Sneak Peek (New Styles)

Take a peek at 2 of the new styles that Laidback is rolling with. "Her Cherry", a distressed graphic allover print. We are also reintroducing "Ol Play" vinyl, this solid gold joint is a stylish conversation piece for any room in the house or even the studio. Watch out because we might even hit you with a platinum take. All feedback is welcome, tell me what you think before they let me have it at BK Design, lol. These 2 styles along with a few others will be available May 11-13 at Brooklyn Design and online May 15. You can preorder now to make sure you get yours. Hit me at orders@laidbackhome.com

Laidback X Rapathon

I was extrememly excited about the Rapathon and wanted to know how Laidback could get down. Well we will be down. We are working it out so that we can hit some of the sleepy headz who are trying to make the record of an ongoing 24 hr rap a lil cozy as they snooze throughout the night.

24 Hour Rapathon

The Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem is hosting it's first Rapathon, promoting positivity and working on making a Guinness Book World Record. The way it is going down; participating mc's are going to create one ongoing rhyme, that goes on and on and on past the break of dawn. If you think you have skills they are still looking for artists to rock the mike.

Open Call: Thursday, April 26 at the Hip Hop Culture Center at 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd (2nd FL of the Magic Johnson Theater) 6pm-9pm Phone: 212-234-7171 or email Director@globalartistscoalition.org

Fly Girl of The Week

Guess who is the Fly Girl of the Week?!?!? I am a daily reader and huge fan of the Fly Girl Blog and am honored to be the Fly Girl this week. I met Andrea last year at a designsponge meetup, she is a dope illustrator and a great creative spirit (the border is one of Andrea's funky illustrations". Thanks Andrea, go over and check out how deep your sistah can get with the Q&A

Laidback Pin Pack

Always the fan of the little buttons that people rock in a colorful cluster on their tee-shirts, back packs, and lapels, I decided to foray into the first laidback pin pack. I will introduce these as giveaways at the Brooklyn Design Show May 11-13 at the Brooklyn Designs Annex at 81 Ffront Street. Any thoughts?

H is in the House (in the Moma)

Helvetica the most widely recognized font in the world and it is turning 50 this year. The Moma has an exhibit going on that chronicles the life of this popular font. Think of the letters on the subway map, they are rocking Helvetica. For those of you who still have no clue what I am talking about, a font is the style of type that you use when you are on a computer. Unfortunately I am not using Helvetica because it is not an option in Blogger. I plan on taking my computer geek behind to check it out, it is running now until March 31, 2008.

Laidback Cries Tears

My heart cries out along with my prayers to the students, families, and teachers, that were affected my the devastating In the wake of the shootings that caused every heart and mind to shutter.

Nicky Giovanni spoke ever so eloquently at the close of the convocation. Exuding and encouraging strength to the friends, families, and the country, she helps us heal and reflect on the fact that we (the world) are in a state of moral decline. Check it out here, thank you Bella for the link.

Japanese Design

There is a great exhibit going on at the AIGA National Design Center called Suupa Pop: Package Design from Japan. The exhibit will be there until May 25. I definitely have to find the time to check it out. I am longing to go to Japan and I am totally in love with their graphics and use of color, and texture play in fashion and design. It has influenced alot of the my designs over the years. Andrea from Fly posted a tease of picts that will have any design lover feening to check it out. See ya there!

Laidback goes Uptown

Laidback is now available at the Studio Museum of Harlem. I stopped by their earlier today (Wednesday) to check it out. Looking good. The store is known for a great selection of books, novelty, and gift ideas. I am proud to be a part of the Studio Museum family.

Urban Hang Suite

One of my biggest inspirations when working on a room design project is the Hotel Fox in Denmark. The open rooms with original art on the walls that are also played out in the furnishings brings you to a fantasy place that even the most conservative adult would lust for. There are 61 rooms, 21 artists, and they say 1000 ideas. The place is crazy. I long for the day to visit the hotel and take in the art for myself. I would love to hook up an urban toile inspired room for this place.

