BODEGA BABY.

Big thanks to Adi/Recktmedz for doing some reporting on Boston's infamous new spot BODEGA. (n.b. NO MAS will be arriving on 707 shelves very shortly, including the skate deck on the wall).

"Their marketing strategy is dope, no advertising at all, no sign, nothing just an small, old convenience store... until you trigger the sensor sliding open a secret door to reveal the hidden store behind (couldn't take any shots of the door)..."

check the NO MAS Kid Dynamite poster...

rumour is even the toilet paper is a Charmin' hyperstrike...

what no Sprite?

check the NO MAS skate deck in the background - coming soon to 707

GOOD SCHWIPE HUNTING.

One of 707's crew tracks down SCHWIPE's secret headquarters... then proceeds to write a seemingly neverending post about it.

It took me a hop, a skip and a stroll to find Schwipe’s new store in Melbourne, Australia. It's as if the creators don’t want people to find their place, and just when I thought that, a big bent-neon Daft Punk-ish sign greeted me saying “Don’t Come”. In bright pink, of course.

I believe it was fate that brought me there. I was just trying on a pair of Schwipe’s impossible tracksuit at another place, and asked for directions to the store. It was just as impossible as the pants; deconstructed and puzzling. As I walked out, brutally confused as to where this place might be, a man with the exact same tracksuit passed by, talking business busily on his mobile while carrying a box. Could he be one of Schwipe’s? I took my chances.

Like a nut-head I followed him round the block, and just when he turned back I waved with hope. He was shocked as hell and tried to avoid me. I was a man of color, and by color I mean red jeans and purple sweater. I said ‘Schwipe?’ he said ‘Follow me.’

The store-slash-gallery-slash-museum-slash-workshop was curiously hid on the top story of an old building, around the corner of the posh Little Collins Street. Just under is a boutique carrying various prestigious labels such as Surface 2 Air (as do we) up to the extent of Martin Margella, with a cool price tag (think AUD1100 for a pair of wool trousers). The low key street-wear vibe of Schwipe makes a perfect icing to this three-tiered cake.


I was serious when I mentioned workshop. After climbing through a fire escape turned trendy foyer, I immediately witnessed the hands-on construction of Schwipe’s hoodies and tees to my left, while the other end opens to a big loft. The store covers half of the layout, complete with what looks to be a ‘basement’ changing room, printed with this season’s pattern. Edgy printed tees are perfectly folded (one screams out ‘Islam is OK’) and even edgier hoodies and tracksuits are hung side to side.

The other half is instantly a gallery, displaying local artists’ work. An island-like installation made out of cardboard boxes in yellow and lures of carved wood done with ducking tape takes up most of the space. Hundreds of folded Met Cards (a little passport to go around Melbourne) are hung on collapsible walls, resembling abstract forms with an intense sense of movement.


A riddle, really, how a place full of creativity would be hid from the world outside. However, curiosity and word of mouth seem to be the only way to find the finer things in life. Just like Schwipe with its wittiness printed on cotton. A place where art takes half the space and Islam is OK.

{via Abraham}

Schwipe is available NOW at 707ANNEX.

FAIRFAX & ROSEWOOD.

Thanks to Ben and Bobby Hundreds for the guided tour (takes 2 hours with audio for an extra fee) of their new store at Fairfax & Rosewood. Place is looking good, although we're always biased to anything in black (as far as we're concerned black is ALWAYS the new black). Anyway, congrats, world domination can't be far off... especially not with a crew that knows how to work the camera like the two in the shot above - what's up with every single LA store having staff that looked like they just walked off a photoshoot?

Our latest delivery of THE HUNDREDS T's, caps and hoodies just arrived yesterday and will be in 707 and 707ANNEX on friday.

working hard for the money...

The voice of dissent.

AF1 SINGAPORE.

To celebrate the AF1 25th anniversary, Nike recently set up a special temporary exhibition space at Clarke Quay in Singapore.

check the AF1 wallpaper

In addition to a large selection of classic special editions, they had pairs of the 'handmade in Italy' Masterpieces on show. Quality of these is incredible, blowing away anything the Adidas 35th anniversary's and anything made by Nike previously. Amazing attention to detail... until you check the packaging. US$2000 shoes, $2 box. (By the way, if you've got cash burning a hole in your pocket and want a pair, give us a shout...)





Thanks to Dennis for the private tour. And the gift... Lots more photos of the Masterpieces and other kicks on display will be up at FOOTURAMA later.

POP-UP PLASMA.

Yeah, yeah, flat screen TV's in hotel rooms? Been there, done that, pretty common these days...

So, what's a hotel got to do to one-up the competition? Check this out from our suite at the MGM Signature. In addition to the huge flat screen in the living room, they had this in the bedroom. Going to be interesting when rock stars start throwing these out of hotel windows...

UNDEFEATED VEGAS.

Came across this while walking around in Vegas. Considering it was already the end of December the store is a bit behind schedule, or maybe the store is sooo super exclusive that they have nothing to sell and never unlock the door...

Rumors are that it's opening soon - looks like UNDEFEATED's unstoppable expansion continues...

AMBUSH AND SURRENDER.

great minds think alike, Earn avoids the lens

Alvin in the ground floor gallery

The Far East era is over. Earn, Alvin and the crew from AMBUSH and SURRENDER have moved from their old digs to a newly renovated shophouse on the other side of Ngee Ann City. So far only the downstairs gallery and store spaces on the first floor are open, but a cafe is under construction with an outdoor area to keep those addicted to nicotine happy...

The first floor is split into two halves, the white half contains Ambush, the black half is Surrender.

hmmm... hanging rails look familiar...

The space looks good, with the usual selection of exclusive brands including Surrender, Neighbourhood, aNYthing and Original Fake. They even had a few of Kaws' dissected companions in stock - unfortunately we arrived too late to grab one... Still the coolest store in Singapore.

don't forget to hold one for us Alvin...

Look out for some new exhibitions coming soon in the ground floor gallery.

Surrender's fall line is in 707 Kemang. Exclusive to 707 in Indonesia.