East Meets West With This Cool Skateboard Launch

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Southern California is unequivocally the birthplace of skate culture, and with so many different types of people converging on a trend, there's an amazing wellspring of creative energy waited to be tapped to offer up a traditional spin on a modern phenomenon. That's exactly what Santa Monica-based art and lifestyle brand Eclectic Decks is seeking to do by launching a series of collections that takes time-honored prints and patterns and merges them with the classic wooden skateboard.

Founder Leila Nazarian is California born and bred, but spent time in Iran and Paris, and it's her passion for travel, cultural diplomacy, and the beach that all influence the brand. Every skateboard is handmade in Southern California, with the prints and patterns sourced from artists around the world. Granted, the new lineup of Persian-printed wooden decks looks too delicate to be anything other than art, but Eclectic Decks assures us that the boards are indeed road-ready, should you be willing to test them (the line currently consists of six patterns, with each board costing $149).

Meet Leila, celebrate LA skate culture, and join the Decks crew in launching this first collection at Kreation Organic Juicery on Saturday from 6 to 9pm, with plenty of complimentary tapas and treats from Kreation on hand at the event and no RSVP required.