Comprised of Mathias Augustyniak & Michael Amzalag, M/M Paris are a graphic designers wet dream.

One of my favorites is Bjork's Vespertine album cover image: a delicate, hand drawn graphic of a goose surrounded by ferns with text trailing down the page superimposed over a photo. It's so simple. I think it's amazing.

Also of note is the Alphabet series they did using pics of male and female fashion models. A bit dated now in content, but the idea is pretty hot.

They've had gallery shows, done videos (their own and for Bjork--this one is a MUST watch), presented collaborative work at the last four (4) Venice Biennales, and worked with some big names: Balenciaga, APC, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Madonna, Yohji Yamamoto, and on and on.

As I said, they're a graphic designers wet dream, going back and forth between commercial, art, and everywhere in between.

A collaboration between the store of stores Colette and LA MJC called We Sold Out, an online boutique featuring hard to find sneakers, tees, clothes, and toys reflective of the international urban street scene.

Of note: Air Jordan IV Military Blue, China Air Force 1 Mid, Vans x Marc Jacobs 6 & the Stussy World Tour tees.

So do the guys over at Sneaker Freaker magazine. Printed twice yearly and sold at some of the cooler stores worldwide (Colette, Beneath, Alife, and Arrive), the magazine is all about sneakers.

Their site sells tees, the current issue of the printed magazine, has interviews, and lists sneaker related events around the world.

My favorite part: the Top 10 list.

1... air assault sample
2... af1 helloween split
3... snkr frkr - missouri 85 colab
4... new york launch party at alife
5... atmos x nb1700
6... new balance 1500 gge @ solebox
7... air max 90 deluxe (huf)
8... nike moire
9... vans x marc jacobs
10.. snkr frkr [co]+lab tee

All you Vans fans, make sure to click #9, the Marc Jacobs/Vans collaboration. Slated to be released in November, it looks like there's some corduroy on a few of the styles, which is pretty hot.

PS: I'm working on getting them to update this list via This Heart's On Fire as it changes, so keep an eye out for that.

Super indie in look, feel, and subject matter, the film is a poignant look at the contradictions that we all live with day in and day out. Shot in the part of Brooklyn where few hipsters dare to go, it's a harsh urban reality that some of us live to one degree or another that only looks severe when seen from a distance through the lens of a video camera.

Checkout the NY Times Review, which does an amazing job at summing it up.

By far the best film by Ryan Gosling to date. He's been on my list of favorite up and coming actors since I saw the Believer on DVD a few years ago. Also worth seeing is Stay, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts.

There's an official soundtrack website on MySpace. It features original music by one of our favorite bands Broken Social Scene and a killer song Black Hearts by Remy Balon, who reminds me a lot of Elliot Smith, another one of my long lasting favorites.

Hailing from Baltimore, SpankRock rocks. Is it rap? Is it electro? Checkout the review of their latest album on A.V. Club.

If Andre 3000, the Beastie Boys, Q-Tip, and Dr Dre had a baby and gave it a beat machine, you'd have SpankRock.

Songs of note: Backyard Betty, Coke & Wet, Bump, Rick Rubin, Sweet Talk.

Don't miss them FREE Sunday, 09.03.06 with Gang Gang Dance et al at McCarren Pool. Click link for show information.

This week's movers and shakers in the art world.

1. Jeff Koons - for bagging six, seven and eight page spreads in just about every mag going. Why the sudden PR push Jeff, retrospective brewing?
2. The Gagosian gallery - for managing to centre a whole Bacon and Damien Hirst show around the fact that Bacon spent an hour looking at a Hirst sculpture once! All the Hirst's are for sale and the Bacon's are on loan. Of course we all swallowed that Damien is the new Bacon without flinching.
3. Tracey Emin - for her beautiful display of pre-menstrual, Neanderthal manners, by physically throttling a girl who was in the toilet too long. And for her beautiful display of French to the gorgeous security guard that ripped her away.
4. Stanley Donwood - for his totally awesome show at Steve Lazrides gallery and his gorgeous work on Thom Yorke's solo album.
5. Victoria Miro ­ for making her distinguished guests queue round the block at the Grayson Perry opening, and leaving mere mortals like the Times art critic, a curator from the Royal academy, myself and Kylie out in the cold!
6. Art Review magazine, for changing the format of one of the dullest reads on the planet. Now they just need to work on the words.
7. Damien Hirst for waging his incredible wealth from the window of a taxi in Mexico, snapping up a cinema just because he liked it.
8. The Tate for securing 215 million pounds to build a giant glass extension. Well-done Sir Nicholas. I was just saying that what London really needs is another massive glass and concrete structure to house some essential contemporary art.
9. Fashion. It started with Stella McCartney incorporating Koons, followed by Prouenza Schouler inspired by Cy Twombly. But the crown must go to Valentino for shoving Gemma Ward down the runway in some Basquiat inspired pants.
10. Anthony Haynes - The nationalist behind the health of some of the artworlds biggest names. Cheers Anthony, that extra evening primrose has sorted me out no end!

