Taboo takes Tokyo by Storm.

It was just over a year ago when Taboo and I came to Japan and it was sick then and this time it was reSICKulous. I guess it went down when Tab invited Nobu and I to SMAP x SMAP studios at Fuji TV.  They were taping an episode to air end of March.  We gifted each of the members with TABOOXJUMPs and they absolutely loved their new kicks and rocked them in their performance of BEP songs straightaway.

The next day was the day of our event at Loveless to launch Taboo Deltah.  Loveless is one of Tokyo’s most breathtaking stores.  It’s three floors with a lofted lower level that allows for a spectacular shopping experience.  Last year, Taboo introduced me to the store as his favorite and it quickly became mine.  They carry one of a kind pieces and exclusive items.  So when Loveless agreed to launch Taboo Deltah, we were nothing short of thrilled.  We knew this was going to be sexy.  It began with a battery of press interviews.

Taboo Deltah Magnate and Victor Hsu, Chief Propagandist.

Yonehara Yasamusa, sickest photographer in Japan and Taboo.

Then a speech by Taboo aboard this hydraulic table that lifted him up to the chandelier.  Very epic.

Red Denizens are the best seller!!  Almost sold out.  Get into Loveless and cop the last few before they’re gone!!

Within an hour, 32 anxious fans purchased Deltahs in anticipation of the opportunity to meet Taboo and get an autograph.  It was a record day in sales of Taboo Deltahs!!  Sold like Deltahcakes!!  Busted out another 10 more pair the next day!

The shoes were beautifully and artfully merchandised as the centerpiece of the entire store.  LOOK HOW SICK THIS PLACE IS!!!!!!

TABOOXJUMPs still fresh as hell.

 

Yu Minato and I with the Loveless buying team.

It was a phenomenal experience.  Japan is truly a magical place.  Thank you Tokyo!!

Justin Bieber rocks TABOOXJUMPs on Lopez Tonight

The most popular kid in the world is wearing TABOOXJUMP now!!  Never say never.

Tae Yang from Big Bang hits up Jump SoHo

Korean pop star Tae Yang came by the store today to cope a new pair of Jumps. He went for the TABOOXJUMP Vested sneaker.

Dude is HUGE in Korea as he is also a part of the YG group Big Bang.  Check out his video.

Fashion’s Night Out

As usual we go big.  This friday for Fashion’s Night Out, we will not only be hosting an event at Jump SoHo but Taboo will be making an appearance for TABOOXJUMP at Saks Fifth Avenue!!

Come to Jump SoHo at 89 Spring St from 6-11 PM for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and receive an additional 15% off your purchase that evening.

Then from 7-8 PM Taboo will introduce the newest limited edition TABOOXJUMP collection at the Saks New York store located at 611 Fifth Avenue for Fashion’s Night Out.

The new collection consists of four styles, two in the Zema model, the low top update to the first collection launched last Fall at Saks and two in the Vested model, an entirely new silhouette featuring materials in patent, ballistic nylon and wool fabric.  Taboo has performing in the sneakers all over the world on tour with the Peas and the footwear will finally be available for the first time at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Those who purchase the TABOOXJUMP shoes will have their pair specially autographed by Taboo.  Also, on display will be the stage outfit worn in all his performances while on tour.

Revolve x Jump x Taboo

Last Wednesday we threw a sexy event at Revolve Clothing on Melrose in LA.  I was scheduled to leave the day before but of course, I missed my flight.  The only flight I could get was the exact same flight the next day.  So I did it and had my homie Tito pick me up from LAX and go straight to Revolve.  Good times.

Here’s Chris from American Rebel and Steeve and Donna from Connected.

Here’s Chris Rose from American Rebel.

Here’s Jason from American Rebel and Brent on the right, buyer for Revolve.

There’s Deb snapping away for her Hypebeast blog!

And then I finally got there.

And then Taboo got there!

And I presented him with the prototypes of the new TABOOXJUMPs for Fall 10.

Deb with Peas’ stylist Lor-E Phillips, who was actually the one who spawned this whole thing 2 years ago!

Tab with his fam.

Interviews.

It was a really dope crowd.

Me with Tito, Sam and his girlfriend.

There’s Victor from Connected.

TAIWAN SON.

As many of you know, JUMP was sprung from the cradle of civilzation…of shoes, Taiwan.  A veritable Mesopotamia of shoes in the 70s, it was in Taiwan where Hongson grew to become one of the world’s most formidable maker of shoes.  From that heritage of shoemaking gave rise to a powerhouse group of brands, amongst them JUMP standing the test of time for 30 years.  Anyone who grew up in Taiwan has probably worn a pair of JUMPs at one point in their lives or donned a JUMP raincoat with the three stripes astride a motor scooter nearly ten years before Adidas knocked the logo.

