A week ago, as I arrived in an empty office and put on my headphones, three swallows dipped past my window. They weren’t the first I had seen this year, but as the room was empty and the music on my headphones seemed to fit their flight, I imagined they were there for me. They were carrying a message. A change in the air. I sat still for a moment and watched them. I have become too impatient to wait for signs to appear outside window panes, so I turned on my phone. There was one new message waiting. One of my best friends just had a baby boy. I called him and he told me after the baby was born that night, the first song they played on the radio was by The Beastie Boys. “I don’t know, but that seemed like a good sign.” he said. I agreed, hung up the phone, put my headphones back on, watched the swallows some more and felt happy. Summer’s coming. And it’s going to be good.

Here’s the music on my headphones that day:

The XlR8R podcast by Anenon. Go find yourself a window and look for clues.

Image above (c) Jean Jullien

Tracklist:

01 John Cage and Merce Cunningham “In Conversation (Spring 1981, Minneapolis, Minnesota)”

02 Anenon “Tenor Saxophone Improvisation (Live at Home Room, 4/5/12)”
03 Mirroring “Silent From Above” (Kranky)
04 ROM-DOS “You Are at the Center of The Mandala” (Non Projects)
05 Sapphire Slows “Animal Dreams” (Not Not Fun)
06 Phoebe Kiddo “Fear of U_Men” (Non Projects)
07 Anenon “This is What I Meant (Laurel Halo Orfi Mix)” (Non Projects/Ad Hoc)
08 Gold and Soil “Everything Anything Nothing” (Non Projects)
09 Yosi Horikawa feat. Jesse Boykins III, Grayson Gilmour, Anenon “Whisper from an Angel”
10 Nils Frahm “Ambre” (Erased Tapes)
11 Jenny Hval “Blood Flight” (Rune Grammofon)
12 Eric Dolphy “Hat and Beard” (Blue Note)
13 Arve Henriksen “Opening Image” (Rune Grammofon)
14 Rafael Anton Irisarri “Moments Descend on My Windowpane” (Ghostly)
15 Keith Jarrett “Eyes of the Heart Pt. 1″ (ECM)
16 The Caretaker “Past Life Regression” (History Always Favours the Winners)
17 Brian Allen Simon “Piano Improvisation (Matadero Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 11/21/11)”

Are you following us on Instagram?

You should.

Here’s a special Eyecandy dedicated to the best of Instagram. #KNOTORYUSfilter

Before we gave you the full scoop, Mathieu of the newly baptised Case Studyo released a sneak peek of the Jean Pierre Le Douche sculpture.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Here’s the theme song, by the mighty LeLe. J’aime le mirroire et le mirroire m’aime la même!

Lords of Amsterdam Patta are a must-follow, not only because of their excellent taste, but also because you get a heads up about the new collection before anyone else. This Suckafree T-shirt is my favourite shirt of 2012.

We’re finally gonna see OFWGKTA this summer. Just booked the tickets. Hodgy Beats uses the alias @lordgnaw on Instagram and aside from pictures of Odd Future members on the toilet, you’ll mainly see awkward close-ups of his buttered up legs and funny stuff along the path towards world domination.

Nalden. This kid is going places. This is his pic of David Shrigley street art at 19 & 9th Avenue in New York.

Hey, we’re on Instagram, too! This is dominique_knotoryus on the set of a fashion shoot for De Standaard Magazine. Buy this Swash jacket today at RA, Antwerp.

Silly stuff we run into.

The Cobra Snake’s Instagram always cheers me up. This is Snoop Dogg and his breakfast pancake. Don’t follow him for celebrity watching, though. Most of his Instagram feed is taken up by hikes across the L.A. hillsides with budding models and socialites. The Cobra Snake’s mom is also on Instagram. She’s the one commenting ‘so handsome!’ underneath every single pic.

I miss Wooooo! Magazine. He’s still on Instagram, though. Posting weird stuff.

Big Boi’s son. Cuteness.

OK, this is cheating: these pics aren’t from Instagram, they’re from P.A.M. on Facebook. But they are way too good to miss out on.

Like their page and explore photo albums like ‘Friends (From Outer Space)’.

It’s that time of the year again! LGF and I are getting ready for the Belgian fashion fest that is SHOW : the graduation show of the Antwerp Fashion Academy which showcases the work of all the students…

Highlight of the evening of course is the viewing of class 2012.

Although the audience will be filled with fashion professionals from around the world, don’t forget that everybody can join in on the fun. And believe you me, it is worth it!

View our recaps of SHOW 09, SHOW 10 and SHOW 11! 

