Photo: DC
Popular DC model – the Match SFounded by rally legend Ken Block and Damon Way (brother of skater Danny Way) in 1993, DC is a leader in action sports and a globally-renowned brand. Just look at its product line: it includes men's, women's and kid's skateboarding and lifestyle shoes, apparel, snowboards, snowboard boots, outerwear and accessories.

A subsidiary of Quiksilver, DC currently has more than 200 employees who enhance the brand and develop signature products for its world-class team of action sports stars. I hit up Kelly Magrath, VP of Marketing, for the latest. Enjoy!

- Danny Spyra

Photo: DC
The JK8 features DC’s Impact G technology

BNQT - DC IS A LEADER IN PERFORMANCE SKATEBOARDING SHOES. CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF YOUR 2010 FALL COLLECTION?

Kelly - The Fall 2010 Skateboarding Collection is made up of models inspired by DC's team of world-class skateboarders, and feature the most innovative performance technologies and styles available. New additions to the collection include Nick Dompierre's new signature shoe, the ND1 Mid; Josh Kalis' 8th signature shoe with DC, the JK8; and the Fitz Mid in a special color-way designed for Alex Carolino. Made from the best materials around, these shoes match flexibility and comfort with durability and style.

Photo: DC
Nick Dompierre enjoys Impact G technology

BNQT - SELECT MODELS OF DC'S HIGH-PERFORMANCE SKATE SHOES OFFER "IMPACT G." WHAT IS THIS INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY?

Kelly - Impact G is a thermoplastic urethane airbag that provides superior cushioning to the shoe, adding extra impact protection while skating.
Photo: DC
Nick Dompierre's first signature kick - the ND1 Mid

BNQT - NICK DOMPIERRE IS ONE OF THE GNARLIEST SKATEBOARDERS AROUND AND RECENTLY GOT HIS FIRST DC SIGNATURE SHOE - THE ND1 MID. CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THESE KICKS?

Kelly - The ND1 Mid has the latest performance technologies packed into it including SUPER SUEDE for increased durability, DGT 123 for dynamic grip and feel, and a newly built cup sole filled with EVA foam creating a much lighter shoe. Nick designed the mid top shoe for additional support and included Impact G in the heel, adding the impact protection he needs to skate big gaps. His passion for racing was also incorporated through metal eyelets that resemble his Camero's rims and a racing flag with his initials on the heel.

Photo: DC
DC is a presenting sponsor of Rob Dyrdek's Street
League tour

BNQT - DC IS INVOLVED WITH ROB DYRDEK'S UNIQUE, 3-STOP SKATE TOUR. WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WILL DC OFFER STREET LEAGUE?

Kelly - DC has joined Rob and Street League Skateboarding as a presenting co-sponsor of the 2010 series. DC will support this program through comprehensive marketing programs that include grassroots initiatives, digital efforts, PR, product, retail, and onsite activation.

Photo: DC
Look for Ken Block’s Gymkhana THREE soon

BNQT - TO CELEBRATE THE GYMKHANA THREE PROJECT, I UNDERSTAND DC AND KEN BLOCK ARE THROWING A CONTEST. HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHAT WILL THE WINNER RECEIVE?

Kelly - Coinciding with the launch of the DC and Ken Block Gymkhana THREE project blog, DC and Ken Block launched the first Gymkhana THREE contest. People were asked to enter their best idea for a filming location and driving trick. The winner will win a one-day visit to the set of the Gymkhana THREE filming this summer, and runners up will receive a DC prize pack filled with DC x KB gear and autographed posters.

Photo: DC
The BATBOX limited edition shoe - part of a
collaboration with The Berrics
BNQT - FINALLY, I KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE DC X BERRICS LIMITED EDITION FOOTWEAR PACKAGE - THE "BATBOX." WHAT DOES IT CONSIST OF?

Kelly - The DC "BATBOX" is a sealed shoebox containing a limited edition pair of shoes, a ticket to the BATB3 finals, a personal item from a DC Skate team rider, a Battle At The Berrics 2 DVD, and a one-year subscription for The Skateboard Mag. The DC BATBOX will only be available at The Berrics and Unified.