Old Soul Tees

I stumbled on this label Friend and Foe, and fell in love with the soul oozing from the graphics on their tees. The likes of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonius Monk album artwork and vintage poster art grace these tees and give you an inspiring dose of an era of great style and music. Imagine how hot some of these styles would translate into the home, pillows, duvets, etc. Got me thinkin..

Laidback in London (one day)

Well we have not made it to London yet, but it seems like so much is going on out there and the Laidback culture needs to represent in those parts. Adornment London is this weekend and according to their myspace page this is what they are about..

ADORNMENT LONDON was the first exhibition of its scale in Europe to showcase the African-inspired creative, cultural and ethical sector - in particular, fashion and design, art, craft, hair & beauty & alternative well-being. ADORNMENT LONDON is a dynamic response to the needs of Black cultural and creative entrepreneurs and the consumers of their products and services.

Carol's Daughter will be representing for the NY over there this year. I will definitely get the scoop from Lisa Price upon her return. She is definitely one of the people that have hustled and garnered my awe and respect for her grind.

Camo

Camouflage has become a staple in pop culture and street couture and is presently one of laidback's biggest selling styles. For all of you based in London or heading to London before November there is an exhibit called Camouflage going on at the Imperial War Museum
The exhibit dissects the origin of camouflage, the design rationale and the influence it continues to have in fashion today. It looks like a great exhibit. If any body checks it out please post. I am also ordering the Camouflage book from their store, it looks like a great resource.

Jury in on Ken Brown's Book

Ok, I said I would post on the book this weekend, however I spent alot of time on the train today. 3+ hours on the train to spend 15 minutes with a new printer that I plan on using to develop 3 new styles for Brooklyn Design. The book gets ***** stars for inspiration, and ease of read. KB invites the reader into his life, he is so transparent that it is very easy to get to know him and his family and friends and make them a part of your own. I don't want to spoil the book, but it is a must read for the Everyday Hustla that has a vision and just needs courage and something to cling on to bring it to fruition.

Laidback Reading List

I am an avid reader who likes to stay abreast of what the streets are saying, wearing, debating, and rocking. That helps me to define and develop and grow my own ideas, opinions, and creations. So today let me share what Laidback is reading. I met a cat named Kenneth Brown last night as he hosted a business development seminar. He blessed me with his new book From Welfare to Faring Well that I immediately dug into on the train last night. It's an easy and inspiring read thus far, I'll hit you back with the full scoop this weekend. I am also reading City magazine which has great art direction and is always on the cusp of what's hot in fashion and culture in all of the major cities of the World, and now they offer their back issues online for free.
Swindle, another great magazine with crazy art direction, layout and content is also what I am diggin in presently and always leaves me with a ton of inspiration for new designs. Get brain, must read. Share some of your favorite reads.

Recycled Magazine Mirror

How many times have we posed in our mirrors trying to look like some model or balla that we've seen in our favorite magazine? Well it looks like someone decided to attach their magazine tears to the mirror for good. Urban Outfitters has a new mirror that is framed by colorful recycled magazine pages. Definitely a conversation piece (when not talking about how fly you are, lol) and another environmentally stylish piece for your home.

Sound in a Box

Just when you thought you have seen every possible way to transport your beats here come the cats from Japan shooting sound straight organic style. Sound in a cardboard box. Muji is a Japanese company who prides themselves on being environmentally friendly, trendy, and price conscious all at the same time. Hook up your ipod and roll. These speakers collapse and fit in your bag like a folder or book. I can see somebody spraying or tagging their joint to give it that personal touch and for $42, why not?

