Zeha Berlin Steps Ahead with Slender Military Inspired Boot
German shoe brand, Zeha-Berlin welcomes the cool weather of winter with their new military inspired boot (408) from the Fall/Winter 2010 collection, inspired by the energy and fashions of bohemian Berlin in the 20s
With over a century of knowledge and tradition, Zeha-Berlin embraces its past, while integrating modernity and a creative spirit. The German designed, seven-eyelet ankle boot, (408), expresses just that, with simplicity and minimalist brogue detail and hand stitching.
Handcrafted from the finest vegetable-tanned Italian leathers, this lace up ankle boot, is lined with buttery soft, high-grade calfskin, with leather insole, along with leather sole and stitched rubber top, making this the most comfortable shoe to own, and the most closet friendly accessory.
This winter, step into these Zeha Berlin boots with a pair of well-fitted skinny or loose fitting raw denim, (rolled or not), with a soft wool cardigan in any color from grey to navy. Or opt for a relaxed Sunday brunch look, pairing them with cotton canvas trousers, layered with a cotton tee, patterned button up shirt and a thick knit cardigan.
Zeha-Berlin’s time honored reputation of creating footwear of high caliber and high fashion is proven with the Fall/Winter 2010 Collection’s Lace-up Ankle boot (408), exuding charm, without compromising individuality. Available in colours: Cognac, Rusty Brown, and Black, at retailers: Lark (2315 Main St); Umeboshi (3638 Main St); and Gravity Pope (www.gravitypope.com).
THE WEINMEISTER BERLIN-MITTE OPENS IN GERMANY’S CAPITAL
LUXURY PUNK MEETS URBAN COOL THE WEINMEISTER BERLIN-MITTE OPENS IN GERMANY’S CAPITAL
Oversized beds, a buzzing location and a 24-hour mindset combine spectacularly at The Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte, Design Hotels™ member hotel, which opened on July 6, 2010. Situated in the city’s central district, Mitte, this 88-room hotel is from the owners of Lux 11, Tom Tänzer and Elmo Hagendorf. Aimed at business travellers from the music, fashion and creative scene, as well as leisure travellers, the hotel focuses on what is truly important in life: rest, comfort and simplicity. Tänzer and Hagendorf have created a property which is more than a hotel, it’s a whole concept. With a luxury punk aesthetic, round-the-clock services and spacious rooms, guests are certain to feel part of the true Berlin – a creative, large, and thrilling city which never sleeps.
“We wanted to create a hotel which reflects the city of Berlin” says Tänzer. “The Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte will mirror the excitement of Mitte’s street life, from the 24-hour clubs to the large gallery spaces. We wanted to capture the essence of modern cool and what it means to enjoy the good life – the hotel will exude style and elegance portrayed with both restraint and opulence.”
The Interior
The room décor focuses on a single piece of furniture: the bed. With large mattresses measuring two by two metres and oversized cloth-covered frames, the beds take centre-stage. The effect created is a floor-to-ceiling, room within a room, complemented by muted colours and luxurious materials. Every room features Apple iMacs instead of television sets and there are also iPad laptops for hire. These give guests access to social networks, music and games and reflect the hotel’s synthesis of luxury and technology. To create a cosy environment, rooms also come with a large Asprey London cosmetics box, fluffy bathrobes and tailor-made pyjamas. There are also handmade furnishings and quirky designs which use organic materials, including bathroom shelves made from slabs of natural oak wood and handcrafted lamps which seem alive through their organic design.
The Experience
The phrase ‘whatever guests desire’ is foremost at The Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte, with a range of services which are all 24-hour. Instead of uniforms, staff wear exclusive clothing from the new Ellesse heritage collection, reflecting the hotel’s connection with the fashion industry. On the ground floor the ClubLounge and Schwarz bar provide a buzzing space for guests and locals to mingle. The bar is named after the German film actress Jessica Schwarz and will exclusively serve a herbal liquor made according to her family’s secret recipe. Guests can also dine in the restaurant serving traditional German cuisine with a modern twist. An invitation-only rooftop area with bar adds to the chic and exclusive ambience, with stunning vistas of Berlin and the iconic TV tower. There will also be a whirlpool, sauna and 24-hour room service menu and breakfast.
The Location
The Weinmeister is located at the intersection of Weinmeisterstrasse and Rosenthaler Strasse in Mitte, a Berlin hotspot for art, culture, fashion, shopping and clubbing. Close to the hotel is the shopping street of Friedrichstrasse, the cultural delights on Unter den Linden, the art on Museum Island and the Soviet architecture at Alexanderplatz.
The Weinmeister is offering a special opening rate of EUR 129 until the end of August.
Who is LYDIA MAMSIA TSOSANE?
Born and brought up in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa She is the third child in a family of five children. Her parents were singer who inspired her, with Daddy playing those blues , jazz was injected from the ears to her blood veins. Although she never got any training, she always tried and still trying to improve herself as a singer, all natural –you feel it!!!
Music is her life and as someone that started as a jazz singer, she can fit into any sound and like she always says, “ the lyrics have to be good – something meaningful, the rhythm and all. Her wide, powerful and emotional voice makes you dance, cry, shiver.
