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Lincoln Center - Nike World Basketball Festival

THE 2023 NIKE WORLD BASKETBALL FESTIVAL AT LINCOLN CENTER

New York City, the epicenter of basketball‘s cultural legacy, played host to a spectacular celebration of the sport at the 2023 Nike World Basketball Festival. Held at Lincoln Center on the weekend of September 15th and 16th, this event was both a two-day tournament and an art exhibition. Competing were eighty of the best high school basketball players, with equal representation from both girls and boys, traveling from twenty-three different states and three countries.

One of the standout artistic contributions was a centrally-showcased sculpture of oxidized steel created by the renowned New York Sunshine artist, John Margaritis — winner of THE DESIGN PRIZE 2021 in the category of ‘distribution.’

Dickies - Sun Dyed In Texas Installation

New York Sunshine has teamed up with workwear brand Dickies to launch a limited-edition apparel collection titled ‘SUN DYED IN TEXAS’. The newly unveiled series is the second portion of the collaboration between the famed apparel company and the New York-based art collective. The first portion was completed during the summer of 2021, when two temporary physical installations were set on a private piece of land within the arid landscape of Marfa. The project, which was constructed in June and demolished in September, featured a house-shaped sculpture and a billboard reading ‘JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE’. Both pieces were wrapped in Dickies blue twill cloth, which progressively lost its original appearance due to the sun and weather conditions. This altered fabric was used to create the expansive fashion line which includes pants, jackets, vests, shirts, socks, headwear, and more.

The ‘SUN DYED IN TEXAS’ project was awarded THE DESIGN PRIZE 2021 in the category of ‘distribution’, with founder John Margaritis receiving the golden madonnina trophy in an intimate ceremony with members of his studio, friends, and family.

The expansive fashion line which includes pants, jackets, vests, shirts, socks, headwear, and more - all images courtesy of New York Sunshine header video: the world premiere of ‘Sun Dyed in Texas’ by New York Sunshine™ and the INSTALL TEAM® in Association with Williamson and Dickies MFG.

The sun-dyed material was removed from the installations and repurposed to produce the limited-edition garment collection. Each piece is labeled and numbered to showcase its rarity, as no two pieces are exactly alike. The second iteration of the collaboration presents an apparel line that is strongly influenced by the art installations and creative process in Marfa. This expansive collection includes pants, jackets, vests, shirts, socks, headwear, and more.

‘Dickies represents quality, spirit and agelessness within their clothing, allowing me the creative freedom to fuse fashion, art, architecture and retail seamlessly into one, creating this unique and exclusive ‘Sun-Dyed in Texas’ collection,’ says Margaritis, founder of New York Sunshine (see more here).

‘Dickies has always been about more than clothing; we’re about celebrating communities of individuals and makers who put their passion and love into their creations. With ‘Sun-Dyed in Texas’ we can simultaneously honor our Texas roots, the hard work that went into the installation and the craftsmanship of the upcycled collection – honoring those who made the brand what it is today, people like John and his family,’ says Sarah Crockett, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Dickies (see more here).

Virgil Abloh x Nike “The Ten” Space NYC

Virgil Abloh "Office Hours" Joint mentorship during an incubator program giving back to 15 select creators. A workshop, conversation and building session.

The Ten is a collaborative exploration of 10 Nike footwear silhouettes from OFF-WHITE founder Virgil Abloh.

Virgil Abloh’s relationship to Nike began long before he first visited the company’s world headquarters in October 2016 to start a new collaboration. As a teenager, living in Rockford, Illinois, he and his friends sketched shoe ideas and mailed them to Nike. “We were enamored with Air Jordans,” says Abloh, who is now 36 and based between Milan and Chicago. “Michael Jordan was larger than life—he was Superman to me. My entire design background and ethos came from the ‘90s.”

Eric Emanuel, East Hampton

Store design, build and installation for the Eric Emanuel, East Hampton location.

RUN

A short film by John Margaritis. Made in support of the 19' collection "American Dream".

Hoop Dreams

Artist john margaritis blends basketball with the beach for his ‘hoop dreams’ project — an otherworldly collection of images where waves wash over backboards and chain link nets.

What starts as an often risky, middle-of-the-night endeavor to quickly weigh down a basketball hoop underwater results in a surreal series of photos where oceans intersect inexplicably isolated hoops. as a result of this ongoing project, margaritis — a basketball player and surfer from new york — can no longer see a hoop without also imagining the ocean and waves during miami art week 2016, the artist enacted one of these live installations at night — this time dragging a basketball hoop into the ocean and sinking it off the coast of south beach. while visiting his ‘water box’ installation at the VLONE pop-up in wynwood, margaritis told designboom about his then-secret plans, described the possible risks of his exposure and even suggested we assist…

This latest installation was eventually a successful adventure, following some initial difficulties avoiding detection in previous days. upon waking up in the morning, miami beach-goers were surprised and perplexed by a full-scale basketball hoop unnaturally situated in middle of the ocean.