Bring the Noise (with color)

Check out the way pillows and pop colors can add flava to any room. These picts are from the VIP lounge at the Musiq concert but easily adaptable for your personal space. Add some paint, some graphic throw pillows, a framed photo, or framed poster to upgrade your room. The sofa is West Elm, the pillows laidback "Ol Play"

Laidback X Musiq Soulchild

Good music is essential to the very core of the laidback lifestyle and one of our favorites is Musiq Soulchild. I had the pleasure of outfitting the Music Soulchild VIP room yesterday for the House of Couvosier sponsored Musiq concert. It was a dope experience. Musiq was fire! The crowd was grown and sexy, Biz Markie was spinning, Big Tigger hosting, and Laidback rocking the VIP. The crowd was crazy trying to get in but thank God for VIP treatment, my new friend Renae from Crush Media was creating the ambiance and contacted me about using the pillows. They rocked the VIP with Ol' Play pillows in orange and dew, a camo chill pillow and a denim joint. It was great, you know the product is hot when people are trying to high tail it out of VIP with big-a$$ pillows in tow. It was great, Laidback received mad luv and plenty of connects. Great collabo, great night! Yes I did hit Musiq off with an Ol' Play joint of his own.

Get Art

As we grow and step up our games by creating hot living spaces to go with our dope sense of style, we need to keep in mind what the walls of our homes look like. Do you still have posters of Neo and Usher, or posters of Nike ads or Bob Marley puffin up in your room? Well the time has come to invest in art. While most of us are still on a paper chase just trying to keep looking good, you might balk at my suggestion. But art can be a good photograph that you or someone else has taken, check out flickr, a framed pop art poster from the flea market, or when you are really ready to invest...ART. I stumbled on Mustafa Maluka's work while I was on myspace yesterday and I can't stop thinking about the colors and textures and pattern play. When you really begin to study art, color and strokes, pattern, and technique begin to spell out a story or eveoke an emotion and it is a wonderful experience. This cat just finished showing and selling work at the Armory in NY, and continues to show all over the world. He has made a name for himself and has a great eye for color. Check out his work above and get ot know more about him. He is definitely someone to look out for. Send me some links of good art and artists and lets share, but get to know and understand art and then invest in it, the pay off is far greater than the airbrushed Biggie on your new tee.

Which Neo Soul Star performing in NYC is Getting Laidback next week?

orange group rvsd, originally uploaded by design tee.

Musiq is in town next week and we are helping to add some flava to the VIP room. Stay tuned for picts and my take on the new cd. `

Laidback Music

Even block huggers like to slow it down sometime and create an ambience that exudes mellow and sexy., If you want to unwind or to cozy up to your honey,what tightens a spot better than the right music? You can walk into a busted crib, but if the right song comes on you just might forget where you're at for that moment. For Laidback chics right now it is all about Robin Thicke, now we been onto him for a while, but many of you slept. His cd, The Evolution of Robin Thicke is fire!!! I had the chance to check him out in Philly last night and he is a great performer. His voice is melodic and sexy, he is definetly trying to exude sexiness and soul, and he damn near comes close. The musci is right on point,but I can pass on his dancing, although it fit him,lol, so I dug it. Overall it's a great cd to accent those Sping and Summer nights with.

It's Spring Time Add Color to your Life

a bit of a mess, originally uploaded by Tara Anderson.

Yes, it is Springtime again. A time of renewal, fresh ideas, fresh spaces, fresh behavior, lol. It is time to color your life. While many of us are still grinding so we are on a limited budget there are many little ways to infuse color and excitement into our lives. The patterns and colors and event the set up is perfect addition to any home organization. Think pillows, shelving units, storage boxes, even the fruit in your itchen aligned by color. Come on put some zing in your Spring.

We are Styleaholics baby!!

We were blogged todayby Najwa Moses, the busty, incredibly stylish fashionista who stays true to her innovative style. Go us!!! Najwa and I have talked many times via email but have not seemed to hook up,we'll catch up this year. Check out her site and blog. She is a dope chick! Thanks Najwa

Ikea Hacks

While laidback is all about the home and living stylishly, once college and dorm living was a rap, Ikea furniture to us was presumably a thing of the past. I can't stand the crowds,or the brilliant marketing mechanism that almost forces you to go through the entire store to prevent from getting lost before leaving with that 1 intended kitchen item, so I was saying goodbye. Now always open to innovative approaches to old and used furniture or less expensive furniture,IKEA, I decided to revisit the store with an open mind, open even more so by the site ikeahacker that I found several months ago.

