Boo to the Hoo

This looks absolutely amazing and I am ridiculously jealous that I can't be in Paris to get down to the show. Hosted by one of my favourite artists and designers, the Amsterdam born self taught sensation that is Parra, this event is guaranteed to be entertaining and inspirational. If you are passing through the fair districts of the French capital on the 5th day of this merry month (yes I realise that is tomorrow), ensure that you go - you are guaranteed an absolute treat.

A Shoreditch sample sale...

With a great line up of brands such as my personal favourites Mishka and A.IN.T, as well as 10Deep and Staple, expect to find some excellent, exclusive street wear at this discretely placed sample sale situated in not so sunny Shoreditch. I've already popped down there and trust me, if I was a single size smaller, I would have blown the already pretty battered bank. Open until Saturday 6th December, I would advise you to pass through - address below:

Straight Up Distribution Ltd
3rd Floor
1 Rivington Place
London
EC2A 3BA

With thanks to Kish and Charlie for organising it. Image robbed from here.

Brooklyn (Go Hard)

Leaked on to the internet, straight from the recording studio, is Jay Z's recently recorded tune entitled Brooklyn (We Go Hard). Featuring the vocal talents of Santogold, and the producing ability of the gifted Mr West, the tune is rumoured to be featured in the Notorious B.I.G’s forthcoming biopic and compromises of real, raw, and ready rapping by the indomitable Jay Z. An excellent track, as well as an explorative one – the ever eclectic Santogold is shown in a completely different light, whilst West’s involvement makes for an interesting sideshow on what is already an excellent collaboration. Kanye's deft producing ability is pretty tip top too. Check out the video here. Nice.

How toys can save the world...

I genuinely cannot believe how I missed this Ted Talk before, but this is possibly one of the coolest things I have ever seen (in a geeky, childlike sort of way anyway). Check out Will Wright, the original designer of The Sims franchise, as he shows us how ‘toys can save the world’ through his game Spore (released September of this year). An interesting Ted Talk, yet one I strongly recommend watching – a particular highlight is when he talks about encouraging kids to think in the long term. What will happen to us in ten, fifty, a hundred years? It is an interesting question and one that we can perhaps ask ourselves very seriously at some point. I don't know if I could even really consider a realistic, tangible answer to that question, I wouldn't know where to begin, or where to end - it is such a far off, un-logistical thought that my brain would attempt to pack itself up after too much musing. However, this is part of the problem. We aren't prepared to think of the long term consequences of our actions and we aren't prepared for the long term future; Mr Wright is, commendably, attempting to amend this through the medium of toy, game and play.

I’m now going to indulge in some online shopping, I must find that game! Bloody brilliant.

Image taken from here, thanks.

For those that don't know... Fatsarazzi

Unless you have been hiding under a large rock for the last decade or so, the large majority of you will be more than aware of Fatsarazzi’s frivolous fornication with the media of photography. An excellent photographer and a cultural cool critic, Fats is (world) widely respected as one of the very best in the business, underlined by his ability to unearth trends and zeitgeists long before most trendspotters. Check out his newly updated portfolio here. Nice.

Guaranteed to make you last that bit longer...

I do believe these adverts are as close to marketing brilliance as I have long seen. Extremely clever, if slightly mischievous, the team behind Durex has come up with a campaign for it’s new condom, the Durex Performa (engineered to make men last longer), that has created a huge buzz, both online and offline. In concordance with the release of the Performa, Durex have also released these charming limited edition pillowcases that have proved such a hit that Durex sales rose by 28% and the pillowcases had to be re-released in sex stores across New Zealand (where the campaign was launched).

Clever, cheeky and creative, Durex has brought a playful aspect to the bedroom, as it passes along the element of fun into that shrouded enclosed environment that most brands would love to be able to reach. It’s a lesson that a whole heap of obtrusive brands can learn from. If it’s my space, be very careful how you, as big, bold, brazen brands, act in it, whether it be online or off, facebook, or my room. Brands need to understand that when you are in my personal area, you can, and can’t, do, or don’t do, certain things. Respect this, and we should get along absolutely dandy.

Stole the images from here.
With thanks to Patricia for the heads up - I hadn't laughed so much over an ad in time, so it had to be documented!

Black Friday x Clark Kent x Nike

Upon looking at these sneakers, I have to ask myself why Nike can’t do more exclusive collaborative drops within these rain sodden shores. DJ Clark Kent and Nike have collaborated in conjunction with America’s infamous shopping splurge, Black Friday, to create these shiny, slick sneakers. With Nike giving Kent the freedom to unleash his creative capabilities once again (he has worked on a variety of other projects, including these trainers for the Olympics) he has created these exclusive kicks with a uniquely unconventional medley of materials - including black pony tail hair on the base, a metallic silver heel and swoosh, and an iridescent metallic gloss on the upper sole. Nice.

