MisShapes: An Interview

We've just met Geordon Nicol & Leigh Lezark last Thursday night at Payon and they're totally super awesome! They were playing last Friday @ Budha Bar - BLACKOUT'S 2ND BIRTHDAY BASH on last Friday. Yes, we're so glad to be able to hang out with them here, so sit tight and enjoy this interview.

Can you tell a bit story about how did you all meet together?
Leigh Lezark: We met just in New York in a party.
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, when we were 17, we're going out to clubs and bars and we met actually in a place where we had MisShapes.

And it was on the East Village, right?
Geordon Nicol: Yup!
Leigh Lezark: Yeah!
So, where's Greg?
Geordon Nicol: He's in New York, he has to DJ in New York. So because we work in so many different places, it's good we have 3 people because one person can be here and another people in another country. So, yeah, we're too busy to all be together.
Leigh Lezark: But we missed him, and he sends his love.

Alright, cool! So, another question. Do you like the Indonesian food?
Geordon Nicol & Leigh Lezark: Yeah, off course!

How's the humidity here?
Geordon Nicol: It's fine. it doesn't bother us. Well, New York is really really humid in the summer.
Leigh Lezark: But it's really really cold right now, so it's nice have a break.

How was your gig in Japan? Was it last night?
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, well, but it wasn't like a "gig", like we went to japan just to see friends. and then our friends owns the bar "labour on" in tokyo. so, we're just going to that bar every night and DJ-ing and just having fun with the people. It was good, and we were there for 5 days.

Only in Tokyo?
Leigh Lezark: No, we went to Kyoto for a day.
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, to see the temple and some old houses

I just knew that you were originally from Canada, right? Tell us a story about that.
Geordon Nicol: Yes, I came to NY because I hate living in Canada. It was very boring and it was near Toronto. Yeah, really really boring in Canada. I mean there's fun things there in Toronto and Montreal, there's a good scene there now but for me when I was like 16 I was going crazy living in Canada and I want something bigger, something better, so I just move to New York City.



And what about you Leigh?
Leigh Lezark: I came from New Jersey, it's about an hour and a half from new york. and since i was like 13 - 14 I've been take the bus and spent the whole night in New York and then take the next bus and go to school. So, the day i graduated in high school I know that's the place where I want it to be.

What are you wearing now, Leigh?
Leigh Lezark: Dior

Love it!

How about you Geordon?
Geordon Nicol: Balenciaga

So, what's your favorite designer?
Geordon Nicol: Karl Lagerfeld
Leigh Lezark: Karl Lagerfeld
Geordon Nicol: Well, Lagerfeld and another, Jeremy Scott. We love Jeremy. He's a friend of ours and Henry Holland, and we love Dior obviously. Kris van Assche is great, Sonia Rykiel and a brand from New York that we love called Obesity and Speed.

There's a rumour that you only wear Opening Ceremony?
Leigh Lezark: Hahaha...
Geordon Nicol: No, the people who own opening ceremony are really good friends of ours, and so, we shop a lot at opening ceremony. I mean, they're one of the best store in New York, and now LA and Tokyo as well, so their store is amazing. They carry amazing independent designers.
Leigh Lezark: Their own label is great too
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, their own label is great.

What's your favorite drink / liquor?
Geordon Nicol & Leigh Lezark: Vodka & Diet Coke!

So, what's your favorite city?
Leigh Lezark: New York, hahaha.
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, New York. Haha. Well, we love Spain.
Leigh Lezark: Yeah, the parties in Barcelona are amazing.
Geordon Nicol: And we love Mexico City. Mexico City is the best place to shop.
Leigh Lezark: Well, we love Tokyo as well.
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, we've been to China as well
Leigh Lezark: well, we've only been in Jakarta for like 3 hours, but it's been great so far.

What about London?
Geordon Nicol: hmmm, London's boring

Really?
Geordon Nicol: London is too...hmmm...well, i find nothing organic about London. But yeah, we work a lot in London, it's fun to go and we have a lot of friends there but as far as cities around the world, there are much better cities than London to go to. Mexico City is really a cool city to go to. For shopping, Mexico City is the best. The flea market are amazing. Really cheap and really good.
Leigh Lezark: Yeah, and we love Barcelona
Geordon Nicol: Yeah, the food, the people, the parties are amazing in Barcelona. Well, I'd rather be here in Jakarta than in London for sure. The thing about London is too thought out, when here people are more original. Like I look around on certain people, I prefer for the fashion sense of people here in Jakarta than in London for sure.