Decades later in New York, through the efforts of a new generation of footwear acolytes, comes JUMP Deluxe, the luxury evolution of the brand catering to a new generation of footwear connoisseurs.  Building upon the original vision of JUMP’s forefathers, we’ve now elevated the brand to new heights on a global level.  So it is with tremendous pride that on the dawn of it’s 35 year anniversary, JUMP makes a triumphant return to Taiwan, from whence its 30 year heritage had come.

Kind of a big deal in Japan.

I know I have yet to write a post on the Japan Event but honestly what happened was I wrote this big long thing with pictures and it got deleted.  I’ll write it soon but in the meantime here’s some press.

This is Sense magazine.  It’s a new magazine but really dope.  They interviewed Taboo and basically asked him to pull out everything in his pockets.  Haha.

This is Men’s Non No magazine.  I’ve been a huge fan of this magazine for years and it’s been a fashion inspiration for me in many ways.  So it’s a tremendous honor to be featured in it.

Every time I go to China, there’s not much to watch on TV while getting your feet massaged.  There is, however, a channel called Fashion TV.  It’s like a 24 hour blast of fashion shows, events, models, etc.  It’s a good watch, especially Midnight Haute.  Hahaha.  So this last trip to China, it was pretty dope to see the event covered on the show.  It was broadcast globally!!  Check out the sexy time.

Taboo, Kanye, Guetta

Here’s a pic Tab sent me of Kanye giving props to him and David Guetta on the TABOOXJUMPs backstage at the concert.  The shoes are sexy bitch.

BEP NYC JUMPIN INTO AKSHUN.

It’s always a pleasure to have the Peas in NY because I know it means a lot of JUMPIN INTO AKSHUN.  Hahaha – a phrase we coined out in Asia.  Taboo invited me to his concert and I thought I’d bring along my favorite buyers Liz and Cara from Bloomingdales, Chris and Lillian from Barneys and Louis DMM from Saks.  The concert was ridiculously sick and pounded your senses with visuals on top of heavy hitting songs.  It opened up with LMFAO who were all wearing TABOOXJUMPs and Luda.  Then led into the Peas with an interlude by David Guetta who dropped some of his sick tracks turning the place into a club.  When I Gotta Feeling came on, you could feel the stadium shaking beneath your feet.  It was a total experience but what was the most dope thing about it all for me was all the nods to JUMP during the concert!!  Taboo welcomed everyone to the concert saying how cool NYC is because of this place and that place and JUMP!!  Later on he comes out brushes off his TABOOXJUMPs and tells everyone he’s about to JUMP INTO AKSHUN with TABOOXJUMPs in stores now.  Later on during Will.I.Am’s DJ set, he plays JUMP by House of Pain.  And as if that weren’t enough, there was the after party at M2 which made the following day a rough one but we had to power through it as we had interviews lined up at Bloomingdale’s as they officially launch the TABOOXJUMP collection in their stores.

Meet and greet with buying teams and BEP.

LMFAO all rockin TABOOXJUMP.

The performance begins.

Fergie’s outfits were crazy.

After party was dope.

The interview with Mun2 was tough…because we was all hungover.  Hahaha.  But Paula Garces (Maria from Harold and Kumar) did a great job probing Tab about the collabo.  And I must say, Bloomingdale’s did one hell of a job with their visual!

Afterwards we hit up the store of course and Taboo hooked Paula up with an autographed pair!  Lucky girl.  Now she can obsess over it.  Haha.

TABOO x JUMP x ZEELUSH x GRAMMY’S

We interrupt this Asia Tour recap for some pictures of Taboo at the Grammy’s wearing blinged out TXJ^Z Zetos.

TABOOXJUMP ASIA TOUR 2010 Part 2: Hong Kong

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to write about this portion of my trip but maybe it’s because there were some demons I had to overcome about Hong Kong.  Namely the fact that we destroyed that city that night we were there and it in turn destroyed us back.  Well I suppose I’ve also been rather busy stateside.  As if China wasn’t already crazy enough, we now had Hong Kong at the toes of our TABOOXJUMPs.  We arrived there in the afternoon and it wasn’t long after we checked into Hotel LKF that we were off to Roxie for the big event.

It was a sexy venue and May Wong had done quite a nice job getting things organized for us!

And then the interviews began.  Before the actual event, we did about 2 hours of interviews with HK press, everyone from The South China Morning Post to ATV.

More autographs.

Here’s Larry and some local HK celebs that attended the party.

Tab and me with Rin Kurana and Adrienne Lau.

And the three amigos zapatos.

Here’s us with Keith, buyer for D-Mop and also frontman for the band Goodfellas.

It’s not all Chinese people in HK.

Randomly these two showed up.  They went to high school with Larry and I.  I hadn’t seen Brian nor Denise in a few years.  The last time I woke up in a cab thinking my friend Hoan was her.  It was weird.

