To celebrate the release of its newest skincare release, the Dermatologist Solutions Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, a serum with a Vitamin C derivative that fights hyperpigmentation by breaking up melanin clusters, thereby diminishing their visibility while also protecting the skin from producing the excess melanin that leads to age spots, Kiehl's is hosting a live chat with Kiehl's President Chris Salgardo and consulting dermatologist Dr. Adam Geyer.
Taking place at 3 p.m. EST, the chat will focus on both the technology behind this new product, the causes of uneven skin tone, the best anti-aging regimens, and much more.
Make sure to tune in now — just click on the play button above and watch the chat as it happens!
By now, you're probably rather familiar with the movie poster of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in which Rooney Mara appears topless, the film's release date printed in bold numbers to cover (albeit incompletely) the pierced nipples that, if fully exposed, would cause a major uproar among "family values" crusaders. If you look closely at Rooney Mara's hand, the one clutching Daniel Craig's arm, which is itself slung over her chest protectively, you'll notice Mara is wearing several rings in her character's signature goth style. In her role as Lisbeth Salander, Mara sports these very same rings throughout the film, complementing her razor blade pendant necklace, lip ring, nose ring, and the black spiral earrings dangling from her lobes.
Well, I set out to investigate who designed the jewelry seen in the film and, as it turns out, one of my favorite jewelry designers, Jules Kim, is the lady behind the rings Lisbeth Salander rocked while executing her stealth cyber operations, solving a decades-old crime, and exacting revenge on a merciless rapist. Kim's Bijules line is centered on many of the same principles that we associate with the character of Lisbeth Salander. Her pieces all have an air of unapologetic confidence, a dark beauty that will frighten some and fascinate others, and a slightly lethal quality that makes them feel treacherous yet titillating. It's only fitting, then, that two of her most in-your-face pieces would wind up gracing Mara's fingers for her role as Salander: the Bijules Bony Knuckle Ring ($264 at BijulesNYC.com), meant to be positioned atop the knuckle and featuring two pieces of metal shaped to resemble femurs and curved into a two-tier design; and the Bijules Mini Curved Bar Ring ($238 at BijulesNYC.com), a slightly rounded version of the Bar Ring that Kim considers the staple of the Bijules line, with a gleaming top bar that can cover up to three fingers.
Salander's tribal-flavored earrings, meanwhile, were designed by Tawapa, an organic jewelry brand that specializes in pieces made of organic materials ranging from coconut shells and exotic woods to post-consumer water buffalo horn and fossilized ivory. Though many of the brand's earring designs mimic those seen in the film, the Horn Night Shade earrings (starting at $41.25 at Tawapa.com) are the closest approximation, with their spiraling shape and the small hook-like details along each curve of the glossy black buffalo horn.
So there you have it, folks! If you're feeling like rocking a subversive look these days, you now have the right weaponry to do so.
By the hammer of Thor! As if Case-Mate didn't already offer an array of iPhone cases boasting both special style powers and superhuman strength, they've now released the Case-Mate Marvel Collection, which consists of 15 superhero-centric models for comic book enthusiasts and pop cuture fanatics alike.
The Case-Mate Marvel collection can be divided into five categories, each centered on a Marvel character or crime-fighting unit: Thor, Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, and Captain America. Featuring authentic Marvel illustrations, the iPhone cases will protect your smartphone, much like the heroes depicted on their exteriors protected planet Earth.
The Spider-Man collection, for example, includes three iPhone designs: "Flight," in which he's depicted leaping off of tall buildings, with long spiderwebs shooting out of his fingertips to ensure his safe descent (as shown last above); "Dive," in which the arachnid-human hybrid plummets down, head first, as if diving into the ocean's depths; and "Victory," in which Peter Parker's alter ego is shown standing in front of the Green Goblin, Chameleon, and Doctor Octopus, presumably toasting his triumph over these villainous characters.
