Courtesty of Geoff Hollister & The Oregonian

Often called “Nike’s Employee #3″, Geoff Hollister passed away yesterday, just three days after his 66th birthday, after a long battle with cancer. The Oregon native was born on February 3rd, 1946 and was an Oregonian in every sense of the term. After graduating from South Eugene High School in 1964, Hollister went on to University of Oregon, where he ran under the tutelage of track & field coach Bill Bowerman. To optimize his runner’s performance, Bowerman often asked Hollister to run in his prototype footwear. Not long afterwards, Phil Knight offered Hollister a job at his start-up with Bowerman, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), then a distributor for Japan’s Tiger sneakers. After opening BRS West, the company’s first retail store, Hollister became ever more involved when BRS spun off a sub-label from Tiger in 1972. That new entity was Nike.

Thanks to Hollister’s intuitions as a runner and business acumen, Nike thrived in the then largely ignored running community. Seeing a need to develop next generation of track & field stars after a dismal showing in the 1976 Summer Olympics at Montreal, Hollister organized Athletics West, a sponsored program for athletes and coaches alike. His ability to think outside of the box helped to create innovative product like the Nike Aqua Socks. And when cumbersome track jackets weigh down Nike athletes, Hollister introduced the lightweight Nike Windrunner Jacket and its iconic 26-degree chevron design. During his later years at Nike, Hollister helped to secure the brand with a Swoosh a place in youth track & field programs across the U.S. When Bill Bowerman passed away in 1999, Hollister developed the Bowerman Project in honor of his former coach and mentor.

Geoff Hollister is survived his wife Wendy, who still works at Nike, 2 children from a previous marriage, his son Tracy, daughter Kaili, several grand children, as well as two younger sisters. Not to mention, the thousands who benefited from his programs and products

They are of different genders, races, religions, sports, interests, ages, even nations. Yet, they are connected by one reason – cancer. While grim, their shared afflictions, struggles, and grievances also gave them a collected strength and resolve to see the end of the disease. In bring hopes to the other 28 million cancer survivors and their love ones, Nike announced Team LIVESTRONG. Along with seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, a group of world class athletes, each affected by the disease directly or indirectly, will join the fight in education, prevention, and research for a cure. You too can be a part of the movement, simply show your support or share your story via Twitter at @NIKELIVESTRONG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nikelivestrong. With the current advancement in treatments, a diagnosis is no longer the end but the beginning.

However fleeting it was, millions of football fans around the globe saw a glimpse of JS Music Notes tracksuit by adidas Originals and Jeremy Scott during last evening’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. Originally set for a March 2012 release date, the lively outfit looked perfectly next to LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., and star of the show, Madonna. Perhaps you will see the ensemble once again at this weekend’s Grammy Awards Ceremony. And if not, you can catch it at select adidas Originals retailer next month.

Country gentleman meets street-style connoisseur in this Forza Hunting jacket from STPL. The jacket has a black quilted polyester shell that lends warmth without excess bulk, and features tonal cotton corduroy accenting at the collar, pockets, interior placket and shoulder detail. On the subject of pockets, there are seven in total, providing plenty of cargo space for accessories and small items. Snap button and zipper closure, along with ribbed cuffs and hem, round out the details. The Forza Hunting Jacket is available now both in-store and online at the Reed Space.

Reed Space
151 Orchard Street | Map
New York, NY 10002

Marni‘s collaboration with H&M doesn’t release until March but a new commercial for the collection, directed by Sofia Coppola, gives viewers a taste of what’s to come. Shot in Marrakesh, Morocco, and set to the dulcet tones of Roxy Music’s “Avalon,” the clip follows British actress Imogen Poots as she traipses around the sun-drenched landscape while showing off pieces from the collection, all of which are dressed in Marni’s signature bold prints. In an accompanying behind the scenes video, Coppola explains she took on the project because she’d never worked before on a project centered around fashion, and that she admired Marni because the brand has its own distinct look. Check out both videos after the click, and look for the Marni collection to land at select H&M stores starting March 8th.