These physical installations are weighed down beneath the waves with several heavy sandbags and separated from the shoreline — an outcome which forms an unusual juxtaposition between the serenity of the sea and the free-standing sports equipment. overcome by the raw and rough nature of the ocean, the twenty-one square foot rectangular backboards are presented in dreamy and dynamic compositions that meld two otherwise disparate worlds.

Design boom

Headline: Art sculpture and design for Eric Emanuel's flagship NYC location. Greene Street, Soho

New York Sunshine — the ever-evolving art and design project shaped by the vision of multidisciplinary artist john margaritis — has set a ‘1 ton flower’ within the window display at eric emanuel’s new retail space in soho, new york. the 19 foot tall, site-specific artwork takes shape as an oversized bouquet of faceted basketball hoops, with five pink-hued hoops growing from a weathered steel stem. set within a mirrored, jewel-box-like vitrine designed by japanese architects wonderwall in 2004, the 3,000+ pound piece was no easy feat to install — ‘it was like building a ship in a glass bottle,’ margaritis told designboom at an advance viewing of the space. all elements were cut into individual pieces in order to fit through the enclosed display’s crawl space entrance, which is only about 2 x 2 feet. Both inspired and challenged by the boundaries of the narrow and extremely delicate window display case (10 x 10 x 20 feet), the new york sunshine team developed 52 individually handmade pieces using steel, aluminum, and high gloss body paint that carefully fit together once inside. the angular floral shape that the basketball backboards playfully take on came as a result of the extremely small dimensions that the pieces had to fit through — a happy accident that the artist drew aesthetic influence from.

High Tide

miami art week 2016: despite it being winter, the ‘high tide’ installation presented in miami’s wynwood arts district emits a distinctly warm and beachy vibe. 130 feet of wavy wooden shelving displays an edition of 300 hand-dyed indigo shirts, each numbered as an edition of art, which gradually become deeper, darker blue as visitors immerse themselves within the space. 

New York Sunshine started as John Margaritis’ side project to make some extra summer cash, joined by a crew of friends sharing similar passions — in particular all things new york. the brand has grown from hand-silk-screening shirts and selling them damp and sandy out of the back of a surf van into one that sells across the united states, as well as paris and japan. the entire 700 square foot miami space is transformed for ‘high tide’, with a lifeguard stand welcoming visitors at the entrance, shirts transitioning from white to deep blue hung on shelves running parallel on both walls, and a floor covered in sand topped by a boardwalk down the center. the installation gives viewers an opportunity to feel as margaritis does at the shoreline: entering the ocean, and moving deeper in.

‘this project has allowed me to take myself back to the beginning,’ margaritis said. ‘I started out doing everything by hand, and, as the brand grew, I wasn’t able to do that anymore. when I first began conceiving of high tide, the one thing I was most excited about was getting very hands on again. each shirt was individually hand-dyed and the shelves hand- made in a studio in new york.’

‘high tide’ is based on a photograph of a basketball hoop in the ocean from margaritis’ 2014 ‘hoop dreams’ series. the installation aims to make the visitors feel as if they can stand on the shoreline, safe and calm. when moving deeper into the installation, the swells grow and the spectrum of blue intensifies, representing moving away from that safety and giving up control. there is an intensity and unpredictable danger that is unique to the ocean, and ‘high tide’ is margaritis’ interpretation of that intensity, his lens for you to view it through. you can move at your own pace. you decide how deep you submerge. swim at your own risk.

Budweiser Collection, Season 1

The collaboration, which highlights Budweiser’s renowned iconography as well as New York Sunshine’s Install Team and Hardwood Fishing Team labels, arrives with five pieces that merge the distinctive styles of both brands. Among the range, the Budweiser Invitational Long-Sleeve emblazons a red-tinged image of a school of fish under its iconic “King of Beers” phrase; and, in a similar fashion, the King of Beers Fishing Team T-Shirt smacks a stunning swordfish emblem over the aforementioned slogan.

Nike Hardware

New York Sunshine has crafted a bespoke take on Nike’s iconic Air Force 1 dubbed the “Install Team AF2.0.” Helmed by John Margaritis, New York Sunshine is known for its industrial-geared products, and that construction-ready ethos is apparent on this two-pack of Forces.

Arriving in white and black and limited to 125 pairs globally, each style features seven custom silver nut-and-bolt hardware pieces that are held in place above the laces by an additional raised leather eyelet. This extra piece is presented in tonal fashion on the black pair and ridged with yellow or orange trim on the white pair. Each anchor is emblazoned with a basketball graphic, another recurring theme spotted in Sunshine’s work. The special detailing doesn’t end there, as both styles also feature a custom tongue patch. The detailed wooden box pictured above is exclusive to friends & family pairs — the rest will arrive in a plain AF1 box.