The X-Men collection includes three of the most colorful and dynamic designs: first, there's "Battle," in which Wolverine, Storm, Angel and Jean Grey are shown facing off against Iceman (shown second from top); "Shred," in which Wolverine's wields his hatchet-like claws mercilessly while battling an enemy; and "Conquer," in which Gambit and Angel stand against a fiery backdrop, presumably the explosive results of Gambit's ability to change latent energy into kinetic one.
The three Thor cases are also impressive, particularly "Hammer" (shown third from top), in which the Nordic warrior raises his Mjolnir hammer, a lightning storm lighting up the sky behind him. In the brutal "Destroy" design, meanwhile, Thor rumbles with the assistance of Iron Man, both having teamed up to form The Avengers. In the "Blast" case, meanwhile, we see a close-up of the blond god, his mouth agape as if he were shrieking a combat call, his blue eyes bloodshot with rage, and his silver helmet with the wing details positioned atop his head.
Another three cases were designed in honor of Iron Man and Captain America, respectively, each showcasing the superhero of choice in action, with Tony Stark slipping into his armored suit and unleashing his repulsor blast as needed and Captain America clutching his star-emblazoned shield while dodging enemy fire.
Each case in the Case-Mate x Marvel collection retails for $40 and stands as a true collector's item, particularly for those of you with an appreciation for the classic battles versus good and evil staged in comic books since their inception. Visit Case-Mate.com to buy.
I have an affinity for fingerless gloves — whether they're leather ones with zippers, studs, and buckles; wool pieces with ribbed wrist bands and frayed edges at the fingertips; warm and fuzzy thanks to their angora fabrication; or simple, understated, and refined cashmere gloves. My penchant for fingerless gloves could be the result of my urban surroundings and the fact that, like most self-starters living in the digital age, I'm always tapping on the keypad of my mobile phone so I can promptly respond to e-mails, check the news, and connect with readers and fans via Twitter (follow me at @sickathanavg). And, while some companies have released touchscreen gloves, these are generally lacking in terms of their style quotient. For now, then, I'll stick with my fingerless gloves, which have the added benefit of infusing a youthful, punk-like edge to any ensemble
If you share my sentiment in regards to fingerless gloves, then you'll appreciate the new collaboration between luxury cashmere brand White + Warren and beauty giant Sally Hansen. For a limited time, when you purchase a pair of White + Warren Fingerless Gloves online (down to $40 from $95 at WhiteandWarren.com), you'll get a complimentary Sally Hansen Manicure Set so that you can keep cuticles smooth, hands soft and silky, nails perfectly shaped, and coated in a classic color.
The Sally Hansen Manicure Kit (pictured above) includes the following products: a Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Coarse Nail Board (which retails for $2.67 at Drugstore.com); a bottle of Nailgrowth Miracle Serum ($9.15 at Drugstore.com and other food and drug retailers), a strengthening peptide serum treatment designed for daily use and fortified with biotin, a B-complex vitamin that fortifies thin and brittle nails, as well as lemon peel oil, a common ingredient for conditioning cuticles and nails; a bottle of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish in Right Said Red ($7 at mass food and drug retailers, including Drugstore.com), a classic Minnie Mouse-worthy red lacquer that's amazingly shiny, long-wearing, and chip resistant; and a tube of Sally Hansen Dry Chapped Hand Creme ($5.50 at Drugstore.com), a new lotion that moisturizes hands and provides some relief for those with chapped or cracked skin, brittle nails and rough cuticles thanks to the incorporation of softening, conditioning shea butter; safflower seed oil, which helps the skin retain moisture; and soybean oil, which boasts wound healing properties and also gives the skin a nice smooth sensation.
When you purchase a pair of 100% cashmere fingerless gloves from White + Warren (available in Black, Navy, Midnight Teal, Citron, Lilac, Grey Frost, and Fossil Heather), then, you'll also be receiving nearly $30 worth of hand care products. And considering that the gloves are over 50% off right now, you'll actually be getting a combined value of $120 for your $40 purchase.