Image taken from here. Thanks.

Roll Deep vs the BNP

Going back to the issues in my recent piece on the BNP earlier this month, I was recently shocked by this portion of marketing mischief from the jolly boys from Bow E3. Much like Dizzee Rascal’s outlandish outing on the BBC’s Newsnight a few weeks back, Roll Deep have let down the side for the young, British and black. The video stands for the right things – an attempt by the many members of the motley mob to bring essential awareness to anti race hate campaigns – yet it is being carried about in the completely wrong fashion. As the video is playing, the names and areas of several people off of the leaked BNP list scroll across the bottom; a total display of indifference to the privacy of these individuals. Roll Deep are in a fortunate position where they can make an actual difference - they are in a position where what they say will be heard, will be acted upon, will be an inspiration - and it makes my blood burn, bubble then boil when I see these opportunities wasted. And for what? A cheap shot at a few blushing BNP members which affects nothing, no one and nowhere. Roll Deep have made the video about the fact that they believe these people to be racist - it shouldn’t be about whether these people are or aren’t racist, it should be about taking a unyielding position against what the party stands for. There are certain ways of dealing with issues; making a music video that basically digresses into schoolyard cussing, is, unfortunately for Roll Deep, not one of them.

Image taken from here. And with thanks to RWD for the heads up.

The changing dynamics of the workplace

I was listening to 1Xtra the other day as they had a week devoted to the topic of careers. Far be it for me to sit back smugly as I listened to scores of stories of unemployment, I was instead pertinently provoked by the persistent insistence that young people are lazy - according to a recent survey, 75% of adults think that young people don't work as hard as they did when they were kids. Having read Don Tapscott’s brilliant article in the guardian, and also Alex’s one here, I have come to realise that there is a serious shift occurring in the dynamics of how we work. The emphasis that future employers must place upon the new generation of workers, or the net-geners /echo boomers, will mean that there shall be drastic changes in the work place over the next few years.

Regarding the argument over the airwaves, it was quickly made clear that many current employers aren’t, or haven’t, adapted to this new way of working. This new way of working is inherently different, as Tapscott enforces in his article: “They've (net-geners) shaken up the game of politics, and now they may do the same in the working world. Their culture of work is challenging, to be sure, but I think it is the way to work in the 21st century. They enter the working world with distinctly different attitudes. Nearly seven out of 10 net-geners, for example, want to choose where and when to work, compared with four in 10 workers from their parents' generation. Half of them value family over money.”

I don’t believe current employees are prepared to make these dynamic alterations to the workplace so readily. It peeves me when it is reported that the young people of today are lazy, don’t want to work hard and diminish responsibility - young people are being satirized enough as it is. It’s not that net-geners don’t work hard, it’s just that they work in a totally different manner to the apparently, solid hard working, dedicated generations before it. Kid’s these days are readily prepared to work their full time job, do the nine to five, but to also venture out more. Kid’s want to benefit more from the talents they have actively accumulated and honed over the years, and financially profit from them. Look at the influx of young creative’s that have hit over the past few years – everyone now wants to create their own clothes, or is in a band, or is a photographer, paints, graffiti’s, models, is a stylist, hosts their own nights – the creative and entrepreneurial possibilities are endeavoring, yet endless. And this is all being achieved whilst still working solid hours in other jobs. The net-geners may work in a different manner from the baby boomers, and those before it, but never has a single generation shown such an almighty ambition for enterprise.

Image robbed from here. Thanks.

Whathehelle hearts LDN

Saturday was a great day. It involved shooting a documentary for Nike, a friendly cameraman called Nikolaj, 1948, sneakers, Nike iD, a Victorian style pub, Shoreditch, Soho, Punk, Camden, Gilgamesh and partying late into the night with Girls Aloud. I shan't bore you with the details, but hell I had fun.

Saturday also reminded me of the fact that I am very fortunate to be young, free and living in one of the greatest cities in the world. The cultural mix, the architecture, the people, the places, the parties, the opportunities - How could you not love London? Pimp magazine have released a guide to the capital called Pimp London: The Guide, detailing some of the capital’s hottest cultural spots and looking at London through sharp, savvy and stylish lenses. It is an interesting look at some of the small sub cultures and goings on within the capitals aromatic borders, and it does remind you of why London is such a great place. Listing 200+ of the capitals best haunts whether they be boutique or bar, cafe or club, Pimp takes a long lasting look at the scenes and spots that make London such a culturally condensed, captivating and creative city. We recently sent the book off to some kids in LA and they absolutely loved it; and if those bunch of broads and hoochie mamas liked it, us Londoners should definitely check it out.

Image stolen from here. Thanks. Sorry.