"Paint'em All" is a regular event held by KEN THE FLAT TOP , who is known in Japan as the leading painter in this field.

Not only fixed gear bikes purchased at BROTURES, but also your important items will become one-of-a-kind treasures. As part of the store's planning, we held an event where you can experience American custom culture, which is something I personally have a strong attachment to. This was held last weekend at BROTURES Harajuku.

Once again, we were delighted to see everyone enjoying their various orders, including bikes, helmets, leather bags, sunglasses, headphones, and more.

So, first of all, I thought I'd take this opportunity to touch on the question , "What are pinstripes?"

This artwork is generally made using a brush and enamel paint to draw long, thin, beautiful lines, and its history began nearly a century ago, when it was popular as a decoration for horse-drawn carriages. In the 1950s, as automobiles began to be mass-produced, people began applying pinstripes to their cars in pursuit of originality. In other words, it is a technique that was established as an art form more than 70 years ago.

The most famous artists in the early days of the band were "Big Daddy" Ed Roth, the creator of Rat Fink, who was imagined as Mickey's father, and Von Dutch, who is famous for his flying eyeball that everyone has seen at least once.

This is a legend that cannot be left out when talking about Kustom Culture, and Ken himself was introduced to Ed Roth's work at a Mooneyes event in the 1980s, and that's when he started pinstriping. I'm so jealous that he got to see his work in person and meet him!

It's a truly thought-provoking story to think that this wonderful encounter led Ken to pinstriping and that now we are able to experience that world.

As I just mentioned, pinstripes have a long history, so I felt that many artists were pursuing traditional techniques. However, when I talk to Ken, I get the feeling that he is always searching for something new, and no matter how selfish my order, he always exceeds my imagination. In an old article, he said that his pinstripes are a new school, and we, his customers, are also completely fascinated by them. Ken is such a wonderful artist.

Well, that was a long introduction, so I'd like to give you some details about the event.

First up is a fixed gear bike. Ken again took on a variety of requests.

My GORI also had it painted on his 735TR. LEADER frames are thick and simple, so this kind of artwork really fits in. If anyone would like to do it again, please let me know as soon as possible!

And the goldfish design at the bottom. GOLD FISH is one of Ken's specialties. It's so powerful that it feels like they're swimming right in front of you. By changing the thickness and color of each line, it has a three-dimensional effect that makes it hard to believe it was made with lines alone. The shirt you can see casually in the photo is a SUN SURF aloha shirt designed by Ken. The customer was wearing it perfectly!

This item was released at a different event, but I'm really happy about it. Thank you as always!

This time, there were orders not only for the frame, but also for parts. I even had a line painted on the inside of the rim in the same color as the frame!

At first I thought customizing a bike was boring because it just involves combining existing items, but by adding custom paint you can create something unique that's totally your own.

Fixed gear bikes are free! Since we advocate that, we don't want to compromise in order to create the bike of your dreams. We've put aside our theory-driven brains somewhere. We'd like to cooperate with you with various ideas, so please feel free to make any requests!

Next, we will introduce some orders other than bicycles. This time, too, we learned a lot from the many unique items brought in.

Our staff members Rene and Gori went for sunglasses. I had no idea you could paint on such delicate parts! This is an essential item for riding in the coming season. It's great to dress up your bike to match its color. I'm jealous.

The leather bag is black and gold. I'm looking forward to the leather that will develop a unique character with use, and the pinstripes that will develop a unique character with wear.

Finally, the motorcycle. This time too, the helmet and exterior parts were burned to the max.

The staff at BROTURES Harajuku love anything they can ride besides fixed gear bikes. They especially love two-wheeled vehicles. Other staff members ride old American bikes and vintage British bikes. I met Ken-san because we both rode bikes. All of our staff have a lot of knowledge and we are confident that we can entertain you with stories about customization. You don't have to be too enthusiastic about buying a fixed gear bike, so let's talk about all sorts of things.

The event was a huge success and the two days passed.

According to Ken, the next event will be held in about 4 months. The most fun part is thinking about what to order. For those who were unable to attend this time, I hope you will come back next time to experience this world and enjoy it.

Above all, it's rare to have the opportunity to experience live custom painting by an artist who is widely recognized as one of the best in the world.

See you again at the next Paint'em All!