With this deal, your hands are, well, in the right hands.
Here's what first piqued my interest about the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer With Collagen: it was developed alongside a group of esteemed, Brazil-based plastic surgeons. Now, this is the land that birthed Dr. Ivo Pitanguy, perhaps the most famous plastic surgeon in the world (as in Dr. 90210 is a chump compared to this guy) and, without a doubt, someone who has attained legendary status in his homeland, with his name more vastly recognizable than those of such demigods as designer Carlos Miele, model Adriana Lima, actress Sonia Braga, director Walter Salles, and musician Sergio Mendes. And he's not the only whiz with a scalpel — in fact, for over five years now, Brazil has been dubbed the "leader in nip-and-tuck tourism," with American women traveling to South America in drones to get "freshened up." Now, whether or not you advocate for plastic surgery or stand in amoral opposition to such surgical procedures isn't the question. My only point is this: the best plastic surgeons are trained to understand all of the factors that contribute to the skin aging process – from collagen degradation to depleting ceramide quantities — and thereby also know the type of natural and cosmeceutical ingredients that can smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Plus, considering that their post-op patients often have massive amounts of swelling and bruising, they're prime candidates to test out the amount of coverage offered by makeup products like concealers — a challenge they, in fact, took on to ensure this product would appease customers.
The It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer with Collagen, then, not only includes rich pigments that help to camouflage the dark circles rimming tired eyes, but it's packed with vitamin A, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles thanks to its role in stimulating the production of procollagen and glycosaminoglycan; vitamin C, which helps to brighten the complexion, even out skin tone, boost collagen production, reverse minor sun damage, and heal wounds (thereby stimulating skin repair functions); vitamin E, which both softens skin and neutralizes free radicals that lead to cellular damage (UV rays among them); vitamin K, which helps alleviate skin discolorations such as redness and dark circles. Lastly, the hydrolyzed collagen in the formula helps to reduce those pesky bags underneath eyes and to create a smoother surface so that, not only will eyes look brighter and more refreshed, but the product itself will go on more smoothly rather than creeping into any fine lines.
The concealer is available in four shades: Light, Neutral Medium, Tan, and Deep. Plus, when you purchase, the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer With Collagen & Brush ($29 at QVC.com), you also receive a dual-ended brush — one side a smaller, flatter brush perfect for dabbing the concealer onto the under eye region and the other side a larger, fluffier brush that will help you blend and diffuse the color). Best of all, the brush can also be used both to apply eyeshadow onto the lids and creases of eyes, making it a great multi-purpose tool.
Each concealer comes in a 0.28 fl.oz. squeezable tube. While lightweight, the concealer is rather dense and richly pigmented, which means a drop the size of a rice kernel might just be enough to cover the area under an entire eye. Since a little goes such a long way, you'll want to use the product sparingly. I'd advise squeezing some onto the back of your hand then, using your middle finger, patting the concealer gently underneath the eyes and into the inner corners of eyes (by the bridge of the nose), as well as onto the sides of nostrils and any other shadowy spots. I even like applying a tad to the widow's peak on my upper lip before applying lipstick so as to create a more defined pout.
I've been using the It Cosmetics concealer for a few weeks now, and I'm quite happy with how it not only offers natural yet full coverage, but how it minimizes the appearance of pores and yields a smooth texture. If you don't get very much sleep or simply struggle with dark circles and puffiness, give this concealer a whirl. Hopefully, you'll be saying bye to those eye-related gripes in no time!
If you're always looking for fun ways to create custom nail art, you may have heard the term "water marbling," one of the most buzzed-about techniques among lacquer hoarders, DIY manicurists, and beauty junkies alike. But what exactly is water marbling? Well, it's a technique that involves making intricate patterns on the top surface of a container filled with water (using nothing but nail lacquers to create these designs) and then superimposing these creations onto nails.
