PUMA Drops The Latest Sankuanz Collab

Posted by & filed under Fashion, Sneakers.

Written By Sean Ho

Sankuanz hits up Puma to create a rather more practical approach to their Spring-Summer’ 19 collection, and designer, Shangguan Zhe has got a lot up his sleeves. Founded in 2013, the emerging fashion house focuses on the influences and clashes between technological innovations and social institutions. Sankuanz deconstructs the reality through fashion and portrays a hypothesis of a high tech near future and has been making an impact on an international level for its unique take on uniform dressing.

Pairing parts of contemporary art with vintage sportswear and clean silhouettes, Shangguan reinterprets streetwear with a rebellious voice. Going with the theme ‘Kill the Wall,’ his designs are symbolically charged, conjuring up images which encapsulates many different subcultures. A different mix of new and traditional patterns, the collection features unconventional prints and bright logo typefaces to create a bold and neutral collection.

The highlight of the collection however, focuses on the capsule of footwear and apparel highlights custom editions of the Cali, Cell Endura, RS-X and the Thunder silhouettes.

The original retro-running silhouette from the 90s, the Cell Endura receive a Sankuanz remodel, with the addition of a rubber Sankuanz x Puma tag at the top eyelet. Original leather lace remains the same, with the cell replaced with neon green, whereas the insole is painted in retro purple. The look finishes with a glowing Sankuanz branding contrasting with a black bubble unit.

The RS-X Sankuanz presents a modern iteration from the other two classics. With contrasting, blocky neon and reflective overlays, it’s fitted with a sculpted layered sole featuring PUMA’s comfortable Running System cushioning technology.

As for The Cali model, it is built with a smooth suede and leather upper, contrast leather lining and a thick rubber toe bumper. The reworked Puma Cali adds the Sankuanz logo, replacing PUMA’s logo on the tongue tag. Completing the pair with a grey sole unit extended and enlarged to create a dad shoe silhouette. 

These three pairs are retailed at RM675.00 for the RS-X, RM705.00 for the Cell Endura and RM630.00 for the Cali. The full collection is available now in PUMA KLCC, Sunway Pyramid and Crossover Sunway Pyramid.

No, Travis Scott’s Air Jordan 1 Is Not Dropping Here

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

But The Air Jordan 33 Is

Obviously you wouldn’t be interested in the new Air Jordan models after the first 13 or so numbers, and I’ll be damned if you actually looked out for this one because of its performance features. No, you’re looking at it, because Travis Scott has slapped his name there, and it may just turn some heads around. Hear me out.

Of course, heritage aside, this new model puts performance first, including in a new lace lock system to secure the foot down, while the FlightSpeed midsole gives optimum energy return. Earthy tones dominate the model, with liberal use of ‘Olive Green’ on the upper with ‘Dark Green’ accents and a leather heel tab rounds off the top. An off-white midsole makes its presence known with hits of ‘Neon Yellow’ at the forefoot and flight jacket references are present on the lace strap. Travis’ ‘Cactus Jack’ replaces the Jumpman on the left tongue.

Overall a very easy colourway to wear, and would look superb in any outfit you throw at it. We’ll leave you to decide whether to leave heritage behind and try something new for once.

Adidas’ Reworked Ultraboost 19 Is Dropping Soon

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

Everyone remembers the Ultraboost. The silhouette possessed a brightly coloured history, spanning from GR models all the way to numerous collaborations has only served to cement the model in the history books as practically the most popular shoe in 2015 alongside the NMD. 4 years on, and it has been given a refresh; deconstructed, simplified, to give more performance than ever.

Several key changes have been made to the silhouette. For starters, the cage is now slightly bit smaller and lighter, the torsion beam is thicker, the Primeknit is no longer called Primeknit; rather Primeknit 360, the heel cup has been hollowed out and the Boost midsole pumped with more Boost. 20% more in fact.

Of course, the Ultraboost has always been performance first rather than lifestyle, but then that went the other way and became a lifestyle silhouette instead after being popularised by Kanye West. Now though, it seems that Adidas is trying to divert the attention back to its roots, having gained athlete feedback and data to create the evolution towards what the brand calls its greatest running shoe ever.

The Ultraboost 19 releases on the 21st of February for approximately RM 850 at Adidas online and selected retail stores nationwide. Will you be copping?

From The Thread EP6 With ShawnDuaBui Of AGAINST LAB

Posted by & filed under Fashion, TV.

For The Culture

Shawn speaks about what he thinks of the culture, sustainability and contribution of the scene, transitions from t-shirt to cut-and-sew pieces, and whether AGAINST LAB makes it to KLFW.

Allester Shaun’s Sweet Babycakes Takes You Back To The Innocence Of Adolescence

Posted by & filed under Music.

 

Written by Aida Rashid

If you’ve ever dreamed of dancing in the dark with your adolescent love accompanied by soft,  romantic music playing in the background, or driving into the sunset with your windows down and a cigarette lit up… Allester Shaun’s brand new single ‘Sweet Babycakes’ is the epitome of it.

