To many denim aficionados, raw denim is considered an art form. Raw denim is essentially jeans in its natural state, protected from the intervention of mankind. As such, it is a reflection of the wearer’s body and possesses the unique ability to tell the story the denim has imprinted over the course of time.

Jing Liu has embarked on a journey with his Naked and Famous denim for the last 18 months, which coincidentally enough is roughly the same time Juzd was created. One could argue the very same pair of jeans he has worn every single day has chronicled the journey Juzd has taken.

I’ve never been a sneakerhead. When all my friends were in school collecting sneakers I was collecting baseball cards. I guess it was the wrong move. The only kicks I really like are Pumas and never really understood high end designers like Prada and D&G. But when I cam across HeyDay in Las Vegas last August I was an instant fan. Tried to get the designer Darin to sell me the sample but he said “No, you’ll have to wait, this is coming out in Spring”. I was referring to the purple blue Cobra skin mid top sneaker which was their showcase piece.

There is something classy and sleek about these babies. The are not over the top like D&G‘s and Prada’s kicks and yet they are not for the runner that wears Nike and they are not for the skaters that wear Converse Chuck Taylor’s. They are for the new breed of fashion forward people…like me. It’s spring time and the collection is out, I’ll give a shout to Darin and see if he can send me a pair, too bad they aren’t available in Canada.

To many denim aficionados, raw denim is considered an art form. Raw denim is essentially a pair of jeans in its natural state, protected from the intervention of human hands. It is a reflection of the wearer’s body and possesses the unique ability to tell the story the denim has imprinted through the test of time.

Jing Liu has embarked on a journey with his Naked and Famous denim for the last 18 months, which coincidentally is roughly the same time Juzd has been around. One could argue these jeans has chronicled the journey Juzd has taken.

Below you will find the video documentary to how to wash your jeans the proper way while minimizing the loss of indigo. Washing raw denim allows you to remove the dirt, grime, sweat, and stains that have accumulated which will preserve the life of the denim.

Part 1

Part 2

Washing Instructions:

1. Fill tub with lukewarm water.
2. Add a small amount of laundry detergent. I recommend Woolite Dark for minimizing indigo loss.
3. Place jeans into bath tub turned inside out if you prefer. Move around in water to loosen up any dirt and grime.
4. Rinse jeans with clean water until soap is gone.
5. Hang to air dry.

Before The Wash

After The Wash

Founded by Paul Budnitz in 2002, Kidrobot has quickly become the most sought after and well recognized designer of vinyl designer toys and apparel. Aside from having an easy to navigate online store, they have retail locations across New York, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Miami Beach, and even a bar/lounge at Circa nightclub in Toronto.

By time he reached high school Paul Budnitz was already coding safety analysis software for nuclear power plants. On the side, he was creating video games for the Commodore 64. He later enrolled in Yale for photography, film, and sculpture. While still in college, he started his first business venture creating clothing for museums which eventually evolved to modifying Levi’s vintage clothing and popular sneakers.

Fast forward to 1997, he caught on to the latest technology at the time which were the MiniDiscs by Sony. He would hack MD players and sell them through his website Minidisco.com which was coded by himself and would eventually sell for $7 million in 2001.

With his new found wealth and perhaps sheer coincidence, he stumbled upon the art of edgy vinyl toys that were originating from Japan and China. He was able to identify these toys as a form of popular art and included the passions he enjoyed in life: music, fine arts, fashion, cartoons, and graffiti. By integrating all the elements that he loved in life, this became the framework for Kidrobot.

The most appealing aspect of Kidrobot’s toys have to do with the plethora of unique artists that they collaborate with. Artists from all walks of life have collaborated with Kidrobot. Here are some that stands out:

Huck Gee – Meet Shiro Kidninja the 7″ assassin

David Flores x Disney: Probably my favourite piece its Thumper from Bambi

Burton – A collection of ski jacket, pants, and snowboard

Amanda Visell – One of the most detailed pieces the Wooden Donkey Dunny

eBoy

Colette

Krink

Frank Kozik

Tarina Tarantino – Jewelery collection

Takashi Murakami – Prolific contemporary Japanese artist

Tado – Famed UK duo

Lacoste – An exclusive set of 3 shoes that is paired with a Kidrobot toy

Playboy – Miss November 1978

When you read up on Paul Budnitz’s accomplishments and his philosphy in the way he conducts business, you will be inspired by his words of wisdom. One of my favourite quotes is:

“The other secret is not to be afraid of doing something stupid because, if it wasn’t stupid, everyone would be doing it. Kidrobot is without a doubt the stupidest, riskiest thing I’ve ever done, which means it’ll probably be the most successful and most exciting.”

Paul’s willingness to take risk has paid off as Kidrobot has quickly become one of the most internationally recognized brand. Coined as the father of designer toys, Paul Budnitz has been able to launch his own apparel line with Swizz Beatz along with being inducted in the Museum of Modern Arts. No easy feat considering Kidrobot has only been around for 8 years. Kidrobot continues to push the envelope, refusing to settle with the status quo. They are able to create edgy designs with this mantra:

“Limited edition, for me, has to do with how big a risk we can take with a design. The riskier the design, the smaller the edition because then we have to please fewer people to sell the toy. What an awesome concept!”

