A new exhibition at the London Design Museum offers a closer look at the evolution of sneaker design and innovation. … More
Tag: style
KOOK SLAMS: BEER CAN DESIGN INSPIRED BY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT HAS US IN DRUNKEN STITCHES!
Kook Slams, the beer. For real, it’s here! It’s a limited edition I.P.A. from Duck Foot, a brewery from the … More
WATERING HOLE: HOTEL BAR EVOKES BYGONE ERA OF CALIFORNIA DESERT GLAMOUR!
“Hola, Amigo!” That’s what you should say when you enter the hotel bar of the Ace Hotel and Swim Club … More
TRUE GRIT: SURFER-MUSICIAN’S VINTAGE, STICKER-FIED STATION WAGON
Would you drive this stickerfied vintage station wagon? We spotted this car parked along a remote stretch of Pacific Coast … More
WHAT DA FUNK? FAMOUSLY UN-FAMOUS FRENCH DUO DAFT PUNK SPLIT UP!
. . . . . Daft Punk has split up. Has ended things. Called it quits. Called it a day. … More
DOING IT FOR THE GRAM: IT’S JANUARY! JANUARY JONES, THAT IS!
January Jones, star of such television shows such as Madmen and the Last Man on Earth, is a celebrity who … More
HAPPY NEW YEAR! WE WENT SURFING!
Happy New Year, everybody! We’ve started 2021 right by going surfing! The waves have been pumpin’! Hopefully this is the … More
ADDICTIONS: COFFEE, IT’S NEVER ENOUGH!
As many Global Graphica readers will know, we’re big — BIG! — coffee drinkers here. We drink a lot of … More
JUST FOR HUE: THE QUARANTINE COLOR PALETTE IS REAL AND IT’S HERE!
As many people enter the eight consecutive month of Life in the Time of COVID and further come to terms … More
DESIGNED! HEAT-ACTIVATED POSTAGE STAMPS REVEAL CLIMATE CHANGE INFO!
The Post Office of Finland recently commissioned a new set of stamps designed to reveal informative stories about climate change … More
LIFE IMITATING ART: WHEN JAPANESE ANIME DICTATES YOUR STYLE, AMAZING THINGS CAN HAPPEN!
Life imitating art imitating life. You’ve got to love it when this happens. Such is the case of some make-up … More
GUCCI-FICATION: THE SHOCKING HORROR OF TIK TOK TEENS AND LUXURY FASHION REVEALED!
Fashion yourself a runway model, do ya? Yes, we know you do. We do, too! What’s not to love about … More
DESIGN: THE MAN WHO MADE DAVID BOWIE A STYLE ICON
Pioneering Japanese designer and visionary of sartorial style, Kansai Yamamoto has passed away. He may not have been a household … More
STYLE: VINTAGE JAPANESE MOVIE POSTERS AS GRAPHIC TEES
Our friend, and Brazilian fixture of the Los Angeles coffee scene, Mr. Lu recently has been frequently wearing these super … More
SNEAKERS : ARTIST DUMPS USED KICKS ON FLOOR, INSTANTLY CREATES CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED MASTERPIECE
Hey, you! Yes, YOU! You, the savvy reader of this blog. In case you did not know it, you are … More
FASHION: BOXING PANDA T-SHIRT’S GOT GAME
Our colleague L. showing off a graphic t-shirt with the image of a boxing panda bear. How can you not … More
DESIGN WTF: THE RETRO-FUTURE WANTS ITS JUNK BACK!
Hey, the retro-future is calling. We’re guessing from sometime between 1973 and ‘79. It wants its junk back including this … More
ACCIDENTAL STYLE TRENDS: MATCHING NATURE WITH FASHION
There this. And also this. And then there’s this too.
BRUTALISTS IN LEGOLAND!
