Blanc & Noir is a fledgling brand who are making sharp sportswear, building from imported fabrics out of France and Japan, and finishing all their garments in Vancouver.  While we don’t know a lot of brand details at this early point, this lightweight 100% organic cotton twill jacket really caught our eye.  The contrast of the grey main with the black zippers, ribbed cuffs, and waistband, makes for a subtle yet crisp design.  Both the body and sleeves utilize a slim cut for a modern, fitted look.  All the zippers are Riri, so you know you’re dealing with quality.  We can’t wait to see more from Blanc & Noir in the near future.  Available here.

A.P.C. may make something similar sans-hood but when the makers of some of the best luggage and Fujiwara team up, one has to expect a pretty flawless drop. With baseball jackets on the rise, the simple addition of a hood makes a nice transition from a American staple to one with a nice Japanese flavor. Most of the time, upon first glance, Head Porter Plus can seem a bit bland, but digging a little deeper when it comes to manufacturing and materials, you’ll find any piece a worthy investment and worth tracking down. Available here.

The All Court sees a welcome return after the Hiroshi/Fragment Design collaboration at the tail end of 2009.  There have been a few variations of the All Court, but nothing beats a clean brown leather upper when paired together with a distincive toe bumper and vulcanised sole.  Also available in Sage Suede and Golden Suede here.

Camouflage when done well, can work rather nicely. Seeing some great interpretations from the Supreme x North Face line up provides some hope and distance away from the Abercrombie crowd. That having been said, even though everybody from Louis Vuitton to BBC has put camouflage on a bag, this drop from Trussardi 1911 does so in a luxurious way that only the Italian’s could. The pattern is laid out over a coated fabric with shiny calf suede and is entirely hand-crafted. Available here.

Tetsu may have started Wtaps with the premise of merging military inspiration with Japanese streetwear, but has since released a lot of basics, from very simple collections whether it be simple sweats or button downs in primary colors. With the exception of recent collaborations of course. Being partial to Wtaps denim like most, it’s important to give equal weight to their legwear. Overlooking the camouflage cargo pants released last summer, their No.5 corduroy trousers are a terrific take on what use to be your father’s favorite pants. Available here.

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From 2D to 3D Jon Burgerman has made a career as an artist by doodling with a pen. Like the rest of us, he started drawing on notebooks. Only, he never stopped. Today you can find him doodling on walls and doors, t-shirts, toys, Nike‘s and creating art for the likes of Kidrobot, Lomography and most recently, the new iPad application Granimator and soon-t0-be-released Inkstrumental iPhone game. A self-described tea lover and salad enthusiast, this Nottingham, UK native has quickly become one of London’s most revered cartoonists with exhibitions around the world and invitations to doodle on the walls of shops and hotels. This is a quick glimpse into the mind of Jon Burgerman. And yes, Jon Burgerman is his real name.

LH: Let’s get some formalities out of the way…What’s your background, how did you get started, how long have you been an artist and how’s that beard treating you?

JB: I was born in the UK, went to school, went to college and then went to university. And then I decided I’d try and not have a job and be an artist. That’s pretty much all I can tell you about the first 30 years of my life. Oh yeah the beard, how could I forget? At some point, when I was about ten or eleven, I grew a beard. He’s been with me ever since.

LH: Let’s talk about your style of drawings, a lot of people doodle, but you’ve done so successfully. What’s your earliest recollection of imploring it and what inspired you?

JB: Hmmm when people often asked me what style my drawing was in I’d nonchalantly say it was a doodle style. Somewhere along the line, many years ago, that began to stick. I’ve drawn like this for a long time, before I ever went to university. I just like keeping the pen moving and that means often not taking it off the page. I hope the drawings capture some sort of rhythm or melody. I have poor rhythm in real life as anyone who’s seen me dance can attest to. I don’t really know who I’m inspired by. When asked this question I normally just spill a slew of recognised artists and designers most people would agree are quite good. This list now resides on my website so I don’t have to carry it around in my brain with me.

