The Long Awaited | Katin USA Custom Surf Trunks

A month ago I had the distinct pleasure of participating in and writing about a rare opportunity presented to the public by the generous brothers at Apolis Activism and the Mother and Son team at Katin USA. And with that opportunity came a 4 week long wait for the final product. But as of Saturday that wait had ended and my new custom-fitted, hand made Katin USA surf trunks had arrived. I picked them up in the early afternoon from American Rag Cie. and couldn't help but stop by to see Karl as I waited for them to be pulled and bagged. Not having a fitting first and going straight from measuring to production made me nervous. I wasn't quit sure if I would actually like them or if all would go well so I went classic. Okay I went simple, but it was well worth it. In the end what I got was a pair of trunks that are timeless. Not only in the construction which should last me the rest of my life but the style could work just as well in the 50's as it could in the 60's. 70's all the way to today.

So, basically my weekend was spent at the beach wearing in the canvas of the shorts. If I knew how to surf I would try them out, but that will be my next venture. I promise by next summer, and if anyone knows how and is willing to teach, I would love to hit the beaches so hit me up. Nevertheless, the shorts are a one of a kind, designed by me and I could not have asked for more (well, I could have but I wouldn't have wanted to). So, check them out after the jump along with some old photos.

Lifeguard Red with an Off-White competition stripe

signed and dated...Sato Shimura 2009

Original owner, customer and Sato Hughes back in the day

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Event Recap | Apolis Activism x Kanvas by Katin MTM Event

As I get out of the car in the parking garage of American Rag Cie I am greeted by a dapper young gentleman in a blue oxford, linen tie, Rag + Bone jeans, leather boots and an Apolis Activism jacket. After sparking up conversation on the walk to the front doors it is revealed that he is one of the three bothers in charge of Apolis Activism. Shea, the one I spoke to the most and met in the parking lot, was a great guy, both kind and interesting having travelled the world with his brothers and being versed in culture. And it definitely showed in their ability to hold themselves in manner befitting of a gentleman and in their concepts/designs.




Taken straight from their site..."They anchored this vision in the word Apolis, which translates as 'a citizen of no country' — where there are no flags and no borders, humanity is our common cause and greatest priority." Their vision and recent collaborations makes this company unique and worthwhile.

Glenn and Sato Hughes of Katin

So, it was not surprising that they recently collaborated with Kanvas by Katin, a 50 year old this year veteran to the world of surfing. Started by a couple first in the market of boat covers and sails, a surfer commissioned them to create a pair of board shorts that would stand the rough lifestyle and brutal sea salt that comes along with being a surfer. And so they did. As Glenn Hughes, son of the Sato Hughes the owner and seamstress for Katin since 1961 when immigrated to the USA from Japan, put it the pants could stand up on their own. With that said how could I pass up on the opportunity to get a pair from the best, I didnt.



Having waited for the gentleman before me to get his pair and having been a little bit of a nag, by the time my turn came I knew exactly what I wanted. So, I told him. I wanted them to look as original as possible, so I get Red canvas shorts with the original patch on the bottom left leg, a off-white -- they called it beige -- 4' competition stripe. Each pair of custom shorts will be made by hand in their Surfside shop by Sato Hughes and will come signed by her.



Now I get to the conundrum of whether I should wear them or frame them. Most likely I will wear them. Nevertheless, they never seem to stop amazing me. Not only were the brothers of Apolis Activism and the mother and son of Katin there but Katin brought their whole crew and a photographer from the world famous Japanese magazine Free&Easy was there.

The crowd was intimate and of course fun, and I see a hopeful future for the two brands. Especially with the new collaboration between Apolis Activism and Filson...a little preview of their bag to come right below. Their involvement with Invisible Children and with other not-for-profit organization is right up my alley. So check them out and get involved.






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Apolis Activism x Kanvas by Katin MTM Event

With summer being as elusive as it has ever been and June gloom getting the best of Los Angeles, today's sunshine was a breath of fresh air or at least warm air. But the one thing I love best about the warm weather is the chance to get back into the water. But my one problem is getting to the beach and seeing all those baggy, hanging-off-the-ass board shorts. Why can't they just buy a pair that fits them? Well, not only can they buy a cool pair that they can flaunt at the beach but also a pair that is personally made for them, meaning they will actually fit properly how the board short was originally designed to fit. So to all those douche-bags, I mean beach goers who can't seem to buy a pair of board shorts that fit...here you go. Head over and get yourself a pair.



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Capturing Los Angeles | LeRoy "Granny" Grannis

Being born and living in Los Angeles except a short hiatus for my studies in Oregon has taught me a lot. One is that the most beautiful of places are not that way because of the place itself but for the people that make it up. And to capture Los Angeles in a limited space can be difficult. You could place a picture of the Eastern Building or the Hollywood sign or even traffic on Sunset but what represents the West Coast feel are the people and the attitude they express in the simplest of activities.

Who better to capture that attitude than Los Angeles native LeRoy "Granny" Grannis. Avid surfer and reknowned photographer took his camera to the sea to capture the freewheeling 60's spirit of Californians at their best. Having plenty of his work published in magazines and a few collections published by the likes of Taschen he certainly has the ability to...Capture Los Angeles.






