As the world continues to find a way to contain the growing coronavirus outbreak, rumors that the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games could be canceled are now circulating. Dick Pound, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), stated that the organization has a 2-3 month window to determine whether to proceed with the event amidst increasing pandemic concerns.
“In and around that time, I’d say folks are going to have to ask: ‘Is this under sufficient control that we can be confident about going to Tokyo or not?’” Pound told Associated Press. He continues to say that due to the scale of the event, cancellation is the only option. “You just don’t postpone something on the size and scale of the Olympics. There’s so many moving parts, so many countries and different seasons, and competitive seasons, and television seasons. You can’t just say, ‘We’ll do it in October,’” he said.
The news comes following an uptick of cases in Japan — additionally, Italy also experienced a sudden rise in cases that affected Milan Fashion Week. Other sporting events in the country have been affected, with J-League football games canceled until mid-March and matches in Europe being played behind closed doors. But as of now, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games are scheduled to proceed as planned.
For 20 years, DITA has been at the forefront of merging innovative research with bold design. Now the Los Angeles-based label has launched DITA-Lancier, a 16-piece collection of eyewear imbued with performance technology to take on land, sea, and air. To test out the frames, the brand has tapped some of the world’s top athletes. Formula One racers Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly opt for a titanium style that dramatically reduces blinding glare. Olympic gold-winning sailor Peter Burling prefers a pair with embedded polarization technology. And Kirby Chambliss—a champion aerobatic pilot—sports lenses that guarantee minimal distortion at every elevation.
Ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Louis Vuitton is paying tribute to the sport the only way it knows how. The designer partnered with Dan Carter, a player for the New Zealand All Blacks, on a super limited-edition monogrammed rugby ball. The ball is made with rich black leather and decorated with the label’s ubiquitous monogram print in grey. Better yet, each one comes with a leather strap so you can wear it like a bag and be ready in case you ever wanna break into a rugby game, as well as a stand to display the piece in your home like sports decor. People love to frame jerseys and trophies and whatnot, so I reckon this is just taking it up a notch.
Only 112 of these designer rugby balls are said to be produced, so I can’t even imagine what the resale prices will be once they’re released in LV stores on September 20.
It’s that time of year again — the beginning of summer and the annual opportunity to show Dad some love. Whether it’s a shoutout on social media (parents love that) or an exotic luxury cruise, now is the time to thank him for all he’s done for you. We’ve rounded up some key items for the father who cares about fitness.
Maybe your dad likes to watch the game more than play, and that’s fine too! This novelty toaster is the perfect way to rep your favorite team. $43, available on Amazon.com
This week in sneakers: Pierre Hardy is releasing a new limited-edition sneaker collection with professional football star Victor Cruz, dubbed the V. C. I. The athlete has a close relationship with the designer, frequently visiting the designer’s studio in Paris during fashion season, but the decision to officially work together occurred sometime last spring.
The new footwear styles are modeled after significant years in Cruz’s life: the 1996 model is a blue and orange color-blocked sneaker that represents the year the athlete “fell in love with football.” The 2006 style is a bold black-and-grey shoe that recalls Cruz’s first varsity season at the University of Massachusetts and finally, the 2012 sneaker represents Cruz’s first Superbowl victory with the New York Giants.
“We started from taking a pre-existing construction of a shoe in my collection, and then we emphasized it by making it stronger in appearance,” Hardy said in a statement. “The look became something performative or Olympian — a super-competitive shoe. We tried to push the aesthetic to the maximum, to make the sneakers as expressive as possible.”
The V.C.I. is available in select Pierre Hardy stores and online tonight at 6pm EST.
Famed LA boutique Maxfield is getting a makeover just in time for Coachella, courtesy of luxury athleisure brand Casablanca. Starting tomorrow, the store will be transformed into a tennis court that displays a 17-piece capsule collection. Guests who need a break from the three-day festival (or just a break from the festival fashion faux-pas, let’s be real) will have the opportunity to try on the collection on the tropical-themed tennis court — the pieces retain Casablanca’s signature relaxed vibe, with loose but structured fits and airy fabrics complemented by summery fruit prints. Definitely worth the trip off the festival grounds to cop a new look before Childish Gambino and Ariana Grande take the stage.
The Casablanca x Maxfield collection will be available from April 11-25 exclusively at 8825 Melrose Avenue. Check out some of the looks below.
