Brazilian-American professional skateboarder Leticia Bufoni is constantly pushing the limits of the craft. From winning six X Games gold medals to grinding a handrail 9000 feet in the air. Now, Bufoni is carving the concrete and asphalt on the "Rip Surf" by Razor. This looks like the best life- fun, or as Bufoni writes, quoting Bob Marley, "My richness is life." In this clip of Sonosuke Yoshimi, the carving made possible by the Razor takes on new dimensions on the proverbial concrete wave.
Gimmicks have never not been part of US capitalism – some may even argue that capitalism is a gimmick. The late legendary professional skateboarder and historian Jeff Grosso delved into the myriad of gimmicks in skateboarding in this 2012 episode of his epic series, "Loveletters to Skateboarding."
I would admittedly buy this gimmick.
It is worth noting that the iconic 1980s urban streetwear brand JIMMY'Z, founded by Jim Ganzer in 1984, already anticipated this innovation in this advertisement, "Surf. Skate. Relate." Skate steampunk.
Printed on page ninety-four of the October 1987 issue of Thrasher Magazine, the image depicts someone (Dave Duncan perhaps?) carving an asphalt schoolyard embankment on a surfboard that must have wheels as the pose of intense balance, and the angle of the shot and movement, cannot be imitated or mimicked. Obviously, perhaps, this is pre-AI.
Known for the provocative and innovative advertisements and endorsements by Jack Nicholas, Cindy Crawford, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, JIMMY'Z design fame was the EZ-IN and EZ-OUT velcro closures on pants and shorts (not a gimmick according to Grosso). JIMMY'Z was too cool for school, and hella expensive without a booster. The most stylish skaters of the time were on the team, including Natas Kaupas, Christian Hosoi, Eric Dressen, Tommy Guerrero, Steve Caballero, Dave Duncan and others. Ganzer sold the brand to Ocean Pacific, which was eventually transformed and then axed by Aeropostale in 2009. JIMMY'Z was revived in 2011 by Blake Harrington.
Check out this recent JIMMY'Z collaboration with Palace, with photos shot by the brilliant and quietly talented Jerry Hsu.
