Conversations

Sherbinskis started in a small garage in Sunset District, San Francisco and has grown to be recognized worldwide as one of today’s fastest-growing premium cannabis lifestyle brands. The cult-favorite was founded by Mario Guzman, aka Mr. Sherbinski, the renowned grower and creator of world-famous, dessert-titled genetics like Sunset Sherbert, Mochi, and Leafly's 2018 Strain of the Year- the ever-popular Gelato. Connoisseurs of the brand include many of today’s greatest artists, designers, and creators, including Wiz Khalifa, John Mayer, Lil Uzi Vert, Migos, Ty Dolla Sign, and Famous Dex. You have to look no further than Young Dolph's “Gelato,” Calvin Harris's “Slide," or Famous Dex's “Nervous” to get a taste of the strain's influence. Set to open a new retail space on Fairfax Avenue in L.A. this spring, Sherbinskis' new cannabis club will literally be down the street from Supreme. Until then you can find the brand's premium cannabis products, which includes cannabis flower, pre-rolls, a variety of concentrates, vape cartridges, and lifestyle home goods, in select dispensaries across North America as well as Barneys' newly opened High End. So just how did Sherbinskis go from growing weed in a Sunset District garage to breeding the most sought-after cannabis strains in the world? To find out, we invited Mario and his right-hand man G Putt to tell us the Sherbinskis story on the latest episode of Conversations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late last year we went to Shanghai, China to experience Innersect, a two-day celebration of all things sneaker, streetwear, and fashion founded by Edison Chen of CLOT. While there, we co-hosted a panel with Bodega and Reebok, who revealed several Innersect-exclusive collaborations. It was there we met Wes Chen, a hip-hop head and host of  “Xi Ha Gong Yuan”—aka The Park—arguably China’s most mainstream hip-hop show where he interviews artists, plays tracks, and talks about the latest happenings in the scene. Chen was instrumental to the rise of artists like the Chengu-based Higher Brothers, and is also the host of a documentary series documenting the rise of China’s trap scene. We stopped by his Shanghai studio to get a brief look at how hip-hop spread in China, the difficulties American artists may face while touring the country, and in contrast—the difficulties faced by Asian artists when it comes to breaking into the American music industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late last year we went to Shanghai, China to experience Innersect, a two-day celebration of all things sneaker, streetwear, and fashion founded by Edison Chen of CLOT. It brought out many of the city's best-dressed denizens, but it also gave us a closer look at the Chinese streetwear consumer, and what separates them from their counterparts in America and Europe. Of course, street culture is now a global culture—and there's a lot of crossover in what brands are popular. The convention saw limited releases from Jordan Brand, UNDERCOVER, NEIGHBORHOOD, and PLEASURES, but also really dope installations that told a great story. Take for example, what Boston-based Bodega built out to promote their Innersect-exclusive collaborations. But even though some of the same brands are popular the world over, there's still a very regional aspect to how they're worn and what pieces pop off in different countries. On this episode of Highsnobiety's Conversations podcast, we take a deeper dive into what makes the Chinese streetwear market something plenty of brands and retailers are paying attention to today. Bodega's Oliver Mak and Alex James of PLEASURES talk about how a lot of their consumers come from China, and what it is about the country's massive population and culture of consumption that have made it an influential force in street culture. Listen to the latest episode of Highsnobiety Conversations above. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jeff Carvalho speaks with Chef KPE, chef of HOTPANnyc, about he has a unique way of creating dishes that has the world talking. His mastery of the culinary arts stems from a unique understanding of the senses and and an approach to recipes that is multi-sensory.  The chef, who took the call from the Tuscany region in Italy, dives into his unique culinary techniques, his creative process, and much more.  