Alec Banks

How Gildan Became the Biggest Name in Streetwear

07.24.17 — Many streetwear brands rely on one of three companies to provide a blank T-shirt. Montreal-based blanks brand Gildan recently acquired all 3, generating $2.59 billion revenue in 2016.read more

The Exceptional Journey of KC Ortiz, Through Graffiti, Prison, War Photography, & Art

05.01.17 — KC Ortiz's life story sounds more fantastic than fiction—but it's all true. From Chicago's train yards to 5 years in federal prison, to a seasoned war photography career, KC's art...read more

One of the Most Legendary Dodgers Moments Should Have Never Happened

03.22.17 — "But this is Hollywood; we’re known for writing the endings however we see fit." We revisit Alec Banks's retelling of the legendary Dodgers story of Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series...read more

What Mark Zuckerberg's Sprawling Manifesto Might Mean for Our Future

02.27.17 — What role is Facebook playing into our politics and news? How is it affecting our communities? Zuckerberg recently published a cult leader-like 5700 word manifesto. Alec Banks breaks it down...read more

Green Rush :: What the Legalization of Weed in California Really Means

02.08.17 — We all know weed is legal now in California. But now what? Alec Banks explains what this really means for the average smoker in the Golden State.read more

When You Sell, Are You a Sell Out? :: The Politics of Selling Out

11.01.16 — "Grow and stay small? I don’t know if there is a better representation of irony in streetwear than that sentence." Alec Banks ponders the politics of selling out in Streetwear.read more

Ayo Virtual Reality :: Is VR for Video Game Systems the Next Big Thing?

10.18.16 — Hold on to your seats, Virtual Reality is finally hitting a home near you. But is it worth it?read more

5 Things Patagonia Teaches Us About Branding for the Long Haul

10.06.16 — If you were ever considering opening up your own business, Patagonia is a good reminder that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Here are five pieces of branding gold...read more

One of the Most Legendary Dodgers Moments Should Have Never Happened

08.01.16 — "But this is Hollywood; we’re known for writing the endings however we see fit." Alec Banks retells the legendary Dodgers story of Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series home run.read more

How the Los Angeles Dodgers Birthed the “High-Five”

07.05.16 — "His impact on the game of baseball—both fun and heartbreaking—will and shouldn’t ever be forgotten." How the Dodgers' Glenn Burke allegedly invented the high-five in 1977. read more

These 5 NBA Players Have Talents Beyond the Basketball Courts

04.28.16 — These five NBA stars can paint, play the saxophone, and rap. Did they choose the right career? WE'LL LET YOU DECIDE.read more

Father Time :: How G-Shock Keeps on Tickin'

04.21.16 — "The watch was built to last, while trends by their very nature were made to die out." Alec Banks explores the longevity—both in functionality and fashion—of Casio's iconic G-Shock.read more

The Real Origins of 4/20

04.20.16 — It's 4/20. Roll one with us as we revisit the lingering theories of how this infamous date—April 20th—came to be. read more

#TBT :: Why Dodgers Broadcaster Vin Scully is a Goddamn American Legend

04.07.16 — In lieu of Vin Scully's last season as the Los Angeles Dodgers' broadcaster, we're revisiting all the reasons why the announcer is a goddamn American legend for #TBT.read more

#TBT :: How Mossimo Went from Being Head-to-Head w/ Stussy to Target's In-House Brand

03.17.16 — In this #TBT, Alec Banks chronicles the sudden rise and fall of the '90s brand Mossimo to see how it went from being Stussy's competitor to what it is today.read more

#TBT :: The Rise and Fall of FUBU :: A Lesson in Business and Branding

03.03.16 — Last June, we chronicled the rise and fall of hip-hop's quintessential '90s brand, "for us, by us," aka FUBU, for a hard-earned story of business and branding.read more

How Will the LA Rams Impact LA Dodgers Baseball?

02.17.16 — "Los Angeles is a strange place. We pray for rain, and instead residents end up with a football team and a proposed billion dollar football stadium in Inglewood..."read more

A Stock Market for Sneakers? 10 Things You Need to Know About StockX

02.12.16 — Alec Banks covers 10 things you need to know about StockX, the first "stock marketplace for sneakers" with an investment that can outperform Apple, Netflix, and Amazon.read more

"Are sneakers more like stocks or drugs?” :: What We Learned from Josh Luber's TED Talk

11.30.15 — "Nike's customers make almost twice as much profit as their closest competitor" and other shocking statistics we learned from Campless sneaker data analyst Josh Luber's Ted Talk on the sneaker...read more

Everything You Need to Know About the Nike vs. adidas War

10.20.15 — From allegedly leaked information to the rapid expansion of stores in China, Alec Banks chronicles the long-standing rivalry between sneaker giants Nike and adidas.read more

Ball So Hard :: What Hoop Dreams Taught Me About Failure

10.14.15 — Remembering the lessons we learned from Hoop Dreams, the documentary that's been called "the most powerful movie about sports ever made."read more

Why Dodgers Broadcaster Vin Scully is a Goddamn American Legend

10.08.15 — Alec Banks revisits the illustrious career of the biggest baseball legend to never have played—the Los Angeles Dodgers' longtime broadcaster Vin Scully. read more

Sports Nostalgia :: How Mitchell & Ness Popularized the Throwback Jersey

09.21.15 — We explore the history of vintage jersey titans Mitchell & Ness, and their influence on the golden era of the throwback jersey in hip-hop fashion of yesteryear to present day.read more

Along for the WIDE :: The Story of JNCO's Rise, Bankruptcy, & Comeback Attempt

09.08.15 — "Eventually, you can only make pants so wide. That became our Achilles' heel." Alec Banks takes us through the history of JNCO's infamous wide-legged jeans and their attempt at a...read more

The History of the Fairfax District Before the Streetwear Takeover

08.11.15 — Alec Banks heads to the 1920s—before Fairfax was a streetwear mecca—to see the necessary steps it took to become synonymous with street culture.read more

Monkey Business :: How Paul Frank Lost His Name

07.28.15 — "To them I was just this esoteric artist.” How Paul Frank Industries filed suit against the creator of Julius the Monkey, the founder of the company, and the artist behind...read more

How Mossimo Went from Being Head-to-Head with Stussy to Target's In-House Brand

07.20.15 — Alec Banks chronicles the sudden rise and fall of the '90s brand Mossimo to see how it went from being Stussy's competitor to what it is today.read more

The Rise and Fall of FUBU :: A Lesson in Business and Branding

06.30.15 — In the midst of the Fresh Dressed documentary release, we chronicle the rise and fall of hip-hop's quintessential '90s brand, "for us, by us," aka FUBU, for a hard-earned story...read more

Streetwear/Menswear Brands That Got Their Start in Small Cities

05.12.15 — We round up a handful of brands in streetwear and menswear whose roots lie in cities atypical to the usual LA, NY, Tokyo story.read more

9 of the Most Famous LA Bar/Club Scenes in Film

04.28.15 — Alec Banks rounds up 9 ultra-iconic Los Angeles-based bars and clubs that have made an appearance in timeless films – including the Three Clubs, which is the venue for The Hundreds'...read more

15 Figureheads in Fashion & Their Thoughts on Social Media

04.23.15 — Alec Banks rounds up 15 figureheads in our industry, spanning streetwear, menswear, and sneakers, and their thoughts on social media.read more

The Real Origins of 4/20

04.20.15 — Is it really that surprising that the origins of weed holiday "4/20" allegedly trace back to 4 high schoolers from Northern California – the largest marijuana-producing region in the US?read more