“CHAPTER ONE: Fixed Gear Bike First Step” by T19/Carnival/Transworld DVD!

Click the image for more details all you fixed gear heads!

iDR July Sound Selection arranged by our guest Danny Le

Danny took a moment to arrange our July Sound Selection. Please enjoy his playlist!

"Having good music to go with your sun and fun is a must. Here are some tunes that will have you dancing in your best summer dress and fly shades. Enjoy!"-Danny Le

Creme de la Creme Pool Party, Los Angeles ReCap

dF TV - June 08 from dubFrequency on Vimeo.

Our LA fashion editor, Melissa is mad busy studying for the MCATS, but she managed to squeeze time in to head over to the Creme de la Creme day pool party at the Standard Hotel Los Angeles. Check out the lovely pics from Melissa's cam, and the BZWXX's cam.



Melissa, our LA Fashion Editor, seen here with DJ Rygar.


Julie and Ben with some friends.


our favorite SoCal friends Jon and Nobu from Blends.


and of course Mr. LA himself Ben with DJ Rygar and Melissa hanging out in the hot hot sun!

Politics In the Pressroom: Danny Le

Danny "Dandiggity" Le is a modern day connoisseur for all things analog, digital, and beautiful. Known to many as a "jack-of-all-trades" he has dipped his hands in every creative pool the South Bay has to offer. From poetry jams and art galleries, eclectic parties and the evolving street dance scene Diggity is constantly documenting, collaborating, and networking within these expanding subcultures 24/7. A graduate of San Jose State University's English and Comparative Literature program he plans is to become a teacher and shape a new generation of renaissance men and women. He currently resides in San Jose, CA finishing his first collection of poetic works. Danny represents PLSTK, who iDR has worked with on the Sound Stackin party.

Do you think there is a definite look and feel of each party. A Democratic campaign looks vastly different than a Republican campaign, yes...no, and why? What are the similarities and/or differences?
What makes a Democratic campaign drastically different from a Republican campaign is the targeted demographic they intend to attract towards their cause. For example Democrats often target people of color, people who live alternative lifestyles, and citizens disillusioned by the current party in office. These people usually come from low to middle income families and live within communities that desperately need help economically in order to repair their surrounding infrastructure. It is not surprising that many artist and musicians are currently backing candidate Obama in his presidential election. People like Ludacris, TI$A from Sa-Ra, Shepard Fairey, Common and many other street artist have been vocal about their endorsement for the senator. The Democratic Party often poises themselves as a voice of change for communities that are not majority white. Thus they are appealing to those who come from immigrant, impoverish, and socially ignored backgrounds. Compared to the Republican model which is highly conservative in its ideals and outward appearance, the Democratic Party looks inviting to any motley crew or upstanding citizen in retrospect.

We are hearing a lot about change. Change is a buzz word that parallels in both parties. How would you graphically present change? Would you have different solutions for either candidate, and why?
Change itself is constant. There is never any moment in time that "change" is not occurring. The change these political parties are looking to introduce in their campaigns is meant to fix what the current or previous president, senators, and chief staff couldn't do during their time in office. Often the need for change arises because of the political actions made by the current president. These actions may have caused the nation serious hurt on a domestic and international scale. The voice of the people wanting change are varied all over the board. The voice of todays youth and adults are different from those 30 years prior. They are adept at using computers and electronics the "boomer generation" could not have fathomed in their time. These individuals have instant access to information globally with a few quick keystrokes and mouse clicks. This is a futuristic generation that is quickly catching up with Star Trek fantasy. I would represent this change by taking a sample of the voters and showcasing them in their daily garb. I would use full bodied pictures of mostly young adults for this type of visual campaign, whether as posters or print ads. Visually seeing real voters who look like them on printed ads would help incite these young people to vote if not leave a subliminal imprint on their minds.

Who do you think you could actually have a drink with? Which of the two would you like to get to know better on a genuine level?
I would probably enjoy having a ice cold drink with Senator Obama. With political affiliations aside I think having a deep discussion about how race and his beliefs about community would be quite interesting. As a person of color myself I would rather hear what Senator Obama has to say about how he grew up in this country we live in. What he was influenced by as a kid (artist, musicians, cultures) and his thoughts on todays youth. All in all, I would like to just know the man on a personal level because he's human too.

Lets take a look at McCain and Obama as individuals. Does either present himself to be the next president. What is it that we look for in a President as in attributes? How does that translate into graphics?
When the Democratic election was concluded I thought either Clinton or Obama would have been an image of "change" in this history of the United States. The first female and black presidential candidates ever to appear and within the same year. Obama though draws people in because of his background and skin color. America is a country built on the back of slaves and immigrants. Yet it has also been a country that is plagued by its racism and xenophobic tendencies. Obama is the image of a change in the right direction, visually. Now whether this change comes or not seeing a person that is not old and white become president is for lack of better words, refreshing.