Get your tickets now:

Tickets: € 35 (seats)/ € 12 (standing)

Presale HERE

SHOW2012 – JUNE 7, 8 & 9, 2012
HANGAR 29, RIJNKAAI 150, 2000 ANTWERP
DOORS: 7PM / START SHOW: 8PM

If you would like to model for the up and coming talent, there’s a special casting:

Fashion Department, Nationalestraat 28, 5th Floor, 2000 Antwerp

Girls 1.74+/ 18-28 years - Boys 1.80+/ 18-28 years 

Saturday May 26th from 12h till 18h

Tuesday May 29th from 10h till 18h

Wednesday May 30th from 10h till 18h

More info on the Graduating Students and their Collection:

Making of the Show 2012 Poster (catch a glimpse of Walter Van Beirendonck. Aargh! Love!):

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Credits Show 2012 Poster (first two images):

Production Walter Van Beirendonck, Photography Ronald Stoops, Styling Dirk Van Saene, Make-up Inge Grognard, Hair Ed Moelands, Model Amélie Lens@Dominique, Outfit Markéta Martišková, Typography & Design Paul Boudens, Photography Asistant Tim Lebacq

MORE INFO HERE

Only three hours ago, I was having lunch with Tim from our sister blog Ü and he told me he was on ‘The Frog’, one of the best songs on the new The Hickey Underworld album: the excellent ‘I’m Under The House, I’m Dying’. Tim’s riff is in there somwehere. Which is awesome.

Then he told me the video was shot with all-time KNOTORYUS hero Nicolas Karakatsanis, featuring Kim Peers and that it was weird and probably amazing.

Turns out, I didn’t have to wait long to see the actual results. The video just dropped. And yes, it is weird. And amazing. And Belgian supermodel turned DJ/Stylist Kim Peers is in it, puking and kicking ass.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Oozing from the minds of the same crew that’s responsible for the ‘Blonde Fire‘ video. Be sure to catch The Hickey Underworld live if you can. They are doing some out there next level set stuff with Afreux, the Antwerp design collective who helped KNOTORYUS out with the production of our Ü Eastpack collabo earlier.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen my friend the great Baloji…

And I although I do miss him, I’m ecstatic that the reason why hasn’t been around is that he’s on the road sharing his incredible talent with the whole wide world…

LGF and I were pretty excited that during the few days he did spent in Belgium last week, he made a public appearance and spun some tunes at the launch of Tommy Hilfiger’s “Promise” collection.

As LGF was in Antwerp he swung by the event and here’s what’s up with one of Belgium’s (Soulwax league!) finest :

Baloji‘s MTV Iggy performance is nominated for a Webby Award, so please VOTE for him! We already did.

LGF informed me that B will be off to Cannes shortly to promote a short film that he starred in.

BTW IMDb! Update the Bullhead page please! Our boy had a speaking part and should be credited as such (Club Owner….Baloji)!

What else?

He’s got a movie script ready and he’s off to Japan where he’ll be touring 4 cities.

I hope he’s visiting Tokyo.

I’ve also received word that he’s working on a double album. WOW! And also: CAN’T WAIT!

And he might be releasing a mixtape.

Loving those frames, B!

The above and below images are from a feature that has been in the making for quite some time. But that doesn’t matter. Because the protagonists and their art are timeless. So watch out for this one in De Standaard Magazine. (I’ll keep you posted of the drop date).

I was super honoured that Vito aka Aeroplane visited the KNOTORYUS offices for a shoot + interview that you will also be published in De Standaard Magazine shortly.

And the ültracuteness smizing at you below is our beloved Ü (a KNOTORYUS project) editor Immanuel from Style For Guys.

I took him to Paris during fashion week, and I’m posting this picture of him sitting next to the clochettes des bois Karl Lagerfeld sent up to our room (not kidding) to congratulate him for his double Weekend Blog Awards nomination. Style For Guys is nominated in the category Best Fashion Blog and Ü is nominated for a Best Entertainment Blog Award.

We’d really appreciate your votes!!

(it’ll literally take you 1 minute)

Next Best Of The Weeks coming very very soon!

At some point in my life, I evolved into a guy who’s always lugging around a backpack. It started with a book and a moleskine, and as my journeys became more and more infested infused with work, it became more of a mobile office. I seldom go out without my laptop, sketchbook, headphones, a jumble of cables, magazines, usb sticks, chargers, etc. A good backpack matters to me. I will inspect the stock of backpacks in almost any store I walk into and after leaving a Comme des Garçons black edition on the shop floor in Paris (which I regretted) and taking a black Marc Jacobs sports bag home with me (which I regretted even more), I finally settled on a simple, sturdy Sandqvist from the online store UNDSCVRD.  Much to my delight, they included a personal note with my purchase:

See? That’s how you make a customer feel welcome. It’s not that hard.  I made a mental note to thank them, but like most my mental notes, it got brushed underneath my mental carpet and was left there to collect mental dust.

