best description of the jacket matt. Also, Thursday, I’ll be breaking into the office and taking the EXCLUSIVEST™ paparazzi photos of the gear. It will be an E™.tv breaking news report, so stay tune!
yawn yawn yawn.fuk franco they remove rolling from their site and just focus on trying to be ‘cool guys”in la just always seem to be the last on the pile each time though,all over print not seen that before?but detachable hood ohhhh nice1 im always thinking i need one of those on the hoodies i buy.
There is a big debate right now about Franco not visibly including rollerblading in their website, tho rollerbladers do appear in some of their photoshots. Maybe we should get some questions together and get the boys from franco, Joe / Daveee/ Arlo to come to the table and tell their side of things I know that Joe touched on it in various be-mag posts and I believe even on his revival episode.
what I am failing to understand is how franco is getting alot of non rollerblading flack by the kids, when artysm isnt showcasing rollerblading on their site either even UCON only has a team section and even then its not apparently rollerblading, just headshots. These to me are the people that are making the better end of the clothing, actually doing cut and sew instead of say taking some hanes beefy tees to the local print shop. I just dont get it.
yea basically if streetwear kiddies knew the in and out of francos roots they wouldnt even sniff at it as rolling is not on the ‘cool’ radar.I understand why they are doing it but i stil stand by that i dont think franco are bring anything to streetwear what so ever,for me its ver ‘LA” very samey to alot of the brands in that area.
Artysm has never really to my linited knowledge really gone overboar about its rolling roots,Its always seemed a bit more to me a label that was set up by rollerbladers,rather than a label set up directly for rollerbladers if that makes sense.also artysm are bring something different to the tabel steetwear cut sew wise not just following the mob so i think they deserve abit more praise.Ucon for me isnt streetwear the company dosent feel that way to much to me it feels more action sports wear like a volcom etc etc so maybe by not including as much roling they are again trying to attract a wider market?in that area for all these labels it understandable with how underground our scene is at the min to survive and push there labels they need a wider market than rollerbladers alone.
id love to see chris peel and 4×4 push their clothing more as i think the t shirt designs coming from them are something special and actually better than a large proportion of the streetwear that is rammed down our throats on a daily basis
First off I would like to say that this is Joe Navran, not Daveee Blair. It’s the middle of the night and I cant remember my pw to log in here. Just as a basic response to angry guy#4352. For years and years now (it has been almost 5) since Franco has been around people haven’t paid much attention to it. It was always that brand that people liked to completely label with me, or F.P. , or my videos, my crew. So if you were a fan of those things before you might just be a fan of Franco.
For the most part though, you continued to buy grey/white masterpieces, cheap garage made denim, or just flat out cheesy shit. I am not going to name names, cause there really isnt going to be any good in that, but a MAJORITY of rolling clothing is HORRIBLE. There I said it, its just bad. Franco hasn’t in my opinion always been great either, but we have continued to try and get better each and every line. We didn’t invent all over print, we didn’t invent cut and sew, we didnt invent the color green either.
You want me to say our shit is cutting edge, and completely original than I wont. Please however show me who is completely cutting edge with every piece, who is doing things with gear that has never been done before. You have no idea what we have done other than rolling because all you focus on is rolling. You haven’t seen the album covers, parties, television shows we have had our line featured on as far back as 3 years ago. Now however, we are starting to get a little steam outside and actually have a chance to become a real company, and the same guys who never even bought anything Franco, or would ever think of buying anything Franco, come out on these boards and cry foul.
Here is a big newsflash to all you guys who think we are not supporting rollerblading or arent down “for the cause”. We are only carried in FIVE stores in the United States of America. 5, cinco, 4 1. Yet we are in 5 different boutique/streetwear stores in Orange county alone. Put yourself in my shoes, what would you do. There is no point hiding what our roots are, because in case you haven’t noticed skateboarders, bikers, average people dont even think or really hate on rollerblading anymore, because to them its dead, its a non-issue.