When watching McCains "Heros" video he uses a smokey graphic throughout the video...what are you thoughts on this?
The symbolism of the smoke has several meanings. It gives his message an ethereal feeling. With the montage of "heroes" and words displayed on the screen the smoke gives the whole video a nostalgic quality. Nostalgia is being used with the colors within the video. Behind the smoke colors wisps of red and yellow present a calming effect to the smoke. This effect works well when paired with the social message behind the video. It makes you absorb the message before you realize it is an endorsement for McCain. It becomes a quintessential message of American values.

The Obama and Obey poster has been circulating the net for some time. What is your overall sentiment on this poster? The poster may resemble a bit of the Constructivism movement, why do you think Obey might have chose this movement and this direction?
The strong imagery presented by Fairey with the Obama posters follows the Constructivism movement in a similar fashion. Fairey work thus far has been an experiment into phenomenology, the idea that imagery can invoke a feeling or emotion from someone. Even if the imagery itself has no relation to the subject viewing it. The person questions the image and the context of its surroundings and eventually also on the grounds onhow they are affected by it. Whoever is in Obama's advertising team knew what they were doing when they hired Shepard Fairey. The imagery of Senator Obama is stark and dynamic and in true Constructivism fashion the use of geometric shapes and bright colors pops from the poster and into the eyes and mind of the viewer. Fairey isn't a stranger to communist art and imagery. By taking elements that have made propaganda art work he has fashioned Obama into a vision of the future. Adding the word "Progress" is just like an arrow for those lost images meaning.
Click here to find out more about the Constructivism Movement

What do you think their logos are suggesting? Please give your overall thoughts.
McCain's logo is very simple in presentation. The single star possibly represents McCain. And from what I can tell it's a military star often found on the regalia of officers. McCain has been a solider and P.O.W. His symbol suggests his affiliation with his military background. Something I'm sure appeals to patriots and Americans all around. If you like stuff like that. The subtitle flag imagery in the background is a reminder of the values and loyalty of McCain to this country.

Obama's logo has many elements and meanings within its simple imagery. The use of a "O" I felt was smart as it allowed the creation of a sun like image rising from the foreground that is colored like the American flag. The logo could be interpreted as a "new day" or "new beginning" for America. Compared to McCain's logo, Obama's is more fresh and clean looking. It incorporates the flag imagery within the design itself. Not like McCain's logo which uses the flag as a background. McCain's logo looks amateurish in construction while Obama's is clean and smart.

Thanks Dan for participating! Im sure we’ll see more of you and your work in the future. Be on the look out for the next contributor on our Politics in the Pressroom Presidential coverage….

Evil Monito update!

Good friend Rickey Kim's Evil Monito site has put out their recent stock list in which you can find brands like In4mation, House of Cassette and many others!

Check it out!



And don't forget to keep up to date with Mr. Kim himeself at mrkimsays.com =)

Nikita Fall/Winter 08-09 Collection

Check out the photos of Nikita's collection on www.CtotheJL.com

Politics In the Pressroom '08

As were approaching the presidential elections in the November and the 4th of July just around the corner, we can’t seem to ignore all that patriotic hoopla. At iDR we’ve conducted a sort of round table discussion among friends and readers. Hope you enjoy them, they will be posting through out this week! (insert marching band here)

Make it Count.

Richard Chai for Target

Thank you Nylon for providing us with one of the first looks of Target's next GO International Designer:

Richard Chai

Who is Richard Chai?

The Designer
An Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation winner (and one of People’s 2004 Sexiest Men Alive) Richard Chai burst onto the scene at Marc Jacobs, where he helped launch the Marc by Marc Jacobs line. Having also done time at Donna Karan and Geoffrey Beene, Chai moved from Marc to the Creative Director post at TSE; there, he helped take the fashion house beyond the scope of the basic cardigan. Frequently cited as one of the “new Asian” influences on haute couture (alongside fellow up-and-comers Derek Lam and Peter Som,) Chai launched his epynonymous line in 2004, to industry raves.
nymag.com

Click here to peep the rest of the looks that Nylon leaks to the public.

I'm buying everything! I'm loving the structured pieces in long vests and blazers, also the long cardigans and pleated feminine skirts. And you know I'm loving the vibrant, bold hues making up the color palette of eggplants, reds, and cobalt blues. Its barely July and I'm already ready for Fall!!!

I'm always a little sad when summer ends, but this has got me excited for August. I'll keep you posted on the exact dates.

Tie One On

As Shia demonstrates here, so very well, on the June 2008 cover of GQ...vests and Skinny Ties are all over the pages of fashion magazines and on the runway. This is an easy way to tie (no pun intended) your whole look together without taking yourself too seriously or being too stuffy. The ties are a fashion throwback, but the sleek, clean lines will update and modernize any outfit...and it just looks damn good.

Earn your Stripes.

Moschino Spring 2009

Skinny Ties Gone Bad.

Dsquared^2 Fall 2008

Skinny Ties Dressed Down.

Rag & Bone Spring 2008

INSIGHT

The other day I received some goodies from INSIGHT's summer collection (thank you Vanessa! I hope CANADIA treats well ay!)

