by Wyatt Smith

The partnership between German brand and artist Kanye West has been nothing short of successful. Prior to signing a $10 million/year + royalties deal with the sportswear giant, West had collaborated with other clothing brands Louis Vuitton and, most publicly, Nike. 

Kanye's hyped Nike sneakers dubbed the "Nike Air Yeezy" drew more attention than any sneaker that's been released since the retro Jordans. Despite the success of the collaborative partnership, when West sought a more lucrative deal, Nike turned him down because he wasn't an athlete (which sounds ridiculous, especially after the success of multiple rappers and artists in the fashion world recently). 

Fast forward to 2014, and it was announced that West had finally reached a deal with Adidas. In early 2015, the fashion world erupted as pictures started to leak of the "Yeezy 750 boost". Soon after, the shoes were released to immediately be sold out, online and in-store. Since the inaugural release, the partnership has produced multiple 750 boost color ways, along with a shorter model, the "Yeezy 350 boost", also released in many color ways. All sold out immediately. 

Now fast forward to June 29th, 2016, and after the success of the footwear and YEEZY Season 1 apparel, Kanye West and Adidas have struck up another deal: to launch a brand extension entitled "adidas + Kanye West". Now you may ask questions such as "How is this different from the current partnership?" Well, there's actually a major difference.

The largest change in the new brand is that it will see its very own retail stores. No more Yeezy boost sneakers being sold for a limited time at various Adidas stores, but rather retail spaces solely dedicated to adidas + Kanye West. The collaboration has mostly been focused on lifestyle apparel and footwear to this point. Another gem coming from the announcement today was that West will transfer his talents to the sportswear world, as this new line will carry sports and lifestyle clothing and footwear, along with accessories.  

Adidas CMO Eric Liedtke had this to say about the transition, "Kanye is a true creator who has the ability to see things others don't... With adidas + KANYE WEST we are exploring new territories by opening up the sports world to Kanye's creativity."

Kanye himself added "This partnership illustrates that anyone with a dream can dream without limitations."

West had been advocating for his designs to reach a larger audience at more affordable prices, referencing GAP and H&M as his inspirations. Opening up retail stores dedicated to his clothing will most certainly accomplish this to some degree, along with receiving a dedicated team to run the operation from the companies' headquarters in Portland. 

As always, the hype surrounding Kanye is unreal. Expect teasers and leaks of Kanye's designs to make their way through the news cycle for this new collaboration, and even look for an adidas + Kanye West store to be located near you. 

by Wyatt Smith

I'm a pretty moderate guy when it comes to my style. Although those around me may disagree at times (I'm a straight male from Iowa who loves fashion, and as you may guess that's not very typical around here). But my idea of a solid outfit would be a pair of slim jeans, clean sneakers, a street t-shirt, and some type of quality topcoat or bomber. While I respect brands such as Rick Owens and Haider Ackermann, who's runway shows are much more thought-provoking and fashion forward, I don't necessarily have the swagger (or money) to wear their outfits. 

That said, I think my outfit featured above is, for lack of a better word, risky. A pair of Raf Simons tailored shorts that look like capris to the average bystander, paired with a purple overcoat and speckled dress shirt isn't your very typical outfit. But at the same time, when I wore that outfit around campus, I received more compliments and questions than I have from anything else I've worn. And they weren't solely from the students in my fashion classes either, but rather from people who just "loved the purple" of the jacket, or "dig the long shorts." I remember standing in my dorm room wondering if I should wear this outfit out (yes, I'm aware that I'm a loser who thinks too much about I wear). But strolling around campus in a lush purple coat and feeling the breeze on my bare shins was a refreshing feeling that I'll no doubt seek again. 

My advice on taking style risks is this: if it's something that you truly think looks good and represents you, then why not wear it? Sometimes putting yourself out there and doing so in a confident way can be exhilarating. Growing up I was surrounded by guys who had zero interest in what they were wearing, unless it was a cool snapback or some decent sneakers. And to each their own, but breaking away from that norm and devoting some effort and risk into my wardrobe has been a decision I'll never regret. 
Check out the pictures below and read my breakdown of the outfit. 