Miami Design District

New York Sunshine design, built and installed Eric Emanuel's Miami flagship location.

Golden Goose "Labor Of Love"

An installation during Venice Biennale of Architecture 2018. Creative direction for the 7-part short film series for the brands first global campaign titled "Labor Of Love".

Install Team

Product from 23'

HYPEBEAST Issue 21

50 custom concrete editions for the launch of issue 21. 7 page feature exploring the brands history and vision for the future. 8 piece sticker set insert for magazine.

The 21st issue of HYPEBEAST Magazine was released back in late March and has already hit participating stockists since then. However, the celebrated Renaissance Issue is making its return as a special limited-edition drop. In collaboration with creative collective New York Sunshine — who is also featured in the issue — the exclusive restock sees the mag encased in blue concrete. The eye-catching product was first shown to the public during Issue 21’s launch event in New York.

The collector’s item is our most ambitious one yet and each piece is unique to individual molds, scratches and blemishes. In the event that you do break the mold to get to the mag, you’ll be treated with stories that take a closer look at creatives such as JJJJound, BROCKHAMPTON, Places+Faces and our cover feature, artist Reginald Sylvester.

Vogue

Headline: These Are the Guys Behind Some of the Coolest Fashion-Meets-Art Exhibitions in Recent Memory

Virgil Abloh likely recognized that from the beginning; he discovered New York Sunshine on his own via Instagram. He tapped them to art direct his Off-White x Vlone campaign last year, which featured a basketball hoop floating in the ocean, a concept from the trio’s 2014 Hoop Dreams photography series. Off-White fans who’ve shopped in its Soho store turned gallery will also understand how Abloh’s vision overlaps with Sunshine’s. “To have people I’ve always wanted to work with reaching out to us on Instagram—that’s been huge,” Margaritis says. “When I started out, I was sort of off collabs, but now I think it’s so important to work with like-minded people who are doing something you find interesting.”

Repent Or Perish

The sequel to the 19' short film RUN.

Nike Air Max Day

UNKNWN in Miami is joining the Air Max Day festivities with a special installation. The sneaker retailer has partnered with New York Sunshine to develop the UNKNWN Install Team. The project honors Nike’s Air Max technology with numerous cement encased tanks that’ll house the Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 in water.

The eye-catching install takes place in Wynwood, the center of Miami’s art district and will feature clues directing onlookers to an online raffle where they can enter for a chance to cop the highly anticipated sneaker. In addition, UNKNWN and New YorkSunshine have released collaborative UNKNWN Install Team t-shirts for $60 USD available in-store and online. You can also take a look at New York Sunshine’s full INSTALL TEAM Collection.

Hardwood Fishing Team

The fishing department of New York Sunshine. An ongoing collection available while in season.

Othelo Gervacio for New York Sunshine

Graphics developed in collaboration by John Margaritis and Othelo Gervacio for the Spring/Summer collection Silver Sunshine 18'.

American Dream

A 23-piece collection that embodies the spirit of local business hometown, and blue-collar work. Taking aim at American culture and molding the collection’s overarching theme I need a miracle, the graphic-heavy set alludes to the divide between the city and rural America.

Jumpman Thermal

Part of the 23' collection.

Soho, Greene Street

Custom store design and build for Eric Emanuel's flagship NYC location.

Colette Paris

Airball, a presentation of works and 8-piece collection to support the gallery show.

"If you have visited colette in recent days, you must have probably noticed photos mixing ocean and basketball hoop. This exhibition, born from the imagination of John Margaritis, is the result of the fusion of his two passions, surfing and basketball. Two apparently incompatible hobbies that the New Yorker was able to combine in photography and ready-to-wear, through his New York Sunshine boutique. Interview with an eternal child, inspired by the wave and the hoop."

The Water Box Series

During miami art week, new york-based artist john margaritis installed a series of sculptural tanks that contained buoyant basketballs calmly floating within heavy rectangular volumes. presented inside the ‘art basel pop-up shop’ for streetwear brand VLONE in the city’s wynwood district, the installation comprised a carefully calculated system of pipes and tanks that created the right balance between fluid and pressure within the vessel. as the system monitored the pressure of liquid within the concrete forms, the balls remained buoyant and slowly meandered across the larger-than-life sized tanks.

Margaritis and his team at new york sunshine used a high-definition red camera to produce a video of them in the act of shooting one of the tanks. in slow motion, we first see the basketballs slowly moving across the liquid-filled volume, while an operatic tune plays in the background. without warning, the glass façade of one of the tanks shatters and a flood of liquid pours out from within the void. waves of water crash down on the floor and surge across the concrete, while the basketball sculptures rush out of the tank with the tide. 

Philadelphia 76'ers

Dickies latest collaboration celebrates the return of normalcy in at least one part of American culture: sports.