As a techie I was loving the idea of someone hacking or disabling and then reconfiguring furniture. So here is one of my favorite hacks. Not exactly what I would do, so I dare to expound on a more graphic approach to this hack.

1- The expedit shelving unit with the retro wall paper could be a good place for me to store the tons of inspirational magazines that I have or even put the pillows on display.

But I would:
a- either color block the backs panels of the shelves with either a bright contrasting checkerboard of brown and orange, celadon and brown or a very graphic luster of black and white with the outside of the case being a lacquered red color.

b-fill the panels with some quirky messages by putting a word in each cube creating a puzzle.

c- Or better yet measure out the entire unit, set up a photoshop or illustrator file the size, fill it in with one of my own pieces of art or graphics and have it printed on vinyl or have individual panels silk screened and staple the fabric or vinyl to the back of the unit.

d- decoupage certain back panels, paint others

The possibilities are endless. What would you do?

The Future of Laidback's Ad campaigns

Here at laidback we try to take a few minutes to see what the hip-hop community is said to be doing, so a few minutes a day I visit Crunk and Disorderly to get my fill on the streets gossip. I had the joy of stumbling on this ad on the site that made me ponder the future of Laidback advertising. Who could G this up for Laidback? lmao. Free pillow for the best lyrics.

Laidback Library

Let's take a trip to the library and see what inspires laidback. laidback is inspired by the streets, with a high regard for hip hop. Before laidback could even come at you we had to get our game tight which means keeping our minds right so we studied "Think and Grow Rich A Black Choice" by Dennis Kimbro, I told you guys how hype I was too meet him last month. "How to Be A Guide to Contemporary Living for African Americans" by Harriet Cole who is now heading it up over at Ebony magazine is a muct read for proper decorum. Now for design inspiration I run to Martha Coopers' Hip Hop Files and Subway Art, as well as Sneaker Freaker, the book and the site. I have collected and read so many books and want so many more, that I think at some point I am going to add an amazon book store to the site with my picks, because there are so many more like Tricia Guild Pattern: Using Pattern to Create Sophisticated, Show Stopping Interiors, and Marimekko: Fabrics, Fashion, Architecture, these two books are great resources for color and pattern, while the pattern itself might not be your style the layouts and the color usage and graphics is bananas! Like I said there is so much more, later this week I will also hit you with some of the best magazines that inspire from all over the world that inspire laidback. While kickin back stylishly, chilling at the pad bedecked in laidback, don't just be stylish, read style.

Changing the World One Pillow at a Time

Laidback is committed to social change and our ability to contribute to those in need. We have just begun our journey of styling your home with the color and culture of fashions found in hip-hop and the streets. This baby is 3 months old but still not too young to start giving back. We are developing a relationship with an HIV hospice that caters to teens and young adults as well as contributing to a group working to find a cure for the disease that is ravishing our communities. Our thinking is no contribution is too small, so we are implementing a campaign, "Changing the World One Pillow At A time" to give back a portion of our proceeds. It will be implemented by months end. Tonight if you can get to Harlem "A Healing in Harlem, Concert and Prayer Vigil" to combat Aids hosted by Cissy Houston and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child will be jumping off. Check out Harlem One Stop for more info. The Black Church Week of Prayer is coming to a close but we must stay mindful and prayerful until we are no longer affected by this disease.

The BKC

I had the pleasure of checking out the Brooklyn Circus yesterday. It is definitely a hot show. When it comes to that new ish.. it will have you feenin. I saw some Rich Young hoodies that were fire, the BKC white foil t-shirt is one of my favorites, and if I wasn't so busy on my grind, I would have copped a pair of the Umbro By Kim Jones kicks. I am really digging that spot and a shout out to Ouigi, one of the flyest cats holding down the BKC.

