It’s a happy coincidence that the men behind L.A. based True Love and False Idols share the same name. If it weren’t for that association, one might lean towards pairing the two in something other than their actual situation as founding partners — something like a cagefight, perhaps. Alex Vaz and Alex “2tone” come from two very distinct, very separate realms: hardcore punk/metal and rap. With alternate backgrounds in areas as varied as Fashion Design and Tattoo Art, its no surprise that the boys of TLFI generally incorporate several elements into each of their unique designs. However, what is surprising is how well those elements manage to work together; a characteristic personified not only by the success of Alex and Alex as a team, but also in the hugely diverse list of personalities that TLFI can count as fans.

Yep, from TV on the Radio to Chuck Liddell , TLFI’s been doing some serious time on the backs of high-profilers. And because this “premium streetwear” thing’s been blowing up in our faces for quite awhile now, we decided it would be a good time to chat with the two Alex’s about what exactly it is that’s helped propel their barely two year old brand into to the spotlight. Read on for a exclusive peak into the pleasantly diverse — yet beautifully aligned — minds behind TLFI, streetwear’s rising star.

JoshSpear.com: True Love and False Idols is a rather ironic name for a line based in appearance-obsessed Southern California. How did this pairing of words come to be?

Alex 1: I wanted to call it True Love and Alex 2 wanted to call it False Idols, so we combined them. I wanted to call it True Love because I feel like everyone is searching for that one True Love in life and my work would be it for me so far.

Alex 2: The honest answer: Alex 1 wanted to call the line True Love, and I wanted to call it False Idols. There you go. I might be the more cynical of the pair, hence the “False Idols” half.

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“Our designs aren’t for everyone — and luckily for you, they’re not!”

So states the mission statement of San Francisco home furnishing company
Onley Make Believe, whose gorgeous pillows have been making me dreamy-eyed ever since I first browsed their deceivingly simple site. Founded by Gerard Onley, a one-time fashion student, the primarily-pillow company has been churning out “Elegant Pillows Which Look Good Enough to Wear” for over ten years. Finding Onley’s eye for fashion is not too challenging in the extraordinary pillows (a skill which is reflected in the workmanship and beauty of each offering), and each collection is marked by decidedly distinct design sensibilities. Some are modern, some are quirky, and some are abstract- but all of Onley Make Believe’s pillows offer the kind of quality that makes for a lasting favorite.

In a land where it’s not so out of the ordinary for businesses to close up shop at 2 in the afternoon so that everyone can make it home in time to see their country’s team play the World Cup, international soccer brand Umbro is putting a spotlight in Brazil on a special collection of sports knits called Black Leopards developed specifically to benefit a social cause aimed at stylish soccer fans and in turn, they hope, beyond. The namesake of the line refers to the famous soccer club in South Africa located in the poor Limpopo area, a region with 25% of its population infected with HIV, according to Umbro’s press material. Proceeds from the sales of the smart-looking track jackets, sweat wrist bands and more (girls’ goodies include a hoodie) go to non-profits in Limpopo. Pity for us though, the line is available only at one store in Porto Alegre, one of Brazil’s largest cities, in a true-to-every-letter exclusive. The limited-edition angle to this is strategic: Umbro’s marketing department picked Porto Alegre, with its wealthier, European-descendent population and supremely fashion-conscious nature (supermodel Gisele Bundchen came from there), to build the bandwagon for others to jump on.

We’re big fans of the Yanko Design blog around here. And rightfully so. They have a habit of consistently featuring some of the most attractive and innovative designs that we’ve seen. Check out previous posts here, here and…oh yeah, here.

Well here’s — no, right here’s — another. The Self Standing Umbrella, which I absolutely love for three reasons. One, it has nothing to do with Rihanna (I feel dirty just typing her name for the sake of that joke). Two, it’s pretty. And three, what a freaking great idea! How many times have you leaned your umbrella up against the wall for a second only to have it slide to the floor because the pointy tip of the umbrella has no traction? It makes a loud noise, you get the floor wet…all sorts of bad things happen. Well, not with the Self Standing Umbrella. Hironao Tsuboi at 100%, I salute you.