The heritage workwear brand teamed with streetwear label New York Sunshine and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers on a capsule collection that merges utility, art and fan gear, just as the 2019-2020 NBA season begins.

The five-piece collection includes Dickies’ Icon products updated to include a streetwear twist, including red coveralls, a short-sleeve button-down work shirt in black, white painter’s pants, and long-sleeve tees. Each garment features custom Dickies x 76ers x New York Sunshine-branded artwork. The collection retails for $72-$200.

“I viewed the collaboration as if I were part of the maintenance team and was a die-hard fan of the 76ers,” said John Margaritis, creative director of New York Sunshine. “I wanted to create something that would represent and shine a spotlight on everyone working on the ground level—custodians, ushers, food vendors, equipment managers, etc. Dickies and I started a conversation a while back, and when I began working on the designs, I knew they could offer the perfect canvas for the vision I was trying to create.”

As part of the “76ers Crossover” program, each purchase supports Philadelphia-based Urban Affairs Coalition, a local organization that helps improve quality of life in the region, build wealth in urban communities and solve emerging issues.

Design Boom

CAUTION! demolition meets design in Miami's Wynwood District.

Demolition meets design in miami’s wynwood district as new york-based artist john margaritis — creator of the art, fashion, and design studio new york sunshine — presents CAUTION! for miami art week 2017the installation is the latest development of a piece in a signature design pieces made especially for the store last year, which hosts the streetwear brand brainchild of A$AP bari.

Drawing directly from previous incarnations, margaritis has repurposed concrete tanks once filled with floating basketballs for his ‘water box series‘, presented during miami art week in 2016 before being destroyed in what designboom believed to be the final instalment in the project. in the year before, margaritis’ presentation was similarly monumental, installing 130 feet of wavy wooden shelving to display an edition of 300 hand-dyed indigo shirts, each numbered as an edition of art.

Now the studio reveals an additional phase to the ‘water box’ series, repurposing the concrete forms to create CAUTION!. in doing so, the structures — which were originally built in-situ using wooden frames and hand-pouring structural reinforced concrete (weighing in at 7,000 pounds) — have all been been moved and placed by hand, using wooden wedges, steel pipes, crowbars, pinch bars, pry bars, and 6×6 wooden ties.

Duryeas

Permanent sculpture at the restaurants Montauk location. Seasonal Summer collection available online.

The American Red Cross

Over 250 bags of blood donated and over 500 potential lives saved.

The American Red Cross has launched a new program titled Drop for Drop in partnership with Eric Emanuel, New York Sunshine and Warren Lotas. The new pro-bono program was created to combat blood supply shortage by enlisting a new generation of blood donors.

By enlisting the three designers, the initiative is offering custom, limited-edition designs to participants of its upcoming blood drives in New York City and Los Angeles. Featuring, Emanuel’s signature mesh shorts, a t-shirt from New York Sunshine and a graphic t-shirt from Lotas, all of the exclusive merchandise is being offered for free for donors. Appearing in shades of red, white and black, each item connects the respective brand’s signature design with imagery in support of blood donation.

Kurt Scooby - Wrecking Crew

Creative direction for wardrobe and merchandise collection for the #13 super lightweight in the world. Current streak 13-0

VLONE

In miami’s wynwood district, new york-based artist john margaritis has installed a series of five sculptural tanks each containing buoyant basketballs that calmly float within heavy rectangular volumes. situated inside the ‘art basel pop-up shop’ for VLONE — the streetwear brand brainchild of A$AP bari — the artwork forms part of margaritis’ ‘water box’ series, first presented in new york and now re-imagined for miami art week 2016. each of the boxes has been built in-situ and by hand using wooden frames and hand-poured structural reinforced concrete. 

A carefully calculated system of pipes connects each concrete tank to a network of tubes placed behind the back wall. this complex structure is constantly maintained throughout the course of the exhibition in order to create the right balance between fluid and pressure within the vessel. margaritis — founder of clothing brand and creative studio new york sunshine — has infilled each of the basketballs with antifreeze. the fluid, with its properties heavy than water, sinks the orbs slightly within the tank. as the system of pipes monitors the pressure of liquid within the concrete forms, the balls remain buoyant and slowly meander throughout the larger-than-life sized tanks.

New York Sunshine’s installation has been created especially for VLONE’s wynwood miami pop-up shop this year. on the building’s façade, a mural recently completed by australian artist pauly bonomelli is illustrated in VLONE’s signature orange and black colors and highlights the word ‘FRIENDS’ — a theme seen across sweatshirts and tees on sale inside.

Last year, during miami art week 2015, margaritis installed 130 feet of wavy wooden shelving displaying an edition of 300 hand-dyed indigo shirts, each numbered as an edition of art. located right next door to the new installation for VLONE, ‘high tide’ gradually becomes a deeper, darker blue as visitors immerse themselves within the space. 