You, savvy reader, are probably a fan of architecture. If not of architecture in and of itself, then perhaps as … More
ARCHITORTURE: WHEN DESIGN WENT GOOGIE-EYED
Architectural styles are subject to the tastes, fashion and trends of a given era. Some architecture stands the test of … More
PRINTED MATTER: THE RETURN OF THE AWESOME CRAPPY ‘ZINE
“Can’t Steal Our Vibe” is a lo-fi, black-and-white ‘zine published by Lone Wolfs (sic) Objets de Surf, a surf brand … More
APPROPRIATION: CLOTHING STORE MINES ‘80s L.A. SURF CULTURE TO HELP SELL DENIM
Junk Food Clothing and Levi’s, the iconic purveyor of denim jeans, had collaborated on a pop-up concept store in Venice, … More
STYLE: ALL THE OTHER KIDS WITH THE PUMPED-UP KICKS
It’s not news that a pair or two or three or 50 of fresh sneakers is an essential part of … More
POLITICAL FASHION: “OBA MAO” T-SHIRT IN CHINA
The graphic on this t-shirt is a cute mashup of one of modern China’s greatest political leaders Mao Zedong (sometimes … More
HAIRY: WHEN YOUR PERSONAL MODE OF TRANSPORT NEEDS A HAIRCUT
You are looking at this photo and you’re thinking “WTF?” Maybe you’re even mouthing the letters as you think them, … More
PRETTY IN PINK: ON THE SCENE AT THE PAUL SMITH “PINK WALL”
Swamped by a preening horde posing for carefully-crafted, eye-catching seflies, the parking lot at the Los Angeles store of U.K. … More
CULTURE: DOES WATCHING SURF FILM “FREE JAZZ VEIN” UP YOUR OH-SO-RETRO STREET CRED?
The answer, savvy reader, is “No, no it won’t.” Whatever level of individual street cred one has will not be … More
CITY LIFE: BIRD MURAL RUINS OTHERWISE COLD, SLEEK, OVERPRICED MINIMALIST CONDO & PERFECTIONIST LIFESTYLE
Text by Van Corsa Imagine. You’ve made it. Went to school. Got a job in a tech start-up. Paid off … More
BROMANCE: THAT TIME WHEN MICHAEL AND BUBBLES WERE BESTIES
In 1988, the artist Jeff Koons created the brilliant porcelain sculptural object “Michael and Bubbles,” a kitschy, super-sized 3D depiction … More
LUST: A VISIT TO “LONE WOLFS’” LOS ANGELES MUSIC STUDIO
The hyper-aesthetically single-minded and stylistically dialed-in guys who started Lone Wolfs (sic), a surf shop and brand in Los Angeles, … More
LOST & FOUND: TOY FIGURES OF ANGRY EDM DJs
During our annual Mew Year’s House-cleaning ritual we uncovered these two toy mini-figures of DJs. We love (and are slightly … More
GRAPHIC DESIGN X MATCHES — LIT AF!!!
Our annual New Year’s ritual of doing some house cleaning and organizing, throwing things out and making room for all … More
RETAIL DESIGN: WHEN YOUR “SHOPPING EXPERIENCE” IS A WORKING GARAGE FOR MOTORBIKE REPAIR
The idea is genius, if maybe accidental and gimmicky to the extreme. HWY is a shop on Sunset Blvd. in … More
CAPITALISM 101: STRANGER THINGS APPAREL SPOTTED IN THE WILD
Have you binge watched season two of Stranger Things? If you have then you know how good it is. Some … More
CONFUSION: “ART-NOT-ART” STREET ART
A funny thing about “art.” Sometimes the happiest of aesthetic accidents happen as a consequence of totally non-artistic impulses. Take … More
DESIGN LUST: SURFBOARD SHOP THINLY DISGUISES ITSELF AS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRM
It’s no secret that we here at Global Graphica are fond practitioners of surfing, the so-called Hawaiian “sport of kings.” … More
Mysterious: Why “Judith” is Painted on an LA Warehouse Door
The “Judith” in question here is artist Judith Bernstein. The roller shutter with her name painted on it in a … More
The Hotness: The Sexiest Airplane Tail in the Friendly Skies
Hands-down the the Hawaiian Airlines airplane branding is the sexiest ever in the goddamn history of the world. Period. It’s … More
Daydreaming A Little Daydream at Dreamy Daydream
The space at Daydream Coffee and Surf in Costa Mesa, California is great, but it’s missing a few things that … More
Alexander McQueen Skull Tee is Dope and Terrifying
The dopeness and terror of this shirt is so obvious that to describe it no further words are necessa…
“Transparent Migrations”
The LACMA exhibition “Home – So Different, So Appealing” is turning into something of a landmark show with all the … More
