Monthly archive May, 2007

Street Wear: The Insiders Guide

Tonight was the UK launch of Street Wear by Steven Vogel at The Three Threads in London. Thanks to Red Stripe I am slightly inebriated as I write this so a good night had by all!

The book is a great compendium of who is who in the world of street wear brands and street influenced/influencing brands. Not just for the connoisseur but a great introduction into who are the main players in the overly saturated (in my opinon) street brand market.

With the hundreds of RSS feeds updates I receive each day from the likes of Slam X Hype, Hypebeast, HighSnobiety, Freshness and Honeyee I’m still left asking the question “where is the street culture in street wear today?”… may be I should read some of the words in this immaculate looking piece of publishing!

I will read the piece on Jeff Staple then pass out… hooray Red Stripe…!

(note to self: never post news when drunk)

Sket – Elementals

Sket has sent us this exclusive of his Elementals mini-figure series produced by Kaching. These are likely to be released at the end of the month, but both parties may also choose to hold out until Taipei Toy Festival or SDCC before they are available to the buying masses!

Devilrobots go New York

Whilst New York isn’t anywhere near as exciting as it’s historical counterpart, the original York, New Tofu fills me with the type of ponderous excitement that’d get an angry Viking peeing his pants!

So to hear that Devilrobots are heading to New York for New Tofu as part of their solo show at the Showroom makes me quite happy.

It’s all part of the Thunderdog Collective’s latest movements, and happens on 19th May 2007. Be there or be a big square apple head!

Red Demon release (Black Bean edition)

Muttpop’s Red Demon, as highly anticipated by VA, is released in his Black Bean guise on May 31st 2007 at Munky King Melrose at a special launch event from 7-11PM.

The Demon lives in the darkness…

MIST

Standard Color revelead of Mist’s new figure, to be released by Bonustoyz. This version will retail worldwide, whilst a special colourway is being kept exclusively for sale via the Bonustoyz website.

Reach with adFunture

Reach is teaming up with adFunture for a solo show in Shanghai. As with many collaborations between artists and adFunture an exhibition is usually followed by a toy… no news yet as to whether Reach is turning his bold, iconic characters into 3D – time will tell…

The exhibition starts on 26th May 2007, at Seven Days Department Store, Shanghai.

ThunderDog S.P.U.D. UK

Following on from the early announcment right here on VA of the ThunderDog Collective’s imminent arrival in the UK, we can now confirm that 31st May is the date for your diaries. London is the city, so get you train tickets booked now. More information on venue and times to follow.

The event will see the debut of 2 new S.P.U.Ds, pictured above and below, and all sorts of other visual treats.

Vinyl Elements

On Thursday May 17th @ Barracuda, LA (from 7PM – 10PM), Vinyl Elements launches itself upon the world. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth form the show’s theme, interpreted by a select international group of 50 top-flight artists:

The artists got to choose one of twelve vinyl figures to work on, to display their range of styles and techniques. The figures were supplied by the show’s sponsors: Mindstyle [36" T-28], Barracuda, Muttpop [El Panda], Jamungo [9" BUD, 9" Nade, Sqwert], Play Imaginative [10" Trexi], Kaching Brands [FLCL Canti and Fourcube], Kidrobot [Munny], Wonderwall [Goon & Knuckle Bear], and SURU [Suru Droid].

Vinyl Elements is orgainised by Vinyl Pulse who say: Vinyl Elements, a must-not-miss event, delivers the essential elements to showcase the very best in custom toy art, piece by piece from the first to the last.

With 50+ top artists on the case they’re not lying! Regular VA’ster Kenn Munk has certainly plugged into the theme, and his element of choice was water has been applied to a FLCL Canti:

See more of Kenn’s piece here on the VA forums.