KANYE WEST TALKS WEDDING PHOTO, APPLE/BEATS DEAL, & BEAUTIFYING THE INTERNET

Kanye West made an appearance at the Translation seminar at the Cannes Lions festival on Tuesday. During his conversation with Translation CEO Steve Stoute and venture capitalist Ben Horowitz, the hip-hop impresario revealed that famed photographer Annie Leibovitz pulled out of his wedding at the last minute (“Maybe she was scared about the idea of celebrity”).

The wedding photo that Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram took “like four days” to edit because the colors on the flower wall didn’t look right. But he says it was worth it because it became the most liked image on Instagram.

Plus, he once again shared his admiration for Apple founder Steve Jobs and weighed in on Apple’s $3 billion dollar purchase of Beats by Dre.

So what’s next for the creative genius? Yeezus wants to bring his design aesthetic to the Internet, starting with a redesign of Instagram.



Read more Kanye quotables below.

On his inspiration: “The only thing I think can be an inspiration to me is the fact that I get bashed so much but create so much. Just know that if you really want to be a boxer, you’re gonna get your face beat up constantly, but then you may end up being Mayweather or Ali.”

On the power of endorsement: “I couldn’t have rapped if Jay Z hadn’t endorsed me. Eminem wouldn’t have been as successful if Dr. Dre hadn’t endorsed him.”

On color correcting his wedding photo: “Now, can you imagine telling someone who just wants to Instagram a photo, the No. 1 person on Instagram, that we need to work on the color of the flowered wall? But the fact that the No. 1 most liked photo has this certain aesthetic on it was a win for what the mission is—of raising the palette.”

On the importance of good design: “I believe that bad taste is vulgar. It’s like cursing. I think the world can be saved through design. Because what is the most distasteful thing someone can do? Kill someone. So, good taste is the opposite of that.”

On Steve Jobs: “Steve Jobs, as everyone knows, was my biggest influence. Just seeing the way he fought to make things easier for people. After he passed, I made it my life’s mission to do what he did inside of that company. I dream to help raise the palette and raise the taste level of a generation and also be involved with the production and distribution and advertising of that thing everyone’s begging for.”

On the Apple/Beats by Dre deal: “There would have been no Beats deal without [Jay Z's] Samsung deal. It showed the No. 1 company the importance of connecting with culture. The reason I said I didn’t like Samsung particularly is because throughout my entire life, because of how my parents raised me, I have to work with the No. 1. I can’t work with anyone but Jay Z, because he’s No. 1. I can’t be with any girl but Kim, because that’s the girl whose pictures I look at the most and get turned on by. I’m not going to represent any company but Louis Vuitton, because that’s No. 1. … Samsung is not quite Apple, but it showed that Jimmy [Iovine] and Dre would be able to connect with the No. 1 influencers.”

On beautifying the Internet: “The world as a whole is fucking ugly. The Internet as a whole is fucking ugly, too. But I’m not in the construction business. I said to [Instagram founder] Kevin [Systrom], why don’t you let us redo Instagram? Now, you know, Instagram is nice. It’s nice looking. I’m not knocking it. But just in general, everyone spends all of their time looking at their screens or their phones. And just as a simple task, we could clean that up.”

Watch the FULL conversation below!

PHARRELL RELEASES NEW “SOCIAL BOOK”

Pharrell introduces his new “social book” entitled Inspiration. The concept sees the release of Inspiration online, but with a major portion of its text erased – thus leaving the user to fill in the blanks. A point system has been attached to the collaborative guessing game while there are also a bevy of hints to help folks along. Head on over to tippex-socialbook.com to check out the project – the first person to guess any individual missing word will be credited in the physical edition of the book upon its release. Proceeds from the eventual sale of the book will go to benefit various learning programs for underprivileged children. By July 1, a free digital version will also be available for you to download.

Watch the video above to begin your interactive experience!

5 Entrepreneurship Lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Entrepreneurs should pay attention to five important business lessons that can be learned from him.

1. Make Your Dream A Reality

The quote people most often associate with Dr. King – excerpted from his 1963 speech — is “I have a dream.” Of course, many people have dreams. Some even have great dreams. But most people don’t work to make their dreams a reality. Great ideas for new products, businesses, and works of science and art die every day with their inventors. To be an entrepreneur is to dream – but is even more to do.