Many a YouTube video exists demonstrating a variety of water marble designs — from floral motifs to clover patterns, flame designs, swirly shapes, and more — but most can seem rather overwhelming for novices who need to first practice the technique before masterminding more complex designs. This post, then, caters to those of you who are curious about the technique and want a very basic explanation of how it works so that you can practice inside the comfort of your home.
So let's start the Water Marble Nail Art 101 lesson!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Two coats of white nail polish to use as the base color (you can technically use any color, but for this tutorial, we used white)
Toothpicks
A plastic cup or bowl filled with filtered or bottled water at room temperature
Scotch tape
An assortment of bright nail polishes that are new enough to not have hardened or thickened
A clear top coat polish
Q-tips and nail polish remover
Paper towels (for mess control)
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
First, apply a base coat to nails
Next, apply two coats of your favorite white polish. For this design, I chose Orly's Au Champagne nail polish.
Once your nails are dry, prepare your workspace. I'd suggest covering a flat table or desk surface with paper towels (in case any water or polish spills), fill a plastic cup with filtered water, prop a roll of Scotch tape and a handful of toothpicks on the surface, and get out all the nail polish color you wish to use.
In order to move quickly once the process starts, unscrew the tops of the nail polish bottles and keep them open throughout the process. For my first attempt, I used Zoya America (a fiery red), Zoya Pippa (a canary yellow), Zoya Tallulah (an electric blue), Zoya Vanessa (a deep aubergine), and Zoya Reece (a metallic bubblegum pink).
Prep your nails by tearing off a piece of clear tape and pressing it directly underneath your fingernail. Then apply two more strips of tape to the sides of the nails, curving the top of the tape to cover the area behind the tip of your fingernails. Repeat the process until all your nails are properly taped. Note: it's not necessary to tape your nails in order to complete the process — it's simply a precautionary measure that protects the skin on your fingers from becoming stained by the nail polish you'll be using. If, however, some polish does happen to wind up on your fingers, simply use a cotton ball or swap and nail polish remover to clean up.
To start, choose one of the nail polish colors and, positioning a brush loaded with color above the center of the water cup, allow a drop of lacquer to fall onto the surface. Once it does, it will disperse rather rapidly. Next, choose a different polish color and repeat the process, letting a drop fall in the middle of the circle previously created and watching as it disperses. Continue this process until you've created a number of concentric circles on the water's surface.
Next, grab a toothpick and gently twirl and swirl the colors around to create the desired pattern. For beginners like myself, I'd recommend a simple swirly, tie-dye style pattern.
Next, take one of your pre-taped fingers and dip it into the water so that the nail is facing down and positioned above the exact part of the design that you'd like to see duplicated on your nail.
Allow the finger to linger in the water for several seconds and then, using another toothpick, scrape off any excess color (atop the water's surface, the polishes develop this film-like consistency so that, if you simply move the toothpick around in the water, the film will adhere to its sides.
Next, remove your finger from the water. Wait a few seconds, then apply a clear top coat (such as the Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat). Remove the tape from your fingernail and clean up the edges using a Q-tip and some nail polish remover.
Repeat the marbling process for each nail until you've got a finished manicure (as you become more comfortable, you can try doing two nails at a time, but start with one).
THE RESULTS:
Here's how my nail design looked when complete:
For a visual breakdown of the water marbling process, make sure to check our tutorial video (embedded above, at top) here or on our YouTube channel.
Bare Escentuals' BUXOM line emphamizes flamboyance, voluptuousness, succulence, sensuality, and a lustworthy bodaciousness. Up until now, these qualities have been channeled via lip plumping glosses and creamy lip pencils, vibrant and shimmering cream eye shadows, volumizing mascaras, richly pigmented smoky eye pencils, and lash-enhancing gel liners. Come February, however, BUXOM will set sail into uncharted territories (in the brand's history, that is), releasing its first-ever complexion offering: the BUXOM True Hue Blush.
