Cerebral Ballsy

Swagger is back at it in '05, having recently rolled out their Swagger Kingdom fall line. While one shouldn't expect much other than flipped hip-hop entrenched streetwear staples from the Shakkazombie born fashion label, much like today's hip hop, Swagger's ability to make hits is sometimes more about attitude and image than necessarily the final product. That's not a detraction though- the brand has a long track record of excellently executed collaborations and image builders in supplement of their credentialed line. Even when it comes to the sometimes undecorated gear (sometimes it takes a bit of clout to be able to keep it simple), only a brief turn into the realm of jean shorts could mar an otherwise mean collection- but even then, in the context of their inspirations, jeans shorts fortunately make sense. Swagger isn't a line for the picky streetwear fanboys out there, it's a line for money making Jap rap artists and fans in the market for a little "bring bring;" you'd be hard pressed to bring that particular swagger to Swagger. I know it sounds isolationist, but hasn't it always been that way with these cats?

• I remember scoping Algierz randomly back a year or so, immediately writing the whole thing off as a bunch of cartoon cornball business (probably because it is). I mean, obviously Algierz runs nowhere close to paralel with they type of stuff I'm into, but for some reason this design caught my eye (once you take a look at the design, it becomes obvious- it's not much different in concept and execution from a past equally high brow design from the man like Perks, plus I'm alwas game for overt ganja references). I clicked around the net for a bit, and it turns out that the brand is being rocked fairly hard by some of the south's finest; Paul Wall, Bun B and, umm, Yukmouth. Is Algierz the ghetto Matt Groening?

What's the story with the Mobb inspired Supreme sweatshirt featured on page three of Factory's online updates? Shown next to the already released FW 05 stadium track tops, are we to assume this Hennessey joint is a JP only release, or did it all get snatched up (or passed over)? '95 mentality still strikes a chord 10 years down the line... It's funny, I went back to shoot some photos of the video a couple months ago, and imediately thought to myself- some one should flip the old school Henney joint... With streetwear where it is these days, seems like that kind of thing is increasingly happening to designers and fans alike...

• Kaikoo son, what!