Ape Drums Tour Merchandise

Tour merchandise made for Ape Drums of Major Lazer.

Ivy League Hawaiian Lava Tree Tropical Inn

For this program we had students from all across the country send in their collegiate hoodies. Once received we hand placed and printed flowers across the schools name to create unique 1-of-1 pieces.

Bodega

Custom speaker system for Bodgea party in Boston.

One Ton Tank

New York Sunshine’s latest lookbook is an immersive experience — literally. With a collection entitled “Head Above Water,” the lookbook was shot in collaboration with John Margaritis’ “One Ton Tank” art sculpture. The stunning piece was created for the model to interact with. Filled with water, the tank allowed the clothes to be submerged and experienced in a novel way. “One Ton Tank” is a 4,000-pound handcrafted sculpture that weighs over 7,000 pounds when filled with water. Margaritis created the structure using three glass panels and poured structural reinforced concrete. The “Head Above Water” collection is available at the New York Sunshine Surf Club store and online, while the “One Ton Tank” will be on display at the store until the end of August.

SNS

Palm tree basketball hoop sculpture made by New York Sunshine for the new SNS store in Venice Beach.

STEMS Gallery Presentation

American artists Cali Thornhill DeWitt and New York Sunshine‘s John Margaritishave teamed up for a joint exhibition at STEMS Gallery in Brussels. The exhibit mixes DeWitt’s “Going to California” works with pieces from the “Caution” exhibition by New York Sunshine.

Announcing the exhibition, DeWitt said that “Going to California” was about how he viewed his hometown of L.A. as “the most haunted city in the world. Haunted by unsatisfied desire.” This influence is apparent in mixed-media works about fame and the “death of Hollywood.” The works from Margaritis include a series of images of burning basketball hoops and the “HANDLE WITH CARE” series of states in steel and blown glass. Take a look around the exhibition above.

Silver Sunshine - Bio Hazard

Store design and collection. Custom water filtration system which filtered the same water throughout an entire season. Chemistry lab. Collaborative designs alongside Othello Garvacio.

UNKNWN

Co-founded by lebron james, jaron kanfer, and frankie walker jr., UNKNWN is a miami-based retail destination and culture creator within the worlds of arts, fashion, sports, and music. on the occasion of miami art week 2019, the company has opened a new 10,000 square-feet store designed by new york sunshine’s john margaritis located in the vibrant wynwood district.

Boasting an industrial vibe that resonates with miami’s wynwood district, visitors are welcomed by a margaritis-designed water feature made of basketball goals, copper and water. the sumptuous piece features two inverted hoops opposed to each other that are reflected by a water mirror under them. around it, a concrete seating area invites people to unwind and take a break from retail by uncluttering the space from merchandise. adjacent to the center piece, brand visuals are projected on a live-plant wall highlighting and showcasing new arrivals, exclusive collections and key product drops.

Another key feature of the space is the custom-designed concrete shelving system displaying a total of 175 footwear releases from an edit of world-class brands. bespoke LED-lit shelves suspended from the ceiling and 20-custom dyed shelving fixtures and displays complete the original look.

‘for the UNKNWN store I wanted to create a community environment where you can look through shoes, play basketball and experience being part of wynwood,’ john margaritis told designboom at the opening event of the store in miami. ‘it was not about bringing something new into the community but rather being part of it.’

The design by john margaritis pays homage to basketball — a shared passion of the three co-founders who met as young men in akron, ohio — by centering the space around an open-air, sunset-inspired functional court and multi-use courtyard space. complete with hoops, the basketball courtyard features a characteristic color scheme comprised of bold blue hues and white baselines. lined with gardens, the court also features 200+ feet of mural wall space that will be constantly changing for different art creations. basketball games, concerts, and screenings are just a few of the activities that will take place here. 

‘I’m excited about this new space because every inch and every detail is dedicated to bringing people together,’ comments lebron james. ‘from the basketball court that will host community events to featuring custom collaborations and celebrating local art, this location is all about fusing fashion, sport, culture and community. this innovative and engaging space takes not only the UNKNWN brand, but also the brick-and-mortar retail concept, to a whole new level.’

Office Magazine

Headline: Golden Goose x New York Sunshine

Today, Italian sneaker brand Golden Goose Deluxe Brand teams up with Hamptons-based art collective New York Sunshine to launch their brand new shoe: The Stardan. 

Rather than just launching the sneaker, though, the collaboration spawned an experience, a complete "summary of streetwear from a Venetian point of view." In their video entitled 'Sezione Aurea,' meaning "golden ratio," GGDB find a diamond in the rough then break it down, in true brand fashion. American culture worn down, and redefined. 

