Congratulations to Crooks & Castles and Mosley Tribes on the release of their new collabo sunglasses, the Castellano. Frank151 was at the Green Door in Hollywood to show support. The party had a great turnout, dope music with Clinton Sparks on the 1’s and 2’s, and plenty of lovely ladies.

When asked about the inspiration behind the design, Dennis Calvero of Crooks & Castles shared the following insight: “The basis of the design was old 1970’s and 80’s mob boss, kind of Uncle Junior-ish. At the same time, it was monumental for us to do a design with a brand like Mosley Tribes. With the black design, we were going for street sleek and we opted for the matte black instead of glossy. With the white one, we were going for a whole Miami white resort feel, especially since we were launching the glasses in the summer.”

We have re-stocked our original FDL™ Denver Diggers, ATL Backwoods, DC Chiefs, and Seattle Legends fitteds! No need for a description on these, just check the Frank151 online store and order yours today!

Also, The Rock The Bells tour is making stops at a city near you and Frank151 is giving away VIP tickets.

Doug Cohen is, and has been, many things.

A pioneer of the turntablism scene; founder of a record label and open turntable showcase; one of the consultant co-designers on the Rane TTM-54; magazine editor; BBQ fiend; wine connoisseur… the list goes on. But his most recent persona seems to have stuck, unshakably, and despite Doug’s versatile background, his next step was nothing you could have predicted.

Doug Cohen makes watches.

When he saw Tableturns, his record label and touring DJ event, fold after the turntablist scene dried up, Doug opted out of the music business rat race. Starting up a fledgling watch company in 2007 on inspiration alone, Doug watched Flüd Watches grow from a tiny operation in his parents’ basement to a thriving concern in the urban watch market.

 

Frank151 had a chance to sit down with him and talk about timepieces recently; Doug’s answers were anything but reserved.  (Ed. note — the views Doug expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Frank151, no matter how hilarious and incisive they might be.)FRANK151: So, why watches? What was it about the idea of starting a watch company that appealed to you?

DOUG: I’ll give you a business answer, I’ll give you a creative answer and I’ll give you an abstract answer. I’ll start with the abstract.
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Apparently, it’s opposite day at Vogue.

After returning from a work trip in Las Vegas, NV back to New York City, The Boston Blade was carelessly forgotten in a backpack that was carried onto the flight. Surprisingly, the Boston Blade made it through the TSA security line at Las Vegas McCarren International Airport without a hitch. While the line was over an hour long and wound throughout the airport, the x-ray scanners failed to notice that a heavy duty boxcutter (with 2 replacement blades) was indeed inside a backpack and would soon find its way onto a commercial flight flying across the friendly American skies. Good thing the Boston Blade meant no harm this time and was just trying to make its way back to New York to go back to work, laboriously slicing boxes.

We at Frank151 are usnure of how many box cutters still find their way on airplanes post 9-11, but we sure can say that this pesky Boston Blade always manages to find its way on board no matter how many security checkpoint and screenings are thrown at it. It definetly makes us a little nervous that a box cutter easily boards a flight and hope someone with ill-intentions doesn’t have the same sort of luck. Hopefully the TSA will find a solution to this security gap that doesnt include stripping us of our jet setting leisure, but instead easily stopping threats before they have the chance to do damage.

 

In other news, congratulations to the other Boston Blades, the Boston Celtics, for finally cutting off the Lakers’ heads. They had a great season & a championship to complement. Props to the veterans who finally got their shine.

Also, be on the lookout for the official FDL Boston Blades New Era Cap coming out this summer at your local FRN store.

Check out this dope Diamond Supply Co. collaboration, featuring none other than Raekwon The Chef. The release date is still pending, so don’t expect to see this tee on the streets anytime soon. In the meantime, be sure to stop by the Diamond Supply store in L.A.

In this hilarious music video by Devin Flynn, the Style Squad sings about the skinny jeans fashion trend. We think we saw some people we knew in there. So break out your vaseline, slather it on your legs, slide on your tightest pair of pants, and enjoy!

Our friends Abiri Ward and Nina Wolff just opened up their new retail destination, Cry Wolf, at 111 St Marks Place in the East Village, with a brilliant interior space, designed personally by Nina, and inspired by her Scandinavian background and storied architectural career.

Featuring a diverse selection of street wear brands from around the world, many of them exclusive to the store, Abiri tells us that Cry Wolf’s “main goal is to seek out small, up-and-coming international designers and introduce them to the East Village.” A worthy goal, at which they succeed admirably: for Spring 2008, the boutique features collections from the U.K., France, Canada, Korea, Thailand, Japan, Australia, and Scandinavia. The store’s international aesthetic and street sophistication fits in perfectly with the diverse population and vibrant fashion scene which surrounds it, in the Village and the Lower East Side.

Brands for Spring ‘08 include Best Behaviour, Bijules, Clae, Corpus, Creative Recreation, Fremont, Junk De Luxe, Kenzo Minami, Public School, Rubber Duck, Unruly Heir and many more. Visit www.crywolfny.com for more information, or drop by and show your love for their global/local initiative.

The Barcode

Displaying yet again that most public school officials are totally out of touch with their students’ reality, a Portland, Oregon high school has begun suspending students who rock thin shaves on their eyebrows.

School officials and local police claim the symbols can be used to symbolize gang activity. “This is a way for them to identify each other. In a school setting, it intimidates other kids,” a Portland cop explained to the Associated Press. Keeping our students safe from themselves, eh, officer? Keep up that important work, buddy. We’ll see you at the next D.A.R.E. event.

Seriously, how long has this kind of thing been going on? It seems like just the other day kids were gettin suspended for wearing red and black… for wearing doo rags… for wearing trenchcoats… for rocking mohawks or spiked bracelets… for shirts with drug references… even “Coed Naked” shirts earned their fair share of suspensions back in the day. And then there was the whole “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” debate last year….

If they’re so worried the kids are getting into gangs, why is the tactic to keep them OUT of school? Spending the day on the street instead is hardly a punishment. Sounds to us like these school administrators and police need to go back and get some more schooling themselves.

In the meantime, roll thru Frank’s Chop Shop and get yourself trimmed up with an eyebrow fade — show your solidarity for the Portland kids, and stick it to the Man!  

Frank151 came out strong Monday night, celebrating the release of new denim collections from Le Jean De & Legend.  With Teen Wolf and DJ Ayres holding down the 1’s and 2’s, and enough champagne flowing to drown any bad attitude in bubbles, the evening left everyone who came with a smile on their lips. 

Le Jean De will be appearing in specialty shops worldwide this summer.

Follow the jump to peep the party pics, courtesy of Photo By Tone.

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