And how long are you gonna stay in Jakarta?
Geordon Nicol: 3 days, and then we go to Singapore and then Bali, then we go to San Francisco for the Channel event.
Leigh Lezark: And then we'll go to New York for like 3 days, Miami and then we have to go to Turkey after that.

About the Misshapes book, who's the photographer?
Geordon Nicol: Oh many people.
Leigh Lezark: Yeah, many people
Geordon Nicol: The photos on our website & in the book have been taken by me, by Leigh and by Greg. We also have 2 photographers that are friends of ours. In the book there's also photos from Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Mark from Cobra Snake, and also tons of different people. But most of the photos was taken by us.
Leigh Lezark: All of the wall photos was taken by us.

Any plan for another Misshapes book? Maybe photos from people around the world?
Leigh Lezark: Yeah, maybe.
Geordon Nicol: Maybe another book, yeah. And yes, we're taking photos tomorrow.

Awesome! Yes, so I guess we'll gonna hang out at Casa after this and tomorrow at Budha Bar for sure.

It Was A Style Developed Out Of Necessity.

Some of you might have heard the name Max Schaaf, or maybe you recognize it from some old skate video you used to watch. Max, like a lot of us, wasn't blessed with a fat bank account when he discovered bikes. And like most people who figure out how to get what they want with as little out of pocket expense as possible, what Max lacked in cash flow he more than made up for in ingenuity. So he started with a beat-up basket case bike, and with some serious horse trading skills and some natural mechanical ability, turned it into a really cool bike. It didn't take long for the "skinny skater kid" to become a familiar face at all of the bike swap meets in the Bay Area. Pretty soon he went from being known as "the skinny skater kid" to "Max with the really cool Shovelhead."

Read the interview they did on him here!




Photography by Scott Pommier
Via Street Chopper

Coachella 2009

RockersNYC captured Coachella 2009. Here's some flicks from the event. For the full story, head over here to see how RockersNYC captured the Coachella x-perience.

RockersNYC - S/S 09: The Church of the Rad Mind

RockersNYC is proud to present the worldwide release of their Spring/Summer 2009 collection, the Church of the Rad Mind!!! To celebrate this release, their universal tribe of homies joined them @ the ALTER! If you don’t know now you know, RockersNYC SPRING/SUMMER 2009 in stores now!!! Don't forget to see more images here.

Sophomore: Interview with Chrissie Miller

Sophomore is a New York City label founded by Chrissie Miller in 2003. After received a growing amount of demand among celebrities and retailers, she's teaming up with designer Madeleine von Froomer, who recently worked for Proenza Schouler. Sophomore has expanded its offerings from a single tshirt to a full contemporary New York vibe collection. We really like the look of this brand. It has a real simple edgy downtown attitude. They are timeless. Anyway, here's our interview with Chrissie Miller and see what she told us.

HPDC: Tell us about your background and main interests.

Chrissie: I grew up in New York City on the Upper East Side (very gossip girl), went to private schools. I then went to art school and studied film, art and sociology. After school I wanted to be a graphic designer, so I experimented with making graphic t-shirts for my friends, which is how Sophomore began.

HPDC: Tell us a little bit about the early days of Sophomore - how did you get things started?

Chrissie: I made some shirts for some friends and my friend Charlotte Ronson sold them at her store. A friend of mine wrote about them and we got lots of store orders, so it became a job. Last year I wanted to expand the line in to a full sportswear collection. I met Madeleine von Froomer, who was designing at Proenza Schooler at the time. She was a perfect fit.

HPDC: How did you get your label off the ground?

Chrissie: It was very organic, we expanded as we grew. We stared with one t-shirt and as we sold them we made more and more and so on...

HPDC: When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?

Chrissie: I've always had a passion for fashion! It was something I was always doing but not really realizing i was doing it, sewing clothes remixing vintage dresses, making t-shirts. I think it found me.




HPDC: How would you describe your work?

Chrissie: I am never not work! I work all the time, even when I'm not at work I'm thinking of ideas, researching, looking at other designers. Always looking for inspiration.

HPDC: Tell me about you S / S 09 collection? What can we see from Sophomore next season?

Chrissie: Spring is very bright and sexy. Lots of cut out and zippers!

HPDC: Who are the coolest designers at present?

Chrissie: Balenciaga, YSL, Balmain

HPDC: What is your typical day like?

Chrissie: I wake up late, like 10am. Get to work by 10:30 (I live a few block from my office). Work until I'm done which can be 6, 7 or 8. Go home, there are usually always people hanging out at my house which is nice to come home to. Then I go out to dinner with friends and maybe go out or just watch Oprah and pass out.



HPDC: So what music are you listening to at the moment?

Chrissie: The Virgins, The Kings of Leon, Lissy Trullie, The Doors

HPDC: Where can we usually find you in NYC?

