Cool Hunting

Converse by John Varvatos Spring 2009
From the casual distressing of the Slip-On Chucks to Crazy Laces and its 19 eyelets, Converse's ongoing collaboration with designer John Varvatos is all about the details that speak to the common rock 'n' roll ethos shared by the two brands. Now seven seasons into it, the latest collection features a few impressive examples in both apparel and footwear of just how committed the...

Illustrator Justin Gabbard
I'd been trying to figure out who the illustrator was who had done a few of the beautiful pieces for this year's Kiehl's holiday display for awhile when I was serendipitously pointed toward a certain rep's website to check out some of their illustrators. I discovered it was Justin Gabbard. Score! Since finally coming upon Gabbard's site, I've been back more than a few times...

Mühlbauer Campaigns
Among felt molds, colorful ribbons and other bits of visual stimuli found at the Viennese workshop of Mühlbauer, the family-owned hat-makers that goes back three generations, I was particularly taken by the ad campaigns lining the halls. Spanning the decades with smart depictions of stylish women wearing hats, the colors, compositions and aesthetics of the vintage ads are like a walk through a history...

Pepsi Max Dying Calorie Campaign
Creating quite the advertising controversy, Düsseldorf-based agency BBDO has accomplished their goal of "creating the world's most compelling content" with their recent campaign for Pepsi Max, Pepsi's new one-calorie soda. Working off the idea that one is the loneliest number, BBDO created a