Street Beat Archive:

Frank Delgadillo with COMUNE

Derek Boucher with Vestal

Steve Van Doren with Vans

John Harbin with West Wetsuits

Ryan Rush with ECO'Neill

Nicole Hanriot with TAVIK Swimwear

Matt Gleason with Liquid Force

Eric Mehlberg with Kustom

Mike Murphy with Fyasko

Ian Foulke with ISIS

Jonathan Paskowitz with Lightning Bolt

Matt Harkins with SPY OPTIC

Chris Brunstetter with Goldcoast Longboards

Damon George with ERGO

Charlie Setzler with Rusty

Photo: Arnette
Skate legend Pat Duffy with porn legend Ron Jeremy "Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention. I've just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you, to stop what you're doing and listen." - Ron Burgundy

Arnette, a leader in the youth-inspired, lifestyle eyewear market, has recently added veteran skateboarder Pat Duffy to its team. Known for his progressive style and deep bag of tricks, Pat is widely recognized as a central figure in the birth of modern day skateboarding. In his new role at Arnette, Duffy will serve double-duty as both pro rider and, most importantly, Skate Team Captain.

Photo: Arnette
This grand prize could be yours
Pat is so amped with the news that he wants to hook you up with his very own Plan B skate deck (signed!), unreleased Arnette shades, backpack, t-shirt and more!

To win, all you need to do is comment below about the picture of Pat with porn star Ron Jeremy.

- What is Pat doing with Ron??

- Why does Pat look so happy?

Photo: Arnette
Pat Duffy - pro skater and new Arnette team captain
This caption contest will run for one week (June 11 - 18). There will be a total of 3 prizes given out: 1 Grand Prize and 2 Runners-Up. Best comment wins...let the diction-slanging begin!!

Keep posted on Pat's prowess at: www.arnetteantics.com / www.planbskateboards.com

Photo: Arnette
Arnette One Time sunglasses
GRAND PRIZE (1 Winner):
* Arnette "Venkman" Sunglasses (won't be in shops until July)
* Autographed Plan B Pat Duffy Pro Model Deck
* Arnette Backpack
* Arnette Hat
* Arnette T-Shirt
* Arnette Sticker Pack
* Arnette Koozies & Bottle Opener

RUNNERS-UP (2 Winners):
* Arnette "One Time" Sunglasses
* Arnette Hat
* Arnette Sticker Pack
* Arnette Koozies & Bottle Opener

Photo: COMUNE
COMUNE founder Frank DelgadilloIt's easy to pigeonhole the streetwear market as just that: streetwear. Truth is, there are a variety of brands filling a niche of their own to distinguish themselves. One of these is COMUNE, a creative community providing clothing that reflects a lifestyle of carefree idealism.

COMUNE founder Frank Delgadillo comes from a distinguished apparel background. Dude created Ambiguous from his dorm room. In 2005, he created COMUNE to fill a void with a fresh approach. Well, his newest venture has built quite a buzz so I felt compelled to get the story behind it.

- Danny Spyra

Photo: COMUNE
APUERTO tee

BNQT - HOW WAS COMUNE FORMED / HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE COMUNE CLOTHING?

Frank - In 2005, I started experimenting with a new side project called COMUNE to allow a creative platform free of critiques and/or trend forecasts. It was sold to limited stores in Japan, and this project continued to flourish and fill a void in what was becoming a volatile retail marketplace. Faced with limitations to maintain the integrity and vision of the brand, I sold my interest in Ambiguous to develop COMUNE in the U.S. and bring a fresh approach and outlook to the men's fashion arena.

The name COMUNE derives from the idea of a very pure, creative community. In addition it stems from frustration, from the changes happening in the economic climate along with bureaucratic challenges and lack of creative support in large corporate-run companies. In a sense everyone involved with COMUNE left bureaucracy for purity. COMUNE has become the perfect outlet in which creative freedom and commerce align to form a very pure, creative community.

Photo: COMUNE
RAUL / DAVID pants

BNQT - FALL 2010 MARKS THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY FOR COMUNE. CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THIS UPCOMING COLLECTION?

Frank - Fall 2010 was a very important collection for us. We knew the majority of the industry & retailers would be looking at us closely, wondering if we would be able to keep the momentum and price-conscious collections that we had set with the launch of the brand. So many new brands feel the need to adapt in their early years to conform to trends that are going on around them. They panic when they get that first market feedback. We took a different approach and stayed on course with what we knew we wanted to do, regardless of the market woes around us.