Having performed at various local gigs including the recent edition of Urbanscapes and released a single called ‘Blue’ just last year, we think that Allester Shaun is about to make a significant presence in the Malaysian music scene, especially when he has confirmed to have exciting materials coming out soon.

Having started writing when he was in high school, he averred that his main focus was never in writing per se, but it soon became a tool to complete his craft. “My main focus wasn’t into writing because I am more to a composing type of person in terms of chord progressions, drum tracks, etc. So the song writing was just me filling in the empty void in making a song.”

The song feels like a lovechild between Mac Demarco with the woozy guitar effects and Rex Orange County with the conversational tone of delivery. “I have a very wide scope in terms of musical influences such as blues, classic rock, metal, indie, r&b etc. But I try not to listen to only one genre so that my sound won’t sound the same or else it gets boring in the long run. I wanted it (Sweet Babycakes) to sound classic but fused with modern music and at the same time, prom kinda setting.”

When asked about the story behind the song, Allester Shaun was inspired by his own girlfriend.

“I got the inspiration from my girlfriend but at the same time I also wanted it to be a fictional situation on how listeners feel like when they get to know their first love or their crush — depends on how they see it.”

Charming, dreamy and a shortcut route back to adolescence, ‘Sweet Babycakes’ does not disappoint.

Where To Buy Rassvet’s 5th Collection

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More Rassvet goodness is coming your way, as the 5th collection drops on our shores. Collaborating with Russell Athletic & Hi-Tec, the collection features plenty of classic athletic products as well as denim, straight pats, and striped shirts, which have been introduced to present a full Rassvet silhouette for the first time.

Graphic collages were lifted from the the team’s scribbled research logos and implanted onto several pieces. Rassvet’s skate roots are still kept intact, as more logo shirts are made available for OKTYABR.

The collaborative pieces are where it gets interesting. Russell Athletic’s logo gets hijacked and reintepreted as Rassvet Athletic as well as Hi-Tec’s graphics being displayed alongside Rassvet co-branding. Of course, the collaborations aren’t just simply an excuse however, as both of its partners contribute to the Rassvet image and feel.

Russell Athletics provides a true to the Americas heritage, holding the title of the inventor of the sweatshirt, which inspired the varied sweatshirt shapes bearing sports team graphics, of which were prominently featured in the capsule. Hi-Tec contributes a reworked version of their Squash shoe, including gum outsole and full grain nubuck toebox to offer excellent support, essential for not only just squash, but skateboarding.

All of this is rounded up with their motto: RASSVET NE ZA GORAMI, or “The sunrise is not far behind the mountain.” Rassvet’s newest collection will be available at Krookz Kuala Lumpur very soon.

Lazy Being Reinterprets Godzilla And Questions The Ambiguity In Its Latest Drop

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In the 1950s, Japan introduced ‘Tokosatsu,’ or special filming, a term used to describe and make shows which showcases heavy use of special effects. Many shows were then subsequently produced with Tokosatsu in mind, but only a handful managed to flesh it out to its fullest: Godzilla.

In Lazy Being’s ‘Sloth Attacks’ collection, the capsule pays homage to the movie, as well as exploring the motive behind the killing of Godzilla, questioning as to whether it was a self-defense move, or a murder driven by greed. In the movies, Godzilla has always been portrayed as the antagonist, but Lazy Being implores you to look on the other side. Maybe the government is witholding the information, or isn’t disseminating the full truth. With the media in the government’s hands, transparency of information is marred, and that allows total control of the audience’s perspective, and it is up to the audience to search for the truth.

The collection includes graphic tees with illustration of weapons, Kaiju anatomy, and target practices. A poster card is also included to to further delve into the story of the collection. ‘Sloth Attacks’ is now available on the online webstore and selected local retailers.

Nike Drops The Social Status X Air Jordan 6 In Malaysia

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

The Black Cat Returns

We think the Air Jordan 6 is one of the prettier silhouettes to have come out of the Jordan catalog. It’s bulky, complex, yet purposeful looks carries a certain menace onto the court, and in the hands of Social Status, has elevated it into something of a predator on the hardwood.

Dubbed the ‘Black Cat,’ the particular moniker has a bit of a backstory attached to it, as it all started when Tinker Hatfield observed the motions of MJ. ‘Predatory,’ is what best describes his movements, and as a result, has produced several designs in honour of his legacy, including an Air Jordan 13 with the same name, and a namesake model as well. As the All-Star Weekend approaches, Social Status is reviving the nickname in the Air Jordan 6 specifically for the event.

Concept wise, it stays pretty close to its name. The beast in the ‘Black Cat’ is emulated on the upper, as faux pony hair and python skin are used, and the overall dark and murky colourway represents the extent to which Jordan would go for a win. Highlights of purple finish up the silhouette nicely.

The Social Status X Air Jordan 6 drops on the 13th of Feb, for a price of approximately RM1025.

Over RM170,000 Of Fake Adidas Items Were Seized From A Seremban Mall

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

Picture Credit: Utusan

Sometimes, fake goods can slip by the best of us, but like the saying, “Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah jua,” one is bound to get caught anyway. Two days ago, The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs in Negeri Sembilan released info that counterfeit Adidas goods worth over RM 170,000 was seized from a Seremban mall.

