Over the weekend, I headed over to
AKIN in Lincoln Park to help
Equilibrium USG cover their 3rd annual skyn design competition - Skyn Deep. I was amazed at how much inventory we packed into the cars en route to AKIN, but it's really good that we did since a
TON of it flew off the shelves once people started rolling in.
AKIN served as a perfect backdrop to this year's Skyn Deep event - surrounding the innovative, modular bags with apparel and footwear that would ensure you looked fresh everywhere you went. Morris and Melvin did an amazing job highlighting the venue with some dope EQ vinyl, including a full wrap on a
Ducati 998. Throughout the night, DJ Illusive, DJ Kid Trae, DJ David Sabat, DJ Franco de Leon and B96's very own
Julian on the Radio did an amazing job emcee-ing and kept the beats going until the doors closed.
It was awesome to see tons of people rolling in sporting their EQ bags (and some even their own custom skyns). That combined with how well received the bags were by newcomers and long-time followers made it clear how far EQ has come as a brand in such a short amount of time. Food and drinks kept circling around while people got a chance to mingle and get to know EQ, new people, the artists and the inspiration behind their designs.
Hundreds of people came through the doors of AKIN that night and after the Skyn Deep 2010 winners were announced, we were treated to the sounds of the Ducati 998 at full song with its sick Akrapovic exhaust. Talk about an explosive way to end a great night. Speaking of winners, Equilibrium selected four winners this year - three came from online voting and the grand prize was awarded by the EQ Team. Check out the winners below:
FIRST PLACE | | SECOND PLACE | | THIRD PLACE |
| |
| |
|
GUARDIAN TIGER | | SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST | | URBAN SURVIVAL KIT |
(Chicago, Illinois USA) | | (Chicago, Illinois USA) | | (Metro Manila, Manila Philippines) |
EQ GRAND PRIZE
EXIT TO THE LEFT
(Los Angeles, California USA)
All the winners (along with some lucky raffle ticket winners) received some complimentary EQ gear. Their designs will also be reproduced in a limited run and sold at both AKIN locations and online. As an added bonus, for every skyn they sell they have an opportunity to gain commissions. So make sure you pick up one before they are sold out!
In the end, Skyn Deep is Equilibrium's way of giving back to the artist community - giving them a chance to leave their mark on something that won't just be seen in retail stores, but also on the backs of those who love their work and seen all over town. Big thanks to EQ for having me come out to cover the event and to the Skyn Deep sponsors -
AKIN,
Potential Villain and
Royal Mindset. Check out the rest of the photos below:
[gallery link="file" columns="4"]
Labels: akin, design, equilbrium, photography, potential villain, royal mindset, skyn deep, UMG, usg