The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » todd oldham

Prim I am, Pin Contest & Vérité Catering

joshuakatcher — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:41:07 +0000

• Fine, sustainable spring fashions for you to ponder today from the Danish line Prim I Am : • Whoa! NYC's most impressive catering comany - Vérité Catering - is giving up to 69%-Off Private Cooking Lessons or Catering on Gilt City. Gilt in invite only, so click here for your invite and cash in on this for your next party or for your own cooking skills!

Explore the simple and elegantly delectable power of gourmet vegan cuisine with Vérité Catering. No lying: you’ll never have experienced all-vegan food this good before. — Laura Vogel, Gilt City Editor

• Hey Artists and designers who "don't hate animals" (that's you!), enter this cool anti-fur pin art contest and get your work seen by Todd Oldham and Marc Bouwer! PINNACLE: Reinvent The Icon and Busy Beaver Button Co. have teamed up to award one lucky artist with 100 pins in their awesome design (which will be all the rage) and a feature story on the PINNACLE website. Everyone who enters gets a secret code for 10% off the purchase of their pin production from Busy Beaver Button Co so we can ALL make rad anti-fur pins!

Fashion Week!

joshuakatcher — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:48:21 +0000

Fashion Week has descended upon New York City, once again, and the designers are showcasing their upcoming collections for the Autumn/Winter 2012 season. Dressed in my recycled-poly three-piece suit, organic cotton shirt, Organ cotton and recycled poly coat with organic faux-shearling, and diverted-waste-denim bow tie from C-Pas - and my shiny NOVACAS boots and Matt & Nat bag, I headed out to Lincoln center to check out a few of the runway shows, and also to distribute copies of PINNACLE: Reinvent The Icon Mag. To end the night, I headed to the Stella McCartney Flagship Store in Chelsea where PETA was throwing their fashion week bash. Ethical fashion gurus John Bartlett, Marc Bouwer, Tim Gunn, Todd Oldham and a slew of other animal-loving fashion pros and VIP guests descended upon the store to snack on decadent vegan mini-cakes from Blossom and listen to Lady Bunny spinning the tunes as celebs Taraji P. Henson, Olivia Munn, Stephanie Pratt, Joan Jett, Fred Schnider of the B52's, and other beautiful people inside and out watched on as they chatted and plotted the trouncing of the merciless fur industry. I was also happy to run into Leanne of Vaute Couture in her fun vintage hat and knit top made from soy-bean farming waste (hello, alternative to wool!) and Dani from StyleLikeU.com, on the prowl for people with closets and stories to swoon over.

