FASHION: Evisu

Trend submitted by: Victor Morales, Jnr. (Hornsby, Sydney, Australia)

Evisu was formally born in Osaka, Japan in 1991 although the research and planning necessary to reproduce the perfect pair of vintage jeans had been going on for several years prior to this.

The founder, and still the owner, of Evisu is Hidehiko Yamane. Yamane-san was trained as a tailor but his love for vintage jeans and his disappointment with the mass-produced modern versions led him firstly, to the vintage clothing import business and then, revolutionarily, to start putting together the elements required to reproduce vintage-style jeans.

The initial production line allowed about 14 pairs of jeans a day to be produced and each of them was lovingly hand-painted with the now famous seagull logo by Yamane-san himself.

Evisu (also written as Evis or Ebisu) is the name of the Japanese Buddhist god of money who is usually portrayed with a fish and fishing rod.

Although still relatively unknown, Evisu remains true to its artisan roots with a fanatical devotion to quality and authenticity. Evisu is sold in only 25 shops in Japan and only 400 of the most exclusive boutique stores worldwide. However, ceratin items can be purchased on their online store.

Certain celebrities such as Usher, DJ AM, Nas and Mischa Barton have already adopted the brand, however international sales are yet to reach its full potential.

For more details check out www.evisu.com

VERDICT: Get in early and wear this absolutely smoking label! We're tipping it as the next "Von Dutch" must-have fashion label. Remember, you heard it here first!

TECHNOLOGY: Playstation 3 (PS3)

Trend recommended by: Jamie Sullivan (Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A.)

Will the console match the hype? Only time will tell.

Sony is claiming that the soon to be released PS3 is the most advanced gaming system that serves as a platform to enjoy next generation computer entertainment content in the home, realised through the combination of Cell and RSX processors, in addition to the playability of the vast catalog of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 software titles.

Having Giga-bit Ethernet and a pre-installed hard disk drive (HDD) as standard in PS3, users will be able to download a variety of content such as movies and music as well as access on-line games and services over the network.

Equipped with basic input/output ports, the PS3 will accommodate a broad range of displays from conventional NTSC/PAL standard TVs to the latest full HD (1080i/1080p) flat panel displays, offering the joy of the most advanced computer entertainment content to homes around the world. For use in living rooms, maximum heat and noise reduction has been achieved with a noise level equivalent to that of the current slim-line PlayStation 2.

With the overwhelming computational power of the Cell processor, PS3 is also capable of playing back content from Blu-ray (BD) discs at a bit rate of multiplex 48Mbps with ease, the maximum bit rate defined in BD standards.

Available in white, silver and black and boasting wireless controllers, the PS3 is undoubtedly destined for gaming greatness.

VERDICT: If your budget can afford it, you should absolutely get one - or 3.

FILM: 300

Trend submitted by: Luke Calloway (Elwood, Victoria, Australia)

2007 will see the release of "300" - a film based on the graphic novel, written and illustrated by Frank Miller with painted colors by Lynn Varley.

300 depicts the Battle of Thermopylae and the events leading up to it from the perspective of Leonidas I, king of Sparta. The comic, however, takes great liberties in its narrative, for example depicting Xerxes I of Persia as a bald black man with piercings and the traitor Ephialtes of Trachis as a hunchback. The comic was particularly inspired by the 1962 film, The 300 Spartans, a movie that Miller watched as a young boy.

Every page of the comic was illustrated as a double-page spread. When the series was gathered into hardcover form, the individual pages were twice as wide as a normal comic. Miller's art style for this project was similar to his Sin City work, although the addition of color is an obvious difference.

300 was initially published as a monthly five issue comic book series by Dark Horse Comics, the first issue published in May 1998. the issues were titled Honor, Duty, Glory, Combat and Victory. The series won three Eisner Awards in 1999; 'Best Limited Series', 'Best Writer/Artist' for Frank Miller and 'Best Colorist' for Lynn Varley. The work was collected as a hardcover graphic novel in 1999.

Following the success of Robert Rodriguez's Sin City and the forthcoming sequel Sin City 2, we expect that 300 will also be a huge box office success worldwide.

300 is directed by Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead [2004]), the film stars Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham and Rodrigo Santoro and the trailer can be viewed at official site.

VERDICT: Gladiator meets Sin City. If you enjoyed either movie or are a fan of Frank Miller's work - then definitely check out 300.

FASHION: Onitsuka Tiger footwear

Trend submitted by: Keiko Kuriyama (Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, Japan)

Onitsuka Tiger, Japan's first sports shoe brand, has been revived after almost 30 years and is enjoying immense popularity in Europe and elsewhere.