These shorts are made by the god himself, Raf Simons. One of my favorite designers, Simons usually produces clothing that's triple my budget. That's not to say that he's robbing customers of their money, as Simons' clothing is top quality and the shape and material is something you won't find anywhere else. I found these on Grailed for a reasonable price of $65. If you're looking for a pair of tailored shorts, long or short, I'd recommend hitting up grailed for used designer cuts, such as Raf and Rick Owens. If you're thinking of going the more cost-effective route, ASOS and Topman usually provide these cuts for a cheaper price. 

The shirt I wore in this outfit is from Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply. The Denim & Supply brand line extension from Ralph Lauren offers more contemporary styles and cuts, such as graphic tees, ripped denim, and flavored button-ups. This shirt goes well with the rest of my ensemble and the sleeves perfectly roll up over the end of my jacket. For more shirts like this Ralph Lauren is always a reliable place to check, along with the French essentials brand A.P.C. For cheaper dress shirts, Uniqlo offers a great selection, including collaborations with Lemaire and Pharell. 

Last but not least: the purple coat. I'm not sure if this qualifies as a jacket or overcoat, as the material is pretty thin and wouldn't keep me too warm in the winter but the length and cut feels like an overcoat. Regardless, it's a great piece to wear in the fall and spring times. To be completely honest, I found this coat thrifting with some friends. It may even be a women's coat for all I know. When I thrift I try to buy things that are 1 of 1, so unique and groovy (like this coat) that I won't run into anyone else wearing the same thing. Brands such as Haider Ackermann, whom I previously mentioned, and Acne Studios provide coats and jackets of a modern cut in pleasant colors such as this at top-notch quality. For a slightly cheaper option, London-based Oliver Spencer offers coats almost identical to this in multiple colors and sizes. (I may buy one of these on sale after I post this article) 

by Wyatt Smith

With the last round of men's spring collection being shown at Paris Fashion Week, this is an exciting time for men's fashion. I currently have atleast 20 tabs opened from Vogue Runway of Menswear collections to go through and aspire to one day afford. With that said, lets look at Lemaire's 2017 collection. 

Christophe Lemaire is a French designer who has been around in the high fashion scene. He was the artistic director of Lacoste for 8 years before assuming the position of Creative Director at Hermes. While at Hermes, Lemaire put his eponymous label on hold due to the overwhelming responsibility. Hermes enjoyed both commercial success and high praise from critics during his tenure. But just this last year, Lemaire decided to part ways with the leather goods brands and focus solely on his own label. Lemaire was quoted saying that the experience at Hermes was essential to re-focusing his time and recently acquired skills to his own brand, which he has turned into a roaring success. In 2013 his brand made $1.8 million, and in 2015 that number ballooned to $6.2 million (via Business of Fashion). 

Lemaire traditionally follows a minimalistic approach using a slightly over-sized silhouette and lengths. This collection follows suit as flowing topcoats are draped overtop thin mesh t-shirts. The track pants and trousers possess similar qualities in material and a baggier, almost wavy aesthetic. The color used is simple yet stunning, with very muted and tonal colors incorporated into the garments with a few splashes of yellow and bright white. Lemaire increases the complexity and function of various coats and jackets but adding multiple pockets, sometimes even extending the silhouette and greatly enhancing the utility of the garments.  

Almost all of the pieces in this collection are "wearable", even by an average guy's standard. The pants may be a little on the fashion forward side with the loose fit, but the jackets and poplin shirts could be easily incorporated into anybody wardrobe. This collection won't blow anyone away creatively, but will most likely sell to Lemaire's usual customer. 

by Wyatt Smith

Raf Simons premiered his Spring 2017 Menswear Collection on Thursday in Florence during the Pitti Uomo shows. The collection was in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, as many of the shirts featured artwork and photographs created by the artist Mapplethorpe while he was still alive. But that wasn't the only collaboration debuted yesterday.

