Ross Dwyer, Author at Kicks-1-2

Starting Five: KicksOneTwo Founder & Editor Ross Dwyer (Part 3)

June 12, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

It’s that time again. Summer is upon us, and with the warm weather comes an entirely new sneaker rotation. I checked in at the beginning of fall last year to show you what I was rocking…and now the rotation has completely switched up, so a new Starting Five is in order. Here’s everything I’m going to be rocking heavy this summer. And yes, there’s some dirt and grime on some of them. They’re being rocked. Wear your shoes (word to Mayor). Let’s get it. read more

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Photo Recap: ITS Fest

June 11, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

This past Thursday, ITS Fest took place at Gallery 13 in downtown Minneapolis. Photographers, designers, artists, and writers from all over the city came together to celebrate the arrival of summer, soak up the good vibes, listen to music…and last but not least, eat some Cane’s. Here’s everything that went down at the event, in photos.

dj blue

DJ JRed made sure the vibes were right, as he spun everything from Chief Keef to A$AP Rocky.

The crowd was ready to get turnt.

It wasn’t just a DJ set either. Several rappers took their turns blessing the mic. read more

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Giving Back: Create Karma Is Doing Their Part

June 10, 2016June 10, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

Create Karma. A brand for creatives and innovators. A brand that promotes positive vibes and good karma. A brand with clean designs and a signature aesthetic.

Now you can add something else to that list: Create Karma is a brand that lives up to their name by giving back. During fall and winter 2016, they’re aiming to give 800+ beanies to those in need so they can stay warm during the winter months.

How are they going to do that, you might ask? Simple. For every product purchased on their website this summer, a beanie will be earmarked for donation. Instead of donating beanies in bulk to a third party and letting them handle the distribution, Create Karma is taking a more hands-on approach. With the support of Visionary MFG, Create Karma will be taking to the streets in major U.S. cities and distributing the beanies by hand to those in need. read more

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The 5 Best Supreme x The North Face Collabs

June 9, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

Some things just go together. Peanut butter and jelly. KicksOneTwo readers and fire jawnz. Supreme and North Face. When the two titans of industry, one of street culture and the other of performance outerwear come together, you already know it’s bound to be something dope. There’s a lot of history between the two brands, as they’ve been collaborating since F/W 2007, and a proper ranking of the collabs is in order…so today we’re bringing you the 5 best Supreme x North Face collabs. Let’s get it. read more

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The Case For The Jordan Pinnacle Line

June 8, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

The Jordan Pinnacle line. A point of contention among many sneakerheads. Some love the high-fashion twist and premium materials on their favorite Jordan models. Others think paying $400 retail for a Jordan shoe is outrageous, and that the high-fashion shoes should be left to high-fashion brands.

We’re of the first school of thought. We’re big supporters of the Jordan Pinnacle line. We think it’s a dope concept, and that putting a high-fashion twist on classic silhouettes is a great idea, and we’ve got a few reasons why, so pull up a chair and put your reading glasses on. read more

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This Thursday: ITS Fest at Gallery 13

June 7, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

Summer’s almost fully upon us. Those of us who are still in school are done for the year (congratulations to all the recent graduates!), and those of us who aren’t are ready to get in full summer mode. Thankfully for both parties, there’s a perfect early-summer event this Thursday at Gallery 13 in downtown Minneapolis.

ITS Fest (Intro To Summer if you were wondering) is an event that’s by artists, for artists. The primary purpose of the event is to bring everyone into the summer on a high note, and provide a place for creatives to connect. Are you a photographer? A writer? A designer? An artist? No matter what you are, you’re bound to find like-minded people at ITS Fest. You’ll get a chance to network, meet new people, make connections, and talk about your work, all in a dope venue (if you haven’t been to Gallery 13 before, you’re in for a treat). read more

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Music Mondays: June 6th

June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

If you’re like us, pretty much all you listened to this last week was Gucci Mane to celebrate his release from jail. Thankfully, he blessed us with guest features all week, and some new heat of his own too. Here’s “First Day Out Tha Feds”, produced by none other than Mike WiLL Made-It. Gucci back.

https://soundcloud.com/user-816750376/first-day-out-mix-1-dirty

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The Kith x colette Collab Is Way Too Lit

June 5, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

Ronnie Fieg has done it again.

Nobody has a higher batting average when it comes to collabs than Ronnie and Kith, and they’re pushing their average even farther into the stratosphere with their recent collab with colette.

What exactly is in the collection, you might ask? Two of Ronnie’s Puma favorites. A Disc Blaze (pictured above) and the Blaze Of Glory (notice a theme with the whole “blaze” thing here?). A set of matching summertime apparel (Kith box logo hoodies and tees, jackets, socks, hats…there’s a lot). And a dope portable Beats speaker, just to make sure the accessory side of things isn’t ignored. read more

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Yeezy Season 2 Footwear: Our Thoughts

June 4, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

Yeezy Season is almost upon us.

We’ve gotten a break, gotten refreshed and rejuvenated, and gotten hit with a lot of heat releases from other brands, but that time’s coming up again. That time where the power of Kanye overshadows (for better or worse) everything else in the footwear world. June 6th is the date, and the boots you see above will be dropping, along with 4 different types of women’s heels.

Let’s start off with the boots. Last season’s 950 Boots were a success, as sneakerheads and fashionistas the world over took to the chunky, rugged silhouette. We’re of the opinion that Yeezy Season 2’s Military Crepe Boots (pictured above) will be just as big, if not a bigger success. Sure, the $645 retail price is steep, but has that ever stopped Kanye fans before? Plus, it’s a dope, slim, high-quality boot, with an all-suede upper and a crepe sole. It’s not as chunky as Yeezy Season 1’s boots, and is more acceptable for all-season wear. We’ve got a feeling these will be a massive hit. read more

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Ranking This Weekend’s Jordan Releases

June 3, 2016 by Ross Dwyer

It’s a big weekend for Jordan Brand. They’re dropping 4 (that’s right, 4) shoes…and they’re all bangers. From the re-issue of a classic to a shoe designed for one of the world’s best soccer players, there’s something for everyone…so we decided we’d put a little twist on our usual “Best Sneaker Releases This Weekend” piece, and simply do the best Jordan releases this weekend, as there’s certainly enough of them. Let’s get right to it. read more

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