More of the gang from D-Mop including Rocky Fuk.  Very cool people and we’re really looking forward to shipping them very soon!!

Almost.

Here’s May, PR organizer of the event.  She did a great job!

Tab and I with Eugene Kan, one of the founders of Hypebeast.

Bonnie and Samantha.

There were a lot of bottles.  Johnnie Walker of course.

Time for some words.

My eyes get weird when I talk.

We did a drawing of business cards for a free pair of TABOOXJUMPs.

And wouldn’t you know it.  The Hypebeast himself, Eugene Kan had dropped the lucky biz card.

People thought it was rigged, so we did another drawing.

And here’s the lucky gentleman.

And at the end of the night it always comes to this.

We would find ourselves at a famous Hong Kong restaurant at 5 am eating beef tendons.  It was wonderful.  The next day we had to bounce outta HK.  It was time for the final and what would be the biggest leg of our trip.  JAPAN.  Fortunately, we cruised the airport in style.

TABOOXJUMP ASIA TOUR 2010 Part 1: Hou Jie, Dong Guan, China

This was every bit a whirlwind tour.  We knew this would be a tremendous undertaking but what it finally turned into has been nothing short of amazing.  It has taken a global effort into putting together each of the events in Houjie, Hong Kong and Tokyo and we couldn’t have been happier with how it all turned out.

I got into town New Year’s Eve and the entire city was anticipating Taboo’s arrival.  We invited him to China to get involved first hand with the concept, design and production of his new shoe.  It’s rare that an international superstar would make an appearance in a factory town so you can imagine the excitement brewing there.  It also says quite a bit about Taboo as he really wanted to get hands on with the project and not simply be a face for it.  He and his manager Ben finally arrived on the morning of the 4th and our hotel, the Hou Jie Haiyatt, was well prepared for his reception.  We had all the staff from our China office as well as all the hotel’s staff ready for his arrival.  When he got out of the car, the place exploded.

Taboo told me it was the grandest reception he’d ever received.  Bigger than anything he’d ever had even with The Black Eyed Peas.  We booked him at the Presidential Suite which was a sick duplex.

Johan Ku who has recently garnered huge glory for winning the GenArt Avant Garde designer of the year award was in tow to help with the design process.

Here he is with Mr. Long, one of the most powerful factory owners in Dong Guan.  He told us he went out and spent $40,000 RMB (nearly $6000 USD) to get an outfit based on a picture of Taboo so that he could wear it with the shoes.

Doesn’t it look dope!?  Just kidding.  In the end, he was too shy to wear it with Taboo around.  He did, however, invite us back to attend the grand opening of a hotel he’s opening.  It wasn’t long before the fans made it up to the loft.

We figured he’d be hungry and we knew he liked his Teppanyaki, so we took him to it.

Straight after we went to the office.  Tab wanted to work!  We had to show him Uncle James’ shrine to Johnnie Walker.  KEEP WORKING.

We took him to the showroom.

The material room.

Reviewed the development boards.

Even showed him Owen’s gym which is in the office.

From there we took him to one of the most eye opening moments of his trip: the factory.  As a sneaker pimp and owner of over 600 pairs of shoes, this was a real trip for him.

He got to see his own shoes on the line.

Checking out the patterns.

Harry explaining to him all the 100 hands that touch a shoe before it reaches completion.

Now that he got an idea of what goes into make a shoe, he was ready to start concepting design and materials.

Material swatches.

After some brainstorming we came up with some dope initial concepts and sketches.  After that we had a press conference to go to.  Keep in mind this is still the same day he landed.  There were people from about 40 different media outlets, local and national.

It was quite a proud moment, not only for Taboo and JUMP but also for the city of Hou Jie.  The truth is that our manufacturing city, Hou Jie, is one of the few cities in China where you are able to achieve a luxury caliber of quality in terms of material and design.  Needless to say, it is an honor for JUMP to be the first Chinese maker of luxury sneakers.

All the press were highly interested in this point and Harry did a good job expounding upon it.

Taboo gave a few rather moving words about how much this collaboration means to him and how important it was for him to not only be the face of the brand but truly involved in all aspects from design to marketing to sales.  For me, it’s a pure blessing to have a general like him fighting the battle with me.  I kept reiterating that we couldn’t have found a better individual to partner with.

He told the story of how we met at Bloomingdale’s and how the whole thing happened very organically.

He must’ve signed 1000 autographs that day.

Photo time.

There’s Owen, Johan, Taboo, Larry and Herman.

Here’s Uncle James, Mr. Teng, Tab, Harry and Uncle Andy.

After a little time to rest, we were off to dinner at Susan’s Kitchen, renown in the city for the best Taiwanese cuisine.  We invited all the press and our staff to join in the festivities.