Chrissie: On my couch or at Lit, its close to my house so I go a lot!

HPDC: Any last words?

Chrissie: Go out and VOTE!!!




Don't forget to see the entire Sophomore Fall 08 Collection here.

Andreas Lonn

Andreas Lonn is a Swedish London-based shoe designer that makes gothic shoes, designs sculpturally, claims not to like feet and collaborated with Charles Anastase. Having just graduated from Cordwainers College, Andreas Lonn currently works as a shoe designer and is recognized as a fashion icon as well as being the muse of Lotta Skeletrix. You can read his interview here.

Obesity & Speed: S/S 09 - Interview with Lyz Olko

Obesity and Speed was born in a small basement apartment in New York City four years ago, its creators two best friends who needed little sleep and had a shared desire to create something special. You might remember Obesity and Speed as the line with the rocking Misfit sweater dresses or perhaps as the line that made even cooler gloves than Chanel or the one of a kind stagewear for the british band The Horrors. Anyway, we're so tremendously happy having this interview with one of our favorite label. Well, enjoy this interview with the one and only, Lyz Olko of Obesity and Speed, as well as their latest S/S 09 Collection modelled by the 18-year-old aspiring actress, Isabelle McNally.

HPDC: Who is Obesity & Speed?
Lyz Olko: Obesity and Speed is an idea sprung from the restless minds and hands of two best friends, Lyz Olko and Josh Conner.

HPDC: Where do you come from?
Lyz Olko: New York City based

HPDC: How did you come up with the name for the brand? What's the deal with the name?
Lyz Olko: The name “Obesity and Speed” is derived from song lyrics of a punk band that Josh and I both were fans of when we were younger. The name, contrary to popular belief, is not a play on fashion’s standard of beauty, regarding weight and whatnot. It’s intended to be humorous without any serious underlying commentary.




HPDC: What jobs did you do before Obesity & Speed?
Lyz Olko: There was no "before" Obesity and Speed

HPDC: What made you decide to start Obesity & Speed? How did it all start?
Lyz Olko: Idea came from dreams and nightmares, need for little sleep, and desire to create something special

HPDC: How would you describe Obesity & Speed?
Lyz Olko: Our aesthetic is constantly evolving but firmly rooted in the darker side of things. The graphics are mostly hand-drawn or assorted from photographs and other images. As for the pieces themselves, our technique has definitely improved since its inception. We’re moving away from deconstructed pieces into more finished garments, and experimenting with new prints and colors.

HPDC: What is your design process? Where do you take inspiration from?
Lyz Olko: We take inspiration from many things, most are private and special to us, but most of all from each other.



HPDC: Could you tell us about your 'Nothing Sacred' S/S 09 Collection?
Lyz Olko: The Nothing Sacred collection is a special women's collection we are doing with Urban Outfitters. It consists of dresses, sweatshirts, graphic tanks and tees. Many of our signature silhouettes are included in the collection, such as our tie back tank top and variations on our braided tops and dresses. Each garment also comes with 3 graphic pins. It has been an amazing experience so far working on this collection, as it has enabled us to reach more people than ever before.

HPDC: And what can we expect to see the next Obesity & Speed S/S 09 Collection?
Lyz Olko: It is online now! check it out here!



HPDC: What music do you listen to?
Lyz Olko: What we listen to is secret............

HPDC: Is there any person that inspires you?
Lyz Olko: Each other

HPDC: What are your feelings towards New York City?
Lyz Olko: Time for change

HPDC: Tell me about some of your favorite things right now?
Lyz Olko: At home sewing listening to music....changing of the seasons...........movies

HPDC: Any plans for the future?
Lyz Olko: We’re working right now to grow the business. We’ve collaborated with Earnest Sewn, Oak, Nylon, and most recently with Urban Outfitters, creating a women’s collection entitled Nothing Sacred. We started out in our apartment. In the next few years we’ll definitely be outgrowing this initial stage. We still print and sew most things ourselves out of our apartment as well. We have an extremely hands-on approach to our label. It’s our baby, and we like to be involved in every aspect of its “life”.

HPDC: What's your vision?
Lyz Olko: Our vision for Obesity & Speed is to continue to grow both creatively and as a business. We’d love to branch out further into other things as well. We are also very lucky to be able to work with many of our good friends, and we always want it to be that way.

HPDC: Last words?
Lyz Olko: Last words for the people of Indonesia, thanks for supporting Obesity and Speed!!!

Many thanks to Lyz Olko and Josh Conner. We love you guys!



Look the entire Obesity and Speed S/S 09 Collection and buy through their online store here.