Available in eight vivid shades, these paraben-free powder blushes are formulated with rhodiola, a plant that grows in arctic climates and is commonly found in the mountainous regions of Tibet, Siberia, and China. The antioxidant-rich botanical boosts collagen and elastin production, thereby rejuvenating the skin, while the rosavins found in the plant help oxygen-deprived skin, making it appear more refreshed and giving he complexion a healthier appearance.
Packaged in square black compacts with flip tops and built-in mirrors, these blushes feel silky against the skin without being too most to properly smooth and blend. Though richly pigmented, the True Hue Blushes can be customized to create the desired intensity. The Rendezvous shade, for example, a bright plum-tinged pink color reminiscent of coleus plant leaves and magenta-ish Alpinia purpurata flowers, can give cheeks a subtle rosy tint or it can be layered to create a truly robust shade (check out the swatch above). The shade features a sprinkle of pale pink micropearls for a subtle shimmer, but otherwise boasts a satiny finish.
I had the chance to test out four of the True Hue Blush shades: Rendezvous, Luvitate, Swept Away, and Euphoria. The Rendevous and Euphoria shades both fall on the brighter end of the spectrum — particularly the Euphoria color, an intense orange peach hue that actually resembles the darker patches of color on the exterior of fuzzy Texas peaches but infuses a dose technicolor salmon orange. The Swept Away shade, in contrast, is a darling creamy light peach with a rather matte texture — it's the type of feathery soft color you'd expect to find on a spring begonia flower or on a seashell that washed up on a beach shore. Last, Luvitate is a luminous, bronze-y golden pink saturated with fine pink and gold micropearls, therby giving the skin a sunkissed effect while also giving it a subtle, rosy, afterglow-like effect.
Above, you'll find swatches of the Rendezvous, Luvitate, Swept Away, and Euphoria shades. I actually love all four colors, but I've been using Swept Away the most often to balance out dark smoky eye looks. As summer approaches, I'll likely gravitate to Euphoria and Rendezvous for an '80s-worthy dose of color along my cheekbones and the apples of my cheeks, a look that would make Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, and Boy George nod in approval.
All four shades, along with the other four colors, will be available for $24 at Sephora and Sephora.com in February.
Here's a photo of me wearing the Swept Away True Hue Blush. Neat, right?
Five vibrant, joyful, colorful prints will adorn a new batch of classic Converse sneaker silhouettes thanks to the American footwear brand's ongoing partnership with Finnish textile giant Marimekko. The Converse x Marimekko Spring 2012 collection celebrates four iconic prints designed by the late Maija Isola as well as a geometric print masterminded by Annika Rimala, who worked as Marimekko's chief designer from 1960 to 1982.
First, there's the Unikko print, which Isola introduced in 1964, a whimsical design consisting of large, cartoonish poppy florals with exaggerated, rounded petals that has become synonymous with the Marimekko brand. Though the Unikko print has appeared on previous Converse editions (including a white Chuck Taylor Lo with purple and magenta florals from the Fall/Winter 2011 collection), this season it emerges in a brand new colorway, so that periwinkle, cornflower, and sky blue blossoms adorn the white canvas uppers of a Chuck Taylor Hi sneaker (as shown second from top).
The other standout is the Lokki print, a psychedelic design consisting of undulating lines recalling seismic wave diagrams. First introduced by Isola in 1961, the Lokki print appears in three different footwear styles, popping up in a tangerine and honeysuckle pink colorway on a Chuck Taylor Hi (pictured at top), in black and white scheme on a Chuck Taylor Low (shown after the jump), and in a cerulean blue and white colorway on a Jack Purcell Helen sneaker (pictured third from top).
Other Isola prints include: the Appelssoni, introduced in 1950, a tie-dye flavored pattern with a blood orange backdrop and pops of deep aubergine, which was inspired by the designer's love of citrus fruits (shown on a Jack Purcell Helen after the jump, last); and the Muija, an eyelet-like pattern dating back to 1968, with clusters of four white dots positioned in diamond formation all throughout the pale yellow canvas uppers of a Jack Purcell Helen sneaker style (pictured second after the jump).
