debut into the audio market as the Level range proves to be fierce competition to many of the other headphones and wireless jam boxes currently available. Available in white, black, and silver, and at four different price points, there is a model to please everyone. To Level up your headphone style to the next dimension, head over to GILT before July 20th to be the first to rock out to some killer sounds.

Karlie Kloss for Nike | Chicks Bro

Karlie Kloss x Nike

By: Erin O'Connor | Photographer: Vanina Sorrenti

July 17, 2014

Nike’s Fall 2014 women's collection is an epic combination of style and performance wear modeled by Victoria's Secret Angel and top model, Karlie Kloss. 

With a passion for fitness that began even before her modeling days, Kloss grew up as a classically trained ballerina–something she continues to implement into her everyday workout regime. “I like to switch it up. I think that’s the best way to really challenge your body and become stronger in every way,” Kloss told Nike. 

The collection introduces the Pro Bra Collection, backed in 2 years of research, testing, design and development to provide the fit and support women need throughout any workout. The collection also offers innovative new footwear, Dri-FIT knits and Tech Fleece pieces. 

Enjoy imagery above as the beautiful Karlie Kloss works out in New York City with Nike Training Club Master Trainer Traci Copeland.

Rick Owens ‘FAUN’ S/S 15

L’Après-Midi de Rick Owens

By: Ian Garner | Photographer: Courtesy of Rick Owens

July 17, 2014

Fashion oft appropriates art and culture that has had significant historical poignancy to create a spectacle that graces the runway. Rick Owens is no stranger to this intersection of art and style and for his Spring/Summer 2015 collection he turned back time over a hundred years ago to the birth of modern dance with Nijinsky’s debut for the Ballets Russes. Rick Owens "Faun" comes directly from the ballet L’Après-Midi d’un Faune.

Owens’ urban faun featured cross-body straps, weightily constructed garments typical of Owens’ motif and his Adidas Springblades. The palette included faded and distressed alterations to the colors Lèon Bakst originally used in his designs for the Ballets Russes, which proved to be a new venture for the designer.

Check out the imagery above, it’s a vision you won’t want to miss.

ESPYS Style Recap 2014

Our Favorite Ensembles From this Year's ESPY Awards

By: Cameron Wolf | Photographer: Courtesy of Zimbio.com

July 17, 2014

For what feels like the first time in years, the ESPYs became a must-watch event. The ESPYs had pulled a huge-draw host in Drake, and we tuned in excited to see how the rapper and sports fanatic would do in the role. Adding to the excitement of the festivities is the crowd of athletes fully on board with this fashion thing. The players were out in full force and we picked out the best from a dapper crowd.

Jeff Koons for H&M

H&M, Koons & The Whitney Celebrate Largest H&M Store in the World

By: sofia | Photographer: Courtesy of H&M

July 16, 2014

Last night, H&M (Hennes & Mauritz), one of the world’s largest retailers known for offering high fashion apparel, celebrated its collaboration with iconic artist, Jeff Koons at the opening of its new flagship store on Fifth Avenue.

Fashion and art fans alike visited the new store on Fifth Avenue at 48th Street to be the first to shop the new collection and the coveted Balloon Dog (Yellow) handbag. Team Grungy Gentleman enjoyed food, drinks and a special performance by British sensation, Birdy alongside Jeff Koons, Olivia Wilde and Ashley Benson.

"I'm very happy to be working with H&M. It's really exciting to be celebrating the opening of their flagship store and I'm very proud the bag,” said Jeff Koons. 

“ART IS SOMETHING THAT IS ACCESSIBLE, WE INTERACT WITH IT ALL THE TIME AND H&M MAKES FASHION THE SAME WAY."

Attendees had the opportunity to purchase the limited-edition leather handbag featuring the Balloon Dog (Yellow), one of Koons’ most iconic works for $49.95. The Balloon Dog leather handbag will also be carried in select markets across the US including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, as well as online at hm.com beginning July 17th, 2014. A select number of pieces will also be sold at the Whitney Museum of American Art during the Retrospective as well as on Whitney.org.

Guests also had the chance to preview the location’s exciting 57,000 square feet interior. The new flagship store will be the first in the country to offer a full concierge service, creating a very unique shopping experience. It will also be the first store in New York to carry the full H&M Home collection. In addition, customers who bring garments to be recycled in H&M’s Garment Collecting program before the store’s opening tomorrow will be entered to win gift cards valued between $50 and $100.

The store will open to the public at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 17th with a grand opening celebration. Enjoy the new store and be sure to visit the stunning Jeff Koons Retrospective at The Whitney Museum of American Art.

