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Describing the Indescribable

“Victory. Challenges. Moments.” A Farewell To Hypercourt BGC

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Nike’s Hyper Court @ BGC has operated as the city’s hub for basketball and Nike training caps since 2017. At the end of 2019, it will end that over-two year run and return the property, which has been reclaimed for redevelopment by its landowners.

To celebrate the good work done at the location and to mark the closure of the Nike Hyper Court, the brand held two 3×3 tournaments. One for female, and one for female athletes. On that date, Adjima’s sister organization, #HoneycombArts was there to help commemorate the day with an installation dubbed “Victory. Challenges. Moments.”

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React + Gore-Tex. Testing this Nike Shoe in the Wild

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After missing out on the Travis Scott Air Force One, we ended up picking up this brand new Nike silhouette on the SNKRS section of nike.com/ph. First time to get a pair off the website, so we’re glad to say that the experience was excellent! Kayo Cosio unboxes and gives an in-hand review of the fresh design. There will be a longer “life-test” video (shouts to Foamer Simpson and Young Buckets Esquire) as Kayo takes this new shoe up into the Philippine mountains to hunt coffee trees in the rainforest. Be sure to subscribe to get that video when it drops.

What do you think of this new Nike React Type-GTX? Does it maybe have a little bit of a Yeezy 700 vibe?

Then, after 2 weeks, Kayo took the Nike React Typre GTX to 1700 Meters Above Sea Level! Will the gore-tex hold up in the sticky and slippery mud of the misty mountains of the Philippine rain forest in Nueva Vizcaya? We get to test the shoe in conditions it really wasn’t built for. How will it perform?

Do you have one of these sneakers? How hard have you pushed them?

Learn About the Streetwear Industry at our Free PopTalk Panel

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Join us for a free panel discussion, this Sunday in Eastwood City. The panel talk is moderated by adjima.com editor in chief and master planner Kayo Cosio. On the panel are filipino designers, performers, and entrepreneurs to discuss connecting with your message through fashion and design in the streetwear arena.

Here we have experts in design, musicians, and — ultimately — entrepreneurs who will be discussing how to communicate your message through fashion whether it be through curation, personal style, or design process.

The panel will be a part of PopExpo, a whole day celebrating different aspects of pop culture in today’s world. This sub event starts at 3pm at the PopExpo2019 Main Stage.

Cyberpunk Streetwear Illustrations by Gerone Perez

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Streetwear and illustration go together naturally, it doesn’t even really need explaining. When you look at the work of Gerone Perez, the connection between the two is obvious. He’s not the only one doing it, but he’s definitely doing it right. Labels provide crucial texture for his work. “I try to put everything and anything onto my characters and hope it works,” he says. “Most of the time the words and logos are just about creating aesthetics and layers.”

The illustrations of Filipino artist Gerone Perez
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Kendo Creative Is Closing And Here’s Why.

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“Are they turning Cubao Expo into a mall?” I’ve heard this question over and over these last few weeks. I do happen to know the answer, but there is a lot more nuance to it then can be discussed in an editorial like this one. However, I can tell you this: Cubao has changed a lot in the almost four years that I’ve been running Kendo Creative there.

But before we get into that, it is with a heavy heart that we must announce that both Kendo and our independently run subsidiary, Hidden Space are closing and leaving Cubao Expo at the end of September 2019. That’s today.

I understand that this does probably come as a shock to many of you, as it did to us when found out about this via an anti-dated letter for which there was no previous notice whether in writing or verbally. The decision was made unilaterally by the Cubao Expo Admin and they did not state a reason for not renewing our lease this time, as they have done many times over our over three and a half year run in this location. While they did not state a reason as to why we are not being renewed, we do have our very informed guesses as to why.

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The Versatile Tattoos of Jhay Colis

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Straight lines and perfect circles. Forward-thinking designs. Hyper-realistic pieces. Pretty much any kind of tattoo you’re looking for, Jhay Colis has got you. While he prefers to focus on black and grey pieces and neo-traditional styles, he’s wildly a versatile artist. Colis works out of a small shop in Wharf Plaza in QC across the way from graffiti supply shop Carrot Bombing (which is probably why he recently did a Nemo design for one lucky customer).

The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis

Before he became a tattoo artist, Colis was a painter and performance artist, often doing public interventions focused on freedom of speech. But ten years ago, after getting his second tattoo, he got pulled into the world of skin art. With a cash gift after graduation, he bought his first tattoo gun and set about finding early victims to experiment on. After two years his work became presentable enough and he found an apprenticeship to bring his style to the next level. In late 2016 he finally opened the doors to Jhay Colis Tattoos, where he’s since worked alone with an apprentice. In the decade he’s been working, tattoo culture in the Philippines has exploded. “When I first started there was still a stereotype about tattoos, but people have become more open-minded now,” he explains. “Local events like Dutdutan helped a lot, but so did Western TV shows like ‘Miami Ink,’ ‘LA Ink,’ and ‘Ink Master.'”

  • The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis
  • The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis

His work has evolved into something of a catalog of recent styles. Paint splatters mixed with bold blackwork, small anime boxes, gothic realism. Colis has a steady hand and is versed in most of the latest techniques, so pretty much anything you’re looking for he can do. At Dutdutan last weekend, he even won second place in the neo-traditional category. Do not sleep on this man.

  • The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis
  • The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis
  • The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis
  • The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis
The versatile tattoos of Filipno artist Jhay Colis

THE Real Deal: The OG Streetwear Label Hits 10

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When you talk about Manila streetwear, many local brands come to mind. But there are only a select few that sit confidently on top of that list. THE is one, if not the one. They helped pioneer the rise of streetwear culture in the Metro and are one of the reasons why many young people started their own T-shirt brands. And this week they’re celebrating their 10 year anniversary.

THE Clothing turns 10 years old
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Tyang Karyel’s Dream of an Art Sari Sari

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Browsing through the artwork of Tyang Karyel evokes the childhood pleasure in small things. A single candy, a plastic toy, an old movie. As we grow older it’s a little harder to find joy in these things, but the Cavite artist puts a low brow art spin on things, refreshing their aura. Her pieces are art objects for the everyday fan, often made in cutout shapes or packaged in satchels. “I’m fascinated by cheap, local brands with weird designs and wobbly lines. I especially like product labels and ephemeral stuff,” she tells us. “Everything looks clean, crisp, and shiny these days. It’s too perfect so we forget about the simple stuff.”

Tyang Karyel's sari sari low brow art.
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The Twelfth House Celebrates Their Storefront’s Fifth Birthday

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Last weekend the cul de sac of Cubao Expo was once again filled with creatives from all walks of life, this time to celebrate the fifth anniversary of The Twelfth House’s storefront opening. People filled the shop and overflowed out its door into the cool night air. The label dropped a series of 12 collaborations with other brands and DJs handled the decks all night, juggling styles from reggae to rap to chill electronic beats. “It was a culmination of eight years for the brand and five years for the store. Years’ worth of work, friendship, and growth for me and the brand,” says owner and founder Mikki Dela Rea. “I wanted to give back to the community that helped me grow as a person, found a family within, and built a business with that keeps me fed.”

Twelfth House celebrates their storefront's fifth anniversary
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OPENING ACT—Paint Splattered Nike AirMax 720s

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Yes, it’s the AirMax 720s again. But these ones are an unreleased colorway and they’re customized… kinda. The aurora green kicks that were gifted to Kayo and appear on today’s special edition of OPENING ACT are clearly not a stock version. As he unboxes them you can instantly tell that something happened to them, but the question is whether they’ve been ruined or improved.

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