Film: Akira (1988)

1988 Promotional Poster.

I have always wondered what the deal was with Akira and I was able to finally have time and sit down and watch the film.

I wondered why the film was so critically acclaimed and has a cult following. The film was also one of the reasons anime became more popular outside of Japan and is the source of inspiration for many works today.

The film's themes were very mature because it dealt with gang violence and social issues. The film portrayed the young characters in a way that they were used to all of the strife that was going on all around them. The film was also centered around politics and the lengths people would go to towards a positive future. The overall struggle was very complex because nothing was really clear-cut good or evil.

I would have to say that the animation was indeed superb and the character and setting designs were great. Considering the film was released for a little over 25 years ago, it has grasped a good perspective of a not too distant future.

I would recommend the film for those who like animated films because Akira delivered very human themes which would really make one think. There's not too much I can say without spoiling the film so thanks for reading!

Spotlight: Profound Aesthetic

The first hats I got were the ones in the right and left. Portland Rose and Alzarin Paisley. Photos from the Profound Aesthetic website which will be linked below.

My first encounter with Profound Aesthetic was actually at Urban Outfitters. I was browsing around the store and something that really caught my eye was this floral patterned hat. I held the hat in my hands and I knew that I had to have it. It wasn't all too exuberant but just the way the hat was put together was making it so appealing. I went home and ordered two hats from their website after looking at their designs.

Profound Aesthetic was established in 2008 in New Jersey. The creators wanted to deliver visually appealing pieces while also having a meaningful inspiration behind it. They have inspirations drawn from American history and culture, historical artifacts and iconic individuals. The general feel anyone would get from their items is that they pay attention to very small details. They take great pride in their product.

Visions and Victories (2014 Collection)

Visions and Victories (2014) Lookbook.

Now more than ever, Profound Aesthetic comes back with a collection that pays even more attention to the small details of a product.

Left: The American Aviator Hooded Parka Jacket in Khaki Tan. Smaller photos: Various clothes pieces.

Americana: A main feature of a lot of the products in this line is the flag of the thirteen colonies. The first original colonies are Profound Aesthetic's way of expressing their origins in New Jersey. The Americana theme is felt throughout the collection because of the cultural references to many different eras in American culture.

Sports Inspirations: Sticking with the general theme of Americana, Profound Aesthetic's creators draw inspiration in the things they enjoy. The football jerseys are made with top quality which could be felt with its weight. Iconic figures and designs are featured in their graphic t-shirts.

Profound Aesthetic, to say the least, is one big, beautiful paradox. Minimalistic designs with a maximum amount of detail. Historical references with a modern approach.

Special thanks to Kristina for giving us her time to answer our questions about their products. Check out their website at www.profoundaesthetic.com.

Bonus: Photo with the masterminds of Profound.

Event: 2/19/14 Last Day of (capsule)! Wrapping things up.

So here in the last day of the tradeshow me and my associate decided to take many pictures and do an interview of a booth here and there. I accomplished my goal of finally interviewing United By Blue which I was glad because of the environmental involvement of their company. I will actually have a post on them and on various other exhibitors just to showcase their brand and summarize briefly what they are about. The other goal was for Dimitri and I to snap more photos of the event in general just for the viewing pleasure of the followers of the blog, for all of the audience out there to see a little bit of what it was like at the show.

 "Bronx." Apparently.

Dimitri (center) along with the Profound's Steven and Kristina.

 Since Dimitri and I were fans of the Profound Aesthetic booth, he wanted to do a small dance video to showcase their brand and we were actually successful in doing that and I was very happy because it was just quite surreal that we met one of my favorite designers and got to show them appreciation and support. Their booth, among many others I will have spotlights for were some of the most approachable and friendly people there and I cannot stress that enough because some booths or exhibits were hard to approach and when we ask to take a picture of their exhibit they refused. Although, we can respect their right to refuse to photos :).

There was a table tennis area we played at.

Walking around.

The Reebok exhibit.

Overall, the show was a fun and strange first time experience. I honestly have never been in such a busy schedule; from taking pictures and asking questions for a few hours, helping out in making a video, and then coming home to moderate this blog on top of being a student and part of the working class. The experience was quite to take on at first with the setting up of the blog and with the shift from tumblr reblogs to actually writing content. People asked, "Who are you? What are you?" and now I can say we are an informative blog and it has just started and everyone has to start at some point, right? There is no shame in hard work indeed.

Event: 2/18/14 Day 2: Las Vegas (capsule), AGENDA, LIBERTY

The Boy London exhibit. Black, white, and gray.

There was no flim-flam in the beginning because the badges and wristbands grant access for all three days which is really great. For the second day of the event, I had planned to just ask a few question to any booth that caught my attention which I will have spotlight posts on those brands later on, probably in the next few days. As for the interviews in general, I found it very easy to speak with companies who were based in America. The other ones I spoke with were very nice and informative as well.

An art exhibit.

Reebok had a booth with free barber services.

There was a crowd that formed at the barber shop area because there were a handful of notable rap artists who were present at the AGENDA/(capsule)/LIBERTY event and on I could name was Rick Ross who passed by. I did not get a picture with him because he was surrounded by entourage, security and people who wanted to snap a photo of or with him. Overall the day was quite productive because of the interview questions I completed and that would be all thanks to the companies that were willing to give me their precious time. Thank for reading, more about the brands/companies soon!