Annika Rimala's Kameka pattern completes the collection. Originally designed in 1964, the design was inspired by the hand-tooled carvings Rimala saw in Mexico's Mayan temples. Featuring jagged, EKG-worthy lines, the pattern surfaces on the Chuck Taylor All Star PJs (shown third after the jump).
Until now, Tarte only offered one liquid foundation option: the ReCreate Anti-Aging Foundation with Wrinkle Rewind Technology, containing micronized mineral pigments to provide the necessary coverage, along with moisturizing peat extract, wheat extract (a natural humectant), and antioxidant-rich goji berry — all of which worked together to moisturize the skin and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. I loved the ReCreate Anti-Aging Foundation, but I did hope for a formula that was even lighter and less discernible.
Enter the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation, which delivers such a natural finish that your skin practically looks airbrushed. Packaged in a brown tube that resembles the one used for the Smooth Operator tinted moisturizer, this creamy foundation is formulated with mineral pigments that soothe the skin while providing the necessary color to give your face appear like a smooth, unblemished, virginal canvas. The vitamin E in the formula protects skin from free radicals, while also acting as an anti-inflammatory, calming any redness and irritation, and a combination of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide yield an SPF 15 factor, shielding your complexion from the sun's rays.
But, of course, the key ingredient here is Amazonian clay. What in the world is that, you ask? Well, this white clay is typically found in Marajó, an island at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. The clay consists of mineral deposits and rocks that once lined the banks of the Amazon River and were crushed and micronized into tiny particles due to the constant movement of the river waters over their surface. These minerals were then carried along the Amazon River, finally depositing at its mouth, absorbing the oils of the botanicals nearby and drying out under the sun's rays to become a rich clay.
Researchers have found that this clay contains such nutrients as: calcium, which stimulates cell renewal and fortifies the lipid layer, thereby creating a protective barrier along the epidermis that ensures no excess loss of moisture; iron, which helps skin that looks pale and dull regain its luminosity; potassium, which hydrates skin and stimulates cellular generation, thereby helping you attain younger-looking skin; and sulphur, which is commonly used in anti-acne treatments.
Thanks to these remarkable minerals and nutrients, Amazonian Clay helps to reduce the appearance of pores, tighten the skin, minimize discoloration and, most notably, strike the perfect balance of moisture. This last quality (I casually refer to it as skin ESP) is perhaps its most astounding benefit: whether you have normal, oily, dry, or combination skin, Amazonian Clay adapts to the needs of your skin type, delivering moisture as needed, tackling bacteria that could lead to breakouts, controlling oil production, soothing inflammations and essentially tailoring its workload to address your skin's concerns.
What I adore about this foundation, then, is that it soothes and nourishes my skin while also delivering the perfect amount of coverage. Waterproof and oil-free, this foundation will help you conceal dark spots, redness, minor blemishes or rashes, birthmarks an freckles, dark circles, and shadowy areas without looking too thick or cake-like. In fact, when you have it on, most people won't even notice that you're wearing foundation!
The foundation won't crease, run, smear, clump, flake or clog pores and lead to breakouts (all common gripes when it comes to liquid foundations) and it does deliver natural-looking coverage while smoothing out the surface of the skin. That being said, if you have major skin problems (cystic acne, psoriasis, etc.), you may want to use this as your base and then apply a slightly heavier foundation atop it since it doesn't offer strong enough coverage for such severe conditions (in other words, "full coverage" might be a bit of a misnomer in that regard). But, if you've got fairly normal skin (be it dry or oily), this should more than suffice.