2. The Way It Was Is Not The Way It Has To Be

At the time that Dr. King gave his famous speech at the Mall Washington , racism had been entrenched in American culture for centuries. Dr. King challenged the status quo, and raised awareness of a different and better future that could be built from positive change. Likewise, businesses often are averse to changing long-held positions, or denying that major changes for the better can take place. Only a few years ago, “experts” were saying that people would reject keyboard-less smartphones like the iPhone, and Blackberry would continue to dominate the smartphone market for many years to come. We know how that turned out.

3. Change Can Happen Fast

The majority of the members of my generation – born not that many years after it took a struggle to get the Civil Rights Act passed – consider the idea that people should be segregated based on the color of their skin to be both morally repugnant and ridiculous. Attitudes change quickly – especially after positive developments occur and everyone sees the correctness of the change. This is true in the area of business as well. Consider how quickly Blackberry went from market leader to having less than 4% of market share, or how fast Kodak was transformed from having its film products bought by nearly every family in America to filing for bankruptcy as a firm many teenagers “had never heard of.”

4. Build A Large Following

Dr. King was an amazing speaker who inspired millions of people with his words. But, ultimately, it was those large numbers of people who organized, marched, or otherwise influenced legislators and the public. There is little doubt that the grassroots nature of the civil rights movement – and the resulting far reach of its leaders – was a key ingredient in its success. In the Internet era it is much easier than the 1960s to reach large numbers of people; if you have a great message – spread it widely.

5. Success Takes A Lot Of Work

The civil rights struggle did not achieve its aims overnight, and its success was built upon the hard work and sacrifice of many; Dr. King and various others even lost their lives. Thankfully, entrepreneurs do not need to make such giant sacrifices, but effectuating change and achieving success does not usually happen without hard work. Yes, there are some businesses that skyrocket to the top, and there are some people who get rich quickly. But, the vast majority of businesses are built with a lot of time and effort. Don’t expect to succeed without working hard.

B&O Home Styling: Nick Wooster

On Another Level brought together two forward-moving entities, Nick Wooster and B&O PLAY, for a closer look at what it means to be a master in the field of design. With one focused on fashion and the other on audio, both take classic design elements and infuse them with simplicity, aesthetics, heritage and quality. To discover the similarities between the two, High Snobiety visited Wooster at his Christopher Street apartment in New York. Just like how B&O PLAY draws upon decades of design excellence, craftsmanship and product innovation from Bang & Olufsen, the New Yorker surrounds himself with contemporary pieces of furniture steeped in years of history and tradition. Take his Stephen Kenn couch, for instance. Like many other things in his living room, the couch is a true testament to heritage and style: handmade out of repurposed and untreated WWII military fabric, proudly revealing all of its glorious veteran history.



Everything else in his apartment, even the way his bed is positioned, has a tangible reason, too. Brought upon by his belief in Feng Shui, the Chinese philosophical system on how to harmonize one’s self with the universe, Wooster makes sure not to let the back of his bed face the door. “That’s bad Feng Shui,” he casually declares; simple to understand yet extremely difficult to master. However, it is precisely this mastery which sets experts like Nick Wooster and B&O PLAY apart.

The combination of Wooster’s impeccable taste with the philosophical system he subscribes to clearly demonstrates his enjoyment of mixing the old with the new. A sleek, flat-screen TV nestles between two metal shelves entirely stocked of worn work boots. Black-and-white vintage portraits collected from antique shops rest against the wall on a cleanly uncarpeted floor. And now, a pair of B&O PLAY headphones have been added to his artifact mix, blending in perfectly thanks to their own combination of uncompromising quality and contemporary aesthetics. Like Bang & Olufsen’s application of innovation in classic design, Wooster wholly embraces the simple leather over-ears into his confident, oft-photographed style.

Gazing out at the thriving West Village below, he says, “I could have lived in a bigger, newer apartment out in Chelsea, or somewhere else, but it’s just not the same.” Lest you think it’s all because of the trendy, New Yorker neighborhood, that’s not the only reason: “Every subway line you want is right here.”

A true New Yorker, indeed. Effortlessly in line with what’s on without sacrificing function or necessity.

