Nike’s brought over some fresh kicks for our feet. Here’s what you can find on our shelves now:
Some Air Max 90’s
Nike Court Forces
We’ve restocked on the True to Your School Dunk High’s.
“I’ll be back…” - The Terminator
A couple fresh colorways for the Jordan V x AF1 collabo.
From the Nike Rebel Pack, we bring you the Air Tech Challenge II.
Zapato del Barco in White/True White
Zapato del Barco in khaki
The Chukka Boot LX in Black/White/Methyl Blue from Vans Vault
The Chukka Boot LX in White/Steel Grey from Vans Vault
The Half Cab LX in Black/White/Methyl Blue from Vans Vault
The Half Cab LX in White/Steel Grey from Vans Vault
what’s a vans post without a cardiel throwback? here’s his part from sight unseen:
Fourplay Lab, Mediah, Claudio Bianchi, Anthony Parravano and Taktikal. Congratulations and many thanks to all the contestants who entered the competition.
we’ve got an assortment of Cheap Monday’s for ladies in right now! Besides the typical blue denim (which are fully stocked right now), Cheap Monday has also hit us with a wide range of different fits, colors and washes! here are a couple exclusives that we have in store now.
Think Pink!
high waisted black denim for the win.
Acid wash greys.
To celebrate the recent release of Marvel Comic’s Ironman and the future release of The Hulk 2, New Era has teamed up with Marvel to create some limited fitteds.
Ed Norton is starring in The Incredible Hulk!!!
If you haven’t seen it already, you most definitely should. IRONMAN!!!
DL Incognito: Ottawa Through & Through
You gotta rep your hometown. In hip-hop, it’s a must. An absolute given. Everybody knows that DL Incognito is an Ottawa boy. Always has been. Always will be. A move down the 401 could never change that. So we got DL to give us a list of his top five restaurants in Ottawa. Those places he’s gotta hit when he comes home. It’s damn tasty.
1. Kinki - Asian fusion (41 York St)
Kinki is by far my favourite restaurant in Ottawa, a little expensive when it comes to sushi compared to Toronto or Vancouver but they have a great deals during happy hour. The food and the atmosphere is well worth the price regardless.
The Plate: Kinki Roll
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2. Island Jerk (1800 Bank st.)
Island Jerk has long been the most frequented Caribbean restaurant in Ottawa. Good food, good prices but not always the fastest service. You can choose to dine in or take out.
The Plate: Curry Goat & Festivals
3. Pho Bo Ga La - Vietnamese Soup [784 Somerset st west (new location is 763 Somerset st west)]
Ottawa’s got a few really good Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown, but this one stands out if you’re looking for authentic Pho.
The Plate: Pho (rare beef, get a small)
4. The Works (580 Bank st)
This is the best burger joint I’ve ever been too anywhere. They have so much variety, you’ll find something you like on their menu. I’m surprised they haven’t expanded to all major cities.
The Plate: Pesto Pizzazz & sweet potato strings
5. Cafe Crepe de France (76 Murray st.)
A very cozy French restaurant in the Byward Market that specializes in dinner crepes.
The Plate: Chicken Crepe
Good eats!
view by: Jordan Berlin
Norml is proud to introduce one of our latest additions, CLAE shoes. With a mission to produce and deliver timeless classics, CLAE is simultaneously rooted in a lifestyle inspired by leisure. While CLAE is relatively new to the store, the brand has actually been around for about 8 years. We were lucky enough to have a chat with the mastermind behind the brand, creative director, Sung Choi.
So the first question on everyone’s mind is, where has CLAE been for the past few years, and what have you been up to?
due to incompatibility with the initial partners, i had put clae to sleep in late 2004, while waiting for the right situation to revive clae, I was designing for DC shoes and ecko unltd footwear.
What sparked the second coming?
the vision of clae was not fully realized and I wanted a chance to see it through under the right circumstances and I was lucky enough have met partners who shared the vision of Clae to bring it back to life.
During the first time when you guys hit the footwear scene, you once said that there was a “void” in the footwear market and you guys were trying to produce a quality casual shoe that you wanted to wear. With what seems like a rather saturated market this time around, what are your takes on what’s going on out there today, and what does CLAE bring to the table this time around?
our mission hasn’t changed at all, Clae will continue to bridge the gap between casual and athletic shoes by producing quality versatile footwear. giving our consumers a unique interpretation of modern footwear in terms of design, comfort and value
is clae’s foundation. and we’ll continue grow on the strength of our product.
as for the recent emergence of independent footwear brands is an indication that consumers are moving away from stale saturated retro market monopolized by the big athletic brands. With changing of media and retail landscape, all the Indies can grow and compete with the big shoe companies as long as they bring relevant product to the market and not a one trick pony.(no pun intended)
The Romare in stone
Substance, it seems like this has always been a very important facet behind CLAE. How do you qualitatively describe this key component of CLAE?
i think substance comes from having a unique concept with solid execution.
when these elements are aligned you can get an emotional response from your end user that can be described as having substance. i think as designers, we are always trying to achieve that moment of truth.
While on this topic, what other brands do you think are doing it right out there these days?
i’ve been a fan of Barbour jackets, Levi’s 501’s and Uniqlo t shirts
for their quality and value
in the recent times, i like woolrich woolen mills, unis and nom de guerre. they all work great with quality materials and smart cuts coupled with quality manufacturing. i just wish the price would be little more friendly.
What are your inspirations? What gets you excited?
A cup of tea, a pencil and a sketch pad early in the morning. Listening to Miles and Coltrane. Those things put me in the right space to create. As far as inspiration, it comes from the whole collective experience that life brings – reading books, watching films, listening to music, traveling, eating and all of the other great things that we humans enjoy doing. I think it’s probably along the same lines for many people in the creative field, but its how that info is internalized and what exactly you execute that separates you from the pack. We’re all pretty much looking at the past and present for inspiration and walking ahead for innovation.
yes i get excited about good times, music, book, film and food…not in that particular order
The Russell
Obama or Hilary?
Obama, no question.
change is gonna come.
In the past, you guys were known for naming your shoes after prominent people in history, is this still the CLAE way? Who are some of the people behind the shoes in this line and why?
no matter how old you are you should have some one you can look up to. or in our case following in their footsteps or a homage
for spring 08 we dedicated Jacques Cousteau for his passion for discovery and his love for the sea. Romare Bearden for that rustic urban charm of his paintings and collages, Diego Rivera for capturing the vibrant energy of his peoples
and Walt Whitman for his new york state of mind.
From Tastemaker’s Society, you said that you were “baby steps” in order to “grow organically” with your retailers. As far as Canada goes, where can we expect to find some CLAE?
Livestock - Vancouver / Toronto
Eugene Choo - Vancouver
Royce - Vancouver
Group Seven - Calgary
Foosh - Edmonton
Momentum - Saskatoon
Norml - Ottawa
Off the Hook - Montreal
Three Monkeys - Montreal
Is there anyone out there you’d like to thank?
Matt and Jim, for sharing my vision.
The Original PNB crew, BPMW family.
our family and friends and retail partners for their support.
Interview by Andrew Szeto
