Those are terrible. At least in for someone trying to rock some streetwear. These are middle – age dad pants, i do not need to pay 75 bucks for them…well you get the point. Their T-Shirts are mostly logo shirts, and way overpriced at 37 dollars. Fuggeddaboutit. Mostly plain work clothes, the theme of their site seems to be reminiscent of carhartt, not my thing.

But let’s highlight some of their items that seemed a bit unusual and thus interesting:

I like that they’re clean, simple, not your run of the mill designs, and they come in a variety of colorways. They are mostly light jackets or even a shirt (zip-up with hood), perfect for summer nights and elegant enough to highlight your nice pair of denim or fresh kicks. Would probably work perfectly unbuttoned, showcasing your latest t-shirt with that dope print you wanted to rock that night, but it was too chilly to just have that on and no jacket. I cannot speak for the quality of the stitching and the garment!!! This review is merely based off of their designs! Just want to put that out there…just sayin.

Either way, i never heard of this brand, and though it seems that it’s demographic might be a bit older, i do appreciate their willingness to add some interesting designs to their otherwise rather plain line. The higher price points on these items make sense to me, you pay for quality, but i just don’t see them work on plain shirts and logo tees. Either way, make sure to check out their website (http://www.penfieldusa.com), which is awesome by the way (super easy navigation and great usability in the store). Now it’d be nice if they actually sent us some of the above jackets…..

When I first got the catalog from this company I was not very impressed at all. The designs looked kinda weak. This is a prime example why we do not write reviews from Cads or photos. When I got my grab box in the mail (and we will talk about that in a second) I changed my tune. The photos and catalog prints do not show the real garment quality.

Ok so here we go. This first photo here is of the grab box that you get when you order the Mystery box that comes with 3 tees of their choice . I love this shit!!!!! These guys took the time to give me something for spending my hard erned money. The presentation of this box was fucking rad. From the box to the tissue paper, the stickers on the box and paper that comes inside. Its not like some of the shit i get in the mail that goes right to salvation army( and yes for all of you that have heard the rumor i did drop off a box Ice Cream clothing at the salvation army). This cool shit that FAQ took the time to put into this order made me get off my ass and pass it around to a few of my friends. Now that I have stroked these guys off enough with the box that my shirts came in, now we can get to the Tees them self. Most brands would just pick the shitty AAA tee to print their art work on. Now i am not going to name names on the brands that do this(Crooks and Castle, BBC, Ice cream) I am above that kind of shit talking.  These guys pick a very nice cut and sew  soft cotton tee, it’s worth the price they are asking for it. Price for the mystery box is 40.00 plus 5.00 for shipping for 3 tees not a bad price. Just a tee goes for 18.00 plus 5.00 for shipping still not a bad price. I really like the tees with bright colors being in NY the land of black and grey I Tend to move to the colors faster. The down fall of the brand is that I would like to know more about them. Why have the chosen to be minimalist? What is the reason to their art? I just want to know more about them who they are and what they are about. I like to spend money with people I know support my lifestyle, or a brand that I can relate to. But other then that i’m fucking down with FAQ clothing next time kids send us the paper peel tee . Great Job kitties keep it up now it’s time to add some cut and sew to your brand.  One last thing get the fuck out of the hipster game stores are over ordering that kinda crap.

Here is their info http://www.faq.bigcartel.com/

Get your ass to the site and pick up a tee you bitches.

Street Stealth LA clothing

I will keep this to the point and let historical facts speak for themselves. Anyone who has a smidgen of intelligence has heard of Hitler, the Third Reich and the infamous SS. Their logo is one of the most poignant  images ever created by man, and connotes unspeakable horrors and the genocide of millions.

Taken from wikipedia:

The  Schutzstaffel (help·info) (German for “Protection Squadron”), abbreviated SS—or  (Runic)—was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. The SS grew from a small paramilitary unit to a powerful force that served as the Führer‘s “Praetorian Guard,” the Nazi Party’s “Shield Squadron” and a force that, fielding almost a million men (both on the front lines and as political police), managed to exert as much political influence in the Third Reich as the Wehrmacht, Germany’s regular armed forces. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS, under Heinrich Himmler‘s command, was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II, and most of the particularly egregious ones. READ MORE

Here is a clear image of their “logo”:

Here are t-shirt “designs” by the clothing company Street Stealth LA:

As if the intended usage of one of the worst images you could think of is not enough, there is an added elements of drips, which just happen to be red and highly reminiscent of blood (on the white tee). Are they joking ? What kind of perverse and sick person would ever dare to put that on a shirt ? They claim they are almost sold out, so it is even worse that people are buying this. It is beyond disgusting and so hugely offensive, that i call upon all you people with a common sense to not only boycott this company but to send them a stern email on their more than serious “misstep”, granted it is one, and this is not some undercover white power movement. Take a stand and make it clear that we, the people, refuse to accept this sort of fascist propaganda on garments, whether or not it was intentional. This is not a joke!!! MILLIONS of people died at the hands of the SS! It is not any sort of statement besides a symbol of hate and thus completely inexcusable. We are all one people and we have to fight hard to keep tolerance and respect for all creeds, sexualities, religions etc. in our society in order to create a positive world. Do not let people and “companies” step on this vision and misuse images of horrors that actually took place a mere 65 years ago  for a FUCKING T-SHIRT!

