After Ian Ginoza, Staple and Huf, Blends is the next partner of the Converse 1HUND(RED) Artist Project. Blends and Converse collaborated to create a special (RED) edition of the original One Star shoe.

Blends co-founder Tak Kato says “The Blends One Star came from the idea of keeping it simple and minimal. We decided not to make a literal connection to (RED) with color or logos, but instead we wanted to create something that was consistent with the aesthetic of Blends and our clientele, which is ultimately about timelessness and quality. These are the aspects that we feel will ultimately encourage people to buy the sneaker even if they don’t know that potential for change that it holds.” Also, playing off the fact that the original Ones Star was a high-quality shoe for its time, Blends wanted to make this shoe ultra-high quality, by giving it premium, soft deer skin and paying attention to details without making something overly designed.

The Blends for Converse 1HUND(RED) Artists One Star is available in a low-top, black leather version. The shoe will launch at special events at each store from 7pm – 10pm at Blends in San Diego on Thursday October 22, Blends in Costa Mesa Friday October 23rd and Blends in Downtown Los Angeles on October 24th. It will also be available at select retailers globally after October 24th.

More images of the Blends x Converse 1HUND(RED) One Star follow after the jump.

A certain So-Cal retailer has blended something up with DC LIFE to include custom laces and insoles : Introducing the DC LIFE Admiral for BLENDS.

The inspiration came from the Japanese heritage of the two owners. Having grown up in Japan, Mike Toe and Tak Kato wanted to incorporate something familiar from their youth and incorporate the design, look, and feel that BLENDS is known for. With this, Mike and Tak designed the interior graphics based off traditional Japanese playing cards and the white exterior is reminiscent to the “less is more” approach that BLENDS brings to retail.

The custom Admiral is available now at BLENDS retail locations below:

BLENDS Costa Mesa
2930 Bristol St
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 241-0666

BLENDS San Diego
726 Market St
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-6126

BLENDS Los Angeles
125 W 4th St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-6607

Blends presents in collaboration with Oakley "Retrospectacle", an exhibition about seldom seen Oakley classics from their private museum. 
The exhibition opens July 10th and the jewel of the exhibition will be a special colorway of Frogskins developed in collaboration with Blends. The Oakley Frogskin out of the collaboration was inspired by the original gradient coloring found on the Oakley Iridium lens. Only 20 pairs of this special colorway will be made by hand at the Oakley Headquarters and they will only be sold at Blends Los Angeles on the night of the opening, on July 10th.
Check the flyer of the event after the jump.