NEW YORK CITY.
NIKE.
NIKE+ FUEL BAND International Launch.

I dont usually like this american city but this time it was not that bad! Food was better because most of the time I did cook for myself and Ive taken time to chill in the BIG APPLE…

Here comes the very first day in pictures late arriving just the time to say hello to the new french team of MAN, long time friends Romain Bernardie James and Antoine Floch…

Then a cool dinner with longtime workmates and Nike influencers such as FRASER nike, ERROLSON acronym, GRACE director, BIANCA Bln, JESSICA, CARRIE, SIMON pig, HERON P…

Ive just watched the CREATIVE CONTROL video about UNKNWN… Really interesting. I know Chris and Samantha x FRUITION since a while, weve even done a fashion shoot together back in the days for BKRW with my friend Albrecht GERLACH…

Its funny because of the location itself of the shop : I mean back in the days a street culture shop was supposed to be located in a nowhere place. Hard to find. Hard to get.
Now UNKNWN is in a fukin department store !!! And its gonna be “a modern educational platform”…

Its exactly the same concept we’ve created 5 years ago BLACKRAINBOW in one of the biggest european streetwear/lifestyle department store called CITADIUM.

Im glad to hear that philosophy again
Im glad that finally hypocrysis about hype is now falling apart
Its time that people who are not from streetculture meet the clothes, the music, the sneakers and the culture itself…
Because at the end of the day sharing is the key (even if thats sound more than cheezy!)

And now can we talk about #influencers again?
Ha!

#cocky #frenchies #mothafuka

Yesterday was finally the J-DAY. JONONE day at BLACKRAINBOW Paris. The american artist was there to show his very new and exclusive work made for BKRW. 7 exclusive canvas, 5 carpets and the vinyl sculptures… The idea was to develop JONONE Flop and art signature on several different mediums.

We spent the afternoon all together before the show. And have fun while he was signing his 30 ARTOYZ ORIGINALS objects. A great day!

More pictures of the night and the set-up HERE.

The second part of our work with JONONE is a special limited edition collab. His famous THROW UP signature turn into a 3D design object : a FLOP vinyl sculpture.
We are really proud to present the JONONE x Artoyz Originals x BKRW Flop vinyl.

JONONE will sign 30 JONONE x Artoyz Originals x BKRW Flop vinyl sculptures at the shop this very afternoon for our very temporary exhibition.

Images by Julien GOSSET

PS : I would like to thank all the blogs to post our collab, but it would be really nice if you can mention the photographer. #justsayin

To be continued…

June 2011.

A Whole new BKRW/BLACKRAINBOW collaboration…

Still life image by Julien GOSSET.

Stay tuned! NEXT WEEK !

www.bkrw.com

Some people dont really understand/know what we are doing at BKRW CREATIVE AGENCY.

This is the last example of our latest CITADIUM LOOKBOOK 2010 September Issue. Shot by talented photograph duets  RENE&RADKA.

This is how we do it!

this is how we do it!

Before posting my BBB SUMMER 2010 pictures recap. Ive got to share something. Ruff ideas… Its raining badly outside.

In Berlin, during the Bread&Butter Block Party, I did met many people from the industry.

But I also met some of long time players I did not see (physically) since a while : like the whole crew of THE HUNDREDS and the HYPEBEAST crew. I’ve sat a down a bit with those guyz I know since something like 4 years… Nice chat with long time “friends”.

And talking a bit more with Bobby about how fast the time was flying. Like four years ago this guyz were showing a bunch of tee in the ground of the MAGIC TRADESHOW and now they gonna probably open in NYC their fourth shop… Crazy californian boyz… Its always funny to see all the people from the industry grewing up. But THE HUNDREDS has probably the biggest and strongest business step up of anybody else.

And then since morning I went on THE HUNDREDS website and I saw that picture.

“International Sales Meeting for our Spring 2011 and Summer 2011 ranges of The Hundreds apparel, accessories, and footwear.”

WOW! 14 people around one table to listen about a SALES MEETING. This aint no jokes. This is business. Real one.

Dont take it wrong. Im not complainin’ and Im not sayin this is a bad thing.Im fukin even happy for them and for us. We are fukin luky. We are doin a pretty amazin work. A real fukin passion!

But now its really a new street order.

THE HUNDREDS, MISHKA, SUPER… HYPEBEAST, HIGHSNOBIETY, BKRW…

Some of us have really evolvin since the beginning. Passion is still there. But BUSINESS is now on. And BUSINESS is not a bad word. More money. More troubles. But also more comfort to work on interesting projects. Bigger projects. More power to lead a market and some brands too oftenly lost.

And take the media ones HYPEBEAST or HIGHSNOBIETY… Those website are really more than strong now. One post of them and a whole brand can sell more shit! A real label (for now) of “hype”…

The whole industry was so underground. Who could have say its gonna grow like this. Even the more optimistic ones? I wont start the whole “do-we-have-lost-our-soul-thing”…

This is it. A real new street order is now on.

Keep the hawks around.

Because we cant betray our “street-culture” motto and philosphy.

INDEPENDANT. IRREVERENCIOUS. MAVERICK. TWISTING. UNDERGROUND. REBEL. CURIOUS. DIFFERENT.

We’ve to be carefull to not become some new MASS-MARKET SHEEP, who thing they still are underground and differents.

Culture is the key. Money isnt everything…

This is it! We made it! Im prouuudd of my boyz (Amadou, Greg, Farid, Mehena, Nicoboy, Sacha, Hakikim) and all our supporters (Mr Hervieux, Blondin, Sandrine, Ben, Clems, Yaya, Tom, Mass, Yoan…). Last night NIKE did organize the soccer tournament in the ubernice museum 104 in PARIS.

The NIKE PARIS CITY CUP soccer trophy is now in our office! BKRW beat LAMJC in finals 3-2. A great tight game!

© KARL HAB

© KARL HAB

Merci merci merci! WWWWOOOOWWWWW!

More pictures soon! ALL THE PICTURES HERE!

My friend and long time streetculture/hiphop photographer FLAVOR XAV’ just did a whole interesting bunch of video around Europe. Shooting creative people in their own town. The show is broadcast live on a french internet channel called KONBINI and its called STREET MAPPER. The introduction sequence is made by HUGUES LAWSON and ARTHUR KING (la famille!).

He went to Berlin, London, Paris. In Berlin he did Marok, Phil...

And Ive got the chance to show him a bit of our parisian city, bkrw office,  and some of my fav’ food spots.

It was really fun to do it. And a way less borin’ than Phil’s one! (luv ya lil beard bro!)

Its always kinda frustratin to see the results after have talken so much about everything… Ive got to add a special shout out of all our BKRW/BLACK RAINBOW team. Because honestly Im a way from being alone on all this adventure. And my partner Greg is like BATMAN always in the dark but is doin’ more than a tremendous job too!!!

Anyway the video is fun! Enjoy

Between got my new OAKLEY x FROGSKIN (thanks to AMAZIN BEN x BLACK RAINBOW), check the red OAKLEY logo…

It means Im furious and I will kick all that PARIS CITY CUP team specially the colette one which try to break me down…. (check more pics ova there) lolol

NIKE PARIS CITY CUP | JOUR 1 URBAN FOOTBALL MEUDON from Jay SMITH on Vimeo.

Yesterday night. I broke my ultimate trademark. My white OAKLEY FROGSKIN…

It was during the first NSW PARIS FC soccer training. Ive been kinda lucky to not have lost my eye too. It was a big shock… But no pain no game!

I feel naked and like have lost a part of me. Ahaahahaha!

As people say its maybe a sign to change…

Or not….