Blackmarket LA

Graphic t-shirt brands are like rappers, DJ’s and photographers; they’re a dime a dozen.  The already cluttered market continues to expand with new brands emerging almost every day.  Instagram feeds are clogged with shirts featuring graphics of half naked women, references to marijuana and catchphrases about swag and being fresh.  Although these might appeal to your little brother in high school, very few, if any, of these brands contain quality content.  It is very rare when a brand  comes along that stands out amongst the crowd.  Tee Library is one of these brands. “Thinking Literature” is the motto of the Korean based clothing company who’s name pretty much says it all.  Their graphics are based off the idea of merging fashion and literature by taking stories and motifs from old tales, novels, mythology, philosophy, science, etc.  Tee Library hopes to deliver stories through their T-shirts, in the same way a good novel does.  All of their graphics are designed by an in-house team and feature unique packing including a QR code on the tag which is linked to the story behind each shirt.  Their spring/summer release for 2013 includes graphics based off Frankenstein, Gulliver’s Travels, and Don Quixote just to name a few.  Its often hard to find time to read with everyones busy schedules, so instead stop by Blackmarket and pick up a shirt from Tee Library, its the next best thing.

From sneakers, to jerseys, to baseball caps, much of todays fashion is deep rooted in athletic apparel.  Shoes which were created to enhance a basketball players performance, and hats worn to keep the sun out of a baseball players eyes now serve more than one purpose: to keep you looking fresh.  Today we shine the spotlight on a brand who has its roots in a rather uncommon athletic endeavor.  Mountaineer Mark Epperson founded Epperson Mountaineering in the 1970′s, hand crafting all of their unique bags at their workshop in Libby, Montana.  Back then, the only way to snag one of these was to order it through an outdoor specialist catalog and to this day the brand remains without a website.  Aside from the visually aesthetic nature of the bags, they are extremely durable as they are spacious.  Made from tough Cordura nylon, the bag contains multiple zip pockets, patterned webbing over the shoulder straps, and a non-locking carabiner in the center to bring it all together.  Each bag sports a unique colorway, combining up to six vibrant colors.  They are the ultimate case of function meets fashion.  Whether you’re an outdoor adventurist, a festival goer, or simply a student who needs a book bag, Epperson Mountaineering has you covered.  Oh, and did I mention their made in the good ol’ US of A?