Drake And Nike Announce NOCTA Fashion Line

After years of working together, collaborating on different sneaker projects, Drake and Nike have officially announced a new collaborative partnership called NOCTA.

Following Drake’s Certified Lover Boy merch, NOCTA represents Drake’s nocturnal creative process as well as the streetwear scenes of Toronto, London and Paris. In addition to announcing the collection, the Toronto native penned an open letter explaining his inspiration for the project.

This moment is full circle for me.

I mean, growing up Nike was everything. It felt like every shoe I wanted, every athlete I liked, everything I owned was Nike. It didn’t mean anything unless it had a Swoosh.

I remember watching all these athletes repping Nike — each doing the unthinkable — and how inspiring it was. I always felt like there was an opportunity for Nike to embrace an entertainer the same way they had athletes. I thought about how crazy it would have been and what it would have meant for an artist to have a flagship Nike deal.

NOCTA is a realization of all these thoughts and everything I had hoped for — from the culture it’s rooted in to the product and, most important, to the partnership and scale that allows me to share it with the world.

NOCTA is about creating something for people on the move. People who want functional, comfortable fits that are adaptable from one environment to the next.

But as much as it’s about what we make, it’s also about a mindset: an unforgiving drive, a relentlessness. Characterized by the type who are on the road all day, all night — the grinders, the hard workers — trying to accomplish their goals and taking no short cuts.

That mindset also includes loyalty and team. Whether you are in Toronto, London or Paris, there’s this uniform look — Nike Tech Fleece, the gloves, the hat — and it has a real team feel. I wanted to take a piece of that culture that I grew up with, that school of thought, and bring the best to it. With NOCTA, we were trying to make the hardest jacket, the hardest tracksuit, the hardest gloves. Just the best of that world.

This opportunity is something that I’ve been waiting on for a really long time. To be associated with the highest level possible — that was always my goal. We put in a lot of hard work, a lot of man and woman hours, during the last two years. To see it all coming to fruition starts an exciting new chapter in my life.

Head over to the NOCTA website for more info and expect this collaborative effort to release at Nike on December 18.

Advertisement

Virgil Abloh, Heron Preston And Others Design T-Shirts To Support Underprivileged Miami Neighborhoods

To kick off Miami Art Week 2020, the Design Miami/ Design District will feature numerous contemporary pieces inside the iconic Moore Building. One of the standouts for Miami Art Week 2020 will be the “Our Lives in T-Shirts” project which will be accompanied by an installation directed by architect Emmett Moore.

The “Our Lives in T-Shirts” presentation will showcase over 50 graphic tees designed by a who’s who among creatives such as Virgil Abloh, Kunle Martins, Lucien Smith, Heron Preston, Cat Power, Procell, LunchMoney Lewis, Andrew Skate Shop and more. Purchasing options for the tees are available in the Moore Building or online here for $30 USD.

Proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go to a worthy cause in support of Village (Free)dge which is a charity that provides food and other essentials for the underprivileged living in Miami. The “Our Lives in T-Shirts” project also accepts non-perishable food like canned goods as well donating digitally via $villagepantry on Cash App.

Moore Building
191 NE 40th St.
Miami, FL 33137

Drake Teases Second Nike Collaboration + Release Date

Drake and Nike will once again join forces on another apparel collection. With his latest video Laugh Now Cry Later practically being a Nike ad and even showed some scenes taking place at Nike HQ, one could only speculate that a collection would be dropping soon. Drizzy took to Instagram to tease the second collection that would be releasing in December, leaving many to speculate exactly what it would consist of.

The Drake x Nike drop is slated for a December 18 release. Check back for more.

Supreme x Timberland Show Off Their Fall/Winter 2020 Collaboration

Following news of Supreme being acquired by VF Corporation, the streetwear/ skate brand has unveiled its latest collaboration with Timberland.

This collaboration will focus primarily on the legendary and iconic 6-Inch Premium Waterproof Boot. This New York classic boot will come in three colorways exclusively for Supreme. Under the watchful eye of Timberland, the revamped 6-Inch Premium Waterproof Boot will come in a premium nubuck upper that is marked by the two logos of Timberland and Supreme, respectively. A hangtag is also featured on the boot that will hold both company’s branding along with 400 grams of PrimaLoft insulation and leather lining.

The Supreme x Timberland FW20 collaboration releases globally on Supreme’s website on November 12 in the United States and November 14 in Japan.

Virgil Abloh Gives Out “Free Game” With Mentorship Series

Releasing today on Virgil Abloh’s website is the Off-White creator’s “Free Game” mentorship series. This series is an extension of Abloh’s Post-Modern Scholarship initiative, resulting in the designer creating a scholarship for Black creatives.

The “Free Game” series is free of charge and features a dedicated webpage of several YouTube links Abloh has chosen relating to the process of starting a brand. The result hopes to encourage a greater initiative to “supply Black students an education in fashion.”

Abloh has really taken the ball in being more vocal when it comes to social justice issues and has even pushed for increasing voter turnout. Check out some of the videos and head back to FRESHFLYFUTURE for more.

