Back ON CANAL

March 06, 2019

Anyone who has ever been brave enough knows that a stroll down Canal Street often stumbles into some hazy state of stupor, triggered by only a few minutes of the street’s hourly 3,000 visitors scraping shoulders and knock-off fashion stores incessantly screaming “Deals!” in your face.

But there’s a certain culture renaissance reshaping Canal Street right now, and it’s quickly saying sayonara to the legendary street’s blue-collar circuit for the “SoHo creatives who would likely repurpose a motor for a performance art piece before fixing up a car.” Now, the walk feels slightly different—it’s less over-crammed discount emporium and more SoHo art community.

The word of the game is innovation, and the driving movement is called ON CANAL, a district of pop-ups gifting artists, brands and startups with publicly-engaged spaces to share their projects. Part of a larger movement to “re-wild” the streets of NYC, ON CANAL is proving to be more than just an artistic resurrection—it’s a fully formed urban renewal project pledging new, colorful life to 20 previously vacant storefronts between SoHo and TriBeCa.

"We were inspired by a desire to breath new life into this neighborhood, and to foster a genuine community of artistic exchange,” says Vibes Studio's Sonny Gindi, who curates the ON CANAL selection. "We love the idea of transformation, of transforming a street that so recognizable into something entirely different—almost to the point of disorientation."

Operated by Gindi and Wallplay, an arts and innovation network repurposing empty spaces, ON CANAL is currently hosting a series of interactive shows perfect for spontaneous drop-ins. During Fashion Week, the community held shows, pop-ups and walkthrough spaces for everyone from Gypsy Sport to Kim Shui. So, if you ever find yourself lost, trying to figure out what to do in the LES (an almost impossible feat) check out ON CANAL’s current programming: a LOW RES: Conduit No. 1 light installation through March 1st, Nitemind's video paintings and laser beam show, 8-Ball Community Inc.’s ongoing artist exchange, a NADA Art Fair opening with L'INCONNUE and Golestani and TESTING GROUNDS by MotivNY, an experimental urban athletic project running until March 15.

We may be nostalgically kissing Pearl Paint goodbye, but at office, we’re bustling with excitement for ON CANAL—after all, it's where we call home.

Visit ON CANAL between Broadway and West Broadway. Learn more here.

Photo from the Christopher John Rogers presentation this NYFW by Avery McCarthy; courtesy of ON CANAL.

Fashion

Go-See Situation

Agnès is wearing a top from Peng Tai, a skirt from IRO Paris and boots from GmbH

Moli is wearing a top from Mengche Chiang, a dress from r . l . e with with tights from Wolford, ring from Julia Bartsch and shoes from empty behavior

Chloe is wearing a top from Acne Studios, pants from MM6 with a belt from Julia Bartsch, sunglasses from Uvex and shoes from Proenza Schouler

Glory is wearing a shirt from IRO Paris, pants from peng tai and shoes from Yume Yume

Timothée is wearing a shirt from Paloma Wool, pants from helios Emil and shoes from Yume Yume

Youssef is wearing a shirt from Dries Van Noten, pants, boots and underwear from GmbH, and a vintage hat

Fashion

The People of Lang

April 05, 2024

“The person gives meaning and value to the clothes and not the other way around,” said Peter Do of Helmut Lang SS24, his debut collection for the brand, which has finally hit the shelves.

It is an interesting, if not provocative choice — not only to ont put the garments primary, but to focus not on the “people,” as in a collective, but the “person,” as singular. It's a nod to what the brand has set out to establish since Do’s arrival, framing dressing as a system. It's a democratic formula which feeds off individuality and personal expression, relying upon character as opposed to custom. It’s a manifestation of personality, a farewell to performance. And it leaves us with one question, who is person enough to embody such a humble request?

By Vilda Krog
Photography by Huy Luoung
Styling by Jason Rider

The person in motion, the person of passion, the people passing by on the street who don’t care where you’re going, because they’re on a mission of their own. As Do crafts his garments, likewise do these individuals carve out their paths for themselves. No rules, no guidelines, and if there were — aren’t those meant to be broken? Suggestively, Do broke several rules once he interrogated assumptions around everyday dress back in September last year. Criticism came from more than one place at once. However, by staying true to his vision, he’s already beginning to see the fruits of his labor: his system of dressing, crystallized. It's subtly arrogant, yet widely accessible, dynamic, and utilitarian: it's a blazer, those striped trousers, that turtleneck top, and the traditional flattering denims. In other words, it's your carte blanche, thus let their personality be the color.

Who are they? The campaign, photographed by Huy Luoung and styled by Jason Rider, stars An-My Le, Armina Howanda Mussa, Ash Owens, Connor Sen Warnick, Devin B. Johnson, Eli Ping, Frederique Thiollet, John Yuyi, Kai Avent-Deleon, Linda Rodin, Michael Abel, Mindy Seu, Minjae Kim, Oscar Yi Hou, Sam Stewart, Sophia Roe, Steph Shiu, Yahdon Israel.

Usually, I’d hesitate to spell out more than four names, but in this case, perhaps we should consider them adjectives. Not at the expense of individuality. But rather, the definition of it.

Fashion

From Perler Beads to earKron

April 04, 2024

Our expression has reached peak performance; it's no longer just about expressing my Self through my appearance; but the visual desire has moved beyond, onto the urge of expressing the self through my appearances’ appearances.

In an era defined by the digital, this then–naturally–means that my computer must have cute stickers, my phone has to have a cool case, likewise do my airpods simply require a chic capsule. But, what about the actual pods? CAS&Kera suggest that we’re simply too unique to stay loyal to the ordinary design, even when it comes to what functions, or rather, fashions, our ears (consider the Perler Beads the potential far forerunner). Thus they arrive to present earKron, here to elevate every element of our expression.

It’s that unneccesary need. That essential expense.

Photography by Rankin

earKronTM by CAS&Kera merge the concept of fine jewelry with technology, providing a high-concept alternative to the painfully white, plastic pods. The cuffs are tactile and substantial in the hand, but somehow weightless in one's ear. The ceramic audio chamber is accented with the 18-carat gold and titanium ‘memory’ cuff, which is both malleable and adjustable. The design, which, happens to be the winner of the Red Dot design award, also promotes an open-ear experience, lending the wearer to conversations, and to the world around them, while the cuffs are worn exklusively as jewelry.

The cuffs come in a limited-edition series of black + gold, and pearl white + rose-gold ear-cuffs. Luxury accessories include a jewelry box charging case, charging cable, Maison quality carry pouch, and polished foxtail chain. Available online and at H. Lorenzo LA.