Street Stealth Website: http://streetstealthla.com/?page_id=38

Street Stealth Contact: info@ streetstealthla.com

craniumfitteds.com

Well here is another online cool guy streetwear shop. Like we need another place to sell crooks and castles. I wish I could say one thing nice about this shop, wait I think i can – they carry 9 Grand clothing.  Fist off they had nothing new to sell, second the way their shopping is set up really sucks. You would think with all the online stores out there they would have done a little shopping research. Rule Number one when opening an online store call the guys a Digital Marauders to get it done right.  Now are you a fitted hat shop? or a streetwear clothing store? If you are a fitted hat shop then take the time to search out some real underground lids don’t be lazy and just carry what every one else does. Please go back to the drawing board and start over.

Maybe i’m jaded cause i just watched “Tyson”, an amazing documentary about Iron Mike, so i loved that design. A nice two tone, pixelated, interesting design. Straightforward, clean and simple. Not much more to add. The “Old Dirty Bastard is in heaven” tee is a bit silly, i mean is he really ?, but it’s a cool way to rep for all the fans, ODB as we knew him: dirty. I don’t know what the source was for the original picture and i have to laugh at ODB ever being an angel, but hey, for the fans, this is a cool RIP tee. Both prints were nicely done, on a fairly standard tee, with details being the logo on the left sleeve as well as a printed logo and details inside the neck. Not much more and no prints on the back. All in all, i’d rock either one a few times, definitely the Tyson one.

Since this is a small “line”, i  might as well feature all the other designs as well:

I like the logo, but in general not a fan of rockin’ logo tees, the lion design reminiscent of stukko or ornamental decorations on and inside of old buildings, has been done to death by the likes of Green Apple Tree and similar, but the fishscale design as well as the “Real Men Wear Black” (really?) are very nicely executed. Once again clean and simple, yet geometrically intricate, interesting layouts and classy enough to be rocked with a blazer, these really represent the highlights of the “collection” to me. All in all, there is not one tee that i did not like, it’s a solid start, and i hope they will be able to translate their clean t-shirt designs into a full line of cut and sew and other articles. Best of Luck!

I do have to talk about this company’s mission statement a little, as well as their website. Though it’s layed out quite nicely, the very first picture is a congregation of muslims praying in a mosque. Though the logo is a pretty straight rip from the turkish flag (the owner’s name looks spanish to me so i am not sure what the connection is there), i see the connection to the muslims praying but then again, that is religion you’re bringing into the picture, and that already turns me off right off the bat. Keep that out of streetwear. There is no need for it and nowhere else on this site are you making any sort of religious reference, so this is just completely unnecessary. Another thing: here is an excerpt from the mission statement…

“Produced in California and currently focusing on men’s clothing, the Apollo Kids’ line is a reflection of who we were, who we are and who we what to be (the past, present and future). Each design represents a significant influence on the Apollo Kids, which could be anything from music to the arts to social issues. Admittedly the line is only a tool to support a greater cause.

The Apollo Kids’ main cause is to motivate and support individuals to make the world the way they see fit. Whether that’s politically, artistically, spiritually, environmentally, it does not matter, as long the individual recognizes his/her own strengths and passions and utilizes them to the fullest. In essence…”

So your influences are Tyson and Old Dirty Bastard. Fair enough. But what social issues are you addressing ? And if this line is only a tool to support a greater cause, which cause is that ? Where is my money going ? I’d love it if this was some sort of charity i’m supporting but please don’t spew out big ideas with no support whatsoever. And if your main cause is to “motivate and support individuals to make the world as they see fit, whether it’s politically, (…), spiritually, environmentally….” what exactly are you referring to ? Are you fighting the pollution of the oceans ? Who are you supporting politically ? And what do you mean “it does not matter” ??? Are you out of your mind ? IT MATTERS VERY MUCH!!! The KKK is really only a group of individuals making the world as they see fit. Do you support them as well ? This is such a wishy washy all over the place statement, you’re much better off to just say: “I love design. Here are some cool tees.” Don’t try to make it something bigger without having any details to back what the hell you’re saying. To quote Mr. Chappelle: “When keeping it real goes wrong!”

Last piece of advice: don’t sell one color prints at $32 dollars a tee, and please tell us on your site which stores you’re in. Best of luck, the clapback will keep watchin ya!

Check out:

http://www.apollokidsonline.com/

Keep this company on yer radars, peoples!