The funniest thing was that all these girls were asking for autographs and they’d gone out and bought Black Eyed Peas CDs.  Albums like The Best of the Black Eyed Peas, that don’t even exist anywhere outside of China.

And food from the gods.  Lobster sashimi.

Of course you gotta kampai EVERYONE.

And everyone has to kampai you.

It was quite a night as you could imagine.  The next day we went back to the office and finished up some designs.  It’s going to be sicker than the last one.  That afternoon, we got in a car and headed to HK.  That night would be the HK event.

To be continued.

TABOOXJUMP JAPAN 1/7.

The eagle has officially landed in China.  He arrived to what was the largest reception he’d ever seen.  Bigger than anything for The Black Eyed Peas.

Tomorrow we go to Hong Kong and finally Japan.

The Tokyo press conference will be held at Vector Lounge and the after party and performance will be at Warehouse702.

TABOOXJUMP HONG KONG 1/5.

It is on like Hong Kong.

Join us to commemorate the arrival of TABOOXJUMP in Hong Kong on January 5th 10-12 PM.

ROXIE

24-30 Ice House St.

TABOOXJUMP ASIA TOUR

It’s time to take this show on the road.  We are about to embark on a multi-city tour of Asia with Taboo.  He will arrive in Dong Guan, China on 1/3 where we will take him to our factories, tanneries and suppliers to design the new TABOOXJUMP collection.  On 1/6 we will travel to Tokyo where our exclusive distributor, Cactus Blues, has arranged a press conference at Vector Lounge and after party at Warehouse 702.  The final leg of our trip will be HK where we will once again roll out the red carpet for a press event and after party.

It’s going to be pretty huge.  And while we work on this, we have another, entirely new, collaboration in the works.  Stay tuned.

新聞發表會初稿

中國人第一個打進世界級豪華運動鞋市場的“將門”JUMP, 從1975年在台灣創立, 歷經30幾年國際化的提升蛻變,終於藉著與國際知名的美國“黑眼豆豆”樂團（Black Eyed Peas)之主要團員“TABOO”合作,成功地賣進美國頂尖豪華百貨公司“Saks Fifth Ave.”(薩克斯第五大道),以每雙美金US$298.00的售價與歐洲奢華品牌並駕其驅,創下亞洲最高級運動鞋品牌的歷史定位.

曾獲三次葛萊美音樂大奬和多張白金唱片排行榜第一名的黑眼豆豆樂團的

團員之一,被樂團及粉絲們稱為TABOO(本名Jaime Gomez),是一位多才多藝,具有個人獨特氣質品味的藝術家,曾是拉丁美洲舞蹈動作片的巨星,在歐美藝人中也是榜上有名的偶像型人物,此次應美國將門國際企業（JUMP U.S.A. INC.)之邀請,將於新年假期之空檔,來到號稱中國最高級鞋業生產基地的東莞厚街,與包括台灣設計新秀古又文在內的將門國際設計團隊,及本地多家鞋類設計中心,共同設計更有創意的作品,在黑眼豆豆未來兩年超過百場的全球演唱會中穿著,把他獨特的創造風格透過舞台及將門在全球30幾個國家之銷售通路, 塑立他具有天賦的鞋類設計師形象.

藉黑眼豆豆目前國際上享有第一名之巔峰,如能通過媒體之溝通運作, 把TABOO這次的設計處女行廣泛地去推廣,應能把東莞由生產基地推向世界級鞋業設計之都,並把“中國人的高級世界名牌”JUMP與全球華人共享榮耀.

TABOOXJUMP Press

So I’ve finally managed to compile all the press resulting from our launch event.  Enjoy.

People Magazine interviews Taboo about TABOOXJUMP collection

Another great interview with Taboo.  Click the image to check it out.

Giuliana Rancic features TABOOXJUMP on her 2009 Holiday Gift Guide

The TABOOXJUMP collection is available at select Saks Fifth Avenue locations in New York, Beverly Hills, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Bala Cynwood.

If you would like to order a pair, please email info@jumpcorp.com.

TVBS coverage of TABOOXJUMP Launch

TVBS is one of the foremost Taiwanese broadcasting stations.

Good thing our ads don’t look like this anymore.  Haaaaaaaaaaaaa.

TABOOXSALTAR

We were talking to Taboo about how he collects his sneakers and he told us that everywhere he travels in the world, he picks up a pair of limited sneakers from whichever locale he’s in.  We thought it’d be cool to hook him up with a special pair of one-offs for every country he goes to perform.  Check out Mexico.

With our capabilities in production, we’re able to come up with stuff lightning speed.  We are the roadrunners of the shoe business.  They’re kind of sick huh?  It’s mean to look like the Mexican flag with Taboo’s logo replacing the crest in the middle.  These are the Zemas, a new style coming out next season, studded in rhinestones particularly for stage performance.