Reebok has updated another one of its seminal sneaker models from the ’90s, the Aztrek Double. To celebrate the nostalgic launch, the sportswear brand is rolling out a multi-platform campaign, featuring ambassadors Cardi B and Future, and inviting customers to ‘Sport the Unexpected.’ The elaborate campaign (available on all Reebok platforms) includes exclusive video footage that explores some of the label’s most popular sneakers, as well of the gear in action at a basketball game. Originally launched in 1993, the Aztrek Double remains one of Reebok’s most recognizable shoes and has been reimagined in a crisp all-white style for the modern consumer, with two more color options to be released later this year.
Inspired by nautical influences, Y-3 has released an airy and athletic collection for Spring/Summer ’19. Designer Yohji Yamamoto referenced topics associated with sailing and parachuting — quite literally with the water-resistant satin Sailing Poncho and the Packable Jacket which features a zipped “parachute” pocket — to produce loose and dramatic pieces that experiment with shape and volume while retaining the label’s signature balance of elegance and edge. And just in case you’re not longing for spring enough already, the corresponding campaign was shot by Angelo Pennetta in Malibu.
The Y-3 SS ’19 collection will be available in stores and online on March 7. Check out some of the images below.
When Collin Martin, a midfielder for Minnesota United FC, came out earlier this year on Twitter, he made waves as the only openly gay soccer player currently playing in the league. Off the field, the 24-year-old spoke to Ward Simmons, head of marketing and public relations for Baccarat, in the Baccarat Hotel NYC about the overwhelming response to his coming out, representation in soccer and other sports, and being an ambassador for Athlete Ally, a non-profit committed to fighting homophobia and transphobia in sports. Read the interview below.
All clothing throughout by John Varvatos. Photographed by David Urbanke, styled by Terry Lu for the Winter 2018 issue of ESSENTIAL HOMME.
What has it been like coming out? What was the initial reaction from your teammates? Coming out publicly this year at my team’s Pride game on June 29th is something I’ll never forget. Since that day I have received support from all over the world and messages from people that have resonated with my story. I had been out to my teammates for over a year before my big announcement so obviously they had already known I was gay. They have definitely noticed a bit of an increase in attention coming my way now and so they poke fun at me for that.
After coming out, you have received a lot of positive feedback from the community via social media and news coverage. What has that been like? The feedback that I have received has been amazing. The tweet and Instagram I made in June went viral and for the most part, the messages I have received have all been extremely supportive. Some of the personal messages I’ve received have explained how my coming out has spurred individuals into coming out to their own family and friends. I didn’t realize I would inspire so many people for just being open and trying to be a representative for the LGBTQ community in the sport.
You coming out as a current male professional athlete has sparked a national debate why you’re the only one. Why is that? I really don’t know why. It still shocks me to this day to hear that I’m the only current out gay male in the five professional major league sports. I’m certain there are more gay athletes like me but maybe they feel their sexuality doesn’t need to be made public. I remember taking notice when I was in my first couple of seasons in Major League Soccer when Robbie Rogers came out while he was playing for the LA Galaxy. I thought that his brave actions would be sufficient and that his representation for the LGBTQ community was enough but that just isn’t the case. The LGBTQ youth in sport are still questioning their place in sport and representation at the professional level is critical for kids to look up to.
Despite the LGBTQ community making tremendous strides these past several years, they still feel unsafe in certain areas such as the locker room. Your current project with non-profit organization Athlete Ally is focused on creating more inclusive and comfortable spaces for the LGBTQ community. Tell us about it and how we can help. The locker room is definitely a place where LGBTQ individuals may still feel uncomfortable or may hear unaccepting language. For myself, I have found that me being open with my teammates has been the best thing for me in terms of bridging that gap of misunderstanding. Many of my teammates have never had a gay friend and there may be some questions, or they most often are curious about what it’s like being gay. Being able to have those conversations with my teammates has been very rewarding. If I hadn’t been open with them they wouldn’t have the chance to engage with me as a gay man. Giving them that chance to receive me and accept me is something I am very proud of.
Athlete Ally has given me an amazing platform to not only share my story with other athletes but to have meaningful conversations on what it’s like being gay in sports. A lot of what athlete ally is doing is trying to explain to athletes, teams, organizations, and anyone in the sport that individuals they interact with may not be just like them. So being cognizant of language and pronouns and just understanding that our heteronormative society may not always be inclusive to gay athletes. A couple months ago I was able to talk with the student-athletes at USC and UCLA in Los Angeles and hear from them how their universities are trying to make sports more inclusive. Being a part of those conversations was very meaningful for me and I know a closeted college student like I was would have benefitted greatly.