The snooze is gone

I'd like to think that all of us have a built in clock that wakes us daily to the start of a new day, eager for another chance to learn something, challenge ourselves or design something new. But hey.. the reality is that for the most part we wake up to the harsh reality that it is time to do it all over again, from the obnoxious call of an alarm clock. Snooze.. another 5.. snooze, snooze.. another 5, but what happens when your clock goes off and then jets?.. This new "clocky" does just that. It was designed by a masters degree candidate in Boston that says "clocky will jump off of your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide."
. . For some of us , it might be the answer to that morning jog that we committed to as part of our New Years Resolutions. Check out the clip of it in action.

Paying it Forward

For any Oprah heads out there, she is on this whole paying it forward vibe. Which generally means how are you using your gifts and resources to uplift, help, or gift someone else. Last night I had the opportunity to be a guest lecturer at FIT for a design to retail class. This is the third class that I have done and it is really a great experience. Class ran over 40 minutes because they wanted to pick my brain. I offered tips on marketing and networking, as well as lessons that I have learned that they can avoid (unless you really like living on the edge)Laidback is paying it forward, look out for our newest effort "Changing the World One Pillow At A Time" and see how we are really giving back.

The Hip Hop Project and First Saturday's

The Laidback family trekked out to BK this Saturday for the Brooklyn Museums first Saturday events. For those of you who don't know, the Brooklyn Museum hosts a ton of events and all on the First Saturday of the month. It is a great time to chill with the fam and take in some culture, meet new people, learn something, you name it. It is free from 5-11. Well this past Saturday they screened the Hip Hop Project. The Hip Hop Project is a documentary based on the Art Start school that led Kasi to start the project that would later lead to an album that helped build teens confidence through hip hop. It basically chronicles the lives of a group of young people trying to cope with difficult situations by using hip hop and writing as their medicine of choice. It is a definite must see, especially for those of us immersed and brought up within the hip hop generation. It has definitely been a healing agent for many, and the movie offers some triumphs and unanswered questions. In any event the cast performed and answered questions after the movie. It was great.

The other exhibits..The Brazilian capeoira performers at the other exhibit were cool and the Egyptian exhibit was fire as well. While discussing the pyramids and Egypt and mathematics and the derivation of the sciences and the contribution that the genius Egyptians have contributed, someone reflected on the fact that in pretty much all of the Egyptian statues the noses are broken, could it really be to blind the masses that true genius came from the wide-nose people? Well that's just food for thought..
Laidback finds inspiration in everything, hopefully next month we'll be inspired by you.

Brooklyn Design

Brooklyn has made a big foray into the design scene in the past 3-4 years. It is a mecca of great contemporary art, artists, independent shops, and designers. I am in the midst of looking for a spot in BK to become a part of the movement. I am well on my way because Laidback was just selected to be a part of BKLYN Designs. We will be in the Design Mart of the show, showing off some of the familiar favorites like Ol' Play and She Rocks as well as some crazy behind new joints that will blow the roof of your crib. So mark your calendars for May 11-13 to check us out at Brooklyn Designs Annex, 81 Front Street.

The T-Shirt

The t-shirt is a major inspiration for everything laidback does. The graphics, the comfort, and simplicity of it being an everyday staple that can be dressed up or down is the foundation for our designs. So it was great to meet Carmen Webber yesterday, one of the founding partners of Sistahs Of Harlem, a boutique in Harlem that started by transforming the everyday tee. Uptown magazine and Etu Evans hosted a "What is Harlem Style?" panel of talented Harlem based designers and Carmen was there talking about the history, the style, and the voice of the Harlem fashionista. It was great! The book T-Shirt Makeovers: 20 Transformations for Fabulous Fashions is a must have. Guys don't you feel left out, your flava comes out in the graphic you choose and the way you rock it, with jeans and kicks or blazer and shoes, tees always bring your sexy back. Some of my favorites for you are The Brooklyn Circus foil printed white logo tee, the the Ed Hardy Rhinestone T and Triple 5 Soul's Peace and Love Tee