"The original GGDB sneakers' signature star has four tips, so the guys thought about creating footage where they hammered off one tip—visually recreating the symbol." On the collaboration with NY Sunshine, they told us, "We believe there is luxury in their rough install footage, and we fell for their way of elevating the most simple artisanal actions into a form of disruptive art."

Water Box
HYPEBEAST

Headline: Meet the Man Behind A$AP Bari's VLONE Art Installations. Artist John Margaritis on working with A$AP Bari, creative processes and early influence

With all eyes set on Miami this past weekend, we caught up with John Margaritis — talented multidisciplinary artist and creative director of New York Sunshine — as he touches upon his recent works displayed at Art Basel.

AnOther

Headline: How New York Sunshine is Navigating the Intersection of Art and Fashion

Straddling several creative fields simultaneously is not a simple task – but when executed successfully, the results can be spellbinding. Introducing New York Sunshine, an art collective which has found a seamless way to combine fashion, art, architecture and retail, to create multi-sensory, multi-faceted experiences for all those who visit them. The brand was founded by John Margaritis, who started out making T-shirts in high-school – and the rest, as they say, is New York history.

More recently: the collective art directed Virgil Abloh’s Off-White X Vlone campaign, creating a basketball hoop which floated in the ocean, based on their Hoop Dreams photography series. The team has also produced some ambitious projects, such as One Ton Tank, for which it filled a giant 7,000 pound cement tank with water, before staging a performance which saw a full clothed artist submerged within it.

Architectural Digest

Headline: Get the First Look at LeBron James’s New Wynwood Store UNKNWN’s new Miami flagship is a work of art complete with a basketball court

UNKNWN recruited designer John Margaritis of New York Sunshine to envision the store, and Margaritis was thrilled by the opportunity because the founders were so willing to think outside the box. “Retail is super boring right now,” he says. “There are plenty of prestigious multi-brand sport-and-street-inspired stores across the world all carrying the same brands. But we wanted to make UNKNWN a must-see destination.” The outdoor courtyard is surrounded by 70-by-20-foot walls that will initially feature a sunset mural by Margaritis himself, and 20-foot-tall live palm trees.

Inside the store, raw, industrial materials like metal, concrete, and glass are juxtaposed with more whimsical, zen elements like a plant wall and a reflection pond. “Right in the middle of the store are suspended upside-down copper basketball hoops with water running down into a pond below,” Margaritis says. “The chain-link net is welded upside down, but when you look into the reflection pond, the hoop is right side up. The pond creates a mirror effect while at the same time evoking a calm tranquility.” The installation’s presence provides a “break from retail” for shoppers, he says. “It’s important to me that when you’re in the store, you don’t ever feel like product is being pushed on you.”

Vogue Italia

Headline: Golden Goose Deluxe Brand collabora con i New York Sunshine alla Biennale di Venezia 18'

In occasione della Biennale di Architettura di Venezia 2018, Golden Goose Deluxe Brand e i New York Sunshine hanno collaborato per annunciare il lancio di una nuova sneakers attraverso una serie di sette performance ambientate nell'iconica laguna veneta.

Il modus operandi del collettivo New York Sunshine vuole raccontare "la vita" delle loro istallazioni artistiche, che dopo essere state realizzate vengono sempre distrutte a simboleggiare il processo vitale dell'opera, dalla "nascita" alla "morte".

Broken Time

Miami Art Basel 19.

Caution

Demolition meets design in miami’s wynwood district as new york-based artist john margaritis — creator of the art, fashion, and design studio new york sunshine — presents CAUTION! for miami art week 2017the installation is the latest development of a piece in a signature design pieces made especially for the store last year, which hosts the streetwear brand brainchild of A$AP bari.

Drawing directly from previous incarnations, margaritis has repurposed concrete tanks once filled with floating basketballs for his ‘water box series‘, presented during miami art week in 2016 before being destroyed in what designboom believed to be the final instalment in the project. in the year before, margaritis’ presentation was similarly monumental, installing 130 feet of wavy wooden shelving to display an edition of 300 hand-dyed indigo shirts, each numbered as an edition of art.

Now the studio reveals an additional phase to the ‘water box’ series, repurposing the concrete forms to create CAUTION!. in doing so, the structures — which were originally built in-situ using wooden frames and hand-pouring structural reinforced concrete (weighing in at 7,000 pounds) — have all been been moved and placed by hand, using wooden wedges, steel pipes, crowbars, pinch bars, pry bars, and 6×6 wooden ties.

Mirroring the rough and raw quality of the brand’s aesthetic, margaritis continues in building on the foundations that make up their preferred palette of materials. earlier on this year, when the new york sunshine brand opened its summer pop-up shop in southampton, the studio unveiled the purpose designed ‘foundation chair’, made from formed concrete, triple laminated tempered glass, and welded steel.