Raf Simons has a history of collaborating with German sportswear giant Adidas, dating back to 2013 when the first pair of Ozweegos were released from the two. Since then, Simons has followed the first silhouette with the Ozweego 2 and multiple takes on the classic Stan Smiths. 

Last night, Simons stepped out in his infamous painted blue shirt and black jeans, while donning what may be the next collaboration between himself and Adidas. 

Looking closely, you see that on the outside of the midsole is a trefoil logo in red bottomed with a red line on the sole of the shoe. And then, the damning evidence, the inside of the mid-sole on the left shoe features an "R-S" logo, aka Raf Simons. 

I'm not privy to which Adidas model this is, but it has been awhile since Simons' took his designs onto a new sneaker. If these truly are the next release from these two fashion behemoths, stay locked into Clickege for more updates on the surely to be coveted shoes. In the meanwhile, takes a look below at a closer view of the sneakers. 

UPDATE
After Four Pins quoted my tweet about these new sneakers (and said they "high key suck", which I can't disagree with), they provided another tweet featuring more RAF Simons x Adidas sneakers. Check out the other versions here and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

by Wyatt Smith

Hello internet. I've written for Clickege before (mostly in our style section), so if you want to know a little more about my taste and personality, you should head over here. It may seem strange that I'm making such an introduction so far after my first article, but don't worry, this post is quite different from the others.

Clickege is two guys (myself and Logan), writing and posting content that we find interesting and sharing for others to see. This series, Wyatt's Style Guide, is my attempt at fashion blogging. I'm not sure if I want the style section to become my own personal blog (like this post), articles I write about fashion (all of my previous posts), or a mixture of the two (what I'm leaning towards.) I have some really cool garments and clothing pieces that I'd like to style and show off on Clickege. You may be asking yourself "Isn't there enough fashion bloggers in the world" or "Why is Wyatt doing this." I don't totally know the answer to either of those questions, but I'm majoring in Fashion Merchandising at my University and would like to put my talents to use. I'm planning on showcasing a variety of styles and price ranges here on my fashion guide. Hopefully this is the first of many posts like this, so cut a novice like myself some lack and enjoy. 
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Summer is the season for the least amount of clothing possible. But, there are those days when the sky is overcast and the temperature is below 65 degrees (Fahrenheit). Personally, these are my favorite days of the year. It's easy to enjoy activities outside and not sweat profusely. Below is going to be an outfit that's my go-to on these cooler days during the summer.

Palace. My favorite brand to wear. The London skate brand produces quality streetwear that combines awesome style and a comfortable fit. Trying to up your style can be difficult in the summer as it's much harder to layer and think about the complexities of your outfit. A nice, laid-back look such as this is very easy to put together and shows that you give thought to how you present yourself.  Look below for a dissection of the outfit and where you can buy the look. 

Adidas' Stan Smiths. By far my favorite sneaker for under $100, and one of my favorite shoes to wear regardless of price. It's quality is dependable and very comfortable, and the clean classic look provides endless outfit options to pair them with. Buy them here if you're interested. 

One of my recommendations when it comes to jeans is that you don't need an over-abundance. Only a couple of quality pairs and cuts in different colors should do the job. A pair of light blue denim jeans is essential because of its versatility and social acceptance (yes, you can wear them to family parties without receiving judgmental looks and questions). Shop cheaper options here at Zara and higher quality options here at Acne Studios. 

I'll spare you from another rant about my love for Palace, but in short this t-shirt is amazingly comfortable and stylish, plus it's a nice compliment-getter. Look for new releases at palaceskateboards.com and shop here at Grailed for second-hand Palace t-shirts and gear. 

Beanies aren't essential for the summertime, but are still acceptable to wear on cooler days. Investing in a dope beanie in the colder months is a major key because it's something that you could wear every day. Palace still has this beanie and others on sale for $36, so go take advantage of that and keep your head warm in the coming months. 

by Wyatt Smith

Oliver Spencer is a British menswear designer who designs for his own eponymous brand entitled, as you may have guessed, Oliver Spencer. The London Collections: Men kicked off this week and Spencer was one of the first brands to show. 