Athlete activism is a hotly debated topic right now, from the NFL to athletes using their platform to speak out on issues. What’s your take on it? I think athletes not using their platforms would be a missed opportunity to effect positive change on the fans or individuals that follow them. An athlete’s reach has been amplified more than ever now that social media can be used as a tool to facilitate the start of these conversations. Each athlete is uniquely different and they are going to have issues that are very important to them. In the case of the NFL, a lot of these athletes are standing up for marginalized individuals whose voices have continued to be suppressed. It is very admirable that athletes like Colin Kaepernick are willing to risk their livelihood by speaking out on issues that still divide us today. I believe Kaepernick should have a job and it saddens me that that isn’t the case!
A specific example of athlete activism that has garnered national controversy is the NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem. Do you think that some athletes are in fear of creating negative attention to their teams and hold back? Do you think that this same fear correlates with athletes who are LGBTQ but are reluctant to come out? Well, you have seen some owners and teams implicitly condemn their players in participating in these peaceful protests. So, of course, there is a perceived negative attention that many of these teams are fearful of. I feel that the teams that are supporting their players and the causes that are dear to them are the organizations that are doing it the right way. There is definitely a fear for LGBTQ athletes that their sexuality would impact their position on the team. An outward support of the LGBTQ community from the ownership of a team down to the coaches would go along way for LGBTQ people in sport to know that they shouldn’t question their place in the sport.
Essential Homme, Baccarat, and John Varvatos support Collin and congratulate him on his success on and off the field. Join The Movement of Victory Through Unity at AthleteAlly.org and become one of the many ALLIES for Inclusion.
To promote its latest ‘Lawn Sports’ collection, American swimwear label KATAMA is going on a summer tour across the East Coat. Taking cues from New England (where model/company founder Garrett Neff grew up) sports culture, including badminton and croquet, the brand is traveling across the region in its own Airstream trailer which acts as a temporary pop-up shop. At each post customers will be able to engage with the brand and enjoy some outdoor sports while perusing the collection of sophisticated sport and swimwear. And continuing its partnership with sea conservation non-profit Oceana, 20% of the proceeds from the collection will be donated to the cause. After stops in Massachusetts and New York, the transporting shop will make its final stop in Montauk at the end of the month. Check out the upcoming dates below.
AUGUST 11-12 — Sound View Hotel, Greenport, NY
AUGUST 13-15 — Tenet Southampton
AUGUST 17-19 — Moby’s, East Hampton
AUGUST 19 – 27 — Memory Motel x Ziggys / Bhumi Farms / Journey’s East Hampton Montauk, NY
Swimwear line KATAMA has released a new collection for a cause, partnering with environmental conversation group Oceana on a charity capsule that benefits ocean preservation efforts. Inspired by the Polar Bear Plunge (when a bunch of people dive into freezing waters for a cause), the fittingly titled Polar Bear collection features swimsuits, t-shirts, a jacket, and cardigan that each contain a polar bear motif — perfect for your next Plunge. And for every piece sold, KATAMA will donate 20% directly to Oceana.
“We share this earth and its oceans together and it is our duty to protect it together. That’s why I am passionate about our amazing collaboration with Oceana,” KATAMA founder Garrett Kneff said in a statement. “They [Oceana] are the leading organization in maintaining and protecting our oceans which are our most diverse resource on the planet.”
The Polar Bear collection is available now. Check out some of the campaign below.
This past weekend, Tissot hosted the US race (Round 9) of this year’s World Superbike 2016 Championship at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, serving as the official timekeeper for the notorious, high-speed event.
Image: Tissot.
Twenty-four global champs competed in the two-race series, where fan favorite and Tissot ambassador Nicky Hayden—who previously who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006—made his big return to Salinas, California, unofficially the American biker’s home track and one of the most difficult courses in the sport. “The biggest thing is so much elevation,” said Hayden of the site’s infamous “corkscrew,” a unique, left-right combination that’s known for its steep drop. “When you’re at speed on a bike, there are a lot of blind corners. You have to go off feeling. That corkscrew is like a four-story drop and you have to anticipate it.”
Image: Tissot.
Partnering for 11 years, each season the noted Swiss watchmaker since 1853 and Hayden have collaborated on a special edition timepiece and 2016’s T-Race Quartz Limited Edition pays a patriotic red homepage to his country, as well as birth state of Kentucky, with blue and white bracelet colors nodding to The Wildcats. “It’s got a lot going for it,” smiled Hayden, explaining his fans’ appeal. The commemorative piece is just a tangible part of Tissot’s technology that powers the world-wide event. Serving as the official timekeeper, the brand has developed a number of complex information technology-based systems to allow all—from spectators to teammates—to follow the bikers at every moment of the race.
Image: Tissot.
The next stage of the World Superbike 2016 is currently underway, Round 10 at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Germany.