Insight is KILLIN it with their women's line... Click here for more on Inight's SUMMER COLLECTION and FALL COLLECTION on CtotheJL.com! SUPER cute =)

Such great marketing tools...

Also, make sure to keep up to date with my postings on CtotheJL.com for "active" women's collection updates!

Two important emails came into our inbox this week. At iDR we'd gladly support our readers who support us, especially those who fit iDR's voice and vision. Check out these two driven individuals

Help Send Ruby to Tokyo!



















Ruby holds experience as an arts educator for high schools across the country, a host for breakthrough TV show SociaLush, an assistant at Jive Records, and a model for some of today's hottest new fashion lines, Ruby is taking the world by storm from all angles. She has star appeal and iDR thinks she would do absolutely fantastic in Tokyo!

After many many technical difficulties, Ruby finally got her audition video up for the H&M Tokyo Competition! If she wins, she’ll get flown to Japan to host the video Podcast. There in Japan, Ruby has an opportunity to be your guide to Japans hottest and trendiest retail stores.
Please click on the link, and click YES to send her to Japan. She’s entered the competition a couple of weeks late but already managed to move halfway up…but she needs to reach the top 10 to be considered!


AND DONT FORGET to....
Download this guys mix. A cool cat from DC has sent us his mix. Although its recording is barely loud enough to hear, we enjoy his music selection. A mix of electro pop, dance grooves, and awesome flashbacks will get your bootie moving! Thanks Jerome, for sharing with us your mix!

Click here to download.

Tracklisting:
Kenna - Out Of Control
Pase Rock - So Fucking Disco
Kid Sister - Damn Girl
The Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance (The Twelves
Remix)
Heavy D & The Boyz - Now That We've Found Love (Knish's What It Do Edit)
Armand Van Helden - You Don't Even Know Me
Modjo - Lady (Mano mix)
Pase Rock - The MotherFucking Rave Is Over
Planet Soul - Set U Free
New Order - Blue Monday
Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This
INOJ - Let Me Love You Down
Dr. Dre Feat. Eminem - Forgot About Dre
The Rapture - W.A.Y.U.H.
Kelis - Bossy (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix)

Living Doll: Kira Plastinina invades LA

Ever wanted to borrow your Barbie Doll's clothes? Well, now you can. I'm still on the fence with this one, which is pretty surprising, even for me, because if it's girly, I'll take it!

Saturday, I went to Americana at Brand, for the third time to check out Katsuya, Ironman, and the Russian...Kira Plastinina (KP) is the latest designer import, and she is only 16! More props to this mini-mogul.

KP's store was pretty empty around 8 pm. But I think that has to do with the fact that not many people are aware of KP yet, as well as the location of the store, which is right on Brand Blvd., away from the crowds. Maybe if the Trolley made a special stop?

Anyways, the store is a tween girl's dream with bubble skirts, ruffles, bright pinks, yellows, and all that glitters. There is even a section of Dylan's Candy Bar in the back (No complaints about that).

All in all my first impression is that you will definitely find cute, fun, flirty clothes for going out, or lounging around the house, and at fair prices between $20 - $200. The designs and quality of materials are at a higher standard as well, not F-21 level as far as I could tell.

But I just can't shake this feeling that I was shopping at Libby Lu, Limited Too, or Build-A-Bear. It was odd seeing women, in I think their mid-20s holding, as cute as they are, KP bags filled with their recent purchases.

I'm all for girly, like I said, but it's missing a certain class and sophistication that I would still want to maintain no matter how girly my outfit is. For now I think I will stick to Juicy Couture and Betsey Johnson to fulfill those desires. But I did see the cutest Ruffled Baby Pink Babydoll top with a huge Rosette pinned to the strap. hmmmm....

Paris Hilton with KP. She's a fan. Enough Said.

KP is a smart cookie, no doubt, using Audrina Patridge from The Hills, as the new face for her line. Hey but this is cute huh? Ugh, my inner girly-ness is saying get over your reserveration! lol...

Can't wait to see how KP is received by the masses as her stores start popping up everywhere...

Apologies. My Camera died so here's a pic of KP's store on Robertson Blvd to get an idea.

I promise to be better about charging my camera so I can provide better photos...

Nike Olympic Projections in China

Like a giant awaken from its slumber. The new headquarter complex of China Central Television (CCTV) raise above the busy cityscape of Beijing. Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas and his Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), the A L-shaped monolith, along a few other structures within the compound, recently received a new “skins” treatment as workers rush to completion for the Summer Olympic. Created by Nike China, the “skins” are actually digital projection slideshow. It highlights the members of the Chinese Olympic team, who are determine to win the most gold medal this Summer. To see their individual story, you can visit the special Nike Gold website for more in-depth video on each athlete.

via. envant

Colorsplash Chakras x ReedSpace

I headed out to the ReedSpace x Lomo event a few days ago with some friends - yay! The new colorsplash allows a "don't think just shoot" policy =)

ALWAYS crackin' there - much props to the whole crew especially Suzzzzz =)

See full post on my blog on Fatlace.com/YOSHI