But gifting suites aren’t really about swag. They’re about the energy and celebration of award season, and they”re a chance for the stars and a handful of interesting brands to kick back, have a shot (or two) of premium tequila (or really hi-end sparkling water), and enjoy life. Whether it’s one of this year’s nominees, a past nominee like Julianne Moore, a multiple EMMY-winner like Bill Shatner (and his lovely wife Elizabeth), or NBA legend like John Salley, everyone who stopped by to hang with the LA Gear crew had a great time.

John Schneider (Dukes of Hazard) told us about his new series, set in the world of golf; Sheryl Lee Ralph told us all about her DIVA Foundation; and Scott Baio was reminded of the time LA Gear and Michael Jackson came to shoot a commercial on the Universal set where he was working (more on that when we interview Scott soon).

The stars that lit up the Rodeo Room came away not only with some Lights, but with a sense of what makes this brand tick.and why so many people are digging the fact that ACI and Sportie LA brought it back.

The (LA Tech) LA Gear Lights are currently available at all Sportie LA stores in Los Angeles and San Diego, and online at sneaker website www.SportieLA.com.

The Backstage Artist Lounge, presented by Christina Martin, integrates brands into a fun atmosphere for rock royalty backstage. Bands like Alice In Chains, Linkin Park, Tool and Wolfmother got to enjoy the BAL vibe, checking out LA Gear’s updated Unstoppable line ’89-’90.

Some of the other BAL partners included: Aurora Guitar
Strings, the only guitar strings available today that are manufactured entirely from domestic components; Guitar Hands, an innovative cleansing lotion made especially for guitarists; and HEAROS, which handed out “skull screws” and “pretty in pink” earplugs from their line to enhance the bands listening experience while protecting their hearing.

Rock stars were also lining up inside the BAL to get a pair of BrightFeet Slippers, which are slippers that light up in the dark. These could be a cool companion to the LA Lights, which will be making a return to the street – and the stage – later this year.

But, no matter how you slice it, no matter how many goodies
stars love to receive in their biodegradable gifts bags (from BioBag), we all know that what matters most is what’s on their feet when they’re strutting the stage, and for many of these rockers, that just might be LA Gear.

The stars were also giving back, with all the band members of Alice in Chains signing a pair of LA Gear Silver/Red Flame Hi’s to benefit Covenant House of California, which saves kids from the streets.

Now comes the official, sanctioned LA Lights party video:

Our cameras rolled, as LA Gear Director of Specialty Product Lance Jackson hosted a VIP mixer at the Las Vegas Hilton on August 1, with the full spectrum of Lights for men and women on display.

Since we’ve been getting emails and comments from fans all over the world asking when the Lights are coming out (November or December of ’09, as of this writing), we decided to give the video an international theme, so our friends across the globe could enjoy this very special preview. We hope you like it! 

SHOP LA GEAR! 

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LaGearNews sat down with L’leta to find out more about her art and her love affair with LA Gear:

LaGearNews: When did you decide you wanted to be a fashion designer?

L’leta van Gom: I think I was 11 or 12 when I knew that I wanted to make clothes. I really don’t know why I was obsessed by clothes, I just knew I wanted to learn how to make something. So I started to make clothes for my barbies and dolls.

At the age of 16 I enrolled in the Modelyceum in Amsterdam for four years, also Fashion Design, and there I learned the basics of fashion design.

LAG: Tell us about the program you just completed.

L’leta: I just got my diploma in Fashion Design from the Academie of Styling and Design Artemis. In 2 years I learned how to work towards realizing a collection, starting with a concept, sketches and finally the collection. You also learn how to make contact with different people in fashion, that is one of the best things you can learn. With this diploma I can start designing for a company or learn more and start working for designers.

LAG:. How long was the program?

L’leta: I did this in 2 years part-time, because I was also working 5 days a week for more experience in fashion.

LAG: What inspired you to include LA Gear in your show?

L’leta: A friend of mine gave me some original old school L.A. Gears and I fell in love with them immediately. They reminded me of the sneakers I had when I was a little girl. And when I started my final year I knew I did not want my models to wear high heels, I wanted L.A. Gears! My collection was inspired by the 80′s, for summer 2010, and when I saw the new collection I decided to contact the company, because you never know who is wiling to help you out, and L.A. Gear did. I’m still grateful.

LAG: Can you describe the graduation thesis show event?

L’leta: The the title of my concept was “Growing Up”. I did some research and I found out that women get shaped between their twenties and thirties, these years make you who you are as a person. But why does society decide that you are an “adult” when you are 21?  Grown Ups Are Obsolete was the catchphrase in my conceptbook, because who says that you have to grow up anyway?

LAG: Was the reaction to your designs all you’d hoped for?

L’leta: Yes, people really liked my collection, because it really stood out from the rest. I  used a lot of jersey fabrics, and every design stood for a different part of life . My goal is to get people to wonder how I put something together, and it worked. I also got an offer to design a t-shirt.

LAG: Now what?