MAISON KITSUNÉ S/S 15

MAISON KITSUNÉ S/S 15

Parisian Brand Cobbles Together People, Places, And Clothes You Will Want

By: Cameron Wolf | Photographer: Courtesy of Maison Kitsuné

July 14, 2014

aison Kitsuné S/S ’15 is aspirational. It’s the familiar type of aspirational that Maison Kitsuné takes literally by cutting out images from magazines of places, clothes and people and piecing it all together. The French house takes their unique style of cool to exotic locales in its recent lookbook with a mix of outfits for upscale lunches and sightseeing. The entire thing is extremely aspirational with clothes that could be included in any wardrobe. Maison Kitsuné always blends the line between streetwear and formality with undeniably cool and wearable results.

Unstructured blazers come in a series of bold patterns and colors, the lookbook pairs a ruby blazer with a matching pair of shorts. It’s a look, when styled with a crisp blue striped shirt, that retains the Parisian brand’s origin’s trademark formal cool. The outfit could be worn is versatile, like the rest of the lookbook. A black and white houndstooth suit is worn with just a white shirt underneath. A tropical Technicolor bomber jacket is paired with a sleek pair of black oxfords. There’s a balance that runs through the entire lookbook that every man should look for when dressing himself.

Each piece tries to embrace this balance on its own, and much of the outerwear and sweaters succeed. A blue and cream sweater with the brand’s name simply running across the middle sees the brand capture their own version of streetwear’s logo culture on an otherwise stately sweater. You would miss the only slightly contrasting blue piping on a blue jacket if you looked too quickly—a piping that gives the jacket the loungewear feel that is becoming so trendy. It’s an elevated piece with a casual touch, again.

Westbrook Frames Named After LA Neighborhoods

WESTBROOK FRAMES

Oklahoma City Thunder Star Brings His Noteworthy Style To Eyewear Collection

By: Cameron Wolf | Photographer: Courtesy of Westbrook Frames 

July 13, 2014

Russell Westbrook has always taken the vitriol of the Internet over sacrificing his signature style. He has no stylist, and works with one only when he needs a custom item made. Westbrook visualizes his outfits, and the design of his new sunglass line, Westbrook Frames, as precisely as he plays on the court. 

The first collection—dubbed “Gold Series”—consists of ten styles named after neighborhoods in Westbrook’s hometown of Los Angeles. There’s the "Hollywood," a dipped-in-gold pair of aviators that’ll make even the most mundane of sights luxurious with gold-tinted frames. The "Brentwood" is a round frame available in a tortoise shell colorway that could just as easily be rising flames. There’s the sporty "Westwood," the Clubmaster-inspired "Inglewood," and the large square frames that are perfect shields from the sun on the beaches of Santa Monica.

Each of Westbrook’s frames could make an outfit: they’re large, and each comes in four eye-grabbing colors. Westbrook, in the release for the glasses, noted that he sees “eyewear as part of [his] outfit" and he “use[s] eyewear to bring color into [his] outfits.” 

Westbrook created eyewear that lives up to this belief, keeping in mind high-quality materials in the process. Westbrook uses high grade Cellulose Acetate for the glasses that are anti-allergenic and biodegradable while giving the glasses a fashionable translucent look. The glasses that don’t utilize this material use high quality metal alloy.

This is only the beginning of Westbrook’s ventures as his multi-season collaboration with Barneys is due to drop soon; a collaboration that will feature three limited edition eyewear styles hand crafted in Italy. For now, though, grab your favorite pair at WestbrookFrames.com.

Giuseppe Zanotti Homme S/S 15

Signature Shoes for Every Occasion

By: Erin O'Connor | Photographer: Courtesy of Giuseppe Zanotti

July 13, 2014

Giuseppe Zanotti Homme S/S 2015 shoe collection consists of versatile styles for every man to enjoy. The grouping includes sandals, sneakers, loafers and luxurious suede bags.

With the summer season bringing warmer weather, sandals are the core of this collection. Minimalistic gold detailing on black leather soles allows for optimal wearability. 

The collection’s extra-light loafers are also a great summer option. Available in suede and navy calfskin, this hybrid shoe is designed not only for leisurely city strolls, but also formal events. 

If you're looking for a sneaker option, Giuseppe Zanotti's couture kicks always make a statement. This season's high-tops portray a futuristic biker aesthetic with metal clasps, combat soles and cascading split leather.

See the collection above and stay tuned for the drop.

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO F/W 14

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO F/W 14

New Campaign Balances Nature & Humanity

By: Jason Fox | Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot

July 13, 2014

ith a very strong showing from all the fashion houses during Milan and Paris fashion weeks, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep your brand in the forefront of the masses minds. One fashion house that has continually managed this feat is the illustrious Salvatore Ferragamo. Ferragamo called on the well-known photography duo of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot to capture the true feeling and idea behind their latest visual offering for their Fall/Winter campaign.

