ESSENTIALS x Fear of God

The Essential Tennis Low and Mid shoe is available at Nordstrom, SSENSE, Mr.Porter, and many others for $295.

Dress like a Creature

December 08, 2023

Creature World, the ongoing art project by multidisciplinary artist and painter, Danny Cole, has just released its sophomore clothing collection titled RGB. Since Danny and his creature appeared on our issue 17 cover, they have been on an eclectic journey, creating art in an array of different mediums. From paintings, to clothing, to twelve foot sculptures illegally installed along New York’s High Line, the imagination of Creature World knows no bounds.

The debut collection of the Creature World clothing line launched during New York Fashion Week in February with an impressive presentation that only Danny could have brought to life, and the same youthful essence has been reimagined and developed into a highly anticipated second drop.

Words by Dylan Andrews
Images courtesy of Creature World

Accompanied by a campaign that is a work of art in itself, the RGB collection encompasses all of the creative discplines that Cole has used in a whimsical spirit to build the wonderful world of Creature World. Stand out pieces from this release include a thick jersey hoodie with playful Creature ears — just in time for winter — and perfect everyday accessories such as leather coin purses and socks that offer a portal into a playful universe constructed by Cole and friends.

Fashion

Stone Island Celebrates Marina Launch in Aspen

December 05, 2023

On December 1st, Stone Island surprised fans with the release of its Fall Winter ‘23 Marina Assortment, exclusively available at Stone Island’s latest pop-up at Kith Aspen. The collection brings to life the bright contrast and contemporary sculptures inspired by the Antarctic expeditions of the 1920s.

Antarctica was the last continent on Earth to be discovered by humans. Up until a few decades ago, its existence had only been predicted. Greek and Roman philosophers explained its reality as the Earth's need to balance the top-heavy Northern Hemisphere, then calling it the mythical land "opposite of the Bear." Numerous expeditions targeted Antarctica, with some ending in death due to shortages of resources—technology, food, heat, and, above all, alliances between competing interests.

Last week, Stone Island family and friends (including Avi Gold, Danielle Leguillou, Juliana Salazar, Liam MacRae, Sage Elesser, Tyrrell Winston, and Rocky Xu) gathered in Aspen to celebrate the launch of the historic Marina sub-label. More importantly, they came together to appreciate shared experiences, mutual support, and the warmth brought by the biting cold.

Photography by Jesper D. Lund
Words by OFFICE TEAM

The crystal ice fields' striking reflections come to life through the white archive elements Stone Island has skillfully applied to outerwear. Water-printed branding weaves through the selection. Increased warmth and comfort are not only derived from each other but are also accentuated in the Rubber Wax Poplin through extra padding and volume. The jacket owes its body to the coating, made waterproof through a mixture of rubber and wax particles.

Geared up and ready, the three-day immersion began with a check-in at The Little Nell.

The first stop, after a Gondola ride, was the peak of Aspen’s mountain. Hungry stomachs were satisfied with warm lunches, and sweet tooths were supplied with hot toddies at 2 miles high. If only the 1920 expeditions had toddies, I bet Antarctica would have been mapped out already.

If only the 1920 expeditions had toddies, I bet Antarctica would have been mapped out already.

Back on the ground, the group visited the Stone Island outpost at Kith, getting equipped in the new Marina capsule for the days ahead. For those who couldn’t make it, the pop-up will run throughout February, offering exclusive items not sold online or elsewhere.

After food comes more food, this time at the historic Woody Creek Tavern, where icon Hunter S. Thompson, founder of the gonzo journalism movement, spent most of his time in the area. The crowd then enjoyed a fireside après before preparing for the following morning's expedition.

At dawn, a special winter voyage guided by the Pacific Town Club awaited. For the hike, each guest put their personal Stone Island Marina Jacket to the test, braving and embracing the incoming storm. They traded cell phones—back to 1920—for analog cameras and compasses to prioritize connections with each other and the landscape, capturing the beauty of the somber surroundings.

The ultimate destination brought the alliance to the Stone Island campsite, designed after the Antarctic Research Center. Here, they gathered around the flaming fire for a camp-side meal of fondue at the historical T-Lazy-7 ranch. Nostalgic. The last supper was later served at the small town’s White House Tavern, followed by a takeover of Aspen's members’ retreat, the Caribou Club.

The trip concluded in The Little Nell’s hot springs. After passing the tough tests, Marina Assortments finally came off, and together they celebrated, reflecting upon the past day's journey. The lesson learned from the Antarctic expeditions of the 1920s, which remains relevant today, is that Antarctica is part of the common heritage of all humankind. In times like these, it could be worth putting the individual aside and realizing what can be gained when we experience life together.

Fashion

Martine Ali x Converse

We caught up with Martine during her party-turned-rave in the heart of Bushwick last Thursday to delve into inches, "stash" spots, and what lies ahead for her and Converse.

So how are you feeling with the collab out now?

Honestly… a little sweaty? [Laughs] No, I feel amazing. It’s super surreal.

I love. What’s your favorite detail?

There are so many elements to the shoe that keep it casual, but you can also dress it up if you want to. It’s a convertible wedge platform — day to night, high, low — that versatility and the ability to take it from one thing to another is something I wanted to bring over from the jewelry.

Is the heel also convertible?

You can’t take the heel off, but if you could, it would be like a little stash spot. [Laughs]

So true. How many inches?

Like four.

A little pick-me-up...

Tell me about the gaiter.

So a lot of welders have these snap-on elements to their uniforms, like gaiters that they put on over their shoes, which is what I wanted to bring into this design. For everything I'm doing with Converse I’m trying to bring in that reference so that even if there isn’t metal, there is still this sensibility that goes back to metalwork.

What’s your favorite way to style them?

I really like them with the gaiters; if it were warmer out, I would be wearing them like that, but now, since it’s colder, I’m just wearing them with baggy pants so that’s also a moment.

Did you learn anything about yourself during the process of transitioning from jewelry to a new medium?

Yes, I learned that the happy accident is a real thing especially when working with a new medium in a completely new space and context. You have to try things to figure out what works and you can't plan that outcome. There were a couple of design elements that we had to just see how they were interpreted.

We love a happy accident, sometimes it’s how the best things are made.

That's exactly how I feel.

How long did you work on the style?

For about a year.

Was it hard to keep under wraps?

The amount of times I hit Converse and was like, How about we tease the design process? And they were like, No, it doesn’t work like that for us. It was so hard to not wear the shoes out.

I could imagine. How many prototypes did you go through before feeling good about it?

Not many, to be honest, I think two. We wanted the material of the gaiter to be a functional, technical piece so figuring out its durability did lead to a lot of sampling.

When are the girls getting another shoe?

Yes, we're working on more shoes for next season, which I'm super excited about as there will be more metalwork and hardware. I love working with shoes, so hopefully there will be more and more.

The Martine Ali Chuck 70 De Luxe Wedge is now available for purchase at converse.com