Got suggestions for movers and shakers? Got a hot tip?? Email: artchart@stuartsemple.com.

1... Tommy Gun (The Clash)
2... The Killing Moon (Echo and the Bunnymen)
3... Pablo Picasso (Burning Sensations)
4... Straight (Modern Lovers)
5... This Is Not A Love Song (P.I.L.)
6... Nowhere Again (The Secret Machines)
7... Second To None (Phoenix)
8... 7/4 Shoreline (Broken Social Scene)
9... Neighborhood 3 (Power Out) (Arcade Fire)
10.. Satellite (TV On The Radio)
11.. This Heart's On Fire (Wolf Parade)

Download an mp3 mix of this list here.

An early 70's Boston band headed by the uber cool Johnathan Richman, the Modern Lovers made one really sick album The Modern Lovers in 1976. Richman's voice, wraught with angst and longing, gives the songs their lasting appeal. His delivery is like no other singer I've ever heard: kinda like he's stoned all the time but more affected than real.

The album--hailed as one of the best art rock albums of all time--is filled with hit songs. The band broke up after only a short time together, making the songs they made all the more precious.

Richman went on to a solo career, but was never quite able to replicate what he had with the band.

Checkout: Roadrunner, I'm Straight (this one is truly classic), Modern World, Girlfriend, & Pablo Picasso, which was the orignal version of the really great remake used in Repo man by the short-lived LA band the Burning Sensations.

Hipster guys and fashionistas took a liking to the simple yet hot American Apparel deep V short sleeved tee this summer. Still only really worn by those on the cutting edge of fashion, this tee is an indicator of cool.

It looks best on lithe body frames and you've got to be somewhat risky as the V dips much further down than any other V a mainstream men's shirt has seen. (A few super hip tee lines have been doing it for several years now, but it has never quite crossed over.)

While cool, this V isn't for everyone. Lithe bodies and certain types of guys wear it much better than others. In my opinion, some don't wear it well at all and probably shouldn't.

My pick if in doubt: the Hanes Classic V. The V dips lower than a normal V, but not so low that you run the risk of looking like a fashion faux pas.

And at $10 for a pack of 3 at Century 21 or on Ebay, you can buy 6 for roughly the price of 1 at American Apparel.

Mint is about to take over.

For Spring/Summer 2007, mint is the new pink. Like pink, it's not for everyone, but it's also not so garrish that only the super hip or japanese will dare to wear it.

Surprisingly--as trends now go from indie to mass companies but also from mass companies to the indies--American Apparel was instrumental in jumpstarting this trend, offering a short sleeved lime green tee this past spring. Their hue is a bit too electric, though. Buttery mints are much more pleasing to the eye, and work better on more types of guys.

I've included two (2) designs in mint for the Ju$t Another Rich Kid Spring/Summer 2007 collection, one of which "JARK: What?!" is pictured right.

Mark my words: you'll be seeing a lot of mint come next spring.

My friend Jac from Kickit Fashions emailed me a few days ago when my laptop was dying and told me he'd just seen Phoenix live and the show was amazing. I should check them out. Not being able to Limewire songs for fear of killing my laptop, I had to wait.

One new faster, better laptop later and onto Limewire I went to download some songs.

They totally rock. According to reviews I've read, their sound has changed a bit since the beginning but everyone agreed, their new sound is different but equally as good as it was before.

The best part is that they're Frenchmen who perform songs in English, with "Too Young" having been featured in Shallow Hal and Lost In Translation. Also of note, a remix of a song I've not heard yet Victim of the Crime was used by Hedi Slimane in the runway show for Dior Homme.

Checkout: Too Young, Everything Is Everything, Run, Run, Run, Second To None, and Long Distance Call.

I kept listening though, for some odd reason, and now I can't stop. Dreamy, drawn out ballads, some a bit more uptempo than others, all melodic and catchy.

Don't expect 4 minute pop songs. The Decemberists tell stories: the kind you'd expect to hear at a summer arts festival in New England. Or maybe at the Renaissance Festival.