How easy would it have been (and sometimes honestly I wish I would have) to have just started a new brand and made a different name, none of you guys would know it was me or had anything to do with rollerblading. What is the point of that though, I personally am not ashamed of rollerblading one bit. Whenever I meet someone new in the scene, and I introduce someone like Rachard, they find out RIGHT AWAY that he is a rollerblader… and they always think its cool. People in the “Streetwear” scene instant message me and ask me for the link to one of his YOU TUBE videos. From there they always ask if I have anything else.
Now why dont I put people alleyoop topsiding handrails on the cover of my site? Lets think as a smart business, who are we advertising and marketing to? People who are buying our stuff (mainstream-streetwear-art culture) or to the 5 shops who after this line will be 2 shops that carry us right now in rolling. Every single time a new person finds out about Franco and they google it, you see pages upon pages of rolling. You arent going to be able to cover something that is so rooted up.
I have given over ten years of my life to the industry, and by given I dont mean I have skated a whole bunch. I have literally changed the course of my life because I fell in love with the sport. My goal has always been the improvement of life for my friends and crewmates. Thats it… If you dont believe me go back and ask the people I have worked with or been friends with, and see if one of them tells you I have ever fucked one of them over, or not over extended myself wether financially or emotionally for their cause.
I am now almost 27, when I was 16 none of the realities of gas and electricity bills had hit. Girlfriends bday presents weren’t that serious. Now I have a chance, nothing more than a chance to succeed at something I truly enjoy and if a few people online want to call me or anyone from Franco a sellout… well thats fine, it really is, its fine. I dont need to impress anyone anymore, I dont owe anybody or any industry a God Damn thing. I mean that, I wont ever back track on that. I know this industry as good as anyone, and it sniffs out phonies real quickly. When the industry as a whole feels like Franco is no longer credible enough to fit in or be a part of its roots then the consumers will stop buying it. (the few that still do)
I will tell you though, that for the few people who post online like seenmy, i get 2-3 emails a day, or a myspace hit saying something like “really proud that a rolling brand finally made it into the mainstream, good luck with everything”. I dont know what else to say, its late and this topic has really run its course with me and I think this may officially be the last time I talk about it.
I appreciate you coming on and saying your piece joe.Im not biting at franco on the rolling debate I never cared for it when it was rolling and il straight up say that.I was a bit miffed when i linked the site a while back to find it viod of rolling, but i understand it from a business/marketing piont of view it makes sense if you are selling as a clothing label thats what you got to advertise as.And the fact your straight up about it is admirable.
truth is im a critic, I will critiqe anything and i have strong love hate feelings with most things im not brandist when it comes to fashion a good item a strong design etc etc deserves praise.One my pet hates in streetwear is this circle jerk scene that just seems to grow and grow there just seems a set of boundries set up within the US streetwear scene and everyone sticks inline noones really branching out and the peak of everyones ‘collections’ eac of the last few seasons has been some gaudy incarnation of a all over printed hoodie,which for me is getting real tiered.thats my gripe.I maybe am a bit harsh on my words with franco in particular but i think its because it closer to my heart as a rollerblader so when i see something thats just as samey as some other US streetbrand it rubs me more up the wrong way.as i think you guys are selling yourselfs short.
much as im the 1st to critise il be the first to stick up a post on my blog the second i see something i love from franco.nothing make me prouder than to see a rolling brand rocking in streetwear .
crazy. One of the original titles for better than baseball was “god hates rollerbladers”. Obviously didn’t fit very well. I think there was also “god is a skateboarder, and he hates rollerbladers”.
I don’t really consider franco shade a rollerblading brand. But the company’s small roots are in rollerblading, and Arlo’s art is beginning to give the company more of an identity. Which are some reasons I “support” and “represent” the brand.
what I love about the internet is that sometimes intelegent comments about things that are not only important to me but to others surface from the pool of shit talkers and whatnot.
yep guess that means I gotta drop the new site update soon.
ha!
best description of the jacket matt. Also, Thursday, I’ll be breaking into the office and taking the EXCLUSIVEST™ paparazzi photos of the gear. It will be an E™.tv breaking news report, so stay tune!