Creative Director Massimilano Giornetti had the brand step outside their proverbial box by incorporating more than one model in the campaign for the first time, including Mariacarla Boscono, Suvi Koponen, and Amanda Murphy for the women’s line, and Felix Hermans and Jason Anthony for the men's line. Mert and Marcus set the scene with a vast field of strikingly blue flowers and an ominous dusk sky that gives the campaign a very deep and luxurious feel. 

The pieces themselves feature very rich and dark tones that blend perfectly into each other. Utilizing deep browns, blacks, reds, and blues, Ferragamo melts sleek outerwear into the soothing scene of the night sky. The line is eye catching, highlighting beautifully tailored coats and sweaters for the men, as well as elegant skirts, capes, and jackets for the women to complement their new line of Fiamma handbags.

The new F/W 14 campaign is another example of the creative prowess and artistic that the Ferragamo fashion house has to offer. Check out the visuals from the shoot above and enjoy the elegant new line.

BERZERK

BERZERK

Em's Latest Track on MMLP2

By: Ben Mueller

September 3, 2013

Eminem scurried out his newest single “Berzerk” this past Tuesday before dust could settle on the announcement of his new album The Marshall Mathers LP 2. From the very beginning of the single’s video—the moment a cassette tape is placed in an enormous 80s boombox—it’s clear Em has every intention of his comeback being a throwback. The track is Beastie Boys incarnate and reaches even further for its Billy Squier crunchy-guitar backbone from “The Stroke.” But layered, often noisy production threatens to get in the way of what we have waited so long for: them sweet-ass Shady raps.

Hip-hop pioneer Rick Rubin produced the track and is also executive producing the new album—along with the obvious Dr. Dre., Rubin is known for his stripped down approach to record-making, most recently with Kanye’s brutally raw Yeezus. Although “Berzerk” has Rubin’s trademark rock influence all over it, it comes as a bit of a surprise that pop music’s “busier=better” trend (e.g. Imagine Dragons’ chart-topping “Radioactive”) seems to have snuck in over Em’s polished rhymes. Squawky guitars, trill hi-hat, and an obscene amount of vinyl scratching during the bridge and chorus threaten to drown out the vocal in a sea of treble.

But thank god that vocal is so damn good. If there’s one thing Slim has proven this past decade, it’s that he’s bottled up his secret stuff and can spit it back at will—comeback (Relapse) after comeback (Recovery). What “Berzerk” has in common with The Marshall Mathers LP is Shady’s classic shades of irreverence: “I’m ‘bout to bloody this track up, everybody get back/ That’s why my pen needs a pad cause my rhymes on the ra-aaag.” Later, he wakes up in a Monte Carlo next to “the ugly Kardashian.” Celebrities! Menstrual references! The snotty Em we know and love. But when the rapper’s less hyped single “Survival” better places his raps front and center—and is in service of Call of Duty: Ghosts no less—it’s wise to anticipate his new album with a cautionary excitement. In other words, don’t let yourself go quite yet.

Grungy Gentleman Styles Raekwon & Estelle Music Video

Grungy Gentleman Styles Raekwon & Estelle Music Video

Grungy Gentleman styles Raekwon in a custom pinstripe blazer for his music video "All About You" featuring Estelle. 

Air Jordan XX9 | Take Flight Tour

AIR JORDAN XX9

Take Flight w/the Lightest Air Jordan Yet

By: Daniel Wagowski | Photographer: Courtesy of Nike

August 12, 2014

In the last week of July, The Jordan Brand brought its Take Flight Tour to The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, setting up a unique space including a full sized basketball court designed with Jordan Brand imagery. Some of the best high school players in the country were invited to show off their talents while testing out some of Jordan’s newest sneakers and attire. 

Jordan unveiled a slew of new products including a new Jordan Future colorway, and the latest edition to the Air Jordan, whose name has been counting up in roman numerals since the original Air Jordan came out way back in 1985. The XX9, (that’s 29 for your non-Romans out there) which will not be released for public consumption until September 6th, sport some of the most advanced footwear technology up to date and are being branded as the lightest Air Jordan ever. To keep the shoe strong and protective while maintaining its insanely lightweight body, Jordan has gone with a performance woven upper, an innovative single-layer engineered to provide comfort, support, strength and protection.

An improved FlightPlate, webbed straps to wrap the foot and integrate with the laces, and a combination of textures on the sole provide durability on a variety of surfaces to keep feet and ankles protected from twists and sprains. 

The XX9 will originally be released in two separate colorways – a black, red and white elephant print reminiscent of the Chicago Bulls colors, and a graphite, black, blue and orange Jumpman colorway, more closely resembling Oklahoma City’s colors for whom Russell Westbrook, Jordan Ambassador, and Grungy favorite, plays for.

The XX9 goes on sale September 6th for $225. You may want to start hanging in front of your nearest sneaker store now though, as these Jordan release dates garner huge crowds of loyal followers willing to stand in line for days before the release.