Reebok is continuing the partnership with Jean-Michel Basquiat, unveiling the Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Just as the previous seasons, the majority of the current season is made up of Reebok‘s iconic sneakers, yet some new apparel pieces are introduced to broaden the collection. Footwear range consists of Omni Pump Lite, Freestyle and Top Down, while the apparel line includes outerwear, cardigans and t-shirts. As one would expect, each piece is decorated by the famous drawings and handwriting by Basquiat. Precise dates of the release is yet to be confirmed but select Reebok accounts should be receiving these items sometime this month. via: PROVIDER

A short while back, an Air Jordan passport showed up at the Freshness office asking us to save the date and get ”ready to takeoff” for the official launch of the Air Jordan 2012. Early yesterday morning, Jordan Brand sent a SMS message that a driver will be picking us up for a ride to a secret location. After a 45-minute ride, we along with a grouping of select media finally arrived at a very appropriate location for this launch, a hangar in New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport. Once inside, we were “checked in” and soon after, seated in airport like seats. After showing an Air Jordan inspirational reel, designer Tom Luedecke along with his ”co-designer” (and Vice President, Special Projects and Creative Design at Nike) Tinker Hatfield were brought out to officially introduce and present the 27th shoe in the Air Jordan franchise.

While Tom Luedecke once again took the helm of designing the Air Jordan 2012, it was Tinker who drove the creative direction of the shoe. Mr Hatfield actually took inspiration from a project he worked on called Jumptown, which is an area of Portland, Oregon that was a major hub for Jazz in the 1920′s. From there he looked at the style of dress of the era, including the zoot suits with their big shoulder pads and matching bold wingtip dress shoes. On a rare but unfortunate note Tinker now sketches almost exclusively on his iPad but still he is able to translate his ideas into artwork used to drive the design of the shoes. A number of his early sketches mostly dated back to 2010 and inspired by the 1920′s Jazz style were shown during the presentation.

After the walk through of the shoes, attendants took us to the next  area in the hangar where we picked up our “luggage”, an Air Jordan x Cole Haan Weekender bag. In the bag was a pair of the Air Jordan 2012 Deluxe and gear for the wear testing part of the event. After selecting the right “flight” and a quick change, the next area was a full-length basketball court to full try out the new shoes. A pro trainer was on hand to take all the guests through a number of basketball drills favored by some of the top ballers in the NBA. Finally after the drills and a light lunch, we had one last challenge of testing out the Air Jordan 2012 on NIKEiD. And with that the official launch of the 27th franchise model ended and Jordan Brand once again impresses with a unique event to embrace Air Jordan 2012.

Here is a little something to complement the XLarge x Yamaha TY-S Motorcycle, which is being raffled at the end of this month. The premium XLarge Presidential Label is partnering up with Toys McCoy again, this time producing a custom made, one of a kind Baby Buco Helmet. Graphics on the black helmet match the monochromatic motorcycle, featuring the iconic XLarge logos on both sides. Checker plate pattern is placed in the middle of the helmet, running from front to back. This helmet comes in size M/L which equates to around 58cm – 60cm in size. Unfortunately this helmet will be given away with the motorcycle and will not be on sale separately. All you need to do to win the motorcycle and the helmet is to drop by the XLarge Harajuku store and fill out an application form before Wednesday, February 29th.

XLarge Harajuku
1F, 4-25-29 Jingumae | Map
Shibuya, Tokyo Japan

Unlike the previous season, the Spring/Summer 2012 collection from HUMAN MADE is not restricted by any particular theme. Although the collection still take huge influence from vintage clothing made in the 30′s and 40′s. As founder and designer NIGO explains, some of these pieces took over a year to develop and produce due to the attention paid to every little detail. However, it does not mean that all of these pieces are simply copies of vintage items, rather these clothing take the best aspects of NIGO‘s favorite vintage clothing. Furthermore, NIGO has taken into account the feedback he had received from consumers by keeping graphics to the minimum. Take a preview of the collection after the jump.

There is no doubt about the popularity of Paul Rodriguez and Nike SB have capitalized on this by producing a promotional campaign. Although the Paul Rodriguez V Lunarlon sneakers are not exactly new, the new video campaign is designed to reiterate the functionality of the technical skateboarding shoes. Thanks to the Lunarlon soles in the heel, these sneakers are lightweight, yet provides cushioning to absorb the shock of landing a huge trick. The proof is in the pudding, as Rodriguez shows us how these shoes perform in the promotional video after the jump.

The contribution from the good people at atmos for Reebok‘s 25th Anniversary Workout series is a fairly high-concept one: they gave the shoe a stark white colorway, meant to resemble an eggshell, as the Workout is undergoing a second birth as a lifestyle fashion sneaker. They also finished the shoe’s exterior with glow in the dark properties, inspired by the “mystical feelings” that coincide with the witnessing of a new life. It’s a nice thought, especially when there’s mention of the Workout “glowing on a new stage,” but we’re also pretty sure the guys at atmos just really like making sneakers glow in the dark. Check out additional looks of the very clean design following the click. via: HS

The onslaught of new Vans releases at the Vans DQM General shows no sign of letting up. The latest entrant into the Spring 2012 lineup is this fantastic Vans Sk8-Hi Boat CA from the brand’s California imprint. The shoe is essentially an amalgam of the Vans core classic Sk8-Hi with a traditional boat shoe, which in this case means the addition of a moc-toe detail, leather laces and canvas quarter construction with suede at the vamp and eyestays. A brown leather pull tab and textile polka dot lining round out the features. Available in navy or white colorways, the Sk8-Hi Boat CA is in stock now at the Vans DQM General, both in-store and online.

