X Games Descends on LA, Freestyle MotoX Pushes Limits with Japan’s Taka Higashino Taking Gold

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  Photos by Tom Wallace Last weekend, June 28-July 1, 2012, downtown Los Angeles was transformed into the platform for the X Games, often referred to as the alternative Olympics by action sports fans. Events ranging from skateboarding vert and street, to BMX in the same disciplines, freestyle motoX, and rally car racing make for […]

The Denim Religion Show at Bread and Butter Berlin Brings Performance Art and Streetwear Together

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As Bread & Butter Berlin ramps-up for their leading-edge fashion trade show, they’re also releasing invites to a variety of interesting art shows, music, and various unique performances that combine fashion and movement. One that we found especially appealing is The Denim Religion Show to take place each day, July 3-5, 2012 at the Tempel […]

Quiksilver X NBA: Boardshorts Collab Multi-Year Merch Deal

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Crossover industry collaborations continue to increase as the fashion industry struggles with the current economic climate. In yet the latest somewhat perplexing deal is Quiksilver’s collab with the NBA in a multi-year merchandising partnership to create a line of NBA-branded boardshorts. The initial collection this summer features the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, […]

Electric Blue Heaven: Short Video Featuring Surfer Dion Agius Ripping World’s Raddest Artificial Wave in in Abu Dhabi Goes Viral

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While surf or wave parks are becoming big business in the ongoing boost to get surfing into the Olympics and granting more people access to “waves” to boost the surfing industry as a whole, one of the most exotic artificial wave breaks is in the desert of Abu Dhabi’s Al Ain. This amazing, blue water, […]

Shepard Fairey’s Designs for Brand X, Russel Brand’s New TV Show Debuting on FX

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Designs by Shepard Fairey and Studio Makes sense that Shepard Fairey and his studio would be the ones behind the highly anticipated Russel Brand show called Brand X. Katy Perry divorce aside, Russel Brand is a smart guy, albeit with hang-ups. His commentary, as seen in a variety of magazines recently, including an incredibly insightful […]

Billabong Halted Trading, Attempts to Raise $225 Million, Yet Billabong’ 6th Design for Humanity Massive Event Still On

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Billabong’s Design for Humanity event over the past 5 years has been one extraordinary event, taking place in a “NYC” backlot in Paramount Studios in Hollywood featuring an array of bands, a runaway show of their upcoming collection, and a new beneficiary from art auction and ticket sales proceeds. However the announcement of the 6th […]

Top Social Network Attractions and Shifts in Youth Culture Preferences—Fresh Data from Label Networks’ Upcoming “Digital Lifestyle” Summer Youth Culture Study 2012

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Label Networks’ Summer Youth Culture Study 2012 is well underway, revealing significant changes in youth culture patterns and preferences when it comes to social networks, new platforms, usage patterns, internet, cell phones, features, and video gaming habits. One of the most remarkable shifts in the last year and more specifically, the last 6 months, is the […]

Zumiez Buys European Retailer Blue Tomato for 59.5 Million Euros

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Blue Tomato, a well-known European action sports retailer based out of Austria, has been purchased by U.S. based Zumiez today, June 19, 2012 for 59.5 million Euros, with an agreement for an additional 22.1 million Euros contingent on future payments based on performance over the next 3 years. Part of a move to expand into […]

Vans Warped Tour 2012 Kicks-off Its 18th Year Featuring 80 Bands on 10 Stages, Including Rise Against, All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, The Used, Yellowcard; Plus Leading-Edge Sponsor Activation, Youth Fashion, More

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Story and Photos by Tom Wallace The Vans Warped Tour is arguably known as America’s youth culture right-of-passage to music entertainment as the longest running festival tour in the United States, attracting more than 500,000 young people now going into its 18th tour with more than 40 dates across the U.S. and Canada. The kick-off […]

Retail Round-up: Vans Plans $1 Billion Growth; Investor Meeting at House of Vans in Brooklyn for First Time; H&M Up 12%

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On June 14, 2012, Vans, owned by VF Corporation, owners of The North Face, Reef, Wrangler, Lee, and others, outlined a a strategy to add $1 billion in revenues over the next five years. For the first time ever, the investor meeting was held at the House of Vans in Brooklyn, which raised the profile […]