*This just in. Franco has made it to Hypebeast
i jsut saw that on hype earlyier, was nice.
FRSH
yawn yawn yawn.fuk franco they remove rolling from their site and just focus on trying to be ‘cool guys”in la just always seem to be the last on the pile each time though,all over print not seen that before?but detachable hood ohhhh nice1 im always thinking i need one of those on the hoodies i buy.
There is a big debate right now about Franco not visibly including rollerblading in their website, tho rollerbladers do appear in some of their photoshots. Maybe we should get some questions together and get the boys from franco, Joe / Daveee/ Arlo to come to the table and tell their side of things I know that Joe touched on it in various be-mag posts and I believe even on his revival episode.
what I am failing to understand is how franco is getting alot of non rollerblading flack by the kids, when artysm isnt showcasing rollerblading on their site either even UCON only has a team section and even then its not apparently rollerblading, just headshots. These to me are the people that are making the better end of the clothing, actually doing cut and sew instead of say taking some hanes beefy tees to the local print shop. I just dont get it.
comment away
rollerblading is the skeleton in their closet it seems. I don’t think it would be a really strong selling point to their new target market.
yea basically if streetwear kiddies knew the in and out of francos roots they wouldnt even sniff at it as rolling is not on the ‘cool’ radar.I understand why they are doing it but i stil stand by that i dont think franco are bring anything to streetwear what so ever,for me its ver ‘LA” very samey to alot of the brands in that area.
Artysm has never really to my linited knowledge really gone overboar about its rolling roots,Its always seemed a bit more to me a label that was set up by rollerbladers,rather than a label set up directly for rollerbladers if that makes sense.also artysm are bring something different to the tabel steetwear cut sew wise not just following the mob so i think they deserve abit more praise.Ucon for me isnt streetwear the company dosent feel that way to much to me it feels more action sports wear like a volcom etc etc so maybe by not including as much roling they are again trying to attract a wider market?in that area for all these labels it understandable with how underground our scene is at the min to survive and push there labels they need a wider market than rollerbladers alone.
id love to see chris peel and 4×4 push their clothing more as i think the t shirt designs coming from them are something special and actually better than a large proportion of the streetwear that is rammed down our throats on a daily basis
First off I would like to say that this is Joe Navran, not Daveee Blair. It’s the middle of the night and I cant remember my pw to log in here. Just as a basic response to angry guy#4352. For years and years now (it has been almost 5) since Franco has been around people haven’t paid much attention to it. It was always that brand that people liked to completely label with me, or F.P. , or my videos, my crew. So if you were a fan of those things before you might just be a fan of Franco.
For the most part though, you continued to buy grey/white masterpieces, cheap garage made denim, or just flat out cheesy shit. I am not going to name names, cause there really isnt going to be any good in that, but a MAJORITY of rolling clothing is HORRIBLE. There I said it, its just bad. Franco hasn’t in my opinion always been great either, but we have continued to try and get better each and every line. We didn’t invent all over print, we didn’t invent cut and sew, we didnt invent the color green either.
You want me to say our shit is cutting edge, and completely original than I wont. Please however show me who is completely cutting edge with every piece, who is doing things with gear that has never been done before. You have no idea what we have done other than rolling because all you focus on is rolling. You haven’t seen the album covers, parties, television shows we have had our line featured on as far back as 3 years ago. Now however, we are starting to get a little steam outside and actually have a chance to become a real company, and the same guys who never even bought anything Franco, or would ever think of buying anything Franco, come out on these boards and cry foul.
Here is a big newsflash to all you guys who think we are not supporting rollerblading or arent down “for the cause”. We are only carried in FIVE stores in the United States of America. 5, cinco, 4 1. Yet we are in 5 different boutique/streetwear stores in Orange county alone. Put yourself in my shoes, what would you do. There is no point hiding what our roots are, because in case you haven’t noticed skateboarders, bikers, average people dont even think or really hate on rollerblading anymore, because to them its dead, its a non-issue.