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Rebellious Conformity | The Z-boys Influence

After reading in h(y)r collective about "Made in U.S.A." Vans' Authentics I couldn't help but go back into my archive of all things Dogtown and think about the fact that I found an L.A.-based post again. I have been a long time longboarder and have ridden my fair share of 1970's skateboards, including one similar to my mother's from when she grew up during and around the Z-boys culture. She was born just three months after Jay Adams in the San Fernando Valley less than 100 feet from where she lives now and hung around people of that age. She had known Stacy Peralta for the fact that they were Stacy and Stacey (the former being Peralta and the latter being my Mother) and had seen the action first hand.

The Z-boys have had a large influence on my style in both their rebellion and conformity. They went against the grain to do something most thought them to be out of their minds for doing but created a culture that lives on in skateboarding today. Being innovative is not just being ahead of your time but being true to what you want to do. The following video is a short look at the Z-boys and dogtown culture with a good background remix of Good Vibrations by boemtjak.

Check out some pictures that have made my style the way it is today and look back and enjoy a time where breaking into people's backyards to skate in their pools was both fun and safe, at least safer than it is today. And hit me up if your down to skate.

Since my first experience with the whole Dogtown scene, I was in Venice Beach/Mar Vista area (the original Dogtown) trying to purchase my first longboard and noticed this weird cross that had the words "town dog" or "dog town" written in it on a brick wall in some strange alley. Not knowing what this was and having just been on Venice Beach looking at tags I went home and did a ton of research on this crude rendering of a tag. Anyway, since my first experience with the whole Dogtown scene I felt like I was born in the wrong era. I had the bleach blonde/reddish shaggy hair, ripped jeans and torn navy vans. When you are young you tend to believe that style is generational and you must dress like your peers. My view on that has changed but my love for skating and the Z-boys mindset has been cemented.



I love to go longboarding and push myself to the limit, whether that be speed, carving or finding the newest place (No place is new anymore but I mean new to me) to skate. And this is what Jay, Stacy and Tony wanted to do. They pushed themselves to break barriers, break records, and break the perspective of previous and current skaters. They did this with the help of Jeff Cho, renowned surf board builder, and Skip Engblom who with Jeff Cho opened and owned Zephyr Skate shop and team. They funded and formed the skate team that would change skating forever.

Jay, Stacy and Tony joined the Z-boys in 1974 as a way of escaping the streets and being able to hang out at a surf shop. Being from the "wrong side of track", figuratively because there are no tracks, they surfed all morning, skated all afternoon and hung out at Jeff Cho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions the rest of the time. They were the kings of the waves at the recently burned down Pacific Ocean Park waves surfing in between the supports of the dilapidated pier which once supported it.



Their style was derived from their much acquired time on the beach and at the shop. With cut-off shorts, worn in Vans (not necessarily but most likely Vans and deck shoes of some sort), t-shirts or polo shirts and tube socks. The Vans shoe was an easy alternative to any other shoe since they were cheap and customizable. Vans shoes started off in Anaheim, CA as a shoe company that would create shoes using fabric that the customer would bring in. They would take the fabric and make a shoe using as little fabric as possible. The deck shoe was their choice. Each were made by hand, a luxury that is still done to this day but very rare and hard to find (check out h(y)r collective's article on Handmade in U.S.A. Vans Authentics)



So with the deck shoe as the Z-boys shoe of choice, the waves under the destroyed and dilapidated Pacific Ocean Park as their surf spot, and Jeff Cho surfboards and Zephyr Production as their hang out spot it was only time when they would take their style to the street. So, through the shop they created a skate team, the Zephyr skate team. The blue Zephyr shirt, cut off shorts or jeans, and Vans replaced the anything else they would possibly think of wearing except maybe a flannel on cold days. To them it was not about style, it was about purpose. The less clothing the quicker they could go and the more ability they have to move. And when it came to the pools they needed at little clothing as possible, not just for purpose but because of the heat.



Speaking of pools, Los Angeles went through a terrible drought and left many swimming pools empty and unused. This was seen as an opportunity for the Z-boys. They took their surfing style to the pool and hopped onto the tops of each others cars and drove around looking for empty pools or got calls from friends about them. One pool specifically, a friends pool, was dubbed the dogpool after much use and was the place of origin of vertical skating when Tony Alva took his board a little too far off the coping and got some air, twisted around and landed back into the pool. This to their amazement was beyond anything they have seen. A complete accident and the creation was born. And the rest is in the books, a history filled with stardom and strife.



With books and movies produced about the boys, there is no way to not acknowledge their influence on the counter culture that is skating. Since, their heyday the boys and girl (Oki) have moved on to live somewhat normal lives. Their super-stardom died down and now they own their own companies or continue to professionally surf or skate. So, get out there and do something you would never have done before. Grab a board, catch a wave, ride a motorcycle, fly a plane...just do something. You never know where it might leave. (Disclaimer: Do not do any of these without proper training or experience first!)
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