"Artistic w/ Retail Aspect"- RSVP Gallery

The RSVP Gallery located in Chicago, Illinois opened its highly anticipated gallery to an excited crowd of consumers and art connoisseurs. The gallery is composed of a luxury boutique and art gallery that carries some of the most exclusive brands and artists’ work from around the world. The actual term RSVP means Résponde si vous plez (or please respond) which is a great metaphor for the store considering it gives the opportunity for customers to technically attend the place and be introduced to the world of art and fashion intermingled into one.

The design of the boutique/gallery features highlights of green neon lights against a black painted ceiling with limited pieces of art from the private collections of some of today’s biggest names that line the walls of the space. The concept of RSVP was to pair pop art with luxury. 

"We want the store to elicit a response of emotion and ideas - in both the artistic and retail aspect," says two of the three partners of RSVP, Marc Moran and Virgil Abloh.

Artwork from Mark Newson, Stephen Sprouse, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, KAWS, NoPattern, etc is shown throughout the gallery. In addition, RSVP Gallery is carrying some of the top apparel and footwear brands from around the world including KaiKai KiKi, Ambush, Dee & Ricky, Super, Rizzoli, OriginalFake, Casio G-Shock, Incase, Kdia, Head Porter, MEDICOM TOY CO., CLOT, Lupe Fiasco’s Trilly & Truly, Vane NYC, and Boxed Water. Catch the Comme des Garçons PLAY collection this winter.

The full interview with two of the three partners of RSVP, Marc Moran and Virgil Abloh can be found via freshnessmag. You can view the website as a whole at rsvpgallery.com.

RSVP Gallery
1753 North Damen | Map
Chicago, IL

Alert! Nike and Cole Haan To Eliminate Use of Exotic Skins

I ran upon this article on Sneakerobsession and the subject definitely caught my attention. First and foremost, both brands are widely known for everything that their shoes provide such as its use for function providing comfort and the look of the shoe itself, providing the fashion. Just recently Nike and their affiliate, Cole Haan, whom they bought in 1988, decided to stop selling products made from exotic skins after PETA presented Nike with video footage from an undercover sting in Asia exposing the horrific suffering caused by the exotic-skins industry. Upon reviewing the footage, the company decided to never use exotic skins again, starting with their Fall/Winter 2010 collection....and rightfully so. Nike’s revised company policy says, “Animal Skins must not be any species considered to be exotic. Examples include, but are not limited to alligator, crocodile, lizard, snake, ostrich, fish, marine mammals, etc.”

There is a partial video as to what was actually seen by Nike that you can view. After seeing the video, myself, I could not fathom what happened to those animals. The treatment is unbearable cruelty and there is no wonder as to why Nike chose to stop selling their shoes with exotic skin. I will say watch at your own risk. The footage is pretty graphic, but this is the true reality of how people can manage to have the luxury through certain animal skins.