How easy would it have been (and sometimes honestly I wish I would have) to have just started a new brand and made a different name, none of you guys would know it was me or had anything to do with rollerblading. What is the point of that though, I personally am not ashamed of rollerblading one bit. Whenever I meet someone new in the scene, and I introduce someone like Rachard, they find out RIGHT AWAY that he is a rollerblader… and they always think its cool. People in the “Streetwear” scene instant message me and ask me for the link to one of his YOU TUBE videos. From there they always ask if I have anything else.
Now why dont I put people alleyoop topsiding handrails on the cover of my site? Lets think as a smart business, who are we advertising and marketing to? People who are buying our stuff (mainstream-streetwear-art culture) or to the 5 shops who after this line will be 2 shops that carry us right now in rolling. Every single time a new person finds out about Franco and they google it, you see pages upon pages of rolling. You arent going to be able to cover something that is so rooted up.
I have given over ten years of my life to the industry, and by given I dont mean I have skated a whole bunch. I have literally changed the course of my life because I fell in love with the sport. My goal has always been the improvement of life for my friends and crewmates. Thats it… If you dont believe me go back and ask the people I have worked with or been friends with, and see if one of them tells you I have ever fucked one of them over, or not over extended myself wether financially or emotionally for their cause.
I am now almost 27, when I was 16 none of the realities of gas and electricity bills had hit. Girlfriends bday presents weren’t that serious. Now I have a chance, nothing more than a chance to succeed at something I truly enjoy and if a few people online want to call me or anyone from Franco a sellout… well thats fine, it really is, its fine. I dont need to impress anyone anymore, I dont owe anybody or any industry a God Damn thing. I mean that, I wont ever back track on that. I know this industry as good as anyone, and it sniffs out phonies real quickly. When the industry as a whole feels like Franco is no longer credible enough to fit in or be a part of its roots then the consumers will stop buying it. (the few that still do)
I will tell you though, that for the few people who post online like seenmy, i get 2-3 emails a day, or a myspace hit saying something like “really proud that a rolling brand finally made it into the mainstream, good luck with everything”. I dont know what else to say, its late and this topic has really run its course with me and I think this may officially be the last time I talk about it.
Joe Navran
“FRSH”
I appreciate you coming on and saying your piece joe.Im not biting at franco on the rolling debate I never cared for it when it was rolling and il straight up say that.I was a bit miffed when i linked the site a while back to find it viod of rolling, but i understand it from a business/marketing piont of view it makes sense if you are selling as a clothing label thats what you got to advertise as.And the fact your straight up about it is admirable.
truth is im a critic, I will critiqe anything and i have strong love hate feelings with most things im not brandist when it comes to fashion a good item a strong design etc etc deserves praise.One my pet hates in streetwear is this circle jerk scene that just seems to grow and grow there just seems a set of boundries set up within the US streetwear scene and everyone sticks inline noones really branching out and the peak of everyones ‘collections’ eac of the last few seasons has been some gaudy incarnation of a all over printed hoodie,which for me is getting real tiered.thats my gripe.I maybe am a bit harsh on my words with franco in particular but i think its because it closer to my heart as a rollerblader so when i see something thats just as samey as some other US streetbrand it rubs me more up the wrong way.as i think you guys are selling yourselfs short.
much as im the 1st to critise il be the first to stick up a post on my blog the second i see something i love from franco.nothing make me prouder than to see a rolling brand rocking in streetwear .
crazy. One of the original titles for better than baseball was “god hates rollerbladers”. Obviously didn’t fit very well. I think there was also “god is a skateboarder, and he hates rollerbladers”.
I don’t really consider franco shade a rollerblading brand. But the company’s small roots are in rollerblading, and Arlo’s art is beginning to give the company more of an identity. Which are some reasons I “support” and “represent” the brand.
Joe you are the man. You annoy me a bunch and you smell…but damn that response hit me in the heart. I (heart) joe navran
Daveee Blair
pres. Lance Bass Fan club
what I love about the internet is that sometimes intelegent comments about things that are not only important to me but to others surface from the pool of shit talkers and whatnot.
I commend you all.