On Location: Antwerp, Part 2

by Ami Kealoha

You've trawled the shops of the world-famous Fashion District in the first installment of our Antwerp shopping guide, now venture out to the Latin Quarter and the South District, where style thrives with the same individual Belgian spirit as those that surround the MoMu (Nationalestraat 28, tel. +32 (0)3 470 27 70). While much of Europe is buzzing about prét-à-porter, the Belgian fashion community celebrates their way with Vitrine (or "Laundry Day", this year from 6-16 September), when young and established designers create installations for store windows, art galleries, town squares and even bakeries, accompanied by a healthy dose of parties.

Louis
A longstanding Antwerp institution, Louis carried many of the big-league Belgians before anyone else, starting with Margiela and the Antwerp Six in the '80s. This launching pad stays local with Veronique Branquinho, Jurgi Persoons, Raf Simons, AF Vandevorst and Ann Demeulemeester, as well as pan-European labels including Lanvin and Rick Owens.
Lombardenstraat 2
tel. +32 (0)2 232 98 72

Huis A. Boon
Established in 1884, this is the place for leather gloves in all colors, styles, and lengths from orange opera gloves to fingerless driving gloves in earth-toned pecony—an unlined wild pig leather that stays warm in winter and cool in the summer. Jean Paul Gaultier has also been known to stop by for silk- and cashmere-lined gloves.
Lombardenvest 2-4
tel. +32 (0)3 232 33 87

Anja Austa
As one of the few clothing shops with Sunday opening hours, this driftwood and white shop is plunked down on a street famed for its many antiques stores, which also stay open all weekend long. Anja works out of her shop, making clothes with vagabond femininity. "I take inspiration from the last century's theater in big metropolitan cities," said the designer, who worked for Escada before going off on her own. "Like how the ballet and theater contrast with the metropolises they're in."
Kloosterstraat 175
tel. +32 (0)3 237 38 67

Elsa
Owned by former Dries Van Noten shoe designer Elsa Proost, she stocks shoes by Hussein Chalayan, Violetta & Vera Pepa, Nathalie Verlinden, and Ellen Verbeek.
Nationalestraat 147
tel. +32 (0)3 226 84 54

Fritkot Max
Yummy fries and quite possibly the world's only French fry mini-museum is in the middle of this bustling square.
Groenplaats 12
no phone

Lunch-Lounge Het Gebaar
For a fancy sit-down lunch, check out this dainty little birdhouse plunked down in a lush garden that serves Belgian-French dishes.
Leopoldstraat 24
tel. +32 (0)3 232 37 10

by Angela Gaimari

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Ryan Heshka

by Jonah Samson

Almost two years ago, while roaming through downtown Vancouver, I came across a postcard for an exhibition by local artist Ryan Heshka. The painting on the postcard was of a beetle riding on the back of a bright yellow baby chicken—and I loved it! Sadly, the show was already over, but I took the postcard home and contacted Ryan through his website. It turned out that he lived just around the corner from me, so he invited me to stop by and introduced me to his weird and wonderful world of giant white apes, pin-up models, robots and dinosaurs. (See more images here.)

Over the past couple of years, Ryan has continued to expand his strange cast of characters, but has maintained his signature style, which combines the sensational scenes from pulp magazines with his own surreal imagination. His first solo U.S .show called "Neo Pulp" is now on show at Orbit Gallery in Edgewater, New Jersey.

"Obviously I'm very influenced by advertising, pulp magazines, and pin-ups," says Heshka. "When I was putting the show together, I wanted to use the classic format of old pulp magazines, but then revise it in a way that left more to the imagination."

Heshka's paintings always offer the possibility of adventure—robots battle it out with curvaceous vixens, spacemen ward off aliens and carnivorous plants threaten to devour radioactive women. The scenes in this show are both strange and strangely familiar, as if remembered from a childhood dream. Rooted in our sense of nostalgia, they also transport us to a world of distortion and imagination where things are allowed to make no sense whatsoever. Each of these paintings only gives you a small part of some extraordinary story and forces you to invent the rest—and for that I think they’re great.

Neo Pulp runs until tomorrow, 21 July 2007. Ryan Heshka's book "ABC Spookshow" is available through Amazon.

Creative Recreation Fall 2007

by Tim Yu

Until now Creative Recreation's busy line of sneakers available in dizzying numbers of colorways hasn't quite appealed to my taste for subtler, clean-cut shoes. But their new Fall 2007 collection swayed my opinion.

The Rocco, Colombo and Ponti (pictured above from L-R, click on image for detail) immediately caught my eye for their more grown-up, understated approach. I like the move towards more monochrome looks and, as always, Creative Rec's use of premium leathers make them a wise investment. Details like the Ponti hi-top's elastic band for added comfort and flexibility and the Vans-inspired Colombo are a nice move for the brand.

Take a look at the whole Fall 2007 line here.

Make Way For K-way

by Tim Yu

On a rainy day in Paris circa 1965, Leon-Claude Duhamel observed attentively as people rushed by in soaking wet clothes without an umbrella. It was on this day that the K-way jacket was born. Lightweight and completely waterproof, the jacket can be folded into a small, elastic belted hip bag when not in use.

An instant success with first year sales of more than 250,000 pieces, the brand was set to become a legend. Due to some quiet times in the 1980s, the brand was bought and sold numerous times. Lucky for us it ended up in the right hands as 2007-08 sees new brand positioning and the reissue of their classic windbreaker. These gems are currently only available in Canada. I spoke with Matt Feigin, President of K-Way North America, and he mentioned some big plans on the horizon, but for the time being U.S. style-makers will have to sit tight. To do it right, Matt said they are taking their time and being selective in choosing U.S. outlets.

You can check out their full line at K-way and their classic wind breaker is available here for CDN$40.

Cool Hunting has two large Classic Full Zip K-Ways to give away to two lucky readers. To enter, follow the contact link at the bottom of the page, select "K-way Giveaway" from the pull-down menu and send us an email before Monday, 23 July 2007, 11:59 p.m. EST. We'll choose a winner at random.

by Mike Giles.

Eco Gas Station

by Lost At E Minor

In Los Angeles, the gas guzzling center of the Universe, BP enlisted Office dA to embrace the paradoxical task of creating a green petrol station. Improving the existing station on site, it's not a station "of the future," rather, a station for today that takes steps towards becoming greener in its design, materials and its use of water and energy.

Located at the corner of Olympic and Robertson in Los Angeles, CA, more info on the eco-friendly station here.
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