February 16, 2012

$100K IRIDIUM RAZOR

Presenting what may very well be the Maybach of shaving tools. The Zafirro Iridium is a $100,000.00 USD Sapphire-bladed razor meant to last a lifetime. Not to mention the 20 years of service included with the razor's purchase and you could say this thing is the Woodrow Wilson of men's accessories (see the 28th president of the United States baller bill below for reference). But after a bit of math and comparison to say, a Gillette Fusion Pro-Glide 4-Pack from Target department stores, we want to point out that not everything that's "iridium" is gold! Check out our makeshift breakdown:

You could shave everyday of the year with a brand-new top-of-the-line Fusion blade for $1623.33 (365 / 4 Razor Pack = 91.25 Packs x 17.79 / Per Pack) X 60 years = $97,399.80 USD or 21,900 blades and money left over for a vacation.

Think we're sticking with the consumer razors, at least for this fiscal year. Sorry Woodrow!

Iridium_blade

Wilsonbill

February 15, 2012

ESOSA FALL 2012 PREVIEW

In conjunction with this season's New York City Fashion Week, República was recently invited to preview the debut line of Dominican-born, American designer, Emilio Sosa. The collection was presented at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The Ford-sponsored event brought out the city's brightest and best-dressed for a night full of color and soulful House music--two things that Emilio boasts, truly inspired the unique line titled: Urban Geisha.

The result is a stunning collection that's based on classic American sportswear silhouettes, Japanese aesthetic and vibrant hues of blue and red.

Stage

Esosa

Pair

February 02, 2012

SOUL TRAIN DOCUMENTARY

In lieu of the passing of Don Cornelius (1936-2012), creator and host of one of the most influential music and dance shows in the history of television, Soul Train, we thought that it'd only be right to highlight the VH1 documentary that tells the story behind it all. Check out Soul Train: The Hippest Train In America to find out what made The Don such a remarkable figure for people across the United States and even around the world and why it was all so revolutionary!

Don

Dance

January 27, 2012

NIKE FUELBAND

Introducing the Nike FuelBand, the sportswear company's latest jump into the consumer tech gadget universe. The sleek LCD wristband works like a personal monitor by recording the user's activity via an accelerometer. That activity is then translated into "Nike Fuel" a point system that quantifies and visualizes it all. Athletes can set point goals and start moving! Oh, and did we mention that you can track your progress with an app? Cool.

Fuel

Band

January 23, 2012

DID JIM JONES BITE?

It's no secret that the fashion world and the commercial music scene share lots of commonalities. For one, both industries are as competitive as they come. Add in a melting pot of movers and players that are constantly creating and exchanging, and you'll realize how relatively easy it is for the line between inspiration and cloning blur. Which leads us to the following story between winter drygoods brand, Psyberia, and Harlem-based rapper, Jim Jones (The Diplomats).

According to Psyberia, Jimmy and some of his cohorts were given complimentary jackets courtesy of the upstart brand. The hope, as with any infant line, was for publicity--to have Jim Jones and company rocking the "Psyberian Coat" was a golden opportunity! And it was, that is, until a couple of months later Jimmy and competing brand, Parish Nation, show up on the scene with a collaborative line called Protocol that includes a winter jacket that looks awfully familiar.

So here it is, a rundown of the entire "exchange" process:

Psyberia Drygoods debuts Winter 2010/2011 line and Psyberian Coat.

Psyberia

Pysberiacoat

Jim Jones receives complimentary Psyberian Coat.

Jim

Jim Jones uploads TwitVid of himself wearing coat during Winter 2010/2011 snow storm.

Jim Jones artist, Sen City, wears Pysberian Coat in brown.

Sencity

2011 Parish Nation X Jim Jones "Protocol" video w/ Psyberian Coat on sample table.

Jim Jones "Ski Jacket" for Protocol Winter 2011/2012. 

Protocol

Protocol2

As the saying goes, imitation is the best form of flattery, but we're really scratching our heads over this one. Is it possible that Jimmy was so "inspired" by the Psyberian Coat design (chest pocket and all) that he had to go ahead and create his own? And if so, where is the line drawn between borrowing and copying?

Given the evidence presented, we're letting our readers' comments decide this one.

Did Jim Jones bite?

January 11, 2012

JEREMY SCOTT X ADIDAS ORIGINALS KIDS

Outside-of-the-box fashion designer, Jeremy Scott, has unveiled his 2012 Adidas Originals Spring/Summer footwear line for the kiddies and man is it cool! Expect kid-sized versions of his the already-funky designs. Think plush, colorful, and with animals and wings. We likes!

Colors

Leopard

Wings

January 03, 2012

LUXURY CEREALS

Self-proclaimed glam foodie, Tricia, of Sip Chat Chow, presents her unique series of couture breakfast cereals. She says that the idea combines her love of fashion with her love of food and amazing style:

I wanted to take something we all crave and give it a luxury lift. This tasty, chic collection gives a high-end, glam aesthetic to our favorite breakfast treats.

Feast your eyes on the Burberry Flakes, "Coco" Chanel, Gucci Loops, Louis Vuitton Charms, and more!

Burberry_Flakes

Gucci_Loops

LV_Charms

December 27, 2011

7-YEAR-OLD BUSINESS OWNER

While typical American 7-year-olds are just beginning to learn how to write independent sentences and understand numbers 1-100, the not-so-typical, Nzinga Amaju, is actually running her own business! The young Marcus Garvey Institute and Teaching Academy pupil started her own jewelry-making enterprise after discovering that she had a passion for arts and crafts. Check her out as she so eloquently describes her work and mission. Her poise and professionalism is nothing short of remarkable!

December 23, 2011

VOGUE ARCHIVE

Internationally-recognized authority on women's fashion, Vogue, has recently launched an online archive of their entire American magazine catalog. That's right, every single page of every single issues since 1892. The amazing feat doesn't come at a cheap price either, as a yearly subscription to the massive library costs a little over $1500 USD. Experts like Chris Sanderson of The Future Laboratory consulting agency argue that the price is well-worth the creative value:

The archive is clearly being marketed to creative professionals. The searchability gives it real value, because you have the ability to drill down into content and locate exactly what you need. So for example, if a client says ‘I want a mid-70s Bob Richardson feel’, this archive will give you instant access to the images, to understanding the scope of his work, the locations he used, the models.

Vogue

Vogue2

December 22, 2011

STEREO VINYL CRUISERS

Stereo's got a line of nostalgic vinyl cruisers for old-school fanatics and new school day-trippers. The fun, flexy boards come in assorted colors with, fatty wheels and matching wayfarers. Slick!

Vinylcruiser

About Us

The República Update is a lifestyle destination that delivers quality and relevant information to its community of readers. We cover events, pop culture, branding, trends, technology, the arts and social issues from a multicultural perspective.