Most people know Bill Evans as a piano player on the Miles Davis's masterpiece "Kind of Blue." What many fail to realize is the fact that he layed down the concept and the foundation for that seminal recording session. To say that he was a major force in jazz music would be an understatement for a man who has dedicated his whole life to the study and advancement of music. With that said, we want to share a video that was made 45 plus years ago called "The Universal Mind of Bill Evans." This documentary gives a glimpse into Mr. Evans's deep understanding of improvisation, his thoughtful creative process, and  his lifelong passion for music. this film also shows a man who had a simple confidence to his personal style, which many men today try desperately to emulate the look but fail to resonate with any substance. Lastly we can't help but notice an uncanny resemblance, in mannerisms and persona, between Mr. Evans and hollywood enigma Crispin Glover,.... If Clint Eastwood decides to make another Jazz Film, this is already written.

[More]

For our SS12 Collection, we asked our friend Mathieu Schreyer to model some of the latest shoes from our line. Mathieu grew up all over the world, but was brought to LA by his love of music He is known to many KCRW listeners as Mr. French, but he also has his own record label, Quieres Chicle, as well as his weekly gig spinning at Bar Marmont. Mathieu constantly seeks a deeper understanding of life through music from all corners of the world, which exemplifies our ethos and inspiration.

[More]

Travel is a big part of everything we do at CLAE. Whether for pleasure or work, travel fuels our creativity and always inspires. While on a recent bi-annual shoe development trip to Vietnam where we not only put the finishing touches on our A/W 2012 collection, but also prepared for the launch of Spring 2012, we made a short film that captures just a glimpse of the energy we experienced during our daily moped commute through the chaotic streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

Here's wishing you a year filled with adventure, no matter where your road may lead in 2012. Enjoy the ride. [More]

We will be showcasing our autumn/winter 2012 collection at Capsule New York, Bread & Butter Berlin & Capsule Las Vegas. Please come by if you are attending. [More]

We're celebrating the release of our Mighty Crown (20 years strong) X CLAE 10th Anniversary McQueen shoes in NYC on this Wednesday, November 23rd at Happy Ending. The celebration will feature sounds of Sami T of Mighty Crown with Deadly Dragon Sound and special guests DJ Muro, Rankin Joe and Screechy Dan. We'll also be giving away copies of the Mighty Crown CLAE Anniversary CD and you can check-out the MCXCLAE McQueen shoe, which is available at the Reed Space.

So, if you happen to be in NYC for the Holidays be sure to make it down to the festivities, please RSVP at deadlydragonsound@gmail.com [More]

Originating out of Yokohama, Japan in 1991, Mighty Crown has since become one of the premier reggae sound systems in the world, breaking boundaries and setting new standards for the genre.
It is only fitting that, to mark the celebration of their 20th anniversary, the world-renowned group approached CLAE to design a special edition shoe.

In addition to this special edition McQueen collaboration, We are honored to have Mighty Crown create a custom mix exclusively for CLAE’s Five By Five Series mixtape project. This custom soundscape serves as the inspiration for a visual art piece by our talented friend, the legendary graffiti artist turned abstract painter, West One.

[More]

 

A great deal of attention has been payed to the design of Charles & Ray Eames, and some might even know their films, but the latest exhibit at LA's A+D museum focuses instead on the thinking that powered their office for over 40 years. 

[More]

One of our good friends (and fellow Brooklyn Tech High School alumni) Shaniqwa Jarvis has an upcoming show entitled "This Charming Guest" going on display at The STANDARD Hollywood this Thursday. This project was spawned by her recent photo exhibit called "This charming man" which took place in London and Tokyo. Now she is making her way to Hollywood, Be sure to stop through and check it out if you're in LA. [More]

West Coast meets east, or does it? Define your own style with the Wilder, our newest release for Autumn/Winter 2011. Featuring a leather/nubuck upper and a fully leather-lined interior, the Wilder challenges the idea of a traditional basketball sneaker with elegance, quiet sophistication and ease of motion for all walks of life. [More]

Our resources on this earth are finite. One thing we have learned from sci-fi films is that this will soon be a pressing issue, even for the worlds largest resource: water. Fortunately, The Ecology Center in southern California has reopened their How Good Water Works installation, representing our daily water footprint to enlighten and inspire us to become better conservationists. If you are in the area, we highly recommend you visit the installation to learn more about how you can help make a difference. [More]