In 2006 Lydia Mamsie Tsosane moved to Hamburg, Germany as a cast member of the world known musical The Lion King, playing the roles of Rafiki and Shenzi and swing singer for two and a half years. In September 2008 she got a call from the director of an African Circus, Afrika Afrika asking her to come in for a casting as a lead singer for the show touring Europe. In 2009 she started in Germany her own career as a solo artist again with her band. Playing in well known clubs, to name a few the Stageclub and the Fabrik and also performed on the yearly Afrikafestival-Hamburg, Alafia. She also does wedding performances, Gala’s of all sorts. She has asked by so many other artists to join their and. She has also worked with other artists on their album.Mamsie is a solo artist, composer, lyricist and a songwriter. Lydia Mamsie Tsosane wants her music be something that everyone can relate to – young and old – uplifting –giving courage and healing and most importantly having fun too.
RANSOM x adidas, Season ONE
Introducing Season ONE: Ransom Footwear by adidas Originals. Footwear crafted to withstand a rugged lifestyle and made for individuals continuously searching for a life well-led and a good story to tell. Available world wide October 31st.
IT’S OFFICIAL! DIDDY is a live freak… DJ HELL “The DJ feat. P. Diddy” (VIDEO)
The latest single taken from the much lauded Teufelswerk long player sees Hell “hooking-up” once more with hip-hop superstar P. Diddy for the freestyle jack-track “The DJ”. The pair worked together before on “Let’s Get Ill” and “Check This,” creating two classic dance floor hits. But for ‘The DJ’ these two masters wanted to set the techno world straight and send a very clear message ‘to the motherf*cker plays a 4 minute version.’ That you ‘can’t get even get into your thing with a 4 minute version.’ With this in mind Hell is very pleased to present his latest single ‘The DJ feat. P. Diddy; one original track, four remixes, over one hour of music! So yes, “This goes out to all the motherf*ckers that like 15-20 minute versions of a mother f*cking record.”
Three Stripes High & Rising
It’s safe to say that Ben Pruess sees the sneaker game from a higher altitude. His bird’s-eye view of what the world is doing comes from his close connection to all of the major players in boutique retail, and a history of seeing things globally. Growing up as skateboarder from NYC turned pro snowboarder at 16, Pruess worked for the French brand Salomon until they were bought by adidas – leading directly to a job over on the side with the stripes. If you’ve noticed adidas Originals coming with a stronger
line and cooler shoes, consider Pruess the catalyst who helped step their game up. Hot off the heels of their aZX initiative – which was over a year in the making – the global vice-president for adidas is currently in full swing, but spared some time to share insights into where the brand is at now.
By Ace Six
How satisfied were you with the reaction to the Originals aZX project last year? The 60th anniversary of adidas was a good time to take stock and celebrate how far we’ve come, and
what we have to bring to the table for six more generations. Our brand is about creativity, fun, and
inclusiveness – and, if you look at the visuals we created, you can get a sense of how eclectic the
party is and how it is comprised by a diverse group of people. Whether it’s Jeezy, or Beckham, or just
some cool kid showing up, we are the kind of brand that can bring people together and let them be
themselves.
What is the marketplace feeling like in the early months of 2009? Customers are a little bit nervous, and honestly have bigger concerns than getting their newest pair of sneakers, but others had harder times during the last holiday season. The campaign is keeping people with Originals at top of mind. And the positive message is resonating more. It’s a good break from the other messages going on.
There have been rumblings of retro-ing the Dikembe Mutombo shoe and package … I love the sneaker community because they can find out everything we’re doing as we’re doing it.
But there isn’t a reissue of the shoe because we didn’t resign a contract with Dikembe – the model
will get its own name after that. The same issue exists with the Patrick Ewing collection, where there
was a contractual relationship back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, which did not continue afterward. We
have the attitude and the rivalry in the range of colours that people know even if we don’t have the
logo on there. Luckily, people still associate their memories with that certain athlete.
We’re spoiled for choice with so many shoes to choose from. Even the most obscure of obscure
has a fan base somewhere. The internet allows us to have access to it. And then, it’s partially about the
management of our range, since we can only bring out so many products each year. A lot of these niche
products are important to us, though, because it shows that we’re listening. But we can’t do one small
program after another. You’ve got tools you bring out each season wisely. Some have to bring the image,
and some have to bring the business – and so it’s just a balance. Selecting it is a fun process, though.
Do you see ‘90s basketball back on the rise? Do you see people getting tired over over-the-top graphic sneakerhead looks? Are they going back to more simple stuff? What about the environmental approach taken with the Grün program? These philosophies are permeating different parts of the brand. The Grün initiative is a responsibility that we are trying to incorporate in bigger and more seamless ways. We take that responsibility seriously, and are progressing each season, putting those ideas into bigger-volume shoes, and bigger-volume apparel programs. Grün has been a great place to start because it showed how committed we were.
Where are you headed for fall 2009? Definitely continuing under the umbrella of 60
years. We took a little bit more time to focus on the stripes story. And you’ll see a bit more of back to
basics: some great suedes with adidas Originals colours – burgundy, dark blues. And we’re seeing
the Campus coming back. There’s a skinnier profile in denim right now. We got a great response with
the SL 72. A lot of the guys in Scandinavia are doing a little bit of the roll-up thing and showing more
attention to their footwear. The classic shoes are a little cleaner, where it’s not so much a big graphic
story as a strong colour and perfect design. There are still sneakerheads who want to see over-the-top
graphics, but I think things are balancing out.