With lyrics like "A plaintive melody / Truncated symphony / An ocean’s garbled vomit on the shore, /Los Angeles, I’m yours" from Los Angeles, I'm Yours and "We are two mariners / Our ships' sole survivors / In this belly of a whale / Its ribs our ceiling beams / Its guts our carpeting / I guess we have some time to kill" from The Mariner's Revenge Song, you'll either love them or hate them. I don't think there's much middle ground with these guys.

Checkout: Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect, Los Angeles, I'm Yours, Bachelor To The Bride, California One/Youth And Beauty Brigade.

I'll stop before I name every song.

I made a silent vow to myself not to cover any skateboarding ANYTHING or graffiti. I'd like to think British wunderkind Banksy transcends the medium and absolves me of any wrong doing. He's really more of an outdoor artist slash poet.

Riddled with Jenny Holzer-esque text at times, his giant stenciled images are more street art than graffiti as we know it.

He's also the guy who snuck into four (4) New York museums (The Met, MOMA, The Brooklyn Museum, and The American Museum of Natural History) and undetectedly (except for his friend documenting it) put his own work up on the wall.

Top that.

1... We're Desperate (X)
2... Rudie Can't Fail (The Clash)
3... Are Friends Electric (Gary Numan)
4... Every Day Is Like Sunday (Morrissey)
5... Killing Armies (Wolf Parade)
6... I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone (Sleater-Kinney)
7... I Hate Pretending (The Secret Machines)
8... Just Like Honey (The Jesus and Mary Chain)
9... Disconnect The Dots (Of Montreal)
10.. Everything Is Everything (Phoenix)

The Saatchi Gallery says: "Death metal, ritual murder, and teenage suicide are mere starting points for Banks Violette; his gothic installations construct operatic analyses of the dark side of American culture."

Lots of black and white, which sounds like it could be boring, but is actually befitting of his subject matter. The simple yet bold imagery in his drawings and paintings, for example, more than make up for their lack of color, almost to the point of being more powerful without it. Monochromatic high gloss black lacquer scultuptural pieces are at the same time minimal yet sumptuous.

The subject matter alone (speakers, drumsets, the Jagermeister logo, satanic worship) is enough to make the cool factor of his work appealing to our generation. Checkout some of his work at the Saatchi Gallery here and an interview with him on Cock Rock Disco here.

I remember meeting her when I was interning at index magazine several years back. She was in a class that I sat in on a few times taught by Peter Halley, one of my favorite painters and publisher of the magazine. At that point, she was just like everyone else. Then it happened.

It's the kind of story that every artist dreams about: being one of the fortunate few who become well-known very quickly and at such a young age. Her name has become an artworld commodity, ensuring success in sales, press and inclusion in biennales & group shows, as well auctions I'm sure.

In a mere few years, Dana has been included in two biennales and has shown in some impressive venues including the Saatchi Gallery, LFL, Metro Pictures, PS 1, Contemporary Fine Art, MOMA, & MOCA.

Checkout some of her work on the Saatchi site here & an interview on index mag's site here.

After a few years of being a fan of French roses and getting weird looks from my friends when I'd bring them to dinners or order them out--the word conjuring up images of an 80's family picnic with the sweet rose of the twist cap bottle variety--rose has finally been declared the "The Summer Drink To Be Seen With".

Granted the article is by the NY Times and they're not really the progenitors of style and fashion, but sometimes you gotta take it where you can get it.

Brand to drink: Domaines Ott, from the makers of Cristal and favorite at New York celebrity hangout The Spotted Pig. Even the Misshapes drink it, for whatever that's worth.

I'd heard of him and knew what type of people (mostly guys) who we're into him, but had never read anything myself. One night at a friend's house, his name came up in conversation and, minutes later, I was holding a copy of the first Bukowski book I would read, "Ham On Rye".

The blue collar literary icon--he spent many years laboring at an LA post office while simultaneously working on his writings--he drank, he fought, he slept around. He publised most of his work in small independent literary magazines and later had full novels published, most notably "Post Office", "Women", & "Ham on Rye", no b/s looks at life written in a style, much imitated since, but all his own.

Checkout the 2003 documentary entitled "Born Into This". It's a great look at a mythical American figure giving insight into his life that could only be gleaned by watching him in action.

His signature look is frenzied, but sleek: post modern & chaotic, yet controlled. His work is comprised of strictly black & white pieces, as well as those with a black & white base with a touch of color and others that are full on color explosions.