Check it out www.retaildish.com

“The Bonafide Icon brand was presented in 2005, based out of NYC. The name “Bonafide Icon” means being recognized and held in honor among the elites. The brand stems from the different elements of the New York lifestyle. Bonafide Icon has adopted the phrase “League Leaders” and uses influences from music, art, movies, sneakers and pop culture and infuses them into graphics with a strong sports emphasis. With this, Bonafide Icon’s hard work results in the mixture of innovative, dynamic concepts and creative graphics.”

Now to say it in a few words: this line is about sports, and sport icons. Basically, if you’re a famous athlete, you’re an icon, and no one can dispute that, and this line appeals to the sport fans who wanna look a bit fresher than simply rockin jerseys or lame fan shop articles.

I was also sent a description of every shirt, but i rarely read them because in my mind, the shirt has to stand on it’s own. It’s like a piece of art: the story behind it should only enhance the impact, not be the meat and the foundation. Especially, because it means something different to everyone and inspiration is the opposite end of result. That being said, this is a line for sports enthusiasts, who like specific sports icons.

When that is clear in the shirt, the shirt ends up working, makes sense and looks dope.

Such as these two tees, which are hommages to the boxing greats as well as clyde frazier:

UNDISPUTED TEE

CLYDE TEE:

I do enjoy these tees, because they’re concise and clear. You know what you’re getting, and it’s either for you or it’s not. And the brand message is clearly reflected.

This is exactly what i’m missing from the other designs. I see the connection but the designs themselves seem hastily put together and just don’t look good. The message is unclear, and the design is poorly executed. A few examples….

Pro Stars Tee: I don’t get it. Lame design

Point Gods Tee: Ok a bunch of great point guards. I guess for the hardcore basketball fans ? Designwise, it’s boring.

Showtime Tee: Now this is pretty cool. Definitely ironic, made me smile remembering the movie….but this is a fictional character…how does this relate to honoring the great athletes above ? This does not fit at all! The design makes sense though, cool ironic tee. Would rock it once, but that’d be it. It’s purely for that instant smile, but gets stale pretty quickly. And peoples: the 80′s trend has passed. You still see it out there, but come on. Let’s keep it moving…

There are some logo based tees and a hat, not really worth mentioning (check website links at the end).

I did save the best for last though! Now this design comes in a tee and in sweatshirt, and it’s fucking dope! A nice stab at the overpaid yankees and really nicely put together (maybe i got that wrong, but that’s how i see it! now if i would’ve read the shirt description it might have been something completely different but hey, i don’t see t-shirt descriptions hanging in stores, so i treat the tees as if they were hanging on a rack someplace):

Salary Cap Tee & Sweater:

Those are fresh! Good times. Would totally rock those to the ballpark….The Mets one that is!

All in all it seems like this company is on the right track. They have a goal in mind and appeal to the sports fans amongst the streetwear heads. There aren’t many other companies doing this. I like that they managed to hit the concept dead on with a few shirts, really making icons of their favorite athletes and allowing their clientele to look fresh promoting their love for sports. Everyone has a favorite team and is a boy / girl at heart with the wide eyed amazement we have for what seem like superhuman feats at times. It’s not quite developed yet though and some of the designs are pretty boring (stop making logo based tees! seriously, what is the point ? branding does not work for small timers, be original! especially during these, often hard, times…).

Check out their site and online store:

http://www.bonafideicon.com/

http://www.bonafideicon.com/shop.htm

Definitely keeping Bonafide Icon on the Radar (great name as well!). And so should yoy!

Clapback out!

Now let me discuss what left a sour taste in my mouth: first of all, the selection was very limited. A few tees, even less hoodies / jackets, and one style of hat (their own) in 4 colorways. Though the sneaker selection was not bad at all, the rest is really slim pickins. “Why have a shop ?” is the eternal question with nyc streetwear stores. There is a reason why only the shops with great selection stay in business, and even a lot of them are struggling. But the coup de grace for me was really the complete and absolute lack of any service whatsoever. The owners (as i came to find out), chilled outside the store chatting with each other. No one even entered the store while i was in there. No “hey check this out” or “let me know if you like something” or “hey we just got these dope sneakers in”. There used to be such a thing as a hustle, but these days it seems like everyone is too cool to even budge. Or scared to. Now i understand that you’re the king of the universe for owning a shop, but you’re just being rude, pathetic and downright an asshole, for ignoring your clientele. It’s just tiring. No wonder these shops are folding one after another. To be honest: Good Riddance! Shove that attitude where the sun don’t shine, and make room for people who are genuinely interested in the hustle, in providing quality gear to their clients and who are interested in meeting people and creating a streetwear community. I felt like i was not even allowed to step foot in that place. What a pathetic bunch.

If you feel like copping some of their gear, i say go ahead, it’s pretty cool. But if you expect to be treated like a human being, yeah…not gonna happen. All in all, don’t waste your time on this shop. There are much better ones where the staff actually cares about you and spends time helping you select cool gear as well as introduce you to lines you might have never heard of.

The hustle is officially dead. It’s just a bunch of posers. Next!