Oliver Spencer started his own brand back in 2002, and its grown to sell in 151 stores worldwide along with 4 stand-alone stores of its own. Spencer draws inspiration from art, architecture, and London's ever-changing culture. This is clearly reflected in the clothing, as classic shapes and silhouettes receive modern tailoring and materials. This brand is for the fashion-conscious man who appreciates simple style and doesn't want to over-extend himself.

This collection draws inspiration from the landscape of Souther Italy according to WWD, with Spencer adding "I had the blue from the sea, while the villa is pink and yet red and changes and gets orange. And all of the greens came from the trees, so it was as simple as that."

​It seems as though half of the collection is for the London man on the go. Dark, modern colors mixed into sharp, clean suits, billowing over-coats, loose but tailored pants, and anoraks made of waterproof materials. The other half suits a man on vacation in Italy, consisting of lightweight shorts and shirts in bright pastel colors and even sport coats that could be worn on a cooler summer day.

This collection feels slight inconsistent and not very cohesive as a whole. The colors range from dark indigo and black to pastel colors such as bright blue and yellow over top off-white, and then all the way to a harsh maroon red. There are definitely pieces in here worth buying, and most of the garments on their own can be easily assimilated into your wardrobe. But it feels as if half of Spencer's head was in London while designing, and the other half in Italy, and it would've been more satisfying if he stayed in only one of those places for this collection. 

by Wyatt Smith

A$AP Rocky has long been considered one of the most stylish men in the world. Having graced numerous magazine covers and being named GQ's second most stylish man of the year in 2015, Rocky hasn't been wrong when he regularly refers to himself as "that pretty mother fucker." 

When Rocky debuted his mixtape/album "Live Love A$AP" in 2011, he immediately emerged as a star in the hip-hop and fashion world simultaneously. Proclaiming on his breakout single Peso "Raf Simons, Rick Owens usually what I'm dressed in." This came at a time when rappers were still rocking embarrassingly over-sized jumpsuits and baggy jeans. Rocky, along with his fellow A$AP Mob members, were constantly being taunted and called "gay" for wearing skinny jeans, high fashion, and over-sized t-shirts (which is hilarious to think about now as every #streetstyle post on Instagram consists of layered, over-sized tops and skinny pants). Rocky has always been ahead of his time with his style, and this profile will analyze his most successful looks and pieces over the past few years.


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Bomber Jackets may not seem the most fashion-forward garments anymore, but A$AP Rocky was, per usual, ahead of the curve. One of the first artists to don said style of jacket, Rocky was essential in bringing forward hip hop culture to embrace the militaristic and rebellious nature of this garment and style it correctly. 

Wearing this Balenciaga bomber as early as 2013 in his "Wild For The Night" Music video, Rocky started to style this piece with his signature skinny jeans and longer t-shirts. What I've really observed from Rocky's styling over the years is his versatility. He may wear a Dries Van Noten bomber over top a graphic t shirt and look very casual, or dress up and wear a Dior bomber to more formal events (as seen below in the tan bomber jacket). 

The idea of rappers dressing formally outside of award shows was considered preposterous even 10 years ago. But Rocky has elevated the term "hip hop style" with his ability to incorporate high-fashion suit and tie wear into a street aesthetic. 

While he mostly sticks to his go-to streetwear garb as every day style, Rocky has been successful when defying stereotypes at events such as the Met Gala and various awards shows. I guess running in fashion-savvy circles and consistently getting invited to fashion shows and cruises rubs off on a person. Rocky's been dressed mostly in Dior when doing interviews or attending events, which makes sense due to his affection towards Kris Van Asche and Raf Simons, who was previously the creative director at Dior.
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Back in the day, Rocky would wear extravagant Jeremy Scott sneakers and abstract Raf Simons shoes, but throughout most of his career the Harlem-based rapper has stuck to more subtle footwear that compliments his entire ensemble rather than steal the attention away from it. 