With a CV that includes covers for Fake & Flaunt, invites for Raf Simons, collaborations with Vans & Converse, and an "I Am What I Am" Reebok ad, Kenzo rules.

In addition to his print work, Kenzo does installations and also has a line of tees. Sold through DL27 Showroom in New York and carried worldwide, everything about his line (cut, fit, fabric, wash, and imagery) is unbelievable. The retail price ($175) might be a bit much for the faint at heart, but they're must-haves for die hard fashionistas.

A few weeks ago, I accidentally downloaded "Disconnect The Dots" by Of Montreal, while downloading songs from my current super favorite Montreal-based band Wolf Parade. It kinda sounds like some trippy 60's inspired electronic song, but utimately, I don't know how to classify it, which ultimately adds to its appeal. It's weird, catchy, and I can't stop listening to it.

A few days later at the movies, this same song plays during the trailer for an upcoming indie flick, whose name escapes me right now.

Finally at the Bloc Party/Secret Machines show, I saw a pretty hip Williamsburg type guy wearing an Of Montreal t-shirt.

Three weeks ago, I'd never heard of them and now I can't seem to get away from them. From the looks of their discography, they're clearly not a new band. Perhaps their time has finally come. Only time will tell.

1... Last To Leave (Hard Kandy) Folk, soul and jazz come together brilliantly in Hardkandy’s latest.
2... Let It Die (Feist) Anyone who heard Kings of Convenience knows what a good record is.
3... The Only Thing I Ever Wanted (PSAPP) Described as “toytronica pioneers” because of their experimentation with unique sounds.
4... Scarlett Road House (Briskey) Groovy beats, wild brass, bittersweet jazzy vocals, haunting vibraphones.
5... Constant Pressure (Beat Pharmacy) If you’re looking for good dub, look no further.
6... Modern Sounds From Italy 2 (Various) A grand collection of nu-jazz representing just about every style of that ever-evolving genre.
7... Bebo de Cuba (Bebo Valdes) Pianist/composer/ arranger Bebo Valdes shines on this new three disc set.
8... Bombay Dub Orchestra (Bombay Dub Orchestra) An orchestra chill out record. A new genre indeed.
9... Grand Slam (Kruder and Dorfmeister vs Madrid de los Austrias) These guys need no introduction!
10... Notes and The Like (Ms. John Soda) Moody, guitar-reinforced electronic pop.

I probably shouldn't let this one out of the bag, as these are currently my favorite sneakers and barely anyone has them. They're so hot, though, that I just can't keep it a secret any longer.

They're the Nike Air Force 180's, a re-release of retro sneakers produced under Charles Barkley's name in the 1990's. Super comfortable and mid level high tops, this style of Nikes looks particulary good with shorts, as well as pants.

They come in various color combos: the one in the pic to the right being my favorite and #1 on my wish list. I've already had the white and tan ones and the black and red ones. There's also the super cool, albeit a bit flashy and trendy, Union Edition--pink and light gray on white with a crazy camo-esque pattern on the tongue.

They're not really available in many stores (at least not in New York), so online is the way to go with this one. You're going to have to Google it, though. I can't give everything away.

Anyone who's been around New York for a few years will remember WK's work in Soho. Stretched out, twisted in motion, bigger than life black on white images of people on buildings. I can still picture the one of Alec Wek at the corner of Lafayette and Prince Streets as if it were yesterday.

I met him one day last winter while eating with Jose from Commissaires in Montreal and Toby Wong. It was one of those "That's you?!?" moments when you meet the person resposible for the artwork, clothing, writing, etc. you know so well, but have no clue who's really behind it.

Seems like he's been busy continuing with street art, collaborating with the likes of Adidas, BMW, and Visionaire, working on installations, as well as working on paintings, all of which are all featured on his site. My favorite: the ACDC record cover.

Checkout the Items section, where you can buy posters of his work to hang in your space.

I've never been to Hawaii and it seems like I'm missing out on what looks to be a really hot store in Honlulu called Aloha Rag. Opened since 1991, their lineup is unbelievable: Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga, Bernhard Willhelm, Chloe, Comme Des Garcons, Dsquared2, Junya Watanabe, Martin Margiela, Tsubi, & Rogan/Loomstate. And those are just the really good, well-known brands. It's the kind of store that I would probably be a bit intimidated to even go in!

Thankfully, a few years back, they put up a very sleek, easy to navigate and not-at-all-intimidating website, which sells what seems to be most of the stock they carry in the store with worldwide shipping at very reasonable prices.

Of note is the collection of LA-based jewelry designer Lena Wald. Check it out!