Unbearable Cuteness x Freakishness: Artwork at a Venice Beach Surf Shop
Mollusk is the wonderful name of a wonderful surf shop in Venice Beach, Los Angeles. It’s one of three such … More
The Otherworldy Furniture of Designer Rick Owens
“Mirage” at Desert X
Like a shiny extra-terrestrial bobble tucked into the foothills above Palm Springs, “Mirage” by Los Angeles-based artist Doug Aitken is … More
Vintage Surfboards
The artwork on these beautiful vintage 1970s-era surfboards is surprisingly well-preserved even though the boards themselves show some of the … More
Branding Sardines
The Vista
A classic example of Los Angeles movie-theater architecture from the early days of cinema, the Vista on Sunset Boulevard in … More
Cleopatra in West Hollywood
When the late legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor appeared in the 1963 film classic “Cleopatra” in 1963, she unlikely never imagined … More
“Black Cat” Logo
The logo for Intelligentsia Coffee’s “Black Cat” Espresso is the head of a black cat. It’s a bold and literal … More
Skull of Converse
This decorative installation artwork at the Converse concept store in Santa Monica, in Los Angeles, is a spooky and clever … More
Minimalist Architecture in the Evening
In terms of architectural minimalism in Los Angeles, the picture speaks for itself.
Locals Only
Last weekend, we stumbled upon this throw pillow with the words “Locals Only” embroidered on it at the Mollusk Surf … More
Warm Minimalist Shelf Architecture at A.P.C.
The Parisian clothing and retail brand A.P.C. recently opened a shop in Silver Lake in Los Angeles. Like may of … More
DIY Taco Stand Architecture
This taco stand popped up at the biannual Echo Park Craft Fair in Silver Lake this past weekend. It seems … More
Monrow at Dusk
The clothing brand Monrow will soon be opening a retail concept store in this tiny, old California-style bungalow near Venice … More
Street Art as Office Decor
We recently went to a series of meetings at a creative agency in Southern California. The walls of the conference … More
On the Scene at Menotti’s Coffee Shop in Venice
The cafe at Menotti’s Coffee is a third-wave espresso joint and a friendly little hub for the legion of caffeinated … More
Los Angeles Contemporary Architecture
On the Scene at Arcana Books
Among our favorite places in Los Angeles is the Arcana bookstore in Culver City. It’s specialized in “books on the … More
Wes Anderson Directed a Christmas Commercial for H&M
Auteur film director Wes Anderson has produced an amusing short Christmas film (see below) as long-form commercial for the global … More
Beautifully Designed Dead Kooks Surfboard … Malibu, Los Angeles
Last weekend we went to Mercado Sagrado, a two-day festival-like event showcasing music, fashion, food, art and surf films held … More
The World According to Photographer William Eggleston
The New York Times Style magazine “T” recently published an excellent feature on photographer William Eggleston, considered the pioneer of color … More
“Surf 80s Divine”
We stumbled upon this this first-edition copy of the long and precisely titled “Surf Photographs from the Eighties Taken by … More
Halloween Expression on a Campground RV
Some campers at the Carpinteria Beach campground near Santa Barbara, California decked out their camper with some funny, inventive Halloween … More
Cool Spaces – Enclosed Work Park at TBWA Offices … Los Angeles
The work space at the Los Angeles offices of mega-global advertising agency TBWA (a.k.a, TBWA Chiat Day) is epic and … More
Plain Minimalist All-White Leather Sneakers … Venice, Los Angeles
We recently popped into the Rag & Bone store on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice, in Los Angeles, to try … More
“Here We Are” Street Art at Ships … Harajuku, Tokyo
Amid the labyrinthine back streets that comprise Ura-Harajuku are many examples of commissioned semi-legal street art in little niches of … More
A Visit from Apartamento Magazine Editor Omar Sosa … Los Angeles
We recently attended a small talk with the co-founder and editor of Apartamento magazine, Omar Sosa (pictured at right). The … More