New Matt & Nat, Israel to Ban Fur, Pussies Eat Meat & Sparrow Media

joshuakatcher — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:37:54 +0000

Matt & Nat has unleashed it's new website, along with a pretty rad spring/summer collection of vegan bags lined with 21 recycled bottled turned into faux-suede. If you're in the NYC area, you can grab the men's bags at Alter. Phoenix Briefcase, Black $239.00, Kronos Bag, Black $175.00, Fujiya Bag, Black $170.00, at ALTER I am stoked about my tough-guy pal John Joseph's (Cro-Mags front man, Ironman Triathlete, all-around vegan badass) new book that does not beat around the bush (ha...) about meat and its affect on the earth, our health, and animals. Yes, the title is controversial. Feel free to rant about it in the comments section. Or just pre-order your copy. Meat is For Pussies: The how-to guide for dudes who want to get fit, kick ass, and take names (Crush Publishing, 2010). "In Meat is for Pussies, John Joseph makes sure you never look at meat the same way. After painting a sickening picture of how things really are, John outlines a plan for a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. Do you want to continue living like a pussy, or are you ready to take back control of your life? It's your call." Sparrow Media recently did an exclusive, in-depth interview with Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart (Vaute Couture). Sparrow Media's work is pretty amazing in general, so we recommend checking it, and all their stuff out! Big-ups to Discerning Brute Andy Stepanian for spearheading so many cool and important projects. The new film "Skin Trade", by Shannon Keith (Behind the Mask) has been released and is shocking audiences across the country. Gary Smith writes an excellent review of the documentary over at Elephant Journal. The film features Rory Freedman, John Feldmann, Todd Oldham, Alexandra Paul, James Cromwell, Jorja Fox, Peter Young, Joshua Katcher, Matt Rossell, Ingrid Newkirk and Dennis Kucinich. “Skin Trade” covers the fur industry like no other film has ever done – from the history of the fur trade to consumer fraud to the environmental toll of tanneries to truth-in-labeling legislation... systematically debunks the most common myths around fur, such as warmth, fashion, and the Canadian Fur Council’s laughable “Fur is Green” campaign. Speaking of fur... will Israel be the first country to ban fur, all together? Michal Lewin-Epstein's article on Huffington Post: "Ninety-five percent of Israel's textile products are imported from China and real furred items are occasionally mislabeled as fake fur, deceiving both the retailers and the consumers. A survey, commissioned by the International Anti-Fur Coalition and Let the Animals Live, conducted immediately after the February 2009 media investigation, showed that 86% of Israelis believe killing animals for fur is immoral. Moreover, nearly 80% back a bill calling for ban of fur trade in Israel. This media exposure and public support, together with the long-standing joint efforts of the International Anti-Fur Coalition and the Israeli organization Let the Animals Live, recently pressured Israeli Members of Knesset to endorse a law that would limit or eliminate the fur trade in Israel." Read the FULL ARTICLE.

Would You Be Mine?

joshuakatcher — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:41:35 +0000

Last year I did a Vday crafts segment with the legendary design king, Todd Oldham. Remember? DBTV Valetine Special: TODD OLDHAM HEARTS YOU Here's the recipe for the vegan chocolate cake!

Here's some more romantic ideas and yummy treats to try (we'll take any excuse to eat chocolate):

Order now and get your heart in time for Valentines Day. The Farm Sanctuary logo chocolate heart was created by Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates. Sponsor a Farm Sanctuary or Woodstock FAS animal and share your Valentine’s Day spirit with one of these sweet animals. Bluestocking Bonbons are perfect for the sweethearts in your life--particularly the lovely women you're sweet on, since each one celebrates an inspirational woman. Sweet & Sara, who was recently featured on Food Network's 'Unwrapped' has some Vegan Marshmallow Hearts dipped in organic chocolate. Three-inch hearts, hand-cut and hand-dipped ... for that special someone. Get 20% off with the code FN20! Don't forget to set the mood with some naughty Vday candle scents! Or support a cause with the purchase of a candle. See the Valentines Gift Ideas pages over at Vegan Essentials, The Vegan Store, and Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe.

DBTV Valentine Special: TODD OLDHAM HEARTS YOU

TheDiscerningBrute — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:06:07 +0000

Don't be jealous! Ever since I watched a green-haired Todd Oldham on "House of Style" back in the nineties, I knew that I had to get crafty with him one day. So, with Valentine's Day around the corner, Todd and I got together at his downtown NYC studio to show you how to make some heart-shaped gifts that come from the heart. We both agree that this holiday is all about affordable, DIY craftiness. From his features in ReadyMade & Dwell, to crafting Amy Sedaris' interactive vaginal diagram on the Chelsea Lately Show, and with a line of vases for FTD, a classic menswear-inspired carpet collection, and design book series called Place Space, Todd is a royal of the creative world. To top that, he is a photographer, filmmaker, interior designer, fashion designer, and can see through walls ...well, maybe not the last part. Mr. Oldham is no stranger to being ethically handsome, either. A vegetarian and environmentalist, he has worked with Peta on undercover investigations, encouraged the sales of plantable oak trees through FTD, and even raised money for the NRDC. He continues to find innovative ways to use eco-friendly, recyclable, and animal-friendly materials (from soy based inks, to un-coated, recycled cardboard) in his products, and one thing we agree on is that having mainstream skills along with aspirations for environmentalism, animal rights, and social justice, is a recipe for making change from the inside.

