SPOTLIGHT: GOODS

Now we don't make pretensions as to where you should shop. We're not telling you what designers to be wearing, what collections to be avoiding, or really what concern you should be giving to labels at all. But what we will tell you is, if your downtown Seattle shopping centers around Westlake and your commute between Macy's and Nordstrom's, it's time to head further up Pike and step your game up.

GOODS is Seattle's premier lifestyle boutique. And like it or not, it's what every other shop needs to live up to. Since opening their doors in the spring of '03, partners Paul Williams, Nin Truong, Steve Gonzales, and Scott Downing have been giving Seattle's fashion forward streetwear scene what it's sorely been missing.. a presence. Bonded by their love for all things skate, GOODS is at its heart just that. A skate shop. A skate shop aimed at giving the community a place to be seen, a place to be proud of, a place to call our own. You feel a certain sense of swagger rockin' a GOODS in-house design out in the street. Knowing someone else up on what's good peeped your jawn and gave you some props and a "that's what's up" on the low.

In addition to their own designs which include collaborations with the likes of New Era and Stussy, GOODS carries lines from Crooks N Castle, Maiden Noir, Manik, PRPs, Nike, Vans, Evisu and more. From fitted's, to sick decks, to dope literature, to hot kicks, GOODS has got you covered. And with expansions like the "$" store in 2005, adjacent to the original storefront, and the more recent opening of their Bellevue Eastside location this past March, GOODS is looking to further expand their reach.

Rumblings of elitist attitudes aside (which for the record we've never encountered), GOODS deserves its just dues. The grind they put in early on has paved the way for a number of other shops to open their doors and give the city their own take on all things fresh. And all the while GOODS has continued to bring that heat putting themselves, and their city, on the international streetwear map.

PROPS to the hustle GOODS... ONE.

www.needgoods.com

Capitol Hill Location:
GOODS
1112 Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98101




Bellevue Location:
GOODS Eastside Chapter
989 112th Ave. NE. Suite 101
Bellevue, WA 98004


PROPS Brandon Shigeta Beige Apparel HighSnobiety

SPOTLIGHT: The Don Corleone of Streetwear

Or more aptly put.. Someone you NEED to know. Hiroshi Fujiwara is not a man widely known outside of true streetwear heads but his influence on popular fashion, style, and all things fresh over the past twenty plus years is virtually unparalleled.

Fujiwara was born in Ise, Mie in 1964, and has since gone on to Godfather Harajuku culture, pioneer the limited release marketing concept, mentor Nigo the founder of the popular lifestyle brand BAPE, and solidify himself as an early importer of hiphop to Japan. He's done consulting work for some of the world's biggest brands including Nike, Levi's, and Burton, telling each what they need to be up on and guiding the direction in which their designs and marketing should be headed. Be clear.. when Hiroshi speaks, your favorite tastemaker listens. He's even managed to maintain a career as an accomplished musician, producer, and dj, working and collaborating with people as far reaching and unlikely as Eric Clapton.

Over the years Hiroshi has lent his eye for fashion and design to countless labels such as GoodEnough (which he founded and later left), Visvim, Stussy, and Undercover amongst others. Currently he still heads up the HTM line for Nike, as well as the Fenom line for Levi's and the iDiom line for Burton. He maintains his own brands HeadPorter, Fragment Design, and Base Station as well as his online lifestyle magazine Honeyee. He's a busy man.

Hiroshi has managed to maintain a mysterious aura about him balancing the fine edge between commercialism and individuality. He shuns the mainstream and their corporate philosophies yet they all come clammoring for him. He's the "ol blue eyes" of the streetwear community.. Cool without being cool.

There's a million reasons why Hiroshi Fujiwara is the epitome of swagger but we'll leave you with a quick three.

a) Despite all that he's accomplished, Hiroshi has never written a business plan. EVER.

b) The man doesn't know his own bank account information. Even the bank account stamp needed to withdraw money out in Japan.. doesn't have it. He's clueless to how much money he actually has. Regardless, we have a feeling he's doing just fine.

c) He's appeared in a Coppola film. Sure it was Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation and not Francis Coppola's Godfather, but which one gets you face time with Scarlett Johannson? Nuff said.

Our hats off to you Mr. Fujiwara... PROPS.

PROPS CadmusFamily

Date of Conception, May '09.. We Was Birthed and Won't Be DENIED!!!

"Look into these eyes and witness life's trag..."

If you can finish the next few lines then kick up your feet and take a trip to "Houstalantavegas" with us. If not, don't worry, we plan on fixing all that.

PROPS is our gateway to give that Kid Cudi to anything we see fit. Art, fashion, lifestyle, icons.. possibly even YOU. Basically "Daps and Pounds" to "Dat New New" as we see it through our eyes. We'll play catch up the first few weeks to get everybody on board then take off from there. In contrast to other sites just blasting you with basic update feeds on anything and everything released for the day, PROPS is gonna be a direct reflection of our tastes, critiques, and opinions on what's hot, what's new, and what you need to be up on either before anyone else, or just off pure principle. Each post will include commentary and background information and we'll even feature local spotlights on what you need to be supporting in the region as well as pieces on influential figures who have helped shaped their respective industries, etc.

Swagger isn't easily defined but we're addicted to it nonetheless. You know it when you see it, you feel it when you got it. We're looking to give PROPS to all those who bring it. Be sure to put us up on anything we may be missing. We know a lot of you stay on your grizzly, too. Oh, and the opening lyrics were from Ja Rule's "Race Against Time" off his freshman opus Venni, Vetti, Vicci. Quit hating, it was a classic and you know it.