Enjoy a rare look into Nick Wooster’s Christopher Street apartment above and furnish your apartment with the best audio gear on the market over at B&O PLAY’s online shop.



About Nick Wooster

Origin: Salina, Kansas
Current Residence: New York, New York

After working as a menswear buyer and fashion director for various industry heavyweights like Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, Thom Browne and Gilt Groupe, Wooster is now part-owner of Atrium Wooster, a select multi-brand boutique.

New Video: Drake Ft Majid Jordan – Hold On We’re Going Home

Behind Kanye’s Mask - NY Times Interview

Kanye West, the prodigiously talented and at times controversial hip-hop star, will release his sixth studio album, “Yeezus,” on Tuesday. He recently looked back on his life and career in an extensive interview with Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The Times.

“No rapper has embodied hip-hop’s often contradictory impulses of narcissism and social good quite like he has, and no producer has celebrated the lush and the ornate quite like he has,” Mr. Caramanica writes. “He has spent most of his career in additive mode, figuring out how to make music that’s majestic and thought-provoking and grand-scaled. And he’s also widened the genre’s gates, whether for middle-class values or high-fashion and high-art dreams.”

This piece will appear in print in the June 16, 2013 issue of The New York Times

Read the FULL interview here.

All Gone 2012 Book Signing @ Patta

Pharrell: Places & Spaces I’ve Been Signing

A camera follows Pharrell around on the day of his first book-signing at Marc Jacobs’ BOOK MARC store in L.A.

Pharrell on what an icon is and interviewing Jay-Z:

“If you look at like a Jay-Z for example, the thing that tore most people down is what he put on his back and sort of made it make sense, and set an example for what adversity is meant to do in our lifetime. So, it was cool to interview him because he is a living manifestation of my view, that is essentially everything is mind over matter, and with the right determination and the right skill-set, there’s no reason why you can’t figure it out. Then you find your purpose, and that’s a guy who’s found his purpose.”

Women and Pink Liquor

If you’ve followed Pharrell Williams for some time or read up on any of his interviews through the years, you’ve seen an individual and artist develop over time into a deeply introspective and visionary type persona. For his recent interview with Bullett Media‘s Jada Yuan, Williams opens up quite an eloquent dialogue in which he delves into such things as his appreciation for women, his new pink liquor, “Qream” (also an all-but-subtle nod to the women in his life) as well as his various accolades, projects and endeavors from past to present. The incredibly well-written piece expounds on Pharrell Williams the artist to paint a decidedly more personal picture of a man who is less of an attention seeker and more a compliment giver. Less caught up in the spotlight, and more focused on theoretical questions about life, creativity and existence. Read a snippet from the interview below and check out the entire feature and pictorial from photographer, Tim Barber, from the Bullett Media website.


"Williams likes to tell the story of how he lost his virginity at 16 to an older woman. “I didn’t lose it,” he clarifies. “I gave it away. I know exactly where it is.” He’s had a lifelong fascination with older women, he says, “because I used to look at my teachers. There were several high school teachers I wanted to have my way with.” He didn’t actually get with them, but says, “I mean, that would have been awesome.” He did, however, find other older women to suit his particular desires. “I had fun with those really good cougars, dude. They had that quiet purr that you just feel.” He likens his time with these women to Ralph Macchio’s training sequences in The Karate Kid. “That kid didn’t feel like washing the car, but he had no idea that was going to protect him one day. A lot of it, I was like, So this is how you play chess? Okay, cool, let’s go to bed. I didn’t know they’d teach me how to treat women, but they did. They taught me how to talk to girls, how to speak to them, like a specific language.”

If he could give younger guys one bit of advice, it would be: “If you kiss her mind, her body will follow.” Growing up, he says, “I made so many mistakes. I messed things up so badly, just by being young and growing up so fast. I’ve since learned a lot about pacing, not just with women, but also in life in general.” This doesn’t mean, however, that he thinks guys should hold off on sex. “I applaud those who have the willpower to do it. But I’m a different kind of kid.” Instead of seeing sex as sacred, perhaps we should hold “time as the ultimate sacred thing.” He wants to know if I have silly, arbitrary rules about how many dates to wait for sex (I don’t), or if I’ve ever had “a one-off thing with someone and forgot the dude’s name” (I have). “Mistakes are lessons,” he says, with a warm, accepting smile. “I don’t think there are too many things that you regret, outside of your own judgment.” What women regret about having sex with a guy on the second date who never calls her again is not the time frame, but sleeping with someone who isn’t worthy. Then again, you could wait two years to have sex, only to find out he’s a cheat. “It’s like buying a big, awful, distasteful home. You might have 30,000 square feet, but it’s shit. You have terrible doorknobs. The windows are 20 years old. It’s not how much, it’s how great. Quality over quantity. Life is fleeting. You can always have sex again.” I leave, head reeling, with a sudden urge to clean my apartment."