An embodiment of Prefontaine, the updated Track & Field Collection from Nike Sportswear is derived from the same “can do” ethos as the late distance runner, along with the likes of Carl Lewis, Flo-Jo, Joan Benoit, and others. If you were to look into the collection’s true origin, you would find Nike Co-Founder Bill Bowerman at the helm. And just as he expected perfection from his athletes, he did the same with their tools of the trade. Hence, the mix of glory, heritage, and technology in each of the collection’s designs. You will find the collection at selected Nike retail locations around the world, such as the Nike Sportswear 21 Mercer flagship store.

Nike Sportswear – 21 Mercer
21 Mercer Street | Map
New York, NY 10013
TEL #: 212-226-5433

Ever the renaissance man, it can be a bit hard to keep track of all the different projects Pharrell Williams is working on at any given time. From his traditional role of producing bangers for hip hop’s elite to making waves with his various fashion endeavors, the man is branching out now to scoring the Oscars along with Hans Zimmer and the set up of his new Billionaire Girls Club line. GQ sat down with Williams recently for a brief Q&A, chopping it up about his Academy Awards involvement, the influence of his personal style, and more. Hit up GQ for the full interview with the Billionaire Boys Club leader now.

As we hope for the weather to warm up, White Mountaineering is preparing for better days with the release of this 6oz. Denim Hooded Coat from their Spring 2012 releases. This lightweight indigo denim coat is constructed in a similar manner as their tech jackets, however it features velour trim instead of water-resistant taping on the outer seams. Thick drawcords are fitted onto the hood and hem, balancing out the cream-colored trim. Cream-colored snap buttons are used on the front opening as well, with every second button hidden from view. This jacket is currently available at FIGURE SHIZUOKA in Japan and at White Mountaineering stockists across the globe.

Each season, COMME des GARÇONS designer Junya Watanabe teams up with Levi’s for a collaboration project, and this season is no exception. A vintage pair of jeans from 1966 was selected for their collaboration, heavily customized to visually translate the season’s work theme. Over-sized reinforcements on the thigh and knee areas create a totally unique aesthetic, coupled with large pockets on the upper thighs. Rear pockets have been moved slightly outwards, and in their place is hickory fabric, juxtaposed with the raw denim underneath. These jeans can be picked up at HAVEN retail store and online shop at the moment.

HAVEN Flagship
10528 108 Street NW | Map
Edmonton, AB Canada

HAVEN Select
7 Gaoler’s Mews | Map
Vancouver, BC Canada

Although Spring items are rolling into stores, winter is far from over by the looks of the cold weather. STPL have dropped this Skyline Hooded Jacket to help fend off the unpleasant conditions. The jacket is made with a nylon outer shell from Breathetech, offering the usual tech functionality, such as water resistance and breathability. Furthermore, there are a total of nine pockets distributed throughout this jacket–2 waterproof chest pockets, 4 bottom pockets, 1 sleeve pocket, 1 lining pocket and 1 backside pocket–which should make any wearer happy. The cotton poplin lining on the interior is printed with white polka dots, mirrored by white details on the pocket trim on the outside. This jacket is available at Reed Space online shop and retail store, as well as STPL accounts worldwide.

Reed Space
151 Orchard Street | Map
New York, NY 10002

One of the specialties of White Mountaineering is their technical jackets, fusing functionality with original styling. There are several key jackets available this season, including this Pertex Cotton Yarn Dyed 3 Layer Multiple Tissue Luggage Hood Parka. The inner lining of this piece is composed of a nylon material made by Pertex, making it both wind and water resistant while allowing it to maintain breathability. The exterior shell is a combination of four different cotton fabrics, accented by leather yoke on the front and back shoulder. Four pockets are equipped on the front of the jacket, and for improved fit, an adjustable drawcord is equipped on the hem, waist and hood. Head over to your nearest White Mountaineering retailer or FIGURE SHIZUOKA, who is stocking this item on their online shop.

The upcoming Project Wooster in Las Vegas will feature, in the words of Nick Wooster himself, “The interest in American heritage through Japanese eyes.” A new video shot by Marcus Troy shows Nick’s travels through Tokyo, where he soaks in the culture and meets face to face with the designers he’ll be showcasing through Project. Among the brands that will be represented are visvim, NEXUSVII, Mando, Monitaly, Kapital, Yuketen, Nepenthes, Rocky Mountain Featherbed and United Arrows. Check out the video following the click.