Fall 2010 continues the refined collection look that we have always planned to do, and we continually work towards what we feel a perfect balance of core and contemporary is. You can expect fitted wovens using simplified plaids and solid Oxfords, basic knits, outerwear with an actual function to it, and a broad range of great denim washes and new treatments. We pride ourselves in developing innovative washes and coatings in denim, and for FA10 we have a 'Tea Stain' and 'Resin Coat' finish that have really upped the bar, regardless of the price.
Photo: COMUNE
CAMDEN suit jacket

BNQT - THE CAMDEN SUIT JACKET SEEMS TO BRING A MODERN TWIST TO A CLASSIC GARMENT. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT?

Frank - The Camden is a reaction to what we feel is a large gap in the industry, tailoring. Now, we aren't claiming that the Camden is fully tailored suit jacket, but it is something that you can dress up, or down with, and not feel like you belong on either the Jersey Shore or at a Country Club dinner. The inspiration comes as everything else does with COMUNE - from the people behind it. This piece has taken a classic silhouette, broken it down to its foundation and reassembled using a modern perspective. Details like waxed poplin taping and lining details with a cotton/poly blend for the body really will set this piece apart while still being incredibly wearable. This isn't the 'reinvention' of the blazer; it is a tailored blazer with a modern crop.

Photo: COMUNE
DEAN jacket with reversible / removable sleeves

BNQT - I'VE SEEN A COMUNE JACKET THAT INCORPORATES REVERSIBLE / REMOVABLE SLEEVES. CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THIS PIECE?

Frank - What can we say about the Dean. It is one of the most unique pieces that we have designed, and the most complex. The sleeves are not only removable, but also reversible. We used a heavy weight, 13.6oz Black rigid denim with an Oxblood plaid flannel lining. The sleeves are removable by zippers, and can be turned inside out and reversed. I'm not sure how many people are going to wear the sleeves reversed, but regardless that flannel lining is very comfortable and insulating. When summer comes, simply zip them off all together. This piece was one that kept us up late at nights, caused headaches in sampling, and was worth every second of it.

BNQT - YOUR CLOTHING PROVIDES FASHION AT AN UNFASHIONLY LOW-PRICE. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR PRICES SO REASONABLE?

Frank - Our skate roots keep price points at that of a core retailer; however, our collections are openly accepted and welcomed by contemporary accounts. Contemporary retailers love knowing they have well designed, price conscious product on their floor that they know will move, and won't tie up a lot of their cash flow. It's easy to design collections with a blank check and no retail limitations, but try balancing superior quality with an inferior retail price and you will see the constant struggle that we have.

We are a very small, tight knit team, and that being said we are able to keep our overhead from ballooning. Everyone at COMUNE wears more then one hat. The design and marketing team put in long hours every day of the week that most would pack up and leave if they had to do for one day a month. If one part of this team were missing, everything would come crashing down because that one person actually does the work of 2 or 3 people. If you think about it, FA10 was our ONE-year anniversary and we have already come this far. So I guess you could say one way we keep product price down is by keeping salary overhead to a minimum and just working ourselves to the bone!


BNQT - COMUNE CLOTHING REMINDS ME OF WEARABLE ART. WHAT KIND OF ARTISTS INSPIRE COMUNE?

Frank - We think the creative process that goes into designing our apparel feels like we're making something special and unique. Typography is a huge inspiration to our feel as well as modernism and an overall attraction to minimalism. As far as artwork goes, we gravitate towards anything with shock value, but also admire beautiful things and subtlety. As long as it's not somewhere in the void between those two we are interested! We don't really identify with the urban vibe of street art but are not opposed to it. We have an eclectic group or artists, photographers, and bands we work with. Check the Drop City section of our website for complete bios and examples of our artists.

Street Beat Archive:

Derek Boucher with Vestal

Steve Van Doren with Vans

John Harbin with West Wetsuits

Ryan Rush with ECO'Neill

Nicole Hanriot with TAVIK Swimwear

Matt Gleason with Liquid Force

Eric Mehlberg with Kustom

Mike Murphy with Fyasko

Ian Foulke with ISIS

Jonathan Paskowitz with Lightning Bolt

Matt Harkins with SPY OPTIC

Chris Brunstetter with Goldcoast Longboards

Damon George with ERGO

Charlie Setzler with Rusty