Last week we introduced to you the Top 10 Streetwear Sites you should check out for your latest fashion needs. Today we will talk about lifestyle magazines you should check out to stay current with the latest technology, fashion, hot women, and of course maintaining your health. You will also be able to find out what is Jing Liu’s favourite magazine to read. Read more to find out!

1. Maxim Magazine

The most coveted men’s lifestyle magazine featuring the hottest ladies gracing each month’s cover. Featuring topics ranging from technology, women, sports, sex, and comedy you’ll find the variety of topics enough to satisfy your craving. My favourite column is of course the Hometown Hotties. Check out the 2009 winners to see if you’re neighbour is on it.

2. GQ

Short for Gentlemen’s Quarterly, a lifestyle magazine focused on fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books. Now that winter is upon us full force, you should definitely read the article on Best Winter Essentials, staying warm while still looking cool.

3. Rolling Stone

Featuring some of the most iconic musical artist of every generation this magazine is devoted to music, politics, and popular culture. Be sure to check out the article on Go Inside The Battle Over Global Warming on how to do your part.

4. Vibe

A music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. Check out the most anticipated 2010 Albums and see if you’re agree with Canadian native Drake being #1 on the list.

5. Esquire

The very meaning of Esquire is to denote social class and this lifestyle magazine offers nothing less. Known for printing on an over sized magazine with glossy paper, you will find unconventional topics gracing its pages. To check out some pretty ladies, be sure to read the Women We Love section.

6. Nylon Guys

A lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel. The name Nylon derives from the magazine’s often featured articles featuring New York and London

7. Vice

Not to be confused with Vibe magazine, this edgy and controversial magazine features content ranging from sex, drugs, violence, crime, and social issues. They have an interesting column on fashion DOs and DON’Ts that you should definitely check out to stay fresh.

8. Men’s Health

The men’s guide to fitness, sex, women, workouts, weight loss, health, nutrition and muscle building. You should check out this month’s article on the best and worst cities for guys. We love this lifestyle magazine best for the recipes, delicious recipes, easy to make and healthy!

9. Men’s Vogue

Men’s Vogue is a twice yearly men’s magazine that covers fashion, design, art, culture, sports and technology.

10. Antenna

Considered a niche magazine by all accounts, this is Jing Liu’s favourite magazine to read. The content you will find mirrors that of which you will find in an Asian pop magazine. It features content ranging from upcoming clothes and shoes from your favourite brands to lifestyle and popular culture. Jing loves the section where they show all the graphic tees, tons and tons of them!

Let’s face it, keeping up with the latest fashion trends and newest releases can be a hassle. But if you want to stay one step ahead of the game, take a look at some of these sites. This is my list of the top 10 must read streetwear sites.

1. www.hypebeast.com

A conglomeration for all your everyday needs. While there is a strong focus on clothing and sneakers, you will find a nice mixture of arts, culture, music, and technology for all your other needs as well.

2. www.complex.com

Provides the latest news in clothing, sneakers, girls, movies, music, and practically everything else you can imagine for your daily dose of lifestyle news.

3. http://denimology.co.uk/

A blog dedicated to denim aficionados. Whether you’re into raw denim or a vintage distressed pair of jeans, I’m sure you’ll find something here that perks your curiosity. They tend to have photos of celebrities and they let you know where to cop the particular pair of jeans they’re rocking.

4. http://tokyofashion.com/

A very interesting site that separates itself from the rest of the pack. While it provides the latest feature in Japanese fashion, my favourite aspect of the site is the Street Snaps section. There you will find random people on the streets of Tokyo and a description of all the latest fashion items they are sporting.

5. http://www.superfuture.com/

Provides maps for various cities around the world. Extremely helpful if you’re planning a trip aboard and want to know where are the best places for dining and shopping. There is also a message board filled with a strong community of individuals who are fashion conscious.

6. http://www.osakanines.com

Provides apparel advice from top to bottom and all the accessories you’ll need. A different approach to your traditional blogs who tend to feed you the same needs. Instead you’ll find a wide array of articles written by the blogger which ranges from raw denim progression to interesting tidbits from across the globe. For more information on raw denim, you can check out Jing Liu’s encounter with Naked & Famous founder.

7. http://bbcicecream.com/blog/

Billionaire Boys Club’s Official Blog. A great escape from reality where you’ll find the latest in technological wonders, architectural marvels, art, music and of course all news related to Pharrell.

8. http://www.upscaleswagger.com/

Upscale Swagger, is a lifestyle of higher living. Upscale Swagger features items on Fashion, Music, Movies, Celebrities, Cars, Real Estate, and other Luxuries.

9. http://stylecrave.com/

Focused more on the luxury lifestyle and clothing, provides a refreshing outlook on the fashion world from a different perspective.

10. http://a-man-fashion.blogspot.com/

A fashion focused on the writing styles of articles for those seeking that polished and refined look. A great place to spot all the latest fashion trends.

Naked & Famous Denim are the best rated in quality and value by JUZD Lead Designer, Jing Liu. Offering premium denim and the latest innovation in fabric technology is the driving force behind the Naked & Famous labels’ success. As the exclusive producer of ‘Silk Denim’, a rare and unique blended fabric originating from Japan, than brought to Canada to be produced into jeans.