The Brilliance!

HTTP://WWW.THEBRILLIANCE.COM

We’re really internet and we’re really back. A website about things Benjamin , Chuck , Virgil , and various friends & guests think are interesting. Little-to-no specific focus, a bit odd, speling errors, and incredibly culturally relevant.

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Levi’s Japan, Stay True!

First of all, I love jeans. That’s my vice, jeans. I love classic stuff too, I love heritage and all that. So obviously Levi’s would be the first go-to brand for jeans right? Hmm… It honestly wasn’t until about 2 months ago. I’m not sure what’s going on with Levi’s USA, but as people are quickly discovering, Levi’s Japan is on fire right now. I just received my first pair of Japanese LVC Levi’s from their Vintage line (thanks Ogi!) and they are pretty incredible jeans. The quality is unsurpassed and the style is perfectly classic. Take a look at their site as best you can with it being all flash and almost 100% Japanese. If you have a connection in Japan for these jeans or you can find some on eBay I highly recommend them. Oh and check Hiroshi Fujiwara in the ads. Check out A Silent Flute too for more information…

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I’m in South Africa, bitch!

So, there’s been rumors and speculation flying around for weeks as to why Dave Chapelle never showed up to tapings of “The Chapelle Show” for which he recently inked a $50 million dollar deal…everything from drugs to too much partying and drinking has been considered, but apparently he just went over to South Africa. From this article and other interviews I’ve seen with him, when you cut the comedy and the fame out, he’s a really smart dude. Really down to earth and intellectual guy. Just sounds like he wants to get away, breathe, enjoy life, and take a break from the non-stop life I’m sure he gets caught up in being an A-list celebrity. We love Dave Chapelle and if we have to wait for the 3rd season, I’m sure it will be worth it. What can I say about your jacket that hasn’t already been said about Afghanistan? Bombed and depleted.

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Bob Partington!!

If you have never seen a genius in action before, go to Bob’s site and click any one of the four “Motion” projects…I mean…Whoa. Unbelievable. I just don’t get it. Remember that book from when you were younger called “The Way Things Work”? If anyone learned from that, Mr. Partington did. First off, check out some photos from his 555Soul exhibition here. Then, go to his site. Then, wish you had a fraction of the talent he does. Then maybe go watch Cribs. Or something.

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Nike iD!! Brilliant.

If you haven’t already seen commercial spots or print ads for Nike iD, you haven’t turned on the TV or opened a magazine in several weeks. The genius commercials are what really turned me on to this whole thing in the first place. The little boy dancing around?! Call me lame but, probably the cutest thing I’ve seen in a while. The kid with the freckles, the old guy turning his hearing aide down to ignore his wife? Simplicity is key and Nike has definitely made good moves with the iD campaign. Check out this video for a real-life example of how the Nike iD Times Square concept works - customizing kicks in real-time from your cell phone. Also, check out this photo of the Times Square installation, exclusive for THE BRILLIANCE!. We love Nike and Nike iD.

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Zopa, get money!

I first read about this in Wired a while back. This, to me at least, will be revolutionary if it catches on. In a very similar format to eBay, Zopa wants to create a place where people who want to loan money can connect with credit worthy people who want to borrow money. So if you want to want make like 5.5% on $4000 you have hanging around you can use Zopa to ‘list’ your money availability and Zopa has tiered credit level users who can borrow your cash at a pre-determined rate. Without trying to explain it too much, you can loan your cash to higher-risk borrowers for higher returns or go with a safer borrower and get a little less return. Basically it’s totally decentralizing banking from a borrower’s standpoint. Unreal. My explanation might not have been the best, so check their site. By the way, this is only available in the UK. I’m not sure when the service drops in the US, but you better believe I’ll be loan-sharking it on this site.

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13th Witness!!

Timothy’s site 13thwitness.com can seriously pull you away from your work for hours if you get too sucked in. Photos from life in Japan, events, sick cars, boxing, girls, snakes…Very nice dude too. I want to suggest a specific section but I can’t pick one to spotlight. They’re all great…Futura, Ferraris, Pharrell and more. It’s all there. Check out the motion section too. And once you’ve finished looking around the site, go to the Fam Fam section and spend a few days going through all those sites/links too. THE BRILLIANCE loves 13thWitness.

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The Maybach Exlero!

Anyone remember that post I made a while back about wearing ‘gators’ and driving ‘Great Gatsby’ looking cars? Whoa, this is the 2006 version of that. This car right here is insane. Usually I can decide quite quickly if I like a car or not… This one just… It’s just so different looking, and so long! Can you even imagine this in traffic?! Almost a bit ridiculous. But I can’t knock the brand for coming out with something so outrageous and over the top. I think we need that every once in a while. Either way, it’s not slated for production, but it is quite an interesting model to look at. Quick run-down; it has 700 horse power, can reach 354 kmph, and if it came in cream or white Scrooge McDuck would drive it. Check out what the kids on NikeTalk (no, I don’t post!) have to say below…

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‘Liz’ by Andy Warhol sells for $12.6M!

I got to Sotheby’s late, but it would have been $12.7M… Maybe. Either way, I love this. While I can’t say I am 100% obsessed with Warhol’s stuff, I certainly feel he is the originator of what we see today with Kaws, Bape, Futura, and all those guys. His art was more a brand than anything else. And he did it with such perfect execution. The money, the parties (Studio 54), the life-style… All quite wild. Chuck and I were discussing this…you have to wonder if he ever thought it would end up like this? With people paying $12.6M for a screen print. What about the parallels between Kaws and Warhol? Run the numbers, 200 prints @ $150 selling out in a matter of hours… You have to wonder how our whole niche scene will be viewed 10,20,30 years from now. And what prices the items will command… And who will be buying them?

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KAWS ‘Warm Regards’ print!!!!

This JUST dropped (no pun intended) like a few hours ago…if that. I love how there was no heads up about it on the KAWS site. These will be sold out so fast. Titled ‘Warm Regards,’ this is a hand printed letterpress print on Somerset velvet white acid free archival paper, 16x20”. This is an edition of 200, signed and numbered. I already ordered one (OK, so maybe I ordered more than one…) And alright, I love this character. It is one of the most oddly lovable to date…as weird and gross as it is, this will go great right in the kitchen on a wall that faces where people sit to eat dinner. Corn anyone? Very, very nice.

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Mayakoba Mangrove Resorts!

I like this a lot. Nope, haven’t been there, but I plan on hitting this place up quite soon. It’s located roughly 40 minutes from overwhelming Cancun and ‘nestled’ in thick/lush tropical rain forest along with lagoons and mangroves right on the Caribbean coast. They have eco-luxury units that are posted over the water tucked right into the mangroves… Kind of like the famous water huts in Bora-Bora. Either way, this place sounds very James Bond, I’m loving this. Really, check the pictures on the site. All sorts of trails through the rainforest too, wow. Five different spa’s at the various sub-hotels within the resort too, very nice, step your relaxation game up. Mayakoba is next, see you there.