“A billion customers in the world,” Dr. Paul Polak told a crowd of inventors recently, “are waiting for a $2 pair of eyeglasses, a $10 solar lantern and a $100 house.”
The world’s cleverest designers, said Dr. Polak, a former psychiatrist who now runs an organization helping poor farmers become entrepreneurs, cater to the globe’s richest 10 percent, creating items like wine labels, couture and Maseratis.
“We need a revolution to reverse that silly ratio,” he said.
The previous excerpt is from a recent article published in the New York Times titled Design That Solves Problems for the World’s Poor. These are the types of projects one day I hope to take on — designing and creating shit that can actually make a difference, things that can change the way we live and think on an everyday basis.
But the article also made me reflect on how I think about larger, seemingly hopeless issues like world poverty and hunger. I think when people bring up the notion of alleviating or changing the current conditions, they get written off as over-indulgent idealists, hippie dreamers, told that one person can never change the world. Damn hippies.... But that's not the point. Each of these design projects approached improving one aspect of life, on the most simple level, and often succeeded. And by slowly addressing these smaller issues, eventually, those larger, seemingly untouchable issues don't seem so out of reach.
Most of the designers interviewed were dead set against charity, making the point that these people don't need meals or clothes for the day, or even the week. They need means of making and producing these things for themselves, on an everyday basis. It's like that old proverb about fishing. Give a man a fish, he eats for a day etc, etc.
For all the millions and millions of dollars raised in charity, people are still hungry, homeless, and generally poor as fuck. By virtue of writing and reading this blog, we belong to that 10% of the population. The First World has long since lost its taste for revolution. Shit, I love wine labels and Maseratis as much as anybody else. But maybe we can at least start thinking about more fishing poles.
The first of many Vane social initiatives, Gang-Green is our contribution to help environmental preservation and fight global warming. For the summer, all proceeds of the Green Birds of Pray and Green Roots Tees will go directly to the Climate Group, an international non-profit dedicated to finding practical solutions to the rising environmental issues. As we experience unprecedented environmental issues of devastating storms, declining ecosystems, and wildly erratic weather patterns, the effects of Global Warming are far from theoretical.A large founding principle of Vane was the idea that we as the youth culture have the ability to use our collective power to do something positive.
So, by copping a tee, you will not only help the environment and contribute to something positive, but you will also look oh-so fresh being Green.
A quarter of a million hits worldwide in one day. One million subscribers to the foundation in three months worldwide. Amazing what a couple of images, editing software and a laptop can do. Avaaz.org
Once again, thanks for everyone who worked to put shit together and everyone who came out to make the party a GREAT SUCCESS!
In the wake of our 1-year anniversary BANGER [if you didn't know, apparently we can put together a throw down of epic proportions. And yes, we will have another event sometime soon, but we're still recovering from the first one], we here at Vane have been doing two things. First of which, is staying busy as all hell, concocting some serious style in the design lab. Expect Vane to be on a whole other level of officialness, and expect us to turn up more and more in spots throughout the City.
Stay tuned for some super ill stuff in the future, right now it's all hush hush, but I promise I'm not just gassing myself. The quality of our garments and goods is about to rise like rents in Brooklyn. Truth.
But with all this work and progress and forward thinking, we have also taken a minute to pause, reflect, and think back on how far we have come in the short period of a year. In actuality, the concepts and ideas behind Vane have been bubbling for almost 4 years now, but things have really come to fruition over the past year or so. To see all the heads who came out in support [and drink our free liquor] brought, for a slight moment, a tear to my eye. Then I realized it was sweat dripping down my face, cause shit got hot as hell in there. We will work on that, but bodies in motion, aka, heads grinding on the dance floor, create somewhat of an unavoidable sauna.
Forreals though, all this shit would not, and will not, be possible without the continuing support and love of our friends, family, and acquaintances. Hell, our very first run of tees was partially financed with money from our boy Jae [Props kid!]. Our family has continued to grow as our people put us on to their people, who in turn put us on to their people. Shouts to Mauricio and E Chang, who have joined the Vane Fam and have been putting in sweat equity and repping Vane to the fullest.
Since this rock has been in motion, there's no likely end in sight. We will continue to create, continue to stay fresh, and hopefully yall will continue to ride the wave with us.
PS. I promise to update this shit more regularly, just been maaad busy.
Ladies I know that after the party most of our tees are sold out in your size. We will restock but to help us know the quantities to order please fill out the pre-order form. Once the Tees are in we will contact you and take care of payment and shipping. Thank you!
Last night was a great success and we wanted to thank everyone who came thru. We hope you had a kick ass time. I just posted some flicks we took, enjoy!
We especially want to thank DJ Yose for keepin the music fresh all damn night! Folk and Stress for just straight up killin it! Eric C and Maria for running around with us all day. Ali, Hashmi, Jesse, Ammar, Yousaf, Harmon for takin care of security. Jonelle and Inna for doing such a wonderful job with the bar
...this a reminder that we will be selling the Spring Line from 8pm to 10pm during the Showcase. So, come early, cop some Vane gear and stick around for drinks on us and a performance by Folk&Stress.
If you can't make the showcase, things will be available throughout the party, but no guarantees.
1. Decapitate enemy (essentially the git yo head step) 2. Remove bones & fat from head 3. Sew eyes and mouth shut (to prevent soul from slipping out) 4. Boil head* 5. Place head around a hot stone to shrink and shape 6. Progress to smaller hot stones to shrink and shape as desired 7. Preserve your new shrunken head in smoke of a fire.
Just threw up images for the may gallery. Most of them are from the tribeca film festival because thats basically what I been shooting for the past 10 days.
So I dont know if you noticed or not but the VANE blog now has its own URL. its www.VaneLifeStyle.com. We are trying to make it a portal for information, art, videos, interviews and interesting articles. So bookmark us and check back periodically.
I new book called GRAFFITI L.A.: STREET STYLES AND ART by Steve Grody just dropped. On May 5th there will be a graffiti symposium, reception and book signing w/ Steve Grody and writers. Should be interesting. Click here for more info.
Chelsea Art Museum 556 West 22nd St. New York NY 10011 5/5 @ 3:00pm
I just threw up the remaining pictures from April. I got the new Blackberry Pearl and it's a lil small for my taste but it has a camera in it and I been playin with that. I never used a camera phone before but I guess now I can finally take those pervy pictures up girls skirts in the train that I always dreamed of.
Saturday May 19th, 2007 Showcase: 8pm-10pm Celebration: 10pm-3am 3 W. 30th St. #4 at Broadway, New York City
On Saturday, May19th, join the Vane Fam at a private, Midtown Loft as we celebrate our 1-Year Anniversary and first season in NY Retail! Come early to shop and buy the Spring Line from 8pm-10pm, come [or stay] later at 10pm for the free booze, good music, and better people.
Sounds provided courtesy of DJ Yose and Flith.net, with a special live performance by Folk & Stress.
Please RSVP to events@wearevane.com no later than 6pm Wednesday, May 16th, with VANE ANNIVERSARY in the heading of the e-mail.
