The Keverend aka WhatTheBlood aka Kevin from CLOT also runs Juice here in Hong Kong. Operating off of the covert no-sign adage, the store is tucked away upstairs in the Causeway Bay fashion district. Considering I’ve been here a few times, and that I’ve never been able to find it until Kevin took us up yesterday, shows you the cards they’re playin’ with.
Stocking the more prestigious Japanese-influenced street brands, including NBHD, PAM, Nike Tier 0, and Katie…
There’s also plenty of Medicom action in here, including the CLOT Bearbricks…
Nice little gift from the Keverend… the Juice x Ban Dai Tamagotchi.
Every time I travel anywhere in the world, there is nothing I miss more than Mexican food. I thought it was a lost cause until WhatTheBlood and Sean (Nike) took us through Central’s SOHO area to Ay Caramba.
Then we were off to a Reflexology Foot Massage spot. Which sounds super random, because IT IS. I have pictures of the crew sleeping while Chinese women get jiggy with their lil’ piggies, but that could just plummet street cred stock, so I’ll move on.
Sean took us back to his apartment. “Unfortunately, no one does anything for themselves over here,” he tells us, as he picks up his laundry from the shop downstairs. No laundry machines, and not even stoves inside the flats, because everyone just eats out or picks up. No time for domestic chores when there’s so much work and partying to get out the way.
This was done by the dude behind Undercover. The Undercover bear is everywhere out here. “We make noise. Not clothes.” Nuff said.
As strange as it sounds, I guess it’s pretty easy to fall into the Boredom pit out here, so you gotta stick your fingers in odd hobbies to keep you sane. Gadgetry, music, skating, whatever. A lot of people head over to the air-gun street in Mong Kok to load up on the sickest air-guns that are so intricately detailed, that they are pretty much the real thing. Comparable in weight, finish, etc. Here’s one of Sean’s doo-dads. Fun.
Back in Causeway, there was a skating and b-boy sesh in the works. It’s a holiday today so everyone was pushing their Sunday night to the limits.
It seems like there’s a skyscraper for every person out here. It’s like God got carried away with his Lego set. It makes for a pretty mindblowing skyline, but it does have its drawbacks. Remember my old friend, the Hong Kong humidity? That’s because all the hot air gets trapped between the buildings, and can’t breeze through like it’s supposed to. But hey, when there’s 7 million people slamdancing in a tight radius, you gotta build UP, right?
I’ve said it before, but the architectural design out here is just bananas and cream.
Here are some sights from the IFC building down in Central.
We headed over to Mong Kok…
and the cornucopia of shoe-ness that is Sneaker Street. Blocks of limited sneaker shops running side-by-side in all directions.
Here’s a video of Sneaker Street I shot a few months ago. Not much has changed, except for one thing. Vans. It was pretty slim pickins the last time I was here, but it seems like half of the shops have an decent Vans supply now. And by Vans, I don’t mean the squared-up-rubber-taping botchery that you see on the shelves in the States. Yes, there is a difference between the Vans sold in Asia and the U.S. Go ask Peter if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Back in Causeway Bay, we found this emo fella in front of Times Square. His sign reads:
“I LOVE YANDY. NO SMOKE. PLEASE PROMISE FOREVER! IF YOU SUPPORT ME, SIGN PLEASE.”
Turns out Yandy is his girlfriend, and he is so desperate to get her to stop smoking, that he set up shop in one of the busiest areas in Hong Kong, with nothing but a posterboard, permanent markers, and an aching heart! Dashboard Confessional rocks!!
We were the first ones to sign… I mean, how could you not? The dude was practically melting into a puddle of tears right before our eyes.
Within a few minutes, the crowd thickens…
We came back an hour later, and the signatures had spilled over to surrounding Xerox paper. He started taking pictures of what he had done to text-message her with…
..and where was Yandy all this time?
According to dude, she was just up the street at the bar with her friends, celebrating at a Halloween costume party!!!
WHAT!? Misogyny is in !!!!!!
Editor’s note: Okay okay, it’s not really in. But just sometimes, it kinda makes sense. Like just for a few minutes a day. Like, when they… Ok, you’re right. It’s NEVER okay. I’m going to hell.
Skateboarding is alive and well in Hong Kong. Although the community is tighter than that of the States (probably a good thing), skateboarding has managed to flourish over 2 generations of independent-minded creators, doers, and thinkers in HK.
Last night, Brian (852), Nigel, and the crew from i.t premiered a skate video down at Sugar in Lan Kwai Fong. But this wasn’t just any video, it was more of a love story about the history of skate spots in Hong Kong, including their own version of the EMB. The documentary consists of 55 minutes of vintage skate footage of all the local skate crew at the regular spots and interviews with the hometown heroes…
The club was packed with every skate rat from every end of the city…
Warren is considered the Godfather of Hong Kong Skateboarding. If you remember my last trip to HK, you’ll remember Lee-Hawk’s (i.t) fatty backside flips on the pyramid. And speakin’ of hometowns, my Angeleno brother Mike (Obey) is in town.
