How bad do you want it? I came across this promotional video for a Spartan Race over in the US on Vimeo, just knew I had to bookmark it and share it here. It’s nicely filmed and put together but what stands out for me is the audio track from a motivational speaker which suits it perfectly - ‘When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breath then you’ll be successful‘. I know the video is target at folks focused on fitness but much of what he said can be applied to life in general. My fitness journey over the past few months has been intense and extreme to many but I love it. It’s made me wonder why it took eight years of inactivity to wake up and see how much better life my will be if my body was in order. It’s improved my discipline and focus in all aspects of my life but more on that in another post. Watch on the reverse!

follow YIN on twitter

I had the pleasure of meeting the man behind Parisian brand BKRW at a shoot in Amsterdam back in October. The online/print magazine-turned-retail store has been around since 2006, in the game before most of the hype kids showed up and their hard work over the years has led to several brand collaborations. The latest one with sportswear brand Puma to produce a special edition R696 pack that pays homage to the brand’s heritage and futuristic direction. Enough of the shoe, truthfully I’m not the biggest of Puma fans. It’s the shoot that really grabbed my attention, really nicely put together with an army theme. More on the reverse.

follow YIN on twitter

Fortunately for all you Y&Y fans we have been away for a while. I say fortunately because had we still been around during our brief hiatus you would have heard ,on numerous occasions, the moans and groans on a man who was suffering financially. Y&Y 3.0 burst on to the scene at a time where I had finally got out of a financial whole, happy days :). This means I can write about the spring/summer 2013 looks of Burberry‘s Black Label without distain, heartbreak or envy. Does this mean that I can afford whats on offer, probably not but that would be through choice rather than force. Although the teal trench coat is really tempting, I want it!!! Peep more of the collection when you read on.

follow DJB on twitter

The honour of writing the first Throwback Thursday post of YYV3 is mine! I felt the pressure a little but finally managed to choose a song. Since Justin Timberlake has managed to nab the top spot on the album charts with ridiculous sales (these days) of almost ‘a milli‘ (ion), thought it would be fitting to dedicate this week’s throwback track to his first album ‘Justified‘. Quite a big R&B/Pop contender at the time, most of the tracks on the album were single worthy- this week I’ve chosen ‘Take it From Here’, remember it? Enjoy after the break.

Follow YANG on twitter

This is wonderful, I’m sure a lot of y’all early adopters and ‘internet savvy‘ folks have already seen this short. I bookmarked it during our hiatus since its all about craft, Mike Friton is a freelance shoemaker - a true craftsman who weaves, sculpts and has innovated their footwear game in his 30 years at Nike. His creations are some of the kicks that we wear on a day to day basis and his artistry heavily focuses on non-traditional methods to explore one’s craft to find unique end results. How else do you think all the weaved kicks came about!? Watch on the reverse.

follow YIN on twitter

I remember being quite disgusted when I first came across of Nike’s Free silhouette, it just didn’t sit right with me - looked futuristic and plain weird. All I ever wore were Nike Dunks or Air Force 1‘s back then in my wannabe hood days. Spending last summer in the west coast of America, there’s NO WAY you’d go out there and not buy a pair of Nike Free kicks. It’s almost standard uniform for that part of the world, everyone’s a lot more active and the Frees are by far the most comfiest shoe I’ve worn. Perfect for long walks and runs - ideal if you’re holidaying. The shoes were created 10 years ago with a purpose of being able to flex, stretch and be themselves - essentially

follow YIN on twitter

They say you learn something new everyday and today’s life lesson is that Peter Werth is from Islington. You are welcome. So what is the N1 Project you ask. Quite simply, it’s a photography based campaign that aims to highlight Peter Werth’s heritage by featuring what they have described as Islingtonians. They run local establishments but most importantly, they are proud members of the local community. More after the break.

Follow YANG on twitter

Ever trying to broaden the scope of their brand H&M have made an effort to fully highlight this years H&M Conscious range. A partywear collection made from more sustainable materials, the collection features clothing and accessories for both men and women, and is part of H&M’s Conscious work to offer more sustainable fashion. Organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled polyamide and Tencel are a few of the more conscious minded materials used within this collection. The Conscious Exclusive collection will be available online and in approximately 140 stores worldwide from April 4, 2013. See more the collection on the reverse.

follow DJB on twitter

Wow. Just wow. I’m lost for words after watching this on my journey home after work. God bless 4G and it’s ability to load up videos in a spilt second. If you have 12 minutes, please watch - it’s worth it. Spoken-word poet and artist Shane Koyczan shares his own experiences of being a bully, being bullied and the ending is something else. Audience gave him a standing ovation. You’ll see.

follow YIN on twitter

Photography fanatics will like the news that Canon will introduce two new DSLR’s onto the market next month with one claiming to be the worlds smallest and lightest DSLR ever. The new offerings are set to join and expand their well established EOS range, please welcome the new Canon EOS 100D + the new Canon EOS 700D. Read on for more details.

follow DJB on twitter