Who. What. Where? No. 55
Kicking off our first Who. What. Where? of 2024 is Paris-based fashion label NO 28, who have revealed a two-piece apparel collection inspired by the video game Death Stranding. Dually, the collection is designed to pay tribute to the game’s creator Hideo Kojima and the late Ryan Karazija, one of the musicians behind the game’s soundtrack. Notably, design elements of the collection are inspired by Yoji Shinkawa’s illustrations, which come to life in-game as technical and minimalist expressions. In a press release, NO 28 explained that “The idea of this outfit came while spending many hours playing with Sam Porter (Norman Reedus) the main character of Death Stranding.” The two items that make up the outfit include the “Bridges NO 132 Jacket” and the “Bridges NO 145 Pants,” which the brand says allow the wearer to cross from “natural grounds directly towards the city life.” Both items are water repellent, wind resistant and reinforced by rubber bands at the shoulders, elbows and knees – perfect for battling against Storm Henk. Both items are available for purchase now here.
Next up, we may still be trapped in the music industry blackout period, but that hasn’t stopped Playboi Carti from releasing the fourth promotional single to his upcoming album, Music. Titled ‘BACKR00MS’, the unnerving and woozy cut sees the Atlanta musician embrace internet folklore with a video (and title) that references the notorious Backrooms creepypasta (horror-related stories shared around the internet). Notably, Carti adopts his new-found lower register throughout the track, name drops Ice Spice – which she formally approved of on X – and rocks a striking FW23 Junya Watanabe dress throughout the visual. Oh, and there’s also the small matter of a Travis Scott feature thrown in for good measure. While the jury is still out on an official release date for the rapper’s next record, given the volume of music he’s been dropping, many are speculating that it could drop anytime this month.
New year means new shoes, and what better way to start off 2024 than with New Balance’s and sneaker retailer atmos’ Lunar New Year collection. The Year of the Dragon, which begins February 1, is associated with Earth’s elements: wood, water, fire, soil, metal. However, the colorways on atmos’ New Balance shoes are all fairly neutral, leaning towards the year’s grounded feel. The evolved structural details on each shoe in the collection sets them apart from their classic predecessors. There’s the M1906N, an updated 1906 sneaker in a cream and pink colorway with silver details. Meanwhile, to tie in with the Year of the Dragon’s wealth-leaning benefits, there’s also the new 610T in navy blue, grey, and army green with a suede and mesh detailed upper – It’s an evolved take on the M610, a running shoe originally released in 2012. The 2024 Lunar New Year collection, available now at New Balance’s website, atmos’ web store, also includes cropped hoodies, joggers, and an anorak jacket in neutral creams and blacks
