Who am I and what am I doing here?

The who part is easy, my name is Richard and I hail from the Pacific Northwest. I’ve spent different parts of my life living in Seattle and parts East and North of it. The what is very open ended but will most likely be in or around the area of product design, hip hop, architecture, footwear, and clothing. That being said, let’s start the show with a few of my favorite things.

via hypebeast.com

Nike Hypermax

The Nike Hypermax is a “takedown” model of the Hyperdunk. This means that it offers similar aesthetics and performance at a lower price point and I believe it succeeds very well in this aspect. The use of a full length air max midsole with a support cage to mimic the lines of the Hyperdunk midsole is very well thought out, and allows the Hypermax to stand on its own as well. The way the tongue pops out straight gives it a casual look as well, which is hard to say for a lot of technical footwear. The first thing I thought of when I saw the Hyperdunk/Hypermax relationship was the Air Jordan IV and the Flight 89. The Hyperdunk/IV representing the absolute best at the time, albeit at a price out of reach for many, and the Hypermax/Flight 89 allowing consumers to afford pieces of that design.

Carhartt
(more)

Carhartt is far underrated in the US, perhaps because it is so commonplace as workwear, however the collections they do internationally could crush a lot of brands within the US. Looking at the links above, I find a lot of clean graphic tees, functional jackets, and amazing new eras. The simplicity in design, and use of signature materials such as duck cotton is what sets Carhartt apart and above many other clothing companies.

I visited Japan last summer and was stoked to find a Carhartt store in Harajuku since I had heard so much about their identity overseas. I really felt that their quality was a notch above most other brands I found over there, and the quality made it easier for me to justify spending a little bit more on a jacket or pair of pants.

Naoto Fukasawa’s Infobar2 Phone

I’ve been saying it since I first saw this phone in person in Japan last year. Fuck the iPhone, this is the best in cell phone design. Technically speaking I’m in the dark, I’m not well versed in the technical specifications, however the beauty of the Infobar2 is unsurpassed in my eyes. The slightly rounded surface, made to mimic a bar of soap, gives the phone a very organic character yet the parting lines and keypad remind the audience that it is still an electronic device. If I could bring one gadget to the US from overseas it would without a doubt be this.

So there you go, if anything those three things represent my steez and what kinds of qualities impress me in footwear, clothing, and design. Music is another topic for another day; so don’t count that out yet either. Farewell from the Emerald City.

_Richard S.