As well as the chair also being on display, the exhibit pays homage to the brand’s other works such as ‘hoop dreams‘ – a series of photographs capturing basketball hoops unnaturally situated in the ocean, and ‘walking on water‘ – an installation featuring a mirrored-cube, and the illusion of a human figure moving on top of it.

Complex

Headline: Best Style Releases This Week: New York Sunshine x Dickies, Supreme x Antihero, Pharrell x CPFM, and More

To help celebrate Dickies’ 100th anniversary, the label has collaborated with New York Sunshine on a brand new capsule collection. Titled “Sun Dyed in Texas,” select pieces like workwear jackets and pants were crafted using the weathered twill fabric that was recycled from previous art installations that were exhibited for six months in the desert of Marfa, Texas. Each is individually numbered and no two pieces are exactly the same due to the sun dyed nature of the material. Rounding out the capsule are western-inspired graphics T-shirts and hoodies, denim overalls, hickory-striped accessories, and summery floral button-ups. A standout item is the workwear vest that features a sublimated image of a cowboy riding a bucking bronco in the streets of New York City to represent the home of each brand.

Stab

Headline: A brand we love - New York Sunshine

Sunshine HQ, the ‘Surf Club,’ is situated in Southampton (Yes, one of the Hamptons), and the boys redecorate every season to complement their latest line. “This summer it’s beach vibes. Sand on the floor, wavy shelves, beach grass in the planter out front, and a video of waves breaking on the back wall at night,” says Sunshine. This is the brand’s fourth collection, with simple and consistent prints, clean lines, and just the right amount of NY branding. The NYS lookbook’s an ode to the aesthetic of the brand, and Sunshine places premium importance on its ability to communicate his visions.

Sun Dyed In Texas - Campaign Video

Campaign video for the Dickies Sun Dyed in Texas campaign

Design Boom

Headline: New York Sunshine receives The Design Prize 2021. Category ‘Distribution’ for Sun Dyed In Texas

John margaritis, founder of new york sunshine and winner of THE DESIGN PRIZE 2021 in the category of ‘distribution’, received the golden madonnina trophy in new york. sunshine was awarded THE DESIGN PRIZE for ‘SUN DYED IN TEXAS’, a project created with US apparel company dickies and installed on a private ground in marfa’s desert landscape. the project, which was built in june and taken down in september 2021, featured a house-shaped sculptural piece and a billboard that read ‘just another day in paradise’. both were covered in dickies blue twill fabric, whose appearance was gradually altered due to the sun and weather conditions. the fabric will be upcycled into a new york sunshine and dickies clothing collaboration that will launch this year, while the wood will be reused for the pop-up stores to support the collaboration.

Designboom met with new york sunshine to deliver the award in an intimate ceremony with members of his studio, friends and family. in the video linked, john margaritis receives THE DESIGN PRIZE 2021 golden madonnina, and talks about the ‘SUN DYED IN TEXAS’ installation and clothing collaboration with dickies, his hands-on approach and plans for the future.

PURPLE

Headline: PURPLE premieres "Church of Merchy" By Golden Goose Deluxe Brand and New York Sunshine

Purple presents an exclusive preview of Golden Goose Deluxe Brand's video installation “Church of Mercy”, the first chapter of their seven-part “Labor Of Love” series created in collaboration with artist collective New York Sunshine.

Filmed at the occasion of the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2018, the project explores the brand's heritage and roots and coincides with the launch of their STARDAN sneakers:

“NYS makes art that is part of life, that should be lived, used and abused, not contemplated. We fully embrace their point of view. Fashion, for us, matters as a part of life. This is why we let the New York Sunshine's performances collide with the launch of STARDAN sneakers, our homage to American basketball and craftsmanship.”

Walking On Water Part I

john margaritis — a multidisciplinary artist and founder of new york sunshine — is no stranger to using water and the sea in his projects. last year we saw how he installed a basketball hoop in the middle of the ocean. now he presents us with ‘walking on water’, an installation that also served as the photographic set for his latest t-shirt line ‘paradise kinda’, inspired in 90’s surf.

Featuring a mirrored-cube, ‘walking on water’ by new york sunshine adds another layer to the water, creating an illusion of a human figure moving on top of it. referencing, or not, to one of jesus’ miracles, the installation does allude to the phrase widely used referring to an extraordinary task.

‘it took three attempts over two months to get it right, which is why it’s coming later that our line,’ comments john margaritis. ‘we had to work with the waves, wind, and weather to produce there images. the first two attempts ended with the mirrored cube drifting away after being smashed by waves.’

‘after that we had to go back to the drawing board,’ continues margaritis. ‘we reinforced the cube to the base, hammered in what it felt like 1,000 nails, added 400lbs of sandbags to the base and clear grip to the top of the cube to keep the model from sliding and anchor the installation in place for long enough to photograph.’

