Cool Hunting

The Pyramids of Makkum
For years, Royal Tichelaar Makkum, the Netherlands' longest extant company, has quietly mounted the most impressive displays of ceramic ware during the Milan Furniture Fair and this year is no exception. Two years ago, they released a hugely successful collection of biscuit ware with Studio Job; last year they launched a unique office collection with Dick van Hoff, which turned the ornamental into the...

De Grisogono Meccanico dG
Contrary to its appearance, the Meccanico dG has no digital components. Below the more conventional analog portion of the two-timezone watch is a numerical display driven by the intricate interplay of 651 strictly mechanical components. Numbers are formed by the motion of 23 cams, which are connected to gears and a synchronization system. To prove it, the watch's back features a transparent dial plate...

Leslie Shershow Jewelry
Boston-area metalsmith and jewelry designer Leslie Shershow finds inspiration in topics as disparate as found objects, stuffed animals, and the exploitation of nature by humans. Despite the wide array of subject matter, her collections share a refined ruggedness and a rough-hewn beauty. Our favorite collection is her Alaska Series, with its antlers, rifles, bear heads and horns. Selections from the Alaska Series have recently...

S. Stein Workbags
Our recent post about Heath's picnic set introduced us to the rugged good looks and quality craftsmanship of S. Stein Workbags. Designer Sherry Stein, with several of her own lines and years at places like Nike and the Gap under her belt, took a cue from the utility of Doctor's leather bags, bricklayer's canvas bags, military surplus and toolbelts to come up with a...

Four Creatives, One Studio: Kate Hurst, Elle Kramer, Fiona McGee and Matt Weston
Studios can often act as hubs for creativity, but what happens when you share a small space with four equally creative and artistic people? CH spent a day at the shared Sydney studio space of fashion designer Kate Hurst, jewelery designer Elke Kramer, filmmaker Fiona McGee and Matt Weston, also a jewelry designer, spying on the daily activities of some of Australia's most successful...

Ma Ke: Wu Yong collection
Finding some CH subjects recently nominated for the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year award in London was exciting, but several of the other 100 projects were equally inspiring. There were many new discoveries and we thought you'd enjoy seeing some of our favorites. First up is the extraordinary Chinese fashion designer Ma Ke who is nominated for her "Wu Yong" collection, which launched...