Levi’s Launches Denim Buyback Service Called “SecondHand”

Levi’s has launched Levi’s SecondHand in the U.S. which is a new buyback program tailored to be more eco-friendly. This new program will allow customers to receive gift cards of equal value for trade-in used pieces. Clothes go into a cleaning process once they’re received and then can be repurposed for sale on the company’s website.

“Repurposing and repairing clothes require minimal additional energy input, no water, and no dyes to make more jeans. Buying a used pair of Levi’s jeans through SecondHand saves approximately 80 percent of the CO2 emissions and 700 grams of waste compared to buying a new pair of Levi’s jeans.”

Chief Marketing Officer of Levi’s Jennifer Sey

Levi’s brought E-commerce tech start-up TROVE in to handle the logistics of the operation as well as the backend. TROVE founder and CEO Andy Ruben expressed excitement for how implementing an infrastructure for second-hand clothing was “the single biggest move” that a supply chain could embody for better sustainability.

Visit Levi’s SecondHand at the company’s website. Prices range from $30 – $150 USD.

Virgil Abloh Wants To Encourage Voter Turnout With “Swing States” Shirts

The United States’ presidential election is right around the corner and Virgil Abloh is doing his part in encouraging voter turnout with his “Swing State” T-shirts. The tees come courtesy of his canary—yellow label and will consist of 13 states in total. The tees feature the “I Voted” graphic on the front which looks like the stickers the polls give out once you vote. The back of the shirts denote the respective state with a blue shade on the map of the US.

The 13 “swing states” represented by each shirt are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. These are the key states that Democratic nominee Joe Biden need to win in order to beat the current President.

Made-in-Mexico tee and constructed of 50% upcycled cotton and 50% recycled polyester, these tees are constructed from five plastic bottles and .26 pounds of fabric scraps which saves 63 gallons of water. Also of note, 100% of the proceeds from each tee will be donated to Virgil Abloh’s Post-Modern Scholarship Fund, aiding Black students in their creative careers.

These tees are available for pre-order on the canary—yellow webstore for $55 USD.

HUF Worldwide Founder, Keith Hufnagel Has Died At 46

In sad news, HUF Worldwide founder, Keith Hufnagel has died following a brain cancer battle. Hufnagel’s death has definitely sat the skateboarding and streetwear world on its head.

Keith “HUF” Hufnagel was in the midst of a two year battle with the disease and unfortunately succumbed to it with his wife, Mariellen, friends and children by his side.

We are absolutely heartbroken to deliver the news today that HUF founder Keith Hufnagel has passed away. Keith battled brain cancer for the past 2.5 years. And though he beat the odds and fought back much longer than his diagnosis permitted, he ultimately and unfortunately lost the fight.

Keith was not only the “HUF”nagel in HUF. He was the heart and soul of this brand. He built and brought together a community of people like no one else could.

Keith paved the way for all of us – as a respected professional skateboarder, shop owner, brand founder, footwear and apparel designer, creative director, and industry leader. He showed us how to do it, and how do it right.

Keith loved skateboarding and the culture around it. He did things his way and did them for the right reasons. He inspired so many of us across the globe.

But above anything else, Keith loved and supported the people around him. He would do anything for his friends, family and children. He passionately wanted to see others succeed. And we all loved him for it.

Keith’s legacy will continue to live on at HUF. Today, tomorrow and forever.

Rest in peace, Keith.

Kim Jones Replaces The Late Karl Lagerfeld At Fendi

Kim Jones will soon earn the name of “the hardest working man in fashion” after the recent news of being the late Karl Lagerfeld’s replacement at Fendi. Jones will also remain posted at Dior Men serving dual roles at two of the most iconic fashion houses in the world.

The two fashion brands are both housed in the LVMH stable and Kim Jones will still serve as men’s creative director at Dior as well as artistic director over womenswear, haute couture, and fur at Fendi.

Although well-deserved, Jones’s appointment at Fendi comes with criticism as no nonwhite individual was considered in an already majority white industry. When asked by New York Times fashion director and critic Vanessa Friedman about the consideration of a nonwhite candidate, Berluti CEO and LVMH communications head Antoine Arnault stated that none was considered and the decision was made far in advance.

Despite the road bumps, Kim Jones brings to Fendi a long list of high-end clientele including celebrities and supermodels. Look for his debut at the fall 2021 show in Milan next February.

Burberry Unveils Antimicrobial Face Masks

Burberry has joined the crusade to create face masks for the on-going pandemic. The masks combine the iconic Burberry check pattern with antimicrobial technology. Each face mask is made from revalued fabric, and will come in either “Archive Beige” or “Pale Blue” colorway.

Materials of the masks have been enhanced using antimicrobial technology and provide Particle Filtration Efficiency. A matching travel pouch that is also equipped with antimicrobial technology accompanies each mask.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each mask will be donated to the Burberry Foundation COVID-19 Community Fund. The Burberry Foundation COVID-19 Community Fund provides PPE and works with food banks and healthcare charities globally.

Check out the Burberry web store for buying options for the masks which are priced at £90 GBP (approximately $118 USD).