Golden Winged Adidas Sneaker Designed by Jeremy Scott … LACMA, Los Angeles
Street Art at Sneaker Emporium “California Street” … Daikanyama, Tokyo
Cool Architectural Design of Maison Kitsune Shop … Daikanyama, Tokyo
Cool Architecture – The Reception Building at TBWA … Playa Vista, Los Angeles
Mural of Pioneering Surf Photographer Leroy Grannis by Artist Gretta Kruesi … Venice, Los Angeles
We’re fans of the photography of Leroy Grannis (we even have Taschen’s wonderful book on him) so it’s great to … More
Minimalist Box House Architecture … Venice, Los Angeles
On the Scene at Blue Bottle Coffee … Venice, Los Angeles
Cool Design – Vintage Thunderbird Car … Venice, Los Angeles
Fresh Mural at Rag & Bone … Nolita, New York City
The latest, commissioned street art at the Rag & Bone JEAN concept store is this mural by artist Hisham Akira … More
Style … Surfer Espadrilles in Shop Window … Nolita, New York
We spotted these espadrilles with embroidered images of surfers in the display window at Cote A Coast, a small clothing … More
Design … Boxes of Juice and Water at Butcher’s Daughter … Nolita, New York
For decades mass-market juices and milk were sold in paper-box cartons, but in recent years all sorts of other juices … More
“Can’t Steal Our Vibe” Sign at Lone Wolfs (sic) Surf Shop … Venice, Los Angeles
We love this … The Lone Wolfs (sic) surf shop on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice, in Los Angeles, was recently … More
Fashion Street Art by Bradley Theodore at Georgia NYC
Artist Bradley Theodore has painted one of his iconic, colorful fashion-themed skeleton portraits on the store front of influential style … More
Apartamento Magazine with Raymond Pettibon on the Cover
As regular readers of Global Graphica know, we’re fans of Apartamento magazine. We always get excited when we see a new … More
Street Art Mural at Rag & Bone … Lower East Side, New York
Freitag Bag Display Window … Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Surfboard Design and Brekkie … New York
Street Art Portrait of Anna Piaggi by Bradley Theodore … SoHo, New York
Awesome New Hats and Hoodies at Saturdays … SoHo, New York
We’re fans of Saturdays, the cafe-surf shop and clothing brand inspired by the surfing lifestyle. Its original flagship store is … More
Style … Our Favorite Old Acne T-Shirt
Eventually every favorite old shirt reaches a point of wear and tear that signals it’s time to throw it out. … More
On the Scene … At the Lattest Espresso Bar in Tokyo
Architecture … Tadao Ando’s 21_21 Design Sight Building in Akasaka, Tokyo
The sleek, low-slung gray structure that is the 21_21 Design Sight building in Tokyo’s Akasaka neighborhood was created by two … More
Style & Design … Window Display and Shopper at Rick Owens Tokyo Store
Prada Building in Aoyama, Tokyo
Cover of “Tokyo no ie” Architecture Book
Global Graphica in Tokyo …
We’re in Tokyo this week and as those of you who follow us on Twitter and Instagram may have already … More
On the Street … Hot Pink Converse Sneakers l
We went gallery hopping in New York City on the weekend, which meant we did a lot of walking around … More
Street Art … Portrait of Karl Lagerfeld and His Kitty, Mott Street, New York
One of artist Bradley Theodore’s recent street art additions to the downtown New York CIty landscape is this diminutive full-body … More
Street Art … Homage to Classic Nike Air Jordan Sneakers, New York
This fresh wheatie street art piece by UnCuttArt (the artist a.k.a., “UnCasso”) went up on a wall on Ludlow Street … More
The “Don’t F*** It Up” T-Shirt
Awesome dude Hiroshi shows off his “Don’t Fuck It Up” graphical t-shirt at the rooftop BBQ party in New York … More
Where to Stash a Surfboard in Chinatown
Usually we keep our surfboards stored in a board bag somewhere more sensible and indoors, but after a recent DIY … More
In New York … Fresh Mural by BoyKong at Rag & Bone NYC
Street art by the artist BoyKong is the latest to grace the commissioned mural space at clothing brand Rag & … More
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