Engineered Garments: How to Wear Spring Jackets

As the weather begins to change in North America, Engineered Garment’s Daiki Suzuki offers up some tips for exactly how to wear spring jackets. Offering simple, yet effective directions like mixing patterns, utilizing resort prints and allowing variation to serve as a rallying cry when dressing oneself, Suzuki’s tips are digestible and spot on. If Engineered Garment’s tastes are any indication of the upcoming season, expect to see printed items at the forefront.

Check out the feature here.

Patta x All Gone at 60/62

Here’s a video recap of the book launch Patta hosted for La MJC/All Gone 2011.
(Above a snapshot of Michael Dupouy signing my book!)



Since 2006, Paris-based La MJC has been collecting and publishing products released every year. All Gone documents only the most sought after street culture items and is widely regarded as the "Street Culture Bible". The 2011 edition is no different: 250 pages featuring only the best of the best from all over the world, with additional information, anecdotes and short interviews accompanying the beautifully photographed products.

Check it out!

ROZZAYY!

Crack & Shine International Episode 2: Paris

The 288 page book, Crack & Shine International, is available now at TOPSAFE in a limited run of 2000 editions.

Five Easy Lessons to be a Modern Gentleman

1. You should put on the best version of yourself when you go out in the world because that is a show of respect to the other people around you.

2. A gentleman today has to work. People who do not work are so boring and are usually bored. You have to be passionate, you have to be engaged and you have to be contributing to the world.

3. Manners are very important and actually knowing when things are appropriate. I always open doors for women, I carry their coat, I make sure that they’re walking on the inside of the street. Stand up when people arrive at and leave the dinner table.

4. Don’t be pretentious or racist or sexist or judge people by their background.

5. A man should never wear shorts in the city. Flip-flops and shorts in the city are never appropriate. Shorts should only be worn on the tennis court or on the beach.

MAX100 - The greatest sneaker of all time !

Damnnn This is dope! It all started as a personal project which Matt Stevens as an illustrator and sneaker head would combine his two loves.. He started to illustrate the Nike Air Max 1 in variety of ways. Ultimately it is a book with no less than 100 Nike Air Max 1's in the strangest illustrations and organized outlet.

A Must Have ! - I Love The AM1

Source : Kickstarter

How To Be a Man:

A Guide To Style and Behavior For The Modern Gentleman by Glenn O’Brien

Author Glenn O’Brien shares with readers over three decades of style and etiquette in his upcoming book, How To Be a Man: A Guide To Style and Behavior For The Modern Gentleman. From his start at Interview magazine to experience with Barneys New York, Details magazine and GQ, his knowledge is on-point throughout a massive amount of topics. The book also features illustrations from well-known illustrator, Jean-Philippe Delhomme. The Rizzoli-published book will release on April 5th, 2011.

All Gone 2010 - Berlin book launch

ALL GONE BOOK LAUNCH | MADE

All Gone 2010 - Paris book launch

New Era Japanese Book

Today sees New Era’s Japanese division release their third edition of their book series. Published by Trans World Japan, the book collates the best of the brand’s releases and collaborations, exploring the story behind each release. A number of brand’s are featured in the book including: Back Channel, Bounty Hunter, HECTIC, Irie Life, NITRAID, Stussy, swagger, UNDFTD and XLarge. The third instalment of the New Era Book is now available at New Era Japan retailers.

KAWS Book Signing @ “Passing Through” Exhibition

Popular contemporary artist KAWS has just announced that he will be doing a book signing on October 4 at Harbour City, Hong Kong. This will provide many fans with the opportunity not only to get to book signed, but to get it a couple of weeks earlier than most retailers. The eponymous book has been long awaited; undoubtedly this is one to get up early for!