CHANGE

hey guys - sorry for the slowdown in posting over the last little while.. 84/85 is undergoing an image makeover, and we'll let you know what that exactly means in a few days! stay tuned!

UPDATE: 84/85 is now on Wordpress! check out our new home HERE!

wants and needs: Yves St. Laurent

I know we just posted some YSL content a couple days ago, but damn if I can't get those sneakers out of my head. the ready-to-wear line designed primarily by Stefano Pilati is 95% awesome, with much attention being paid to the details across the minimal yet well-rounded accessories, clothing, jewelry and shoe collections. these items are understated yet opulent - and dangerously close to my range of affordability. 

Hedi Slimane shoots for YSL

The extremely talented Hedi Slimane recently shot this photo series at Yves St Laurent for their relaunch of YSl Rive Gauche Homme. The shoot takes a trip trough the house of YSL, including photos of Pierre Berge, YSL's partner. It is nice to see these two working together again, as Slimane started his design career with the fashion power house, and as you can tell from the shoot it is a beautiful partnership. Check here for the full shoot.

WIngs and Horns S/S 09

Vancouver-based and manufactured line Wings and Horns have just shown their spring/summer 09 collection, which looks the logical evolution of the line - understatement and refinement in high-end streetwear. their collaboration with Dayton from this season past was a huge hit, so expect a larger general interest in the line for S/S. and while I'm a little more partial to W+H's lower-end line Reigning Champ, I would love to get my hands on the flannel shirt and the side-zip trainers. 

Brooklyn Machine Works

the continuing dry weather has been proper for getting out and having some mashing rides. the more time I spend on my bike the more I figure out how to manipulate it, and what it's limitations are.. and while I'm not quite pushing it to the brink of failure, I definitely think about what sort of setup might work better for different sorts of riding. Brooklyn Machine Works hand-make frames and parts right in NY, and their Gangsta bike (pictured above) is a track frame that is geared far more towards the fixed-freestyle side of things as opposed to the velodrome. with enough frame clearance to barspin 700 series tires, this is the jam! I'd also like to have one of the TT Cruiser bikes (pictured below) for cruising around in the 'hood. with a great manufacturing mantra, full lineup of urban + offroad bikes, and a distinct style, BMW is definitely pushing it forward. 

No Pants 2K9

one of the more awesome displays of public performance art I've seen in a while, brought to you by Improve Everywhere.. on January 10th over 2500 people in 22 cities took off their pants and casually rode the subway. this vid comes from the NY event, in which over 1200 people took part. as you might expect, the expressions of the faces of unsuspecting subway riders are priceless. 

John Prolly + Urban Velo

the weather has been decent lately, so the riding is back! peace out snow! Mishka NYC cohort and fixed-gear tastemaker John Watson (aka Prolly) recently wrote a super informative piece in one of my favorite bicycle reads, Urban Velo. charting the rise of fixed-gear rationale and providing a great perspective on why we ride, he continues to be at the forefront of this rapidly evolving scene and does a great job in the documentation. whether its on the Mishka Bloglin or on his own site Prolly Is Not Probably, I always really enjoy Prolly's content, and this article is no different. read it here!

A.P.C. Spring 2009

There are so many different lines currently featuring their upcoming spring collections, but because I basically live in A.P.C. denim I am more than pleased to showcase their spring 2009 lookbook here on 84/85. I haven't yet managed to get my hands on any other pieces from the line itself but with the styles featured in this lookbook I think now is a good time to start. The full line looks so good, with the presentation being so on point. A.P.C pieces by themselves are very clean and plain but when put together as a whole the end result is nothing less that amazing.

Images via: Selectism

Hard Graft: Pocket Wallet

Hard Graft was featured on 84/85 as one of our first posts, with the 2Unfold bag. This company is one that is always on some next levels, and this time I have decided to feature their Pocket Wallet. A good wallet is hard to find, as usually they are far too bulky or just plain badly designed. All that I want is a slim profile wallet that fits nicely into my back packet as if it wasn't even there. This design is beautiful and the functionality is right on, as its made of heavy-duty felt and leather with the right amount of space for the essentials: money and cards. The herringbone elastic loop holsters everything in place so you don't have to worry about losing its contents, just the wallet itself..

Woolrich Wollen Mills on Blackbird

Blackbird Seattle has featured their pre-ordered Woolrich Wollen Mills pieces coming spring/summer 09 on their blog. WWM is another one of my personal favorite lines at the moment, as they've really refined that workwear aesthetic. Blackbird will receive a small amount of pieces from this collection which they are taking pre-orders for at this current time. The chambray Trail shirt is definitely the stand out piece in my eyes, but I would be happy with any of these items. Check Blackbird for more info.

The Impossible Cool

The Impossible Cool is a great website that brings you exactly what the title describes: 'The Impossible Cool'. The site consists of photos and quotes from from some of the most influential creatives of our time. There are some very authentic looks that represent the epitome of style and cool. Here are some of my favourite quotes and photos, check here for the rest.

“Good clothes open all doors.”

-Thomas Fuller
“A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them.”
-Hardy Amies
“You can find inspiration in everything, and if you can’t look again”
-Paul Smith
“Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not.”
-Oscar Wilde.

Light Lane: Laser Bike Lanes

As a cyclist of the urban roads I know (from experience) how dangerous it can be out there. Not only do you have to look out for debris on the road, potholes and just plain ignorant and inexperienced drivers, but night riding brings all sorts of new issues, visibility being the main one. One thing that makes for a safer, more comfortable ride especially at night is finding yourself on a road honored with a bike lane. Bike lanes give you the confidence of knowing that you have your own designated area to ride in. The problem with bike lanes is that they are a rarity out there and are usually only found on the busiest streets. Alex Tee and Evan Grant of Altitude have come up with this concept bike lane, the Light Lane. The Light Lane is a virtual bike lane that is projected onto the road with a laser, giving the cyclist a clearly defined passage on the road at night time. This is a great concept that would make it much safer to ride your bike on the mean streets at night.

Tod's: Gommino/Moccasin Loafer

With spring/summer time nearing (hopefully sooner than later) it is time to start thinking about shedding the flannels, bulky knits and sweaters, jeans and boots, for short sleeve button downs, tees, cuffed shorts, chinos and some loafers. Tod's has you covered in the loafer department with tons of different Italian made beauties to choose from, with my favorite being the Gommino/Moccasin loafer model. It is available in a great variety of colors and constructed with the traditional methods that goes into every Tod's piece. These would be a great addition to any guys footwear collection, more specifically the royal blue or grey ones for mine.

Stephen Sprouse for Louis Vuitton

Recently Louis Vuitton had a big night for the upcoming tribute release of the Stephen Sprouse collection for Louis Vuitton. Sprouse was an artist/designer from New York in the who created the most of his work through the 80's. The night was started with a party at the Soho location of LV with the Marc Jacobs designed bag collection on display. Then the night carried on at the Deitch Gallery showcasing works from Sprouse, finally ending at a Club on the Bowery where Debbie Harry was performing. The night was definitely one for the books, with three separate parties in one night, Marc Jacobs wearing LV tights, Debbie Harry, and the Front of the Soho location smashed with a big straight letter, once again showing that graffiti has a huge influence on the fashion world.