Some of his favorites- Adidas' Stan Smiths, Alexander Wang combat boots, and Rick Owens boots- offer a minimal color palette. Rocky has even slipped away from the sneakerhead scene to rock more formal footwear such as Dior Oxfords or Raf Simons x Adidas Stan Smith collaborative shoes . That said, Rocky still isn't afraid to remind everyone where he came from and sport a pair of Retro Jordan 4's. Not to mention that the artist collaborated on his own sneaker with Jeremy Scott with a blacked-out edition of the previously mentioned Winged Adidas Sneakers. 

When everyone zigs, Rocky zags. And when it seemed everyone in the mens fashion scene was obsessing over sneaker culture, Rocky decided to tone down his footwear and rev up the rest of his wardrobe. As I mentioned in my Five Summer Style Tips for Men, simple footwear is the way to go for a more polished look, and of course Rocky is all about that. 

Denim has long been a part of American culture, and A$AP Rocky seems to have ample appreciation for it. In a time where athleisure such as joggers and hoodies are taking the industry by storm, Rocky has stuck to his slim denim jeans and various denim jackets. 

Embracing the movement further, Rocky collaborated with denim brand Guess Jeans this past spring on a capsule collection entitled 'GUE$$, consisting of denim bombers, jeans, and varsity jackets, among other garments. Rocky has also been very familiar with the current Gucci movement of Alessandro Michele and embroidered denim, rocking as he put it "All new Gucci runway" at this years Grammy's. 

Denim isn't anything new in mens fashion. But the way Rocky styles and embraces innovative silhouettes and materials parallels his forward-thinking vision on fashion. 

As you can see, Rocky possesses heavy influence over the current state of fashion. For the purpose of not writing way too long of an article (and trust me I could on this man), I wasn't able to cover every facet of Rocky's notable fashion powers. 

On a personal note, I'm currently studying Fashion Merchandising in college, and Rocky is a big part of why I made this decision. As ridiculous as that sounds considering I've never met the man, he, along with Kanye, made fashion "cool" for guys to care about. Finding inspiration in these guys' style and the way they carry themselves snowballed into myself studying fashion and one day securing a career in the field. So if anyone tries to say that Rocky only dresses cool and doesn't really do much fashion-wise, he's influenced my life more than enough to dismiss that line of thinking. 

by Wyatt Smith

Ronnie Fieg has been a busy man lately. The creative director of KITH released Part 1 of his Summer '16 collection a few weeks ago and dropped part 2 this week. Clearly onto the next venture, Fieg took to his Instagram to preview a few looks with the mysterious caption "Kith x Colette week coming soon".

In this collaborative collection, rapper Fabolous models with splashes of luxury in his rings and wrist wear (which sadly, doesn't come with the clothing). The pieces stay in Fieg's wheelhouse with joggers, sweatshirts, and hats that fit the trending athleisure movement he has helped push forward. The blue and white color way used through stays true to Colette's brand, and logos of both Kith and Colette are printed onto many of the garments. On another note, it looks as though the sneakers will be in collaboration with Puma as well. If you're losing track of all the contributors, don't worry there's only one more brand involved: Beats by Dre. With Fabolous listening to a pair of Powerbeats and holding a Beats Pill donning the Kith and Colette logos, we can expect the audio behemoth to be a part of the release as well.

With so many unique pieces being previewed here, stay with us for more news regarding this collection's release and pricing. 
 

By Wyatt Smith

This summer will mark the third year that streetwear brand Palace Skateboards and Adidas have collaborated on a collection. Much like the previous years, 2016's collection is influenced by soccer, skateboarding, and the 90's. Using retro colors and silhouettes popular in the 90's (track suits mostly), this collection will appeal to those who have always vouched for Palace. Don't sleep on the sneakers either. The entire collection is scheduled to drop this Saturday, June 4th online and in select retailers globally. 

Summer is the time to kick back, relax, and enjoy yourself. So keep a clean and simple look and try not to pass out from heat exhaustion.