Four Brands that Bring the Heat!
A lot of brands get competitive. They don’t want to share the spotlight. Everyone is striving for the same piece of the pie. But here at Vintage we don’t hate on anyone. So today I wanted to share with you four brands I like and those which consistently come out with great drops. If you’re like me, you diversify your wardrobe like you diversify your investment portfolio cause you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same thing twice (well, ok that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point). So here they are in no particular order:
Crooks and Castles
Crooks and Castles is the classic signature series brand that has the same philosophy that made such brands like Polo famous. Just like everyone wants that polo rider on their apparel, Crooks brings the Big C with style. And boy do they have some hats! My attraction to Crooks has to be the emphasis on their logo. No art prints with swirling lines and paint splatters and random art work. That all has it’s place, but not here. Word is that Jay-Z is a financial backer of this Melrose-born high-end boutiquer. If that’s true, it’s helping C&C push the envelope and stay at the head of the class by dropping fresh lines. Karma Loop (the largest internet site for private label designers) never seems exhausted on their “recently arrived updates” with Crooks drops, and you’re almost always guaranteed to find something new each week, of course if your wallet can handle the abuse.
Rocksmith
Rocksmith is the Japanese take on American hip hop. And they do a pretty reasonable job of capturing our fashionable couture. Unlike Bape or Billionaire Boys Club which turn the hip hop culture on its head with unique Anime interpretations, cutesy animals, ice cream cones, loud colors, and all the stuff that were it the 1990s the prevailing gangster officiators of the hip hop world would have laughed them into obscurity, the Japanese, who also have hyperbolic interpretations of American culture, go all out with these fashions. But not Rocksmith. The true, classic hip hop branding is alive and well with these guys and I only expect great things in the future.
Adidas
You’re likely to find just about any color or material combination with an Adidas brand shoe. While other brands like Nike compete aggressively, it really comes down to personal preference and whether you like those three stripes or that Nike swoosh. Rocking Adidas is a tacit protest against all the rank commercialism in today’s hip hop culture (even though Adidas is about as big a household name as Coca-Cola). Even so, when I think of classic hip hop, I think of Run DMC and I think of those white Adidas with black stripes, of which I also sport a pair.
Marc Ecko
Impressions of Ecko vary from pleasingly pertinent tokens of high art to a one-time conscientious caretaker of the graffiti culture who sold out for the almighty buck. Whatever your impression may be, Ecko consistently delivers with amazing art print t-shirts, street wear (with the largest selection of track jackets I’ve ever seen), jewelry, and shoe drops. The Ecko store around my way changes it’s inventory it seems on a bi-weekly basis, so I’m never disappointed when I walk in to check out what’s fresh. And the prices are affordable. I can ransack their sales rack and walk out with a handful of shirts. So whatever your take, Ecko is constantly on its game.