Fairly mindboggling too. Zubir Hamsa, chief enforcement officer spoke to Utusan that the raid was performed based on gathered intel from the trademark owner and intelligence excursions carried out for three days at the mall.

“The clothes and shoes were sold at a rented booth in the mall. These items were sold at about RM50 cheaper than their usual prices as the clothes were priced at RM89 while a pair of shoes cost between RM199 and RM259,” said Zubir. Moreover, it was difficult to tell between the fake and original, as to the naked eye, the level of quality is almost the same as their original counterparts with all the labels and necessary embellishments all in the right place. “Potential buyers thought that they were buying authentic Adidas goods but at a discounted price.”

The police are still in the midst of finding out who is the actual vendor as well as its source when taking a statement from the head of the mall. Under law, the case will be reviewed under the 2011 Trade Act and 1987 Copyright Act, and if found guilty, the company will be fined a maximum of RM 15,000 for every counterfeit item for first time offenders, or can be increased to RM 30,000 per item, or alternatively, the seller can get slapped with a RM 10,000 fine per item and a maximum jail period of 3 years. Just goes to show, that sometimes when it’s too good to be true, it usually is.

 

 

 

 

Silampukau Is An Indonesian Band That Draws Into French Folk For Its Musical Inspiration

Posted by & filed under Music.

Written by Aida Rashid
Photo Credits: The Wknd

Surabaya is a beautiful metropolitan city located in East Java, Indonesia; and it’s never been prettier with Silampukau’s grace of anecdotal poetry in the form of a full-length album called ‘Dosa, Kota & Kenangan’.

I had the privilege to have a chat with the guys behind the Surabaya-based duo outfit, Eki Tresnowening and Kharis Junandharu last week when they came down to Kuala Lumpur for The Wknd’s Buka Panggung showcase that featured them as the main act and joined by a myriad of The Wknd alumni from the likes of Deepset, The Impatient Sisters, Milo Dinosaur and NJWA.

A certain level of camaraderie, finesse, and nuance is almost always to be expected with this band, but after given practically 4 days to practice and jive with the sessionists, the show fell nothing short of amazing.

Silampukau has been around the independent scene since 2009, and have released an EP & an album since. They are mostly known for their dreamy folk experience infused with their delicately crafted storytelling-like lyrics.

Their debut album that was released in 2015 is a conceptual compilation of the ordinary stories of ordinary people living in Surabaya. Told with grace, humility, and a tinge of romance, ‘Dosa, Kota & Kenangan’ touches the non-glamorous & the non-extravagant experiences in Surabaya — and what’s better told about a city if not by the people living in it themselves?

‘We aren’t politicians. But what is left that’s not been told, is the most important thing that should be. The small things & the small tales that pass us by everyday.”

The concept of the album is a combination of folk in the instrumentation, and worldly, mundane experiences in the writing. ‘Our mindset while in the process of making this album was really about wanting to make it thematic whereby all the songs on the record would follow the one concept that we’ve decided. And we will do the same with our future works,’ laments Eki. “Projek kami memang thematic, mindset kami waktu proses itu memang mahu menjadikan satu album bersama 10 lagu itu mengikut tema, satu konsep kalau kedepan, kalau kami temukan konsep lain juga kami akan mempunyai mindset yg sama.”

‘Balada Harian’ talks about the mundane lives where we all wake up in the morning just to get through the day, as life itself loses it’s meaning day by day. ‘Doa 1’ is told from the perspective of a hopeful man wanting to make it in the world with his music, but not with restrictions of the mainstream. While the song that seemed to be a crowd favourite, ‘Puan Kelana’, is a romantic plea for a distant lover, “tiap kali langit meremang jingga aku kan merindukanmu”, and more interestingly it is largely infused with French-folk influences in the instrumentation and also in the writing.

‘There is no personal backstory or experience to the song, it’s all fiction. What we wanted to do was we wanted to experiment with merging the Malay element with the French-folk element, as Indonesia also has a Malay cultural background same as Riau and the others,” says Kharis.

Despite the glaring influence however, the duo don’t really just listen to French-folk.

‘We like Tom Lehrer, French music, and we also like Mariachi, we don’t have any specific music influence. We listen to a lot of things.”

“Usually when it comes to Indonesia and its music scene, the first thing we’d think about is Jakarta. But Jakarta isn’t the only city with a rich independent scene. ‘In comparison to Jakarta, yes there may be less involvement in the music scene. However, in terms of releases, there has been an increase since 1, 2 years back. They were also being marketed in Jakarta. The scene in Surabaya is underrated, but it’s there and it’s big. It’s been active and growing since the late 80s, early 90s,” reflects Eki.

Silampukau is the manifestation of making it big with humility, resilience & hope in a capitalistic, dog-eat-dog industry. ‘We hope that the independent scene flourishes, and we hope it gets stronger and it stays together to help one another — that we reach to a point that we don’t need to depend on major labels anymore.’