Monthly Archives: September 2010

Just got the new Kapital look book. It was given to me by the photographer Erik Kvatek, a very talented guy with more past lives than myself. He and I came into contact after my last post on my love for the Japanese creative powerhouse. At first I was so surprised this guy wasn’t from Japan, but from right here, and had traveled and lived in places like Albuquerque, Northern California, Alaska and now New York city. He had even been a vintage dealer, complete with a DEA profile for drawing attention with new cars and loads of cash in the days of pre-ebay dealing. In fact it was through vintage dealing to the Japanese that he eventually became resident photographer for a bunch of great Japanese brands including this gig. It’s one of the best jobs I could imagine – traveling to interesting locations all over the world 3 or 4 times a year to photograph friends and local people in beautiful and wild, homespun and handcrafted clothing.

For the Go West book here they took a journey to the American Northwest, traveling from Portland, OR to the Mount Hood region. Eric told me ” In the book I wanted to convey a journey – from the city, to a farm, down a river, to the woods, to the mountain snow” Eric enlisted a lot of his friends to model for the book – one he’d know for over twenty years – and found folks from the region including a retired Navy Seal. He told me he was struck by the amount old trucks on the road, evidence of the rural peoples sense of stoic independence. “They maintain their old trucks out of necessity, unaffected by the desire to constantly buy new things.” Thats something this thrifty New Englander can relate to… until it comes to this brand.

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THE SHINDIG

Man, I miss Alabama. Billy Reid’s Shindig was definitely top three experiences for the year so far. I had a top three Billy Reid expereince last year too. All this to say that Billy Reid brings good experiences. And good things; the Levis x Billy Reid collection launches tomorrow along with relative features on VBS (including an interview by Sassy boy Ian Svenonious with Fame’s Rick Hall!!). Billy Reid. Say it. It feels good.

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THE MOUNTAIN

A friend from Marin recently told me about local artist Tom Killion and his woodcut prints of the California coastline. His work is mesmerizing. Such an epic interpretation of nature – That detail, that balance, those colors! Enjoy…