L’leta: I’m going on a vacation for 3 weeks! Finally no homework! haha. But I really would like to start my own label, that is one of my biggest dreams. But in these times it will be difficult to find a sponsor. So I am going to get my drivers license and start a course photography. I want to keep learning.

Designer: L’leta van Gom/ SugaRush
Styling: L’leta van Gom
Cameraperson: Robbert Jollie
Director: L’leta van Gom/Robbert Jollie
Editor: Robbert Jollie
Music: Hot Chip & Jessy Rose – “Don’t forget my name”
Models: Zulema van Gom, Lindsay Adams, Roswitha, Amy Shisano & Anna Bonkowska

SHOP HERE for the Flame High!

The event was held on May 13 at Pink Taco in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, during the 50th Anniversary CLIO Awards http://www.clioawards.com/, one of the world’s most prestigious international advertising and design competitions honoring creative excellence and innovation in the industry.

In honor of the monumental 50th Anniversary of the CLIOs, the 3-day festival featured decade-
themed award shows, and Barry Manilow received an Honorary CLIO Award for his production of some of the most famous advertising jingles of all time for companies such as State Farm, Band-Aid, Tab and Stridex. Manilow also performed a live onstage medley of his 1970s advertising jingles.

As guests enjoyed margaritas and tacos, Kristy Thomley, Managing Director of Raging Artists, raffled off a pair of limited edition Stardust womens sneakers from LA Gear (Stardust Kid Lollipop in light grey). The mixer was a great precursor to the evening’s gala festivities, and added one more very happy winner to the festival roster.

SHOP STARDUST HERE
http://www.sportiela.com/lagear/stardust.html

Cavaretta ran in honor of his close friend and Emerson College fraternity brother Jon Goss. A cancer survivor, Goss was undergoing treatment at the time Cavaretta decided to participate in the marathon.

To raise money for Team in Training and increase sponsorships for the marathon, Cavaretta
held an event where he raffled off a host of prizes, including Red Sox tickets, a Beatles-themed cruise in Boston Harbor, a weekend stay at the Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit, Maine, and a pair of LA Gear sneakers from the newly relaunched Unstoppable line.

About Team in Training
Over the past 20 years, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training® (TNT) – http://www.teamintraining.org/ – has grown to become an unparalleled sports training program.  More than 389,000 participants, from first timers to seasoned athletes, have trained with the Team and achieved their best at marathons, half marathons, triathlons, 100-mile century bike rides and hiking adventures.

From McCartney to Morrissey and My Bloody Valentine, from Franz Ferdinand to Fleet
Foxes, and Beirut to the Black Keys, there was no shortage of great music and one-of-akind performances at Coachella’s 2009 fest in Indio, CA.

What we did find, was that no matter how big the draw, from sun-up to sundown, people stopped in their tracks to get a look at the LA Gear Mini. We were
there for the music like everyone else, but our wheels definitely made an impression! Learning from our experience at WMC last month, the Mini was packed with hats (and shirts) so no one went away “empty-headed.”

“I’m not in marketing per se, but I roll with SLAM for the ‘good tines,’ as we call ‘em,” says film editor Justin Trovato of Cosmo Street Editorial, who provided pics of the event (thanks, Justice!), “What I thought was amazing was people’s reactions to
LA Gear – it’s not just one person, it’s everybody. It was really cool.”

Check back frequently with LaGearNews.com to see where we end up next!

More pictures below…

———————————–Coachella 2009 Picture Album——————————-

Click picture for larger image…

This time of year, the weather in Miami is perfect – just the right mix of soothing sunshine and ocean breeze. You see a pretty healthy cross-section of flip flops and sneakers on South Beach, and as someone who grew up here, I can tell you that sneakers win out in this town most of the time.

So what better way to contribute to the atmosphere than to share some LA Gear love with fellow partygoers? Hitting virtually every GOOD party on
the circuit, our KAJs & MVPs got noticed… We had to take our hats off (and give them to) our friends from Thrillist and Y.E.L.P., and fortunately we’d brought extras – which now, too, are out there in the world, a sweet reminder of good times had, good friends made, and more of both to come.

While we did give one friend the shoes off our feet (you look so much better now, Goldini!), we also used this opportunity to inaugurate our new LA Gear Feedbackers program. It’s something SLAM started a while back, and it allows us to get a sense of what people think of a brand. We handpick a few people whose taste and enthusiasm are in sync with the brand, and we send them a pair of shoes.

Simple, right? Our people on the street, so to speak, wear the sneaks every day for a month, and let us know how they like

‘em. And, importantly, they share the feedback they’re getting from friends, acquaintances, and strangers alike. So LA Gear Feedbackers from Miami, and you know who you are, go to our ONLINE STORE right now,
and pick out a pair in your preferred size and style, and get in touch. If you’re one of the chosen few, you know how to reach us. And we’ll send the LA Gear direct to you for Feedbacking. Ok, time to stop writing – it’s 75 degrees here in LA, and somehow, I’m still missing Miami…