Tom Ford Looks for S/S 09

Check out a few more of the looks from Kanye's blog.

Belstaff Jackets

Belstaff jackets, from Staffordshire, England, are some of the nicest leather jackets that money can buy. Belstaff has had a long and historic relationship with motorcycling and fine leather outerwear in general. As a result, you can be guaranteed a product with superb finishing, durable leather and solid construction that stands the test of time. This is definitely a jacket you'll want to invest in.

I quite fancy the black Brad Jacket pictured above.

Stoked on my latest acquisition! Now I just need to find a yacht.

Best of 2008

As the year winds down, I thought I'd do a Curve edition of the year's best... Here are my picks from the past year!

Top Blogs:
- The Sartorialist
- Selectism
- Kanye West's blog
- Men.Style.com

Top Music Artists:
- Lil Wayne
- Kanye West
- Santogold
- MGMT

Top Designers:
- Nom De Guerre
- Public School
- Richard Chai
- Christopher Bailey/Burberry Prorsum
- Rag & Bone

Top Movies:
- The Dark Night
- Step Brothers
- Quantum of Solace

Top Sneaker of the Year:
- Air Max 90 x KAWS edition

Top Stores:
- Stussy Vancouver
- El Kartel - Vancouver
- Odin NY
- The Corner.com
- Barney's New York
- Headquarter Vancouver

Top Shows:
- 30 Rock
- Top Gear Season 12
- Entourage

Top News Story of the Year
- OBAMA

Rugby by Ralph Lauren

MoMA Store

I should have really posted this before Christmas, but oh well.

I must say, one of the best places to buy unique gifts is the Museum of Modern Art's online store at www.momastore.org. You can buy pretty much anything from artsy pens to full blown Eames furniture. What I like is the diverse selection of products, which are all broken down into sensible categories. You can definitely kill some time browsing through the site.

Anyways...here are a few things that caught my eye:

Hug salt and pepper shakers

Elephant bottle opener

Lobo presentation bowl

Vans Takes it Nautical

I came across this collaboration between Vans and Proper a while back and it really caught my attention because these days I really seem to be into the nautical lifestyle. To preface this collaboration, you should know about Tristan Caruso. He is the owner of Proper, the famous skate shop in Long Beach, California.

For these Vans shoes, he decided to incorporate some of Long Beach's nautical assets into the design inspiration. Hence the little nautical tags, the white soles and the 360 degree lacing on the Chukka Del Barco (which is my pick of the bunch). Excellent materials have been used here and I think this one of the coolest sneaker collabs of the past year.

Moscot Eyewear

Moscot is a legendary New York optical retailer, that has been in business for over 90 years. Their 'Originals' collection is a nod to the great looks and frames of decades past. These classic looks are truly timeless.

The Vilda frame is pure FDR style that enters the room before you do. Worn by strong, industrial, bold men who know how to keep it cool.

The Miltzen, shown second was introduced in the 1930s and is the frame with the longest lineage. These specs are sleek and understated just like the powerful outsiders who’ve made the frames famous – think Andy Warhol, John Lennon, Harry Truman and Gandhi, to name a few.

Interiors: Design Inspiration

Avery Keeps it Retail

Sean Avery, no matter what your opinion is of him, definitely knows the publicity game. I tend to agree with him on many topics and think that he points out problems with the NHL that no one else is willing to mention. He can be downright humorous at times!

Anyways, here is a cool little interview from CBC's 'The Hour' where Sean talks style, disses Don Cherry and the Leafs, and opens up about his life outside of hockey.

Curve Wishlist

Nom De Guerre x Red Wing Shoes Collaboration in Grey Nubuck

Bape F/W Release Tee

G-Star Attache Chelsea Boot

PRPS Jeans

BBC Limited Edition NYC Flagship Cap

Artist Spotlight: Takashi Murakami

If you're not sure who Takashi Murakami is, you better get up to speed. He's turning out to be one of the most respected Japanese artists in the fashion and design world.

His work ranges from cartoony paintings to quasi-minimalist sculptures to giant inflatable balloons to performance events to factory-produced watches, T-shirts, and other products, many emblazoned with his signature character, Mr. DOB.

Some of his notable work has been with Louis Vuitton and Kanye West. He's famed for the multi-color LV monogram print, the LV camoflauge print, as well as other collaborations with Marc Jacobs and his team. For Kanye, Murakami designed the album art for Graduation.

BTW, those skate decks are deadly!

Reading Material

Free & Easy, from Japan, is one of those hidden gems that you find at the most random little news stands. If you ever come across it, make sure to snag a copy! Although the text is in Japanese, the images speak style of all languages featuring the newest trends and finds in denim, footwear and accessories.

Word on the street is that the world's best designers are using this rare Japanese denim magazine to spark some of their design inspiration for new collections. I'd also love to get my hands on an issue.

Ralph Lauren Footwear

These shoes are crazy! Made by Ralph Lauren, these Binghamton boots deliver on all style fronts. The chocolate brown suede and solid designer construction really set these ankle boots apart.

I saw these in person at the RL store in Chicago and if you're a size 10.5, well then it's your lucky day because they have one pair left - on sale too.

Brooks Brothers

I took this shot of a mannequin at the Brooks Brothers store on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. To me this represents classic American style. Everything is so on-point here. Exquisite.

One day I will find a time and place to don this glorious setup.

Chicago Images 2

Chicago Images

Chicago is Hockeytown

Hockey never really left Chicago, but I'd say it's back and bigger than ever. With Toews, Kane, Sharp and Havlat, the hawks definitely have the skills to put pucks in the back of the net.

I had the pleasure of going to the game on Sunday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Hawks pulled off a surprising 3-1 victory despite some very sloppy play in the 1st and 2nd periods. The crowd was electric! It was awesome to see such a rowdy crowd supporting hockey in the US. It may not of matched the atmosphere at a Calgary game, but it was definitely better than some arenas in Canada...

Also, the Hawks and Red Wings will go at it during this year's installment of the NHL Winter Classic at Chicago Cub's Wrigley Field. I got the sense that this city is pumped about the Winter Classic and the upswing their team has been on in recent months. Keep it up Chicago!

Windy City

So I'm hitting the road again. Next stop = Chicago. Gonna be there for a few days and I hope to sink my teeth into a delicious deep dish pizza or two. I'm looking forward to hitting the streets of Chi-Town and getting a few images on film. Might try and sneak a little bit of Christmas shopping in there as well.

Stay tuned for an update from the windy city. You never know what I'll post next!

La Musica

Here's what I have spinning in my car stereo these days:

1. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak
2. Santogold
3. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
4. Nas - Untitled
5. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
6. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

Pretty much the top albums of the year IMO.

The Ex Knife Holder

If you're looking for a cool Christmas gift, this Ex knife holder is a real doozy. What a great concept! It comes in a variety of colors (white, black, chrome, gold, pink) and is pretty much the coolest kitchen accessory ever.

Time to Post Some Art

From www.francoise-nielly.com:

Françoise Nielly's painting is expressive, exhibiting a brute force, a fascinating vital energy. Oil and knife combine tsculpt her images from a material that is , at the same time, biting and incisive, charnel and sensual. Whether she paints the human body or portraits, the artist takes a risk : her painting is sexual, her colors free, exuberant, surprising, even explosive, the cut of her knife incisive, her color pallet dazzling.

Françoise Nielly is a passionate woman who loves life, wide open spaces, sushi, blue lagoons, the Internet, humor, books, Paris, New-york and Vancouver. Resolutely inscribed in her epoch, she is an accomplished artist ; 20 years of artistic expression explain the maturity of her work and the perfect mastery of her art.