Sneaker Pimps Los Angeles happened on August third — totally wish I could’ve been there. “Powered by” Vibe magazine and featuring a whole bunch of hip-hop acts that are probably a lot more fun to see live than to listen to on your headphones, Sneaker Pimps is also “the worlds largest touring sneaker show.” We’re talking 1,000 kicks, none of which you can pick up at your local Footlocker.

Just to make us all jealous, artist Stephen Spyropoulos sent us some images of his creation for the show. It’s a pair of stark white leather shoes with petrified laces that spell “Hot Tamales,” the project’s sponsor. I’m not sure how I’d feel about walking around with those laces, but the shoes…I know exactly how I feel about them. And by the way, we’ve already told you a bit about Sneaker Pimps’ stop in Shanghai this year, and now we’re talking about LA. Here’s the upcoming schedule so you can see the greatest shoe on earth when it hits your town.

There’s certain people in my life who would be virtually impossible to get into a dress shirt. They are the kind of guys who’d turn up in a tuxedo shirt, blazer and checkered Vans to a wedding, and would rather be building something out of metal and brawn or performing some sort of bizarro homemade tattoo ritual instead of acting getting all swanked-out for a night out on the town. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, or anything. I’m sure if those guys were into cufflinks (or, if they had any idea how how girls think guys are who wear french-cuffed shirts), they’d be totally dig these Phillips Head Cufflinks, submitted to our design showcase by our reader, Katina. For her trouble, she’ll be rocking this slick Sea Thief tee from our friends at Bent Air. Want some free stuff? Join us and Kohler at the Design Showcase and submit your latest discoveries.

A couple of months ago, the Balmuda Design Floater for notebook computers made a rampant run across the design blogs. Undoubtedly, it’s a beautifully designed, functional piece that’s been well thought out. But at $305 for a notebook stand, who’s really in a rush to buy one?

A company called Power Support makes its own cooling stand of similar design, made to hold a notebook upright and out of the way. While it lacks some of the finer touches such as the cable cutouts and the curved edges, it also costs considerably less than Balmuda’s piece, at $40.

Now I appreciate well-designed stuff (yes, that is a technical term) as much as the next guy. I’ll gladly spend a little extra for good design when I can afford to, even if it means saving for a while longer. In this case though, can anyone really justify paying seven times more for the extra thought that went into Balmuda’s piece rather than Power Support’s stand? Where does “good design” shoot itself in the foot by pricing itself beyond the competition? And just how far are you willing to stretch yourself to bring high-end design into your life? Tell us in the comments, because it’s Talk Shop Friday.

The last time we wrote about Sao Paulo’s toy artspace and store Plastik was when we profiled their Munny show, but right now they’re fresh into a new exhibition entitled Evoke that attracted so many people to the opening they spilled onto the street in front of the store. Evoke refers to the name of the Brazilian sunglasses company, which gave out dozens of their shades to a handful of the country’s urban artists and let them loose. One of my favorite graff artists, Boleta (whose work I pass every day on the way to the subway) turned in work featuring his trademark colorful swirls, while others painted scenes, like a burning church and Jesus by exhibition curator Stephan Doitschinoff, and a dude and parrot on headphones by Binho Barreto. These works prove that not everyone sees life through just rose-colored lenses!

For anyone still insisting rap is dead, you may want to send Del tha Funkee Homosapien the memo. The rapper has been slinging rhymes for 16 years, starting out as part of his cousin Ice Cube's background band and later rising to recognition with Hieroglyphics and hip hop super group Deltron 3030. Also having collaborated with the Gorillaz on the songs “Clint Eastwood” and “Rock the House,” Del is clearly still at the top of his game. Currently touring, The AP's Douglas Haddow caught up with him for an interview. A few topics covered are: his upcoming projects, including a sequel to Deltron 3030 (the original being a concept album set in the year 3030) and Del's thoughts on technology and its place in the future which is, basically: we’re screwed. Even if you're not a huge fan, I still suggest checking it out for the highly expletive, f-bomb laden quotes and a cameo by a Beedi blunt.