Chocolate Heart Cake

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: • Two 9" heart-shaped baking pan • 3 cups organic all-purpose flour • 2 cups organic, unrefined sugar • 1.5 cups organic cocoa • 2 tsp aluminum-free Baking Powder • 1.5 tsp Baking Soda • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 cup organic coconut oil • 1/4 cup organic canola oil • 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening • 1/2 cup prepared egg-replacer (Energie or Brand) • 1 Tbs vanilla • 2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk) • 2 cups cold coffee • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips Icing • 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening • 1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted) • 1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other non-hydrogenated margarine) • 4 cups organic powdered sugar • 2 teaspoons vanilla • 1/4 cup soy creamer (for pink, add 1/8 cup beet juice or 3 drops of red veg-based food coloring) Marzipan • 1 cup marzipan • Natural veg-based food coloring • Small cookie cutters CAKE DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375º, and coat your pan with non-stick cooking spray or canola oil. 2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. 3. In a separate bowl (or using a mixer) beat the coconut oil, canola oil, shortening, egg replacer, and vanilla until fluffy. 4. Pour the coffee and almond milk onto the dry mix, then add the whipped oil and egg-replacer, and stir in the chocolate chips until the mixture is smooth. 5. Bake for about 30 minutes (or until edges pull away from sides of pan). FROSTING DIRECTIONS 1. Beat the shortening, coconut oil, and margarine until smooth. 2. slowly add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. 3. Finally, add vanilla and soy-creamer and beat for about 5 minutes until fluffy. *Once cakes have cooled, take out of pan. If storing prior to decoration, line pan with wax-paper, then put cakes back in tins. SEE VIDEO FOR DECORATING INSTRUCTIONS!

Heart of Flowers

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: • 20 carnations • heart-shaped pan (at least 2" deep) • 2 - 4 bricks of floral foam • water • scissors DIRECTIONS See Video (above)

Wu Hoo! Vday Vid with Todd Oldham & Pizza Crust for the Gods

TheDiscerningBrute — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:20:13 +0000

We love Todd Oldham, that crafty, veg, designer-genius! He'll be featured in an EXCLUSIVE DB Video in the coming days! We'll school you on some Valentines Day awesomeness, and talk about really macho stuff... So stay tuned! Wu Hoo! for us. Boo Hoo, for Jason Wu. According to Womens Wear Daily (WWD Issue 02/03/2009 ) Jason Wu, who we blogged about the other day, has decided to put his nasty fur collection on hold. An anonymous DB source linked Tim Gunn (Project Runway), who is very anti-fur, to being Jason Wu's teacher at Parsons. Maybe he inked a letter? Or it could have been the huge uproar, the thousands of letters we wrote, and the realization that if you're going to dress our liberal, animal-loving First Lady - your next move should probably not be an economically short-sighted horror-show of cruelty, supposed 'luxury', and excess.

After Michelle Obama sported a Jason Wu gown for the inaugural balls, the designer has been basking in all the attention. The overnight fame has made him shift gears slightly. Wu was scheduled to launch a fur collection with Sara Furs for fall but, according to him, it’s been put on the back burner until further notice. “As a result of increased interest and demand from our global retailers, we’ve decided to put our fur license on hold and concentrate on our growing ready-to-wear business,” Wu said.- (WWD Issue 02/03/2009 )

One-fourth of their menu is vegan. 100% of it is vegetarian. This, of course, is incidental - but I'm not complaining. There are only four things on the menu, after all. The vegan "Marinara" pie is simply: San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, fresh garlic, fresh basil, sea salt. Definitely go check it out. but the magic is in the painstaking dough process, involving yeast that dates back 2000 years! You'll believe it when you taste it. "Who in the their right mind would spend $20 on a personal pizza?" You ask. Well, I was skeptical at first, until my friend Jodi convinced me to bite the bullet and bite into the most amazing pasta per pizza I've had in my life. At Una Pizza Napoletana in NYC's East Village - you'll find the art of Neapolitan pizza most excellently executed. If you are a lover of artisan pizza, this is it's chapel. Plus, the owner, Anthony, has got some sick tatts.