Monthly Archives: May 2010

Our Senior Graphic Designer Benjie was in Chicago over the weekend and stopped by to visit his buddy Johnny Sampson at his studio, and document Johnny’s workspace.  The artist and illustrator has been extended TH family for a while now, he’s helped out on some of our more notable T-shirt graphics over the seasons.

While the vast majority of T-shirt graphic designers are reliant upon Adobe programs to express their work, Johnny keeps it old school. He actually illustrates and paints each graphic by hand before scanning in to be screen-printed. Here, he shows off the original “Story Book” piece he contributed for our The Hundreds x DeLorean collaboration.

Tools of the trade:

I went ahead and pixelated out a future piece that Johnny has worked on for our Spring 2011 collection.  It’s worth the wait!

photos by Benjie
by bobbyhundreds

Starting Thursday morning, The Hundreds unveils the rest of the Summer 2010 collection, delivering six more graphic tees: 2 Bits, which refers to an old song; Across Bones, guest artist Vern spells out the brand name with bones; Gross Out Adam, by talented British illustrator Godmachine; Jumbo, because sometimes bigger is better; Trend, a graphic about jumping on the bandwagon by Bert Custodio; and TV, which is sure to give you square eyes.

Available at THLA and THSF:

Mainframe and Blu are here.  These two are always up to something explosive in their own personal careers, but the renowned producer and equally noted emcee synergize for Johnson & Jonson. Earlier this year, they also launched an entertainment company called New World Color together.

Blu’s new album, “NoYork” is being worked on now, and released later this year on Sire/Warner Bros.

I love their cover art, as handcrafted by the one and only Shawn Barber.

by bobbyhundreds

IND > DEN > LAX

by bobbyhundreds

Sorry, not much of a blog entry this morning. I’ve been traveling all day, L.A. to Chicago to Indianapolis, delayed flights, skipped meals, and then an hour-and-a-half drive out of the city in the dead of night.  It’s 2am here and this is what it looks like on all corners from my hotel.  For some reason, I noticed a lot of tanning salons on the way in. What’s up with that Indiana?  God bless America.

by bobbyhundreds

Always brings me back to Lagwagon:

No more waiting on them
As you rise inside new rooms
It’s official you’ve gone
You can live for no one else
Man the guilt must be huge
There’s no gain in failure
You succeed in being mine
Hiya old friend, see you there
I will be proud from afar
I can paint a picture
In a moment of memories
And there aren’t many left
I am extradited, uninvited

Take a step to freedom
You and her against this cruel world
Take a breath of shelter, then exhale
Trust in allegiance
Liberate yourself from Hell
It’s just another Saturday
It’s just another Saturday

by bobbyhundreds

I remember the first time we met Marlon. It was at our second MAGIC tradeshow and he was a beast. That’s often how you hear friends refer to him.. “Marlon? Aw man, Marlon’s a beast!”  He was still modeling back then, but even with that, he was an animal. Always focused, charging, determined beyond anyone’s comprehension.  A few years ago, the Brooklyn-bred Russian hustler started his own brand, Sneaktip.  It’s a more notoriously sneaker-oriented brand, stocked in a bit wider of a distribution chain than let’s say, our line.  But he kill$ it.  There are many ways to do this business, the apparel business.  I wouldn’t say there’s necessarily any one right answer. What’s more important to you, the immediacy of money? The prestige? Brand integrity? The investment in a hopeful big payout?  Everyone plays the game their own way, some succeed, some falter.  Marlon’s definitely carved out his path.

What initially began as a 1-man operation has multiplied into a thriving business. Marlon just got back from touring through Asia for the past 6 weeks, Vietnam, Singapore, up and down China, all by himself.  Linking up with factories, the whole nine.  This morning, right back on a flight to New York.  Always on that grind.

We wrap up the game downstairs. See you in New York, Bron?

Outside, Marlon’s bbq’ing up a storm with some authentic Armenian meats in marinade.  I meet Ryan, one of the founders of Meister watches.  It’s a smart idea, I like what these guys are doing.  Basically, a more affordable dope watch that won’t hurt your wallet like a Hublot, but also isn’t so skate/surf-pigeonholed as a Nixon or Vestal.  It’s always cool to see young independents breaking in on something a little bit more different than a t-shirt brand.

by bobbyhundreds

Every second Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, along Spring St., is the Art Walk.  Galleries stay open late, new exhibitions have openings, and all the restaurants and bars are poppin’ off, including every trendy gourmet food truck in the city.  During the summer, upwards of 7,000 Angelenos take to the street.  It’s a pretty crazy experience, if you’ve never been, you definitely need to come out.

by bobbyhundreds

I don’t know about you guys, but it’s been a pretty long week month.  I can get overwhelmed, there are certainly not enough hours in the day, definitely lots of nonsense to navigate through, life can get complicated sometimes.  But at least we have that life to live, right?

You guys know Mike Franklin aka “Flowin’ Owen,” our longtime skateboarder.  Owen’s been with us from the start, and we’ve proudly stood behind him as he’s progressed to all kinds of insane levels as a skater.  To Owen, skateboarding is life, and vice versa.  So it was definitely an upsetting turn of events a couple months back when he was driving his Harley through an intersection and got T-boned by a truck, flying 50 feet.

Owen wasn’t expected to live past that evening.  The hospital called all the homeys and family down to say their goodbyes.  But somehow, he made it to the next morning.  Next, the doctors said they’d have to amputate his leg.  This, they were certain of.  Aside from broken collarbones and dislocated shoulders, the impact entwined his bottom right leg into the bike’s machinery, shattered beyond repair. It was deemed a loss.

…but again, somehow, his leg was spared.  The doctor came in and was determined to get Owen not only standing again one day on his own feet, but skating.  So he played Dr. Frankenstein, importing muscles from his other foot, and working all kinds of surgery miracles.  Owen lost 30 pounds in the process, had bouts with medicine-induced hallucinations, not to mention the pure agony and pain.  But this guy made it out, alive.

Our man Owen is a testament of determination and willpower.  How many of you could go through this ordeal and pull through?  Smiling, staying focused on living, fixated on skateboarding?  This dude doesn’t complain or cry about how life sucks, how he’s stuck in a wheelchair, enduring the shooting pains from flared nerves.  All he talks about is his new outlook on life, how all the little things shouldn’t be taken so seriously, and how it’s just about enjoying the ride.  Literally.

Check out this video of the Santa Clarita skatepark gathering to support Owen.  Much loved, much respected.

It sucks to see Owen like this, but in no time, he’ll be back at it again.  And wheelchair or skateboard, we’ll all still be right behind, pushing him.

by bobbyhundreds

So for the second year in a row, Jon has his birthday party at Shakey’s, and for the second year in a row, they spell his name wrong on the marquee.

Anyways, I came ill-prepared with my camera setup, so my shots were booty juice tonight.  Here’s one, it’s a “dessert pizza” on the house, specially made for Jon by the kitchen.  Those aren’t olives, they’re mashed-up Oreo crumbs, smothered in frosting. Dessert. Pizza. Dessert pizza.

Shiva and Annie wish Jon a very very happy happy birthday.

by bobbyhundreds