Today, however, I came across their newly stocked Sandqvist Assar design, red (röd) and yellow (gul) and exactly right. (As pictured above.) So this is the day I’m dusting off that mental note and making good on a promise to let you guys know: UNDSCVRD are good folk. Go and pay their store a visit. 

A new companion to the Eyecandy Smörgasbords to give you guys an idea of what the KNOTORYUS offices sound like.

JAI PAUL – JASMIN

Two official tracks in, just demos really, and this guy is already one of the most talked about artists today.  ‘Jasmine’ is one of those slow burners that you never get tired of.

AB-SOUL – PINEAL GLAND

Part of the ‘Black Hippy’ collective with Kendrick Lamar and such + full-on illuminati.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

BEI MAEJOR – MOMENTS

Much compared to The Weeknd, but much easier on the ears and not as twisted and perverted.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

A$AP ROCKY – GOLDIE

Dat pretty motherf*cker keeps putting out must-downloads that make Harlem sound as sweltering as the South.

LIGHT ASYLUM – IPC

16 months after we first wrote about Light Asylum, they’re finally ready to release their debut album.

DEATH GRIPS – THE MONEY STORE

The hardest band to listen to on earphones is back with a real, roaring album after the mixtape. Press clip quote: “acceleration is a mantra”.

And for the encore:

Danny!

A.k.a. Danny Swain. Check out his Tumblr, which archeologists in 2075 might use as a means to discuss the status of of pop-culture in 2012, and specifically: how a young rapper experiences coming up in a post-Flocka, post-Lil B world.

Yesterday I traipsed to Rotterdam for PUMA’s “Catch The Bus” kick-off… 

Puma is celebrating its heritage in running sneakers, so they teamed up with the folks at Sneaker Freaker and created a sneaker expo on the run.

If you are in or near Rotterdam the next couple of days be sure to catch that bus. You  might win a super exclusive pair of PUMA x Beams.

I’m a big fan of Japanese retailer Beams. When I visited Tokyo a couple of years ago, I spent a whole afternoon dragging my friends in and out Beams stores (6 in total if I remember correctly). I love my classic gear.

We got a rare copy Sneaker Freaker Presents : The PUMA Running Book. Which we will give away on Ü.

My hoodie matched Flava’s cap. All day.

More info here

1. Looking around

2. Wasting time

3. Reading

4. Studying old LP liner notes

5. Taking notes

I took Immi The Greatest to Paris Fashion Week & we kinda shouted a lot of offensive things at the sky which I am not going to repeat…

I had the best time even though I got chumped by the Regina Staff (best hotel ever btw, look at that view taken from our window-above pic)  into believing we were personally invited to the Chanel Show and the Chanel Afterparty (where I’ve would have firmly shaken hands with The Zahm, but anyway.)

Turned out the invitation was for another kid with a Y and an I in her name, so  obviously we kindly returned everything to reception because that’s what you do when you believe in karma. Hope you had fun LucyWithAnEntranceOnWikipedia, review please!

(above picture : Yes, that was slipped under the door too)

Having said that : really, Uncle Karl? And those Clochette Des Bois you sent up were beautiful. -We returned those as well, which in hindsight was a bit stupid, cos they probably died somewhere in a closet.

We did so much stuff in so little time, so I’m going to let these pictures speak for themselves.

Oh and hey, to all of you who welcomed me with your big hugs and smiles and gave me a brand new batch of inspiration : Ffffank you/Ü know who you are!

An A.V.E. (Allen Voor EEN) destroyer at F.F.I.  I want one so bad. Truly genius stuff and she is rocking it. (#Patta!)

We laughed so hard. And shrieked like we had just stumbled upon a two-headed Ryan Gosling/JamesFranco figurine. And then we laughed again.

Juërgen & Pedro!

Suzy Menkes repping with her Dell. Can’t get mad even if you wanted to.

I will never get tired of seeing these. Classic Immi Abraham.

The shoe & suitcase game.

Jean-Paul Lespagnard – The I SEE ‘EM collection!

We were fanning over belts, jackets, blouses, skirts, everything.

Yes, shoes LDN + the leggings.

This is KNOTORYUS at Colette. Thank you Ouni for not backing down on “pas d’photos”.

WeBeShimmyingEverywhere.

Follow the rest of this report on Ü.