We have a new book out.

It’s called ‘Everything I Drew (I Drew It For You)‘. It is a collection of KNOTORYUS drawings, pictures and notes.

This is what it looks like on the shelf at Colette, Paris.

This is what it looks like at the Colette eShop.

This is how it started on the walls of our office in brussels.

(Also in this picture: the KNOTORYUS Ü backpacks, ready to get shipped to Berlin.)

Back then, I just wanted to make a new book and make it a little better, a little more honest and a little more beautiful than the first one. I wasn’t really thinking about being selected by Sarah Lerfel for a second time.

But when Dominique and I were done with the final lay-out, proud as we were of what it had become, we decided to send Colette a copy anyway. And let me tell you, getting a mail from Sarah personally asking you to send her more copies for the Colette stock is something I am never going to be jaded about. This means our little book is listed amongst the greats: Futura, Ryan McGinley, Scott Campbell… It means everyone from Karl Lagerfeld to Olivier Zahm will at some point browse through our pages. For a second time.

We hope you make it to Colette to check it out. If you’re not in Paris anytime soon, check the Colette e-shop: ‘Everything I Drew (I Drew It For You)’ is available there, too. They ship worldwide and your investment of € 20 will make you the owner of a unique, hand-numbered copy.

And you know this ain’t over yet…

More coming soon!

Coming soon.

The second KNOTORYUS book.

It’s called ‘Everything I Drew (I Drew It For You)’. It has pictures, notes and drawings in it. And it will be available at Colette, Paris. (Thanks, Sarah!)

Above: first teaser:

“Mind Racing Nowhere 1″ – (c) KNOTORYUS 2011

For the first KNOTORYUS book (also sold at Colette), you’ll have to go way back to 2008. Sorry for the wait.

A few days ago, a much-loved Belgian actress was charged with racism after an incident in an Antwerp restaurant, causing all kinds of random commenting, mostly off-topic. We, Dominique and Stefaan, felt personally hurt by the events and we feel we have the duty to use the platforms we have created to write our own piece.

Even though our Fams are like : “We fully support you but this is scary shit.” The thing is, I’m not scurrred. We have a Danny McBride attitude about this: “Come at me bro.”  ‘Cause that’s what you learn after a while. (OK, a couple of decades.) Kindergarten scolding will start you thinking about it, crying about it. But the most important pinnacle is the moment when grown ups start saying the same kind of stuff. While you were trying to be the grown up all the time. I don’t care though, this is for all our kids.

Here we go. And I hope you’re ready.

This one’s for all my peeps. Their parents. Their children. Basically this one’s for You.

N-WORDS AND LEARNING HOW TO KEEP QUIET

“I wasn’t there, so…” That’s the phrase people tend to use  when the subject of a racism-related incident comes up.

So what? So we can never know what really happened? Because we do know. And everybody has been there at some point. It probably did not involve a celebrity. It probably involved awkward silences, some shuffling about and watching as the N-word is being poured all over someone else’s head. And how shitty you felt afterwards. Or not at all.

What I’ve been taught: that I shouldn’t mind as much. That I should work twice, thrice as hard to prove myself and then maybe people wouldn’t be able to touch me. (Na nana ..) I did that. Turns out, it still hurts when people I’m working with toss about the N-word. And not in the way my favourite artists are using it. Not like: ‘you are like me’. More like: ‘you are something else and I’m going to point that out to you right now, and you know what: please go away when I’m done’. Or like: ‘I think you’re cool but it’s hard to find other N***** I can use. Do you know any? And do they come with a warranty?’

Yes Sir, I can read and write and defend myself but I’m kind of sick of it.

Having a discussion on ‘Is X racist or not?’ is easy. Because it’s always about someone else. (“I wasn’t there, but…) That’s why everybody loves joining in, preferably in an environment where we can claim our right to an opinion: Facebook, Twitter, the gossip columns… Just like everything else you can read about in those places, the noise will fade soon enough. And afterwards, the swarm will alight and descend on the next juicy bit. But here’s the sad thing: no matter how eagerly we are discussing it now, next time we’ll keep quiet again. And I’ll have to prove, once again, how much it hurts. And there will be a next time. You ‘ll have changed. And you will think the world has, too. But you’ll still be a nigga in a coupe.

Eastpak asked KNOTORYUS to design a backpack to be auctioned off to benefit Designers Against Aids. So this is what we did. We hope you like it. We hope you’ll bid on it.

That giant Ü plastered all over the front is, of course, the logo of our daughter site.

HERE you can read a brief interview with KNOTORYUS about the collaboration.

HERE is the international overview of all the artists involved.

The bags are on show at Bread & Butter in Berlin and there will be an Eastpak pop-up shop opening at Kleine Markt 10 in Antwerp on the 27th, where you can fawn over all Belgian entries, including ours.

Oh, and one more thing:

*BOOOOOOM!*

My love for RA’s Wünderkinder Anna and Romain travels wide and deep.

Not only is their Antwerp store one of the greatest in the world. Every time you see one of them, talking seems obsolete. Just hovering around them drags you into a mystically dangerous world. Gets your blood pumping.

I just got invited to the opening of their new store in Paris, but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it.

Opening + More beautiful images of RA founders Romain and Anna by Yves De Brabander after the jump…

RA has initiated its presence in Paris since 2010 with a series of exhibitions at our temporary space in the Marais district during womens and mens prêt-a-porter fashion weeks. Buyers and press have been introduced to our conceptual selection of young, talented designers and artists from Antwerp and around the world, whom we have supported as a platform for their early works, graduation collections and small-scale art projects.

For 2012, RA cements a permanent position within the artistic and fashion hub, by opening the Parisian extension of our original retail concept and exhibition space. Inspired by the city of light, RA Paris channels a new focus on a bygone era of bespoke creation, to bring to life a 1920’s inspired “salon” ambience. The design and décor of RA Paris has been a personal project of RA founders Anna Kushnerova and Romain Brau, and is suffused with an alchemy of the elements – created in collaboration with traditional masters in metal and wood. The monumental front door is sculpted with symbolic carvings in heavy bronze, and layered curtains create shifting scenographies.

With the essence of symbolism instilled throughout the space, RA Paris will form an intimate yet theatrical showcase for modern couture offerings from artisanal designers like London’s Meadham Kirchhoff, eveningwear from Serkan Cura, millinery by Nasir Mazhar, and handcrafted costume jewellery from Heaven Tanudiredja. New designers will be complemented by an opulent selection of vintage garments from houses such as Chanel, Alaïa and Mugler, evoking the decadence of a bygone era.

In true Bohemian spirit, RA Paris will host regular salon events, including readings, performance art and intimate fashion shows. The space will be a living part of the fashion equation, inspiring designers and artists to explore a unique potential for customised installations. The unique connection with RA Antwerp will continue to evolve, creating an enriched artistic dialogue between the two cities.

RA Paris

14 rue de la Corderie

Paris 75003

Metro : Temple

RA opens January 25th 2012

More info RA here

+ Vice recently published this great interview with Romain

KNOTORYUS Bootcamp 2011 ends now. We have come for 2012. 

KNOTORYUS bootcamp 2011 is in effect. We’ll be back in 2012 with projects we couldn’t even have imagined a year ago.

See you on the other side.

I laughed myself to sleep last night reading Shaun Ryder’s ‘Twisting My Melon”.

It’s a phrase I understood early in life. It frequently popped into my head while talking to annoying teachers. (shout out to the great ones though!)

For me, it’s the original stop busting my balls.

Looking for a christmas present for that loved one with a good sense of humor?

Get this.

Thank you Veals & Geeks for stocking this beauty.

This was bound to happen…

Two of the world’s most sexiest of men designing blue-detailed shoes.

Nothing further your honor.

Info :

No Code, the collection of shoes by Jefferson Hack for Tods, with a special color version exclusive to colette, from January 23.