Conroy (ALIVE) and Brian (8five2) run this city from above- and underground.
Digit and Gio, the Amateur Sheep Servant. ARGH. I mean the Pro Wolf Master.
So everyone knows Neek, right? Ok, well if you really know Neek, you know that he’s as obsessed with HK girls as he is with taking naked pictures of himself in the bathroom mirror (true story). ANYWAYS, all Neek wanted for Christmas this year was pix of HK girls. So the holidays came early for you homeboy!
Girl on the Right: “Is this for Hong Kong Skateboarding magazine?”
Man in Black: “What?!”
Girl on the Right: “Hong Kong SKATEBOARDING?!!”
Man in Black: “Oh.. no, this is for Neek.”
Girl on the Right: “Neek!? What’s that?”
Man in Black: “This is for my… ugh. blog.”
Girl on the Right: “OH MY GOD. Are you a professional blogger?!” (as she bats her eyes.)
Man in Black: “Uhh.. yeah… I gotta go.”
Note to Neek. In Hong Kong, Blogging gets girls.
After-party late-night eats at “The Denny’s of Hong Kong” with the Obey crew.
The curry chicken is always tops in this joint, but if it’s your first time, you gotta get jumped in with the “Heart Attack Sandwich.” If you remember the blog last year, I had to eat the toast-on-THICK SLAB OF BUTTER MARINATED IN CONDENSED MILK-on-toast sandwich, but this time it was Dennis’ (Etnies) turn… and he came through with flying colors…(and probably a colon cleansing this morning).
Digit and I headed up back over to Lan Kwai Fong after work to meet up with Kevin (Hypebeast), a few of the good folk from Nike, and that other Kevin guy… from Hong Kong’s powerhouse collective CLOT.
Digit “T”s up, while Kevin Clot keeps the drinks flowin’..
After Dragon-i, Kevin took us up to the Clot fortress…err.. offices. Security cameras in every corner, high-end art, and all sorts of limited whatevers stuck in all the nooks and crannies. Of course, no photos allowed within the walls, but some interesting projects are in the works,…
including the Kanye West show CLOT is pushing in HK later in November.
…and no, Kevin won’t get you in.
No, not even you.
Ok, maybe her..but definitely not you.
Hong Kong has perhaps the easiest (and cleanest) subway system known to mankind to the history of the universe. There are only a few lines in the network, and everything runs efficiently.
Although it seems like every hour is rush hour down there. PEOPLE. EVERWHERE.
This one’s for you, Neek!
We headed over to our boy Frankie’s studio on the other side of town. This is the craftsman who cranks out our hats, along with Silly Thing, Fiberops, Know1edge, Haze, and his own brand…
SUBCREW
Although Frankie is the mad hatter of the streetwear trade, SUBCREW is more than just the illest hats. Selvedge denim, tops, you name it, Subcrew makes it.
Frankie shows off one of Subcrew’s recent collaborative projects: A trucker hat made with CLOT and Devilock. He tells me it sold out in 15 minutes here in Hong Kong and Japan. I tell him that I need that hat in my life, so I snatch it with my grabbyhands and laugh maniacally. Kind of like a hyena, but on Redbull.
We head over to Causeway Bay to hook up with the true King of Kong, Brian Julius Siswojo of 8five2/Know1edge. That’s a “T” for TENS! From what I hear, “T” is the new “H”?
You know we had to round the night out with deep-fried apple pies from McDonald’s! Darn American health consciousness for killin’ em off. And of course, the Hong Kong Mickey D employees got their exclusive McD x Red Monkey denim, and Baby Milo-inspired t-shirts for uniforms. Crazed.
iAppointment with Ben and Aly (Fiberops). Seems like I only see Aly through the flat silver box these days! VirtuAly !
Sometimes I take a break to flip through the local HK weekly magazines. Touch has pix of the new UNDFTD Af1, NBHD x Fragment projects…but since you already saw those on Hypebeast, the best part about it is the feature on Mos Burger. If you know, you know. This issue of MILK has a pictorial with Brian from 8five2/Know1edge and a preview of their new line.
AND it comes with this super-random McDonald’s x Milk collabo dinosaur-monster keychain thing-guy.
Met up with the good man Gio (Pro Wolf Master) and speakin’ of which, it’s The Beast himself, Kevin Ma of Hypebeast . Perhaps you’ve heard of it.
Off to the nightlife district, Lan Kwai Fong…
Umm, Digit didn’t sleep one minute last night. Late-night iSight sessions with…
Ibn, Taz, and Paula… pay no mind to the 5-in-the-morn instant-messenger crackhead in the corner of the screen.