The VANS DQM General – New York
93 Grand Street | Map
New York, NY 10013
TEL #: 212-226-7776

The crew at Beatnic, located in the heart of downtown Fullerton in Southern California, took a unique approach in tackling the Workout 25th Anniversary project. Their design took inspiration from another iconic Reebok style, the OG colorway of the Insta Pump Fury, and in fusing the two models they created a shoe that blended a traditional silhouette with one that broke new ground, while applying vivid hues to a sneaker typically finished with subdued, tonal colors. When the guys’ proposal to add a Pump function to the shoe ultimately fell through, they added weld dots along the toe and heel to give the impression of added air. Check out more looks of the Beatnic version of the Reebok Workout following the click. via: HS

Making a dramatic entry drenched with water droplets, Olympus finally introduced the OM-D E-M5 Digital Camera last evening. Its the first camera from Olympus’ new OM-D line, a series with lineage as far back as the 1972 Olympus OM-1, then the thinnest SLR camera available. Fashioned out of durable magnesium alloy, the mirrorless camera is the latest to join the ever growing Micro Four Thirds offerings from Olympus. And while it is more expensive than the Olympus PEN Series, the E-M5 also offers more feature. A 16.1-megapixel Live MOS Sensor, working in tandem with the TruePic VI image processor, offers utmost picture clarity even at low-light situations. The sensor also allows a maximum ISO range of 25,600 for a faithful color reproduction and an auto focus system capable of continuous shooting at 9 frames-per-second. One other unique feature is it’s 5-axis image stabilizer, a world’s first. In living up to its retro form factor, the E-M5 employs a new electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of 120fps. Plus, a tilting 3-inch touchscreen OLED display for less strenuous viewing.

Comes in silver or black, the camera is virtually dust and water proof, a testament to Olympus’ craftsmanship. Fully adoptable to all Micro Four Thirds-compliant lenses and additional accessories to come, Olympus is pricing the E-M5 at US$ 999.99 for body only, US$ 1,299.99 with M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-50 mm f3.5-6.3 EZ lens and US$ 1,099.99 with M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42 mm f3.5-5.6 II R lens. The camera will be available for purchase in the month of April.

• 16.1-Megapixel Live MOS Sensor
• Olympus TruePic VI Image Processor
• Micro Four Thirds
• 5-Axis Image Stabilizer
• ISO 100-25,600
• FAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology) AF System Capable of Continuous Shooting at 9fps
• High-Resolution Electronic Viewfinder with Refresh Rate of 120fps
• 3-inch Touchscreen OLED Display
• Waterproof & Dustproof Construction

Release Date: April 2012

Converse continues its mission to support independent music. The latest unsigned band to be profiled as part of Converse Rubber Tracks’ short film series is the Brooklyn-based trio Jumpers. In their “Oh, Hello” segment, drummer Tim McCoy, bassist Turner Stough and singer/guitarist Mary Page discuss how the three came together and why it’s great to be a band in a big city with a thriving music scene (they cite a sense of community and the ever-present inspiration to become better musicians). The accompanying “Track of the Week” clip provides a behind the scenes look at the recording of Jumpers’ infectious song “Fireworks.” Check out both videos following the click.

Having come together on two separate t-shirt collaborations last years, Twelve Bar has partnered once again with L.A.-based rapper Casey Veggies and his Peas & Carrots International crew on a pair of selvedge denim jeans. Crafted from 12 oz Japanese indigo denim in Twelve Bar’s relaxed Skywalker silhouette, the jeans feature both the Peats & Carrots logo and Twelve Bar signature heart trademark embroidered on the left back pocket, as well as a Twelve Bar-branded logo patch. Checkerboard pocket bags and red-line selvedge round out the details. There are currently only three pairs in existence, made exclusively for the Peas & Carrots family, but a general release may be coming later in the year.

Hasbro‘s Lazer Tag System for 2012 has been updated so you can use your iPhone or iPod Touch to provide heads-up display and increase your firing distance of over 250 feet. The Nerf Blaster is equipped with a slot into which you can drop in your iDevice, and once you’ve downloaded the free app, you can use it to monitor your gear and power levels, as well as start and host multiplayer games with up to 23 other players. The app also features a global Lazer Tag leaderboard and keeps track of user profile and stats, plus you’ll be able to unlock rewards like a more powerful virtual blaster. While the system allows for a single player experience with enhanced with augmented reality, the real fun will be to dispatch your friends with extreme prejudice, and use blast trajectory to see exactly where you shot them. The new and improved Lazer Tag Blasters will be available in stores starting August 1st, retailing for $40 individually or $70 for a set of two. via: The Verge