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A long overdue idea that we first got wind of last year at previous visits to Trek in Waterloo, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Boulder, B-Cycle officially launches today – Earth Day. A concept first made popular in Paris with Vélib, B-Cycle is the largest bike sharing initiative to be launched in the U.S. with partners Trek, Humana and advertising powerhouse CP+B, who are looking to make bikes a permanent and readily accessible means of transportation to cities around the U.S. Simply, sign up, swipe your card, grab a bike, arrive at your destination, and return your bike to any of the B-stations in the area. Montrealers have been fortunate enough to have access to the smaller-scale Bixi system for the past two years which has already, quickly changed the urban transportation landscape for the better. It’s Earth Day, get your mind right.

To cast a vote for bike sharing in your local community, click here.

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Our friends over at V.I.A., are offering up a free pair of Nike SB Wallenberg Dunks to our readers. Designed by V.I.A. executive director Bob Kronbauer they are inspired by the iconic Wallenberg steps outside Raoul Wallenberg Alternative School in San Francisco. You can read all about its inspiration here.

TO ENTER: In keeping with the positivity of giving away something, leave a comment here describing something positive you recently did for somebody else.

Contest ends Monday, April 26th 2010. The winner will be contacted via e-mail to finalize size and shipping address.

/////WINNER – Chris/////

Who has left an invaluable, enduring, contribution to his community.

“Me and two friends started a community service group that works
exclusively with an inner city homeless shelter in downtown Boston.
Its called Boston University Student Outreach to Urban Programs. We go
twice a month to help feed hundreds of Bostons homeless population.”

Without question, there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of Converse-inspired sneakers as of late. One does have to wonder though why you wouldn’t just stick with the original article. The Skagway’s from visvim however, do warrant some noise for the very fact that they are, well, from visvim and happen to be in denim. For whatever reason, their more casual line up of offerings fail to inspire as well as their ISDT’s, FBT’s, Patrician and Abarth. Even their take on a classic American boat shoe with the Americana, far superseded anything that’s ever been spotted in terms of a re-up. Granted, far beyond the simple-looking aesthetics of the Skagways’s, you’ll no doubt be satisfied with the quality you already know is legit.

Dunhill might not be a company you would normally associate with LH but we’ll let this one slide. After all, it has been almost 50 years since the brand defined cool through their association with Sean Connery in James Bond.  However, in recent years, the company has made a concerted effort to reach out to the modern man through both their clothing and wide accessories collections.  One of their latest drops is the Chassis Holdall, which showcases their patented carbon fiber effect leather, which is both water and scratch resistant, and looks as sleek as it is functional.  The long zip opening leads to dual buckle closures, which allow the bag to be made more or less compact depending on how much interior space is needed.  The interior is finished in suede with multiple pockets.  It all makes for a classy and highly functional option when it comes to a weekend bag.  Available direct here or from Forward.

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Since 2000, Light+Building has been one of the world’s largest tradeshows featuring the most innovative products in architecture & technology, often acting as a forum for leading manufacturers to launch the latest and greatest trends to conquer the world. Typically at these type of events, when technologies start surfacing at more than one booth, you know it is becoming an important trend to look out for. This year, LED lighting in home applications has exploded onto the scene with some fabulously designed lighting solutions. Often utilized for its low-energy consumption, the increasing demand from consumers for eco-design has pushed both the technological and design elements LED technology has to offer. Here are the best of the best from Light+Building 2010.

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For 40 years now, Graham Cutler and Tony Gross have been pushing sagacious eyewear from their home in Knightsbridge, London.  For all intents and purposes, Cutler and Gross have no logo.  Their various styles are simply called by a code, not by any fanciful names.  They put their classic designs first and allow them to speak for themselves.  A certain air of glamour permeates everything they create, and the 0913 certainly typifies that.  An all-black, acetate, aviator-style frame and gradiant lens strike a perfect combination of classic style and sophisticated modern panache.  Available here.