The shoes' appeal lies in their trademark thin soles and vivid colors, which make them stand out even amid the current general boom in retro-style footwear.

The craze for the shoes has been rekindled in Japan but is yet to enflame the rest of the world.

Onitsuka Tiger is the name of a brand of shoes that Onitsuka Co. Ltd., the predecessor of Asics Corporation, manufactured from 1949 to 1977. In 1956 the company was chosen as the official supplier of Japanese athletes' shoes for the Melbourne Olympics in Australia, and famous athletes from around the world were so impressed by the quality of the shoes that they began to order pairs for themselves.

Mexico 66 is one of the bestselling designs. Originally made in advance of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, it is now one of the flagship designs in the entire Onitsuka Tiger line.

However, Onitsuka Tiger recently got a boost when leading actress Uma Thurman wore a pair in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.

For more information check out www.onitsukatiger.com

VERDICT: Must have! A social statement and worthwhile investment for any wardrobe.

MUSIC: Young & Restless

Trend submitted by: Andrew Jones (Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia)

Australian band Young and Restless formed in April 2005 when five young and restless youths found each other and decided Canberra needed something more.

What resulted was a weird mix-up of dance-influenced metal played at punk speeds that the standard concert-goer didn’t quite know what to do with.

The band members include Karina Utomo (Vocals), Mark Falkland (Guitar), Ash St Ives (Guitar), Nugie Utomo (Drums) and Ross Paxman (Bass).

Young and Restless quickly gained notice on the local Canberra circuit thanks to their explosive and destructive live shows and tours with Damn Arms, Die! Die! Die! and the Suicide Girls.

The band has a steadily growing MySpace following and is set to tour their native Australia early in the new year with the rest of the globe to follow shortly thereafter.

Check out the Young and Restless at www.youngandrestless.org

VERDICT: Keep your eyes and ears open for this band. Set for greatness.

TRAVEL: Vanuatu

Trend submitted by: Janet Kawai (Vienna, Maryland, U.S.A.)

Imagine a place with the solitude of Fiji, the warmth of Hawaii, the beauty of the Maldives, the opulance of Bora Bora and the pricetag of Long Island.

Such a place does exist and dit's called - Vanuatu.

With a small population of only 200, 000 the island nation of Vanuatu can only be described as a tropical paradise. It is technically a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia.

You think Vanuatu's beaches are unbeatable on one island until you reach the next.

Divers are delighted at the clear waters, coral reefs and shipwrecks; vulcanologists go wild for its many smoking peaks; and naturalists lust after its untouched forests, reefs and extravagant bird life.

And favourable shopping means bargains are to be had on every street corner.

For more information check out Vanuatu Tourism today!

VERDICT: An absolute must-do. Drop everything, get on the phone and plan your sun drenched holiday to Vanuatu today.

MUSIC: TV on the Radio

Trend submitted by: Catherine Arantshel (New York, New York, U.S.A.)

TV on the Radio is a New York City avant-garde indie-rock vocal band formed in 2001 whose music spans genres as diverse as free jazz, a cappella/doo-wop, trip-hop and electro.

The core members are Tunde Adebimpe (vocals/loops), Kyp Malone (vocals/guitars/loops) and David Andrew Sitek (music/guitars/keys/loops). The other main members are Jaleel Bunton (drums) & Gerard Smith (bass).

The first album from TV On The Radio (initially just founding members Adebimpe and Sitek) was the self-released OK Calculator (the title being a reference to Radiohead's album OK Computer).

Later they were joined by Kyp Malone and released the Young Liars EP in 2003 to great critical acclaim. This was followed by their full-length debut, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes which earned the band the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize.

Their forthcoming album, Return to Cookie Mountain, was leaked earlier in the year and garnered pre-release praise (U.S. and Canadian audiences will have to wait until September for its official release).

Founding member David Andrew Sitek has also produced records with such bands as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Celebration and the Liars.

TV on the Radio is one of the favorite active bands of rock icon David Bowie, who also contributes backing vocals on the track "Province" from the latest effort, Return to Cookie Mountain. The album will be released on July 6 worldwide (except the United States and Canada) by 4AD. The official North American release date is September 12, 2006 by Interscope Records.

Check out their official site at www.tvontheradio.com
VERDICT: If you're a fan of jazz, trip-hop or electro beats then look no further than TV on the Radio - a worthwhile addition to any CD collection.