To apply, you should use the Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush (which comes with purchase), using circular movements and essentially buffing the skin. If you're having a breakout or there's a particular area that requires a bit more attention, you can stipple some of the color onto that area for greater coverage and then diffuse the foundation by again using circular, buffing movements. The hefty brush features extra soft bristles that feel so soothing against the skin that you'll actually look forward to applying your foundation every day. I actually think the brush alone could be a best-seller for Tarte!
The foundation is available in eight shades: Fair, Ivory, Light, Light-Medium, Medium, Tan, Tan-Deep, and Deep. To purchase, visit QVC.com
For more details, make sure to check out the video above!
For Spring 2012, New Balance went all around the world more times than Lisa Stanfield and found not one, but four sole mates. As part of a global design initiative, New Balance selected four sneaker retailers, each located in a different regions of the world, and offered them the chance to reinvent the New Balance 581 sneaker in a manner that would capture both the qualities associated with their boutiques and the cultural and style norms of their geographical location. Using the 581's streamlined, city slick silhouette and infusing their own aesthetic sensibilities via the choice of materials and colorways, these sneaker boutiques all went half on their sneaker babies, producing a new generation of fashion-forward and culturally diverse 581 kicks (just don't call them Jrs., okay?).
The four sneaker boutiques selected for the global collaboration were: Mita Sneakers in Tokyo, Japan; Kasina in Seoul, Korea; 24 Kilates in Barcelona, Spain; and Bodega in Boston, MA. According to Luis Navarro, Product Manager of New Balance's Lifestyle division, the choice of boutiques was ultimately one made by the global marketing team, the members of which identified key retailers in four distinct regions that they thought would "best use influences from their own cultures to bring the 581 to life."
And, sure enough, the four boutiques selected envisioned some rather disparate interpretations of the 581 style. The New Balance x Bodega sneaker (pictured second above), for example, was inspired by the ski jackets of the 1990s with their bold juxtapositions of color. The sneaker, then, includes pops of teal, orchid pink, navy, heather gray, and sky blue that recall the ensembles in B- and C-grade movies like 1991's Ski School and 1995's Aspen Extreme. Touches of fleece around the ankle collar and atop the tongue reference the lining of these jackets, adding a textural element to the ski motif which, of course, is more than fitting for the United States' Northeast region, with its chilly winters.
Though the New Balance x Bodega 581 sneaker is my absolute favorite, the other three editions are also worth noting. The New Balance x Mita 581 sneaker, for instance, features creamy ivory uppers in homage to the abundance of white symbols and visuals in Japanese culture — from the white backdrop of the nation's flag to the plumage of the crane, which is known as the "bird of happiness," the pristine uniforms used for karate practice, and the panels lining dojos.
In keeping with the demure and understated vein of Mita's 581 interpretation, the folks at Kasina in Seoul created a similarly classic design, employing buttery cream shades of suede and mesh and an unexpected bit of tweed atop the toe to infuse the style with a timeless elegance.
Last, the New Balance x 24 Kilates 581 sneaker boasts an outdoorsy vibe thanks to the earthy colorway, which was itself inspired by the Camino de Santiago, a network of pilgrim routes that stretch across Europe, all ending at the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The sneaker, then, fuses together forest green suede, mahogany brown leather, and dark wenge wood-colored mesh to mirror the colors of the foliage, trails, trees, and mountains encountered along these routes. The choice of bright orange for the stitching rimming the logo at the side of the sneaker, the trim at the outsole, and the laces could all perhaps be attributed to this shade being commonly used to outline pilgrimage routes on maps. A scallop shell on the tongue, meanwhile, makes a direct reference to the Camino de Santiago journey, as it's a souvenir commonly gifted to those who complete the travel.
Most of the sneakers in the New Balance 581 Global Collaboration landed in stores on January 7th, and they all retail for $110-$120. The limited-edition kicks can be purchased at select retailers, as well as at Bloomingdales.
Those of you eager to nab some kicks online will appreciate this tidbit: the New Balance x Mita sneaker and the New Balance x 24 Kilates sneakers are currently available for $120 each at Barneys.com