The result are soft-hued photographs that give out the illusion of sometimes walking on water. other times you can see how the powerful waves push even the strongest model out of balance, but still they are all surrounded by a calm feeling, by a connection between humans and nature.

Walking On Water Part II

The artwork of multidisciplinary artist John Margaritis ties directly into his t-shirt label, New York Sunshine. His work is often used as part of the lookbooks for the label — last year submerging his models in a water tank. This past month, New York Sunshine released a lookbook for its latest collection, featuring an installation that allowed his models to stand above the open ocean. Inspired by 90’s surfing, the inspiration behind this season references miracles of biblical proportions, and show the calm connection between man and nature. The shoot took over 2 months and underwent multiple design changes after his installations ended drifting up away.

Paradise Kinda

A video to accompany the collection.

Design Boom

CAUTION! demolition meets design in Miami's Wynwood District.

Demolition meets design in miami’s wynwood district as new york-based artist john margaritis — creator of the art, fashion, and design studio new york sunshine — presents CAUTION! for miami art week 2017the installation is the latest development of a piece in a signature design pieces made especially for the store last year, which hosts the streetwear brand brainchild of A$AP bari.

Drawing directly from previous incarnations, margaritis has repurposed concrete tanks once filled with floating basketballs for his ‘water box series‘, presented during miami art week in 2016 before being destroyed in what designboom believed to be the final instalment in the project. in the year before, margaritis’ presentation was similarly monumental, installing 130 feet of wavy wooden shelving to display an edition of 300 hand-dyed indigo shirts, each numbered as an edition of art.

Now the studio reveals an additional phase to the ‘water box’ series, repurposing the concrete forms to create CAUTION!. in doing so, the structures — which were originally built in-situ using wooden frames and hand-pouring structural reinforced concrete (weighing in at 7,000 pounds) — have all been been moved and placed by hand, using wooden wedges, steel pipes, crowbars, pinch bars, pry bars, and 6×6 wooden ties.

NYS Skate Team

A sculpture that allowed our riders to further blur the lines between the worlds of skate and basketball.

Common Practice. Basketball and Contemporary Art

Skira Art Books recently unveiled a new illustrated publication that explores the relationship between basketball and contemporary art. Entitled Common Practice, the comprehensive tome shed lights on over a century of artwork from over 200 leading artists including Nina Chanel Abney, John Margaritis, Emma Amos, Romare Bearden, Salvador Dalí, Elaine de Kooning, Keith Haring, David Hammons, KAWS and more.

Common Practice is the first illustrated publication to analyze this overlap between art and sport. “This book argues that the need to rehearse, discover and explore through the act of doing makes these two very different ideas of perfecting one’s craft very similar,” as per a description.

The book features statements by visual artist Carlos Rolón who is best known for his interdisciplinary practice that explores themes of craft, ritual, beauty, spirituality and identity. Also included in the book are writings by Dan Peterson who is the founder of Project Backboard — a non-profit organization dedicated to renovating basketball courts and improving public spaces statewide.

Pigalle x New York Sunshine. NBA All Star Weekend - Los Angeles

The launch of the collaboration between Veniceball and Pigalle, Thursday at General Admission, was accompanied by a photo art show by Nick Ansom, New York Sunshine and Asphalt Chronicles and a painted pop-up court in the parking lot thanks to Project Backboard.

Saturday on the Venice beach main court Evolve Basketball App facilitated a youth shooting clinic with the Lethal Shooter, H2O, and the legend NBA legend Lucius Allen. The Pac 12 Hall of Famer and NBA Champion gave a speech about the importance of fundamentals and practice. The young ballers got valuable lessons from the trainers who work with the likes of Kevin Durant amongst other NBA players. The day ended with an epic open run with Big Doxx and Big Wave on the wheels setting the vibe for intense on court action.

Foundation Chair

New York Sunshine — the art, fashion, and design brand led by john margaritis — has opened its summer pop-up shop in the coastal, long island town of southampton. with this season’s clothing collection drawing from aggressive 1990s surf style, the interior of the space has been conceived as a site of structural and architectural intensity. mirroring the rough and raw quality of the brand’s aesthetic this season, margaritis designed ‘the foundation chair’ and a series of concrete shelves to populate the subterranean retail space.

The new york sunshine southampton pop-up incorporates raw materials and rough textures to follow the clothing collection’s aggressive aesthetic. shelves containing various merchandise — from sweatshirts to hats — are made from formed, reinforced concrete. suspended from the ceiling by thick steel chains, each shelf weighs a whopping 300 pounds. similarly, ‘the foundation chair’ is made from formed concrete, triple laminated tempered glass, and welded steel, weighing about 450 pounds when assembled. the intensity of the furniture, and the monumentality of materials used, align with the brand’s bold creative culture. 

Fish Bowl

Early conceptual work. Didn't really do anything with this. No fish were harmed in the making of this video.

© New York Sunshine Design INC. 2024