Point of View

Straight from the heart of Minneapolis: Thoughts and opinions on our culture

The Importance Of The Graphic Tee, A True Streetwear Staple

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Streetwear is an industry in a perpetual state of flux. Trends come and go, tastes evolve and change, and in the last few years the Internet has made what was once a subculture tucked away from the mainstream and only accessible to those “in the know”  available to anyone anywhere in the world with an internet connection and a thirst for knowledge.

However, one thing that’s never lost its place in streetwear is the graphic tee. It’s been integral to the culture since the very first day “streetwear” became a thing (there’s no true answer to when streetwear started – 10 people would likely tell you 10 different origin stories), and still reigns supreme (no pun intended) today. read more


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Killer B’s: Brendon Babenzien and Bee Line Are A Match Made In Heaven

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Brendon Babenzien, the new creative director of Billionaire Boys Club’s Bee Line

Billionaire Boys Club: one of the most well-known and storied brands in streetwear history. Since the brand’s inception in 2005, it’s managed to fuse Japanese and American street culture in an authentic manner that most brands could only dream of, due to Pharrell and Nigo (of Bathing Ape fame)’s unique space-inspired aesthetics.

Pharrell and Nigo wearing BBC and holding their “Diamond and Dollars” collaborative Reebok sneaker

The brand has released several legendary designs (who could forget the classic crest logo or the Diamonds and Dollars print?) and lived many lives since then, and even though it’s significantly more available (and less expensive) than it was when it was founded, BBC still stands strong in 2017 … and is now aiming to revive a mostly forgotten sub-label, their Bee Line. read more


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Kicks For Dummies: A Brief History Of 10 Classic Sneakers

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You’re not into kicks heavy. No judgement. It’s cool. Not everyone is into kicks in the way that you need to be if you want to be up on game in today’s sneaker landscape. Collecting kicks is more than just a hobby … it’s a way of life. Not everyone can stay up to date on the newest releases, enter multiple raffles in the hope of winning a coveted pair, refresh a website over and over again in the hopes of catching a limited drop, or deal with a never-ending release cycle that’s tiring on both their closet space, bank account, and mental state. read more


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I Feel Like We Got Cheated Out Of Fall Fit Season

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It’s cool outside. A little too cool for my tastes. Cooler than a polar bear’s toenails (word to 3 Stacks).

Early November in Minnesota is always chilly, but this year it’s a little different. The temperature has already dipped into the low 30’s, it snowed in October (granted, the snowfall didn’t have the magnitude of the 1991 blizzard, but it still happened), and fall is effectively over. The calendar may say that fall is not officially done until December 21st … but as far as dressing goes, fall is dead and buried six feet under. read more


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Dapper Dan And Gucci: A Truly Iconic Collaboration

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More than any other major industry in the world today, fashion moves in cycles. Styles and trends that are old become new once again with the passage of time, and what’s considered cool one year can be damned to languish in mall chain-store obscurity the very next year until it completely collapses in on itself, and then inexplicably storms back to the forefront of cool yet again, aided by a timely celebrity co-sign or a fierce wave of nostalgia.

It certainly is an interesting time to be following fashion. If “less is more” was a saying most abided by a few years ago when monochromatic, low-key outfits were all the rage in the streets and on the runway, “more is more” would be the perfect way to describe the popular style of the past year-plus. read more


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“Pride” Sneakers: Cultural Statement … Or Good Marketing?

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Sneaker companies love releasing themed collections nowadays. Christmas, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, you name it and there’s probably a sneaker (if not a few) that are released to commemorate the occasion.

One thing sneaker companies love to commemorate is LBGTQ pride. No matter if it’s pride day, weekend, or month, Nike, adidas, and more brands love to release colorful kicks to show their unity with the LBGTQ community. It’s lead to some interesting collabs and some colorful kicks … but we’ve gotta wonder just one thing: are these sneakers a real cultural statement and a show of support, or just some masterful marketing? read more


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The New DMP Pack Celebrates MJ’s Last Championship In Style

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There’s nothing quite like a Jordan DMP pack. Two great shoes in one set celebrating a dope part of Michael Jordan’s career? Yeah, they’re just as much of a winner as they sound like, and the newest DMP release continues that tradition.

It consists of a XIII and and XIV done up in a white/gold and a black/gold colorway to commemorate MJ’s last championship in 1998. Quick backstory for those of you who might not be familiar: Michael wore the XIII’s for the first five games, and then switched to the XIV’s (marking the first time they’d ever been seen by the general public) for the last two. read more


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Transforming Yeezys Into Sandals Is The Worst Thing Takashi Murakami Has Ever Done

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Takashi Murakami is one of the greatest artists of our generation. His sculptures, paintings, and album covers (Kanye West’s Graduation still boasts some of the best album artwork of all time thanks to Takashi-pom) have influenced many, and the mark he’s left on the cultural landscape is nothing short of amazing.

However, with that kind of longevity it was inevitable that he did something less than great sooner or later … and that something that was less than great was a pair of shoes. read more


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The New Balance 990: Not Just For Your Grandad

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There are certain shoes on the market that are going to be associated with older folks off the strength. Shoes that are usually worn with calf-high socks and cargo shorts. Shoes commonly found at retirement homes.

The New Balance 990 is one of those shoes. For most, when you bring it up, they see it as a shoe for old folks. But it’s more than just that.

The 990 is a low-key fashion icon, as strange as that sounds. Everyone from normcore (yes, that’s still a thing) nerds to Lil Uzi Vert (who loves the shoe so much he even rapped “990, that’s the Newbies” in “Canadian Goose” rock the 990’s heavy, and despite what you may think, they’re not a shoe that just belongs in your granddad’s closet. read more


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The Nike SF-AF1 Mid: An Interesting Take On The Original

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The Nike SF-AF1 has become one of our favorite new shoes currently on the market.

But it didn’t start that way. We were iffy at first. We thought they were a bit too Yeezy-esque. We didn’t like the look. But they grew on us. More and more fire colorways kept releasing, and as we saw more street style shoots, we came around on them.

Because of that, we’re more willing to give the new SF-AF1 Mids a chance than we’d normally be. What made the SF-AF1 unique was its super high high top, something that’s not present on the mid. The mid looks like a cross between an AF1 Mid and an AF1 High … so it’s unique to say the very least. The ‘Tiger Camo” pair at the top of this article will be the first colorway to debut, and we’re interested to see what the response will be like. read more


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