Give it a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conversations: D.I.Y. with 424, Adaptation, Advisory Board Crystals, Chris Gibbs X Dickies by Highsnobiety Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conversations: The New Luxury with Wu Tang, Heron Preston, Fear of God and John Elliot by Highsnobiety Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of Highsnobiety Conversations, Allbirds co-founder Tim Brown sits down with Highsnobiety's Jeff Carvalho to talk disrupting the sneaker industry, the ever-changing workplace wardrobe, and why Allbirds has reigned supreme amidst it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 - How to Cultivate a Creative Career with Rankin by Highsnobiety Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Conversations, Benjamin Gott and Zac Boswell of th-oughts and multiple other projects (THE BRILLIANCE! and Boxed Water among others) talk about well...doing things on the Internet. A lot has changed from the early days of blogging, and host Jian DeLeon speaks with them about how they've used digital platforms to advance their careers. Links in this podcast: THE BRILLIANCE! http://www.thebrilliance.com th-oughts http://www.th-oughts.com Benjamin Edgar http://www.benjaminedgar.com Boxed Water https://boxedwaterisbetter.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jian DeLeon is joined by Eugene Lardy, host of weekly streetwear show Supreme Night Live and moderator on Reddit's super-popular r/supremeclothing. They discuss the online community of Supreme enthusiasts, bots, and how to spot fake Supreme products online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jian DeLeon is joined by Matt Bean, Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health, to talk how masculinity is being redefined today, male body image, and a holistic shift in men's lifestyle media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jian DeLeon is joined by Himanshu "Heems" Suri to discuss his rap group the Swetshop Boyz, Asian-American identity politics, modern activism, Indian food, and how it all ties together.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jian Deleon is joined by Gary Warnett to discuss 30 Years of Nike Air Max and more on Highsnobiety Conversations. Music: "Lovely" by Kiefer Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cultural impact of the ‘90s on today’s culture is clear. From runways to magazine editorials, the period’s visual language is an endless source of borrowed nostalgia for modern creatives. For those, like me, who grew up in the ‘90s, pop culture peaked. Musically, heavy metal was out and grunge came in, while hip-hop began to reinterpret its own roots in sound to a new consumer looking for new. BMX and skateboarding, two very street-level sports, were picking up large market sponsors wanting to capture—and cash in on—burgeoning subcultures. Personal computers were in in their infancy. Macintosh computers and PCs featured primitive image and illustration programs that opened a new channel for creative development and expression. Online services like Prodigy and the ability to email individuals pushed the digital age even further. The gains made musically and creatively back then not only continue to shape today’s culture, but perhaps the next ten years. On this episode of conversations, we explore the idea of collective memory with two creators that were heavily impacted by their interests in the ‘90s. We caught up with adidas Originals VP of Global Design, Nic Galway, and artist/director Ben Jones at the M Building during Art Basel Miami, where adidas revealed their EQT sneaker initiative that quote, “continues to create the future by reinventing the past” by being “informed by collective memory to create meaning for a new generation.” The launch, scheduled for 2017, is a rebirth for EQT that forwards the silhouette for modern consumers. Links in this show: www.adidas.com/us/eqt Music "knxlimit85" by Knxwledge Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fashion world, independent boutiques have a distinct advantage over departments stores and big retailers: They’re small enough to be flexible. Smaller stores like Machus in Portland, Oregon, Need Supply Co. in Richmond, Virginia, and Tres Bien in Malmo, Sweden have developed a loyal customer base that grew enormously once they established their e-commerce sites. A small physical space and need to stand apart from readily available options has seen the little guys adopt young brands with potential early on, helping push them to the forefront of consumers’ minds. It’s also inspired them to build strong visual identities on e-commerce platforms and social media that align with the kinds of labels they carry. More recently, these successful shops have become brands themselves. Machus’ in-house line of products spans from basic tees and knitwear to denim, leather jackets, and home goods like candles. The independent shop just celebrated its five-year anniversary, a pretty big milestone for any small business. On today’s show, we speak with Machus founder Justin Machus via Skype to talk about the highs and lows of being an independent retailer, the risks of adopting young labels early on, and the lessons he’s learned in the past five years of business. Links in this story: Machus https://www.machusonline.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you create a work of art and don’t post about it on Instagram, is it still valid? Is there a direct correlation between the number of followers a creative has on a social platform and the talent he or she possesses? The relationship between art and commerce has become more complicated than ever. As the Internet has given global creatives access to lucrative partnerships with brands and agencies, it seems anyone’s big break is just one direct message away. On the other side of the coin, originality and authenticity is at risk of being trapped in a creative feedback loop, since a saturated visual market bombards modern creatives and consumers with an endless array of images. So how does one still create original works in a world where it seems every story that can be told has been told, or where every perspective seems to have been covered? And more importantly, how does a young creative build exposure for himself or herself when it’s getting harder and harder to set yourself apart from the pack? On today’s show, we speak with Chris Unwin. He launched The Creator Class in November 2014 as an offshoot of his agency, Free. It functions as a cultural incubator to empower a new generation of creatives through education, commercial opportunities, and resources provided by Canon Canada. Joining us is Fabien Montique, a DONDA-affiliated photographer and director who has worked with Kanye West, Zayn Malik, Pusha T, and Virgil Abloh. Montique and Abloh recently debuted an installation at Toronto’s Free Space called “On Fashion and Images,” featuring his unique take on Abloh’s most recent Off-White collection. A coinciding film will be released on thecreatorclass.com on November 24. Links in this story: The Creator Class www.thecreatorclass.com Fabien Montique www.fabien-montique.squarespace.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve seen an uptick in independent and branded small-scale publications—beautiful, limited-edition tomes often with a run that is only in the hundreds. It’s an upscale evolution of DIY zine culture, which saw the proliferation of niche publications like Cometbus, Factsheet Five, and Profane Existence—each one offering a unique perspective on alternative culture. But now brands and high-profile artists are getting in on the action. Kanye West released zines for his two previous Yeezy collections. Frank Ocean created a zine for his latest album, Boys Don’t Cry, which was packed in with a different edit of the record. Nike has made several strides with a slim, substantial tome called On Design, which was limited to just 500 copies and features essays by CEO Mark Parker and works from artist Maria Kalman. It was made to coincide with Milan Design Week. In addition to our own magazine, Highsnobiety recently published our first zine—the cheekily named “Short For Magazine,” featuring behind-the-scenes photos of the Yeezy Season 3 show from staffer Thomas Welch. The ongoing series is meant to be a limited-edition platform to highlight emerging artists, designers, and creatives in a more intimate way. On today’s show, we speak with David Hellqvist. He’s the fashion features editor at PORT magazine, freelance menswear editor, and the publisher of Document Studios. Document partners with brands like Timberland, Spiewak, and adidas to create brand magazines that focus on a unique narrative. The agency’s latest publication, The Gap Document, retells the Gap’s story through the eyes of people like prolific fashion writer Tim Blanks, NEIGHBORHOOD designer Shinsuke Takazawa, and menswear designer Christopher Raeburn, who crafted a one-of-one military jacket in collaboration with The Gap and Document Studios. Links in this story: David Hellqvist www.davidhellqvist.com Document Studios www.documentstudios.com PORT Magazine www.port-magazine.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this show, we take the Kanye West bus to Yeezy Season 4 presentation on Roosevelt Island in New York city during NYFW. In December 2013 adidas announced a partnership with Kanye West. YEEZY Season 1 made its debut in February 2015 consisting of military-inspired items like distressed sweaters and also saw the debut of high-top 750 Boost and low-top 350 Boost shoes – two models that sell out as quickly as they become available. West’s clothing line fuses hard wearing military silhouettes through a dystopian lens. And it isn’t cheap either: many items are made in the same factories as luxuries labels like Balmain. Last season, West again made headline when he took over Madison Square Garden to show YEEZY Season 3, working again with artist Vanessa Beecroft. He also used the platform to debut his new album, The Life of Pablo. We’re doing things a little differently this show: we’re recording the entire podcast on the charter bus taking us to Roosevelt Island in New York City en route to the venue for YEEZY Season 4. We’ll be talking to some of the attendees to get their first-hand perspective on the show. We’re joined on this podcast by fashion stylist, Matthew Henson; Conde Nast‘s Dirk Standen; KITH men’s apparel buyer, Justin Dean; Harper’s Bazaar fashion features editor, Lauren McCarthy; STORM Copenhagen founder, Rasmus Storm; celebrity stylist, Marcus Paul; and Fashionista executive editor, Alyssa Klein. Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Highsnobiety Conversations has Jian DeLeon reporting from the Las Vegas trade shows to discuss The State of the Menswear Market. Ever since the Internet made it easier to know about new clothes and young brands months before any product gets delivered to stores, the fashion tradeshow has gained a new prominence, offering consumers a sneak preview of each season’s upcoming offerings through an editorial perspective. In 1933, an organization called the Men’s Apparel Guild of California started a menswear tradeshow called MAGIC. During the peak of the so-called “urban brand” phase in the late ‘90s, the Las Vegas affair was known for its wild parties and extravagant booths, putting brands like Ecko Unlimited and FUBU on the global map. Now, the scene in Vegas is a bit different. Tradeshows like Liberty, Capsule, Agenda, and Project offer a wide swath of styles for store buyers who have to cater to an increasingly discerning consumer. What does that mean for the buyers with stores who want to balance savvy, covetable products with commercially viable merchandise that help keep a business afloat? What needs to happen to the tradeshow model to make it more easily cater to a faster-paced men’s fashion environment? In part one, we speak with Omar Quiambao. He’s the founder of Commonwealth, a men’s boutique with locations in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Washington, DC, and most recently, the Philippines. We discuss how global fashion culture has affected regional style, and his approach to merchandising for the Filipino consumer. In part two, we speak with Keith Abrams, one of the owners of Kinfolk, a combination men’s shop, lifestyle brand, and nightclub with locations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Tokyo. He offers some insight on what young brands and independent retailers can still learn from the Vegas tradeshows. Commonwealth: https://commonwealth-ftgg.com Kinfolk: https://kinfolklife.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Under Armour is entering sportswear with UAS during New York Fashion Week 2016. Founded 20 years ago in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, sportswear company Under Armour has quietly become a titan of industry for its best-in-class performance gear that keeps athletes everywhere doing what they do best. Their athlete roster include the likes of Steph Curry, Cam Newton, and Michael Phelps. But now the brand is out to make its mark on the fashion world with Under Armour Sportswear and their just announced new Sport Fashion division. Ben Pruess, Under Armour’s President of Sport Fashion is leading the charge. Having served as Vice President Global Director of adidas Originals for more than six years, Pruess is planting a new flag.He recently appointed fashion designer Tim Coppens as the executive creative director of UAS. Coppens’ pedigree includes work for a variety of luxury labels and his own menswear line that’s caught the eyes of stylish guys and savvy editors alike. A graduate of Antwerp’s prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts—which has educated lauded designers like Martin Margiela, Raf Simons, and Haider Ackermann—Tim Coppens’ clothing have a reputation for mixing in technical fabrics with classic menswear shapes. To put it simply: He designs clothes that look like they’re from the future, but feel right for the present. On this episode, we talk to Ben Pruess about Under Armour’s plan to debut the UAS line at New York Fashion Week, the challenges of reshaping a brand in the digital age, and the changing dynamics between consumers, sport, and their perception of professional athletes. Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rise of the 1980s Polo Ralph Lauren subculture in New York City. Could anyone forget Kanye West's infamous 2013 interview with radio personality Sway Calloway? A frustrated West was venting on the difficulty of being taken seriously in the fashion industry. In response, Calloway offered some unsolicited advice along with the revelation that he too owned a clothing brand, which, in West estimation was not anywhere close to "Ralph" level. "It ain't no Ralph though. It ain't Ralph level!" The Bronx-born son of blue collar Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants, Ralph Lauren, born Ralph Lifshitz, would go on to pioneer an eponymous brand that has become synonymous with aspirational American luxury. But what about West's adoration? How did a one-time aspiring rapper from Chicago come to hold the Ralph Lauren label in such high esteem? There's a very good chance it can be traced to Brooklyn, New York, during the 1980s when a group of inner-city youth turned their love of Polo into a subculture that would influence the sartorial taste of hip-hop artists for years to come. They called themselves the Lo Lifes and they bought, boosted, swapped and collected rare Polo pieces with the same adulation a devoted nun reads a bible. Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet the men repairing and restoring vintage adidas and Jordan sneakers. In a world where sneakers are bought and traded, and where unworn status can account for massive differentials in value, there is another school of sneaker head, not looking for crisp, deadstock pairs. This collector prefers their kicks worn, beat and used, saving many from the trash. Sneakers, with glued soles and non-welted construction, were never meant to be repaired, yet a growing number of modern cobblers are fixing up beat sneakers. We speak with two sneaker restorers, dedicated to bringing rare Jordans and long lost adidas silhouettes back to life. Jose Armando Bustamante is a filmmaker and sneaker restorer documenting his work on Retrosnickers Youtube channel. Bustamante has repaired and restored countless kicks, the most well known being a rare pair of OG 1989 MILITARY BLUE Jordan 4s. The video has racked up 2.6 million Youtube views. David Charlesworth of Vintage Trainer Repairs joins us from England. Charlesworth is a trained cobbler who works traditional shoes during his business hours, and spends his evenings working on some of the world’s rarest adidas models. Charlesworth repaired many of the classics adidas found in “Sole Searching in South America” documentary. Links in this story: Retrosnickers Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/RetroSnickers Vintage Trainer Repairs www.fb.com/vintagetrainerrepairs www.instagram.com/vintage_trainer_repairs68 adidas “Sole Searching in South America” Film www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbS5kkbn9GM Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2016, there should be multiple ways to sell your clothes as a brand. Despite technology being more evolved than ever, brands are usually restricted to a relatively small amount of methods to sell their clothes. The traditional method of selling via wholesale is becoming a dicier proposition, as stores are buying less and, in some cases, only doing Sale or Return, which can often leave a designer with a pile of unsold clothes at the end of the season. Online retail has its own issues, with the difficulties when it comes to both getting traffic and conversion rate (getting a customer to actually buy something) coming up as key issues. And physical spaces can be expensive, forcing a designer to need to create more. So we decided to speak to three different brands to discover how they sold their clothes. First up was E. Tautz. E. Tautz is the most traditional of the brands, a 2015 GQ fashion fund winner, helmed by Patrick Grant. Grant is a celebrity in his own right, with a guest spot on BBC show The Great British Sewing Bee. He founded E. Tautz as a casual counterpart for Norton & Sons, and is widely seen as one of the most successful catwalk brands around today. Then we spoke to Simon, founder of Ejder. Ejder were primarily an online-first business but, after some successful pop-up stores, have decided to get a physical store. The store, based in East London’s Old St Station, is a 24 hour store and aims to expands Ejder’s presence. Lastly, we spoke to [Nothing], a young UK streetwear brand. [Nothing] was founded by Jai and Ari and, despite their youth (both are still in University), they’ve already gained a large fanbase, not to mention celebrity fans such as Skepta and Virgil Abloh. Companies mentioned E. Tautz: www.etautz.com Ejder: www.ejderforlife.com [Nothing]: www.jaieleven.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know by now that men have embraced shopping for clothes. A recent Wall Street Journal article cites a study from the Boutique at Ogilvy saying 94% of men claim to have a defined sense of personal style. That same survey estimates that on average, men spend about $10 more a month on clothing than women. But how does a carefully self-constructed uniform inform the place where a man keeps all his stuff? The hypermasculine notion of a “man cave” teeming with sports memorabilia, softcore, cheesecake photographs of women, and a La-Z-Boy recliner is outdated in an age where guys are defining masculinity for themselves. As the notion of fashion and sexual orientation being correlated is more and more thrown out the window, so has interior design. After all, what good is buying luxurious clothes if you’re still laying your head down on an Ikea bed? That’s why it makes sense that menswear brands like The Hill-Side collaborating with home goods stores like CB2, and new start-ups like Floyd specialize in minimal platform beds, while similar companies like Casper have a mission to make luxe-feeling mattresses and pillows not just comfortable, but accessibly priced. There’s a rich middle ground for guys wanting to step up their interior game without having to dive into storied luxury furniture labels like Herman Miller, and to get more insight, I hit up two experts in this burgeoning market. On this episode, we speak to Greg Shugar, founder of ThreadExperiment, a start-up that focuses on masculine bedding. Shugar previously founded The Tie Bar, now a go-to accessories destination for affordable neckwear that appears everywhere from the pages of GQ to the necks of actual men. Then we catch up with Tariq Dixon. In 2013, Tariq co-founded TRNK with Nick Nemechek. They’re two menswear veterans who saw a need for an online, men’s-focused interiors destination, so they built one. TRNK combines beautifully shot editorials of men’s homes around the world with an e-commerce site that sells everything from ruggedly handsome couches made from WWII-era fabrics by Stephen Kenn to black Icelandic sheepskin rugs. Companies Mentioned: ThreadExperiment: http://www.threadexperiment.com TRNK: https://www.trnk-nyc.com Casper: http://www.casper.com Floyd: http://www.floyddetroit.com Articles Mentioned: http://www.wsj.com/articles/men-are-shopping-like-women-1455657516 Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What motivates an Internet troll to do what they do? Is it all it good fun, or is there something more sinister going on in their heads? From snarky commenters, well-known personalities, and even entire publications, trolling has become an infamous Internet pastime. Sometimes it's really funny, and sometimes it crosses a line. In the most extreme cases, trolling has driven people to suicide. On this episode, Highsnobiety editor Stephanie Smith-Strickland talks with Fred Mwangahunga, founder of celebrity gossip website MediaTakeout—a site GQ dubbed as "the black TMZ"—and Dr. Lisa Strohman, a licensed clinical psychologist as well as the founder and director of the Technology Wellness Center, which works with parents and children about the impacts of technology on their lives. Links mentioned in this episode: MediaTakeout www.mediatakeout.com Technology Wellness Center www.technologywellnesscenter.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk about pens, pencils and paper and why they'll never go away in this episode 6. In a world where you’re sitting in front of a keyboard more often than a notebook, analog writing utensils and stationery feel more sacred. There’s something about the sound of wood whittling, and the smell of freshly-shorn cedar that remains intoxicating, and indelible. On this episode, Editor at Large, Jian Deleon talks with Caroline Weaver, founder of CW Pencil Enterprise in the Lower East Side - a store dedicated almost exclusively to pencils - and Jouyie Chou an accomplished designer and brand strategist who in 2013 co-founded Public Supply. Links mentioned in this episode: CW Pencil Enterprise www.cwpencils.com Public-Supply www.public-supply.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From policy to recreational use, cannabis culture has become a hot topic in New York. While federal law in the United States classifies cannabis (or marijuana) as a schedule 1 drug, it has essentially left it to states to decide their own medicinal and recreational cannabis use policies. And while more than 20 states have medicinal cannabis laws in the books, less than a handful have legalized its recreational use by adults. We discuss the current state of cannabis policy in New York with three guests: Jay, founder of the Cannabis Cooperative, discusses cannabis policy and how his national advocacy board are undertaking initiatives to promote the medicinal use of cannabis. Hawaii Mike is the founder of Chef For Higher. He hosts a series of dinner parties called "Dinner Is Dope" featuring multi-course meals with cannabis-infused food. Jason Pinsky is the founder of Cannastract, a cannabis-extract based company. He discusses the finer points of concentrates and the connections between hippie and hip-hop cultures. Brands and companies mentioned in this podcast: www.instagram.com/chefforhigher www.cannastract.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brothers Ryan Babenzien (GREATS) and Brendon Babenzien (NOAH) on building a brand. How do you create a brand today? The internet and social platforms like Instagram have made it easier for anyone to sell and promote a product or service, but has it made the market better? With so many different brands competing in the same industry, is it still possible to make something authentic? GREATS co-founder Ryan Babenzien and NOAH founder Brendon Babenzien are two brothers with plenty of experience in brand building. We talk to them about the challenges of having an independent brand in 2016, and the lessons they've learned along the way. Brands mentioned in this podcast: www.greats.com www.noahny.com Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writers Julianne Escobedo Shepherd and Mary H.K. Choi join us on episode 3 to discuss the term "fuccboi." "Fuccboi" is a term that's resurged in Internet culture, particularly as a pejorative for over-labeled fashion victims. But a second meaning surfaced after a Vanity Fair article said it applied to promiscuous males on modern dating apps. Jezebel culture editor and NYU professor of music writing Julianne Escobedo Shepherd and writer Mary H.K. Choi weigh in on the term's Harlem origins and modern day meaning. Article mentioned in this podcast: "Tinder and the Dawn of the 'Dating Apocalypse'" - Nancy Jo Sales www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/08/tinder-hook-up-culture-end-of-dating "A Brief Taxonomy of the Fuccboi" - Julianne Escobedo Shepherd www.jezebel.com/a-brief-taxonomy-of-the-fuccboi-rip-1638331191 "On Female Fuccboi Style" - Mary H.K. Choi - www.racked.com/2016/2/8/10923368/female-fuccboi-style Visit www.highsnobiety.com for more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk reselling clothing and sneakers with Grailed and StockX founders on episode 2. In the second episode of Highsnobiety Conversations, we discuss how the Internet has made it easier for men to buy and sell big ticket clothing items through platforms like eBay and Grailed. We also talk about how this has affected the sneaker resale market, which is beginning to regulate itself through quantifiable data, bringing a truer value to often inflated prices. Joining us for this Conversation: Lawrence Schlossman (Brand Director, Grailed), Jake Metzger (Marketing Director, Grailed), and Josh Luber (Founder, StockX) Links mentioned in this episode: www.grailed.com www.stockx.com www.beaconscloset.com www.buffaloexchange.com www.inanyc.com www.rakuten.com www.vestiairecollective.com www.tokio7.net www.therealreal.com Music by: www.soundcloud.com/steliosphili For more news and insight, visit www.highsnobiety.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bobby Hundreds, Aaron Levant, Deon Point, Kyle Ng and more join us to discuss the state of streetwear retail in 2016 on the first episode of Conversations. In the first episode of Highsnobiety Conversations, we discuss the changes and shift in streetwear retail that made 2015 one of the more tumultuous years in recent memory. To get a better sense of what 2015 was to the industry, we headed to AGENDA Show Long Beach, CA - to many, the first wholesale retail show of the buying season. Joining us for this Conversation: Deon Point (CNCPTS), Brian White (NIXON), Omar Quiambao (Commonwealth), Aaron Levant (AGENDA Show), Bobby Kim (The Hundreds), and Kyle Ng (Brain Dead). For more news and insight, visit www.highsnobiety.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From New York City, this is Conversations: Highsnobiety's podcast series discussing topics and trends with the people shaping today's scene. Hosted by Taj Reed and Jeff Carvalho. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices