Raw Denim Art Project

 So...in my never-ending pursuit to turn my life from one big sociology case study (long story...see the last 5 years of my life living in Chicago) into an everlasting exploratory art project, I am incorporating fashion and more specifically personal taste and style into an art project.  The feature--raw denim from the A.P.C. brand.

A.P.C.'s Petit New Standard Jeans

There are plenty of brands that make very high quality denim incorporating the world renowned Japanese loom process (see High Snobiety's piece on Japanese Denim), but I chose A.P.C. because they give you the opportunity to give your denim story a second life. Through their "Butler" program, customers are able to purchase and wear-in pairs of raw denim fit jeans in order to create exciting new wash and wear styles that could never be created through the pre-consumer wash and wear processes that machines do create the worn looks that popularize today's fashion trends.  After thoroughly breaking in and personalizing your pair of A.P.C. jeans you are then invited I return your unique creation to a store where, if eligible, you can resell for 50% off your next pair.  That's a pretty sweet deal.

I may not be a complete denim aficionado but I can definitely appreciate a good art project.  Also, the idea that my legacy can live on through someone else's experience is a rewarding notion to me.

The jeans are practically new in these shots:

I look forward to creating a very uniquely styled garment once I begin my particular washing recipe after I give them at least 6-8 months of wear.  I only hope that I'll still be interested in parting with them once the time comes. There will be follow-up posts on the development of this project and I hope that you all with enjoy this project with me.

More about A.P.C.:

Atelier de Production et de Création, better known by it's acronym A.P.C., is a French clothing brand founded by Jean Touitou in the beautiful year of 1987 (pardon my bias for my birth year).  The clothing takes a very minimalist approach. You won't find numerous logos and overly intricate designs.  With their pieces. Lately the company has been doing numerous collaborations with other brands and celebrity designers that have garnered it much notoriety as of late.

I initially discovered the brand back in college when looking for French style influences and again while looking for some better denim options. At the time, I chose to go with Nudies because of their more intricate and now famous back pocket detailing.  I think I was more interested in the world noticing what I was wearing as opposed to satisfying myself.

My personal style is constantly evolving with my maturity.

- Esoteric

Free Weekend Things To Do in NYC courtesy of Complex Magazine

Every week (I believe) Complex Magazine (do they still do the actual print magazine?? *shrugs*) online releases a guide to "The Coolest Free Things to Do in NYC This Weekend"

Albeit one day after payday and rent was due this past week as suggested by the preface of the Complex list, I paid rent two weeks early so funds for leisure are disposable at this time (pardon me while I pat myself on the back). I peeped this list Saturday morning around 10:30am so with Friday lost I challenged Amanda to help me fill up our weekend schedule and tackle remainder the list of things to do that were available for Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday @ 2pm: Union Square Walking Tour

First things first with any tour in a big city, it's important to stay together.  To facilitate that, we thought it'd be easy to stay together if we rocked matching t-shirts (don't judge us!)

The shirts were especially designed by Amanda herself.  I'm a fan of her work.

The tour itself was surprising. I thought with a scheduled 90 minute tour we'd be scouring the surrounding neighborhood, but it was literally a tour around the park grounds themselves, but it was very informative and entertaining thanks in part to our guide, Gregory.

Check out my list of most interesting facts learned:

- Although America won the American Revolutionary War, the battle of New York City was actually lost to the British in 1783 and the city was not freed until awhile later.

- Evacuation Day (look it up)

- The first ever statue of Lincoln was placed in Union Square Park

- "Ladie's Mile"[double entendre] (look it up) is an interesting study in gentrification, socioeconomics, and urban studies; if you're interested in that kind of thing. 

- Finally learned why the Frenchman, Lafayette's name is plastered all across America. (Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette)

- 

Selected images from the tour:

Approximately 4pm: The Museum at F.I.T.

After a short subway ride up Broadway and a stop in the only stateside Maison Kitsuné boutique (which I had no idea was on 28th street), which is my latest obsession in all many things French, we made our way to our next destination on the New York campus of the Fashion Institute to check out one of their museum's latest exhibits entitled "Beyond Rebellion: Fashioning the Biker Jacket?

Photography was not allowed in the exhibit, of course I didn't care and it rows it anyway but I couldn't cleverly hit the shutter button my phone before the security personnel noticed my not so stealthy mannerisms.

Sorry, best I could do...

Sunday @ 10:15ish am: A Brooklyn Area Subway Station

After a night of partying into the morning, it's always nice to wake up early and take a one hour train ride that I thought would be closer to 35 minutes uptown to 59th Street and Columbus Circle. Nevertheless we made the journey arriving fashionably late.

11:15ish am: Cooking with Spring Produce at Williams-Sonoma

Long story short, we got some valuable recipes and I actually have a new found slight admiration for green peas, but only when they're fresh and blanched (I learned how to Blanche vegetable...quite bourgeois). I also learned how to properly butcher a chicken...no more buying boneless breasts at the grocery store for me...whole birds only!

they even provided a nice dessert option

After this session of standing and then browsing for cookware that we honestly didn't need, but would be fun to have, we decided to break away from our Complex schedule and pick up a nice Belgium brunch at BXL East.

Bottomless mimosas on a Sunday, don't mind if I do....

Despite missing a few things on the list that we really did plan to do, star-gazing in Central Park (celestial stars, not people with their heads in the clouds due to celebrity) and the Pratt Institute's feature exhibition, "Black Dress..." Highlighting underrepresented African-American fashion designers.  

At the end of the day, it was a fun weekend and you really can't beat free. Complex's weekend guides will definitely keep me checking my emails on time.

Life on the Rocks: Urban Exploration Day

Above the tide,

Yet weathered from erosion;

Beyond the waves,

But a slave to the surf.

Ones environment dictates much about their life and its inevitable experiences.  Human geography is a broadly vast experiment.  With that being said, I personally seek to suit up in my lab coat, glasses and gloves and blow shit up as often as possible.

Today's experiment took us into the field known as the Wiliamsburg neighborhood, with a quick romp into adjoining Greenpoint.  Often known as "Hipsterville," be it affectionately or otherwise, this section of northern Brooklyn offers a large array of diverse dining and shopping experiences as well parks and natural scenic grace (as natural as can be in a heavily built environment such as New York City) .  As diverse and the commercial real estate is also the housing offered in the area.  There's everything from high rise condominiums to walk-up apartments and, characteristic of Brooklyn, gorgeous brownstones.  With such a wealth of contrasts, it is quite amazing how well these neighborhoods operate in harmony; even with all the damn tourists.

- Keilon

“In wisdom gathered over time i have found that every experience is a form of exploration”

  -Ansel Adams

“...and i plan to experience a lot by the end of my time.”

-Amanda

with that being said, we ventured into a little place known as “hipsterville”, pardon, williamsburg is what this area is called. it’s a journey to get to depending on where you call home in new york city. we took three trains to get there; borough hopping from brooklyn to manhattan back to brooklyn. but once we got there and saw that the sun was still out i was happy i made the trip. it's a nice little area that reminds me of neighborhoods from home (Chicago). our reason for making this trek was to explore the Brooklyn Flea's winter market-Smorgasburg.

brooklyn flea is a very large market where one can procure vintage, modern, new, used and modified items as well as fill your belly with delicious grub. we decided to have a breakfast classic; a chocolate doughnut from Dough Brooklyn. and it was amazing! (had two actually) and browsed lots of sparkly jewelry and cool rustic home decor.

after the flea market we explored more of the area walking leisurely even though it was windy and chilly making sure to take everything in. getting brunch at Mable’s Smokehouse & Banquet Hall and traveling to the greenpoint waterfront to see the east river at sunset. overall this exploration experience was nice. williamsburg, we may be back soon…

-Amanda

Selected shots of the day:

From Brooklyn...

...to Manhattan

Public Transit in NYC can be a daunting and incoherent excursion.  Why must you travel from Brooklyn just to make it back to Brooklyn via grumbling train ride through lower Manhattan?

Street art and murals have come to define much of this portion of Brooklyn

Amanda surveys the scene on 5th & Berry

The scene in front of the Brooklyn Flea's Smorgasburg

....from clothing...

...to trinkets...

...and, of course, food!

There's a little bit a lot of everything to see and eat at these Brooklyn Flea sponsored events.  Be sure to visit www.brooklynflea.com for information and schedules on their various markets throughout the year.

Street Scenes:

thoughts on the wall

There's no shortage of street art in Williamsburg.  One can argue that at times, there's a bit of visual overstimulation but how can you not love art?  And by love art, how can you not appreciate the process of seeing and loving or seeing and loathing; be utterly intrigued or utterly disgusted; whatever your reaction may be you felt something and that's the central theme to revisit in life.  If this post leaves you with nothing else, take away  the desire to Feel Something.

photo-op time...
                                     The eyes are always watching
almost as effective as the yellow lines
                                                                             Chilly
Vivid
                                                      the pursuit of "Epic"

trying to find "that shot"
                                                             Behind the wallStreet art

Greenpoint Waterfront:

After the endless bombardment of industrial fortresses that crowd the Williamsburg portion of the East River it's nice to break into the somewhat more serene setting of the Greenpoint waterfront at WNYC Transmitter Park between Kent Street and Greenpoint Avenue.Taking it all in...

Nearing sunset......Manhattan across the East River

Amanda near sunset......Keilon's silhouette

testing lowtide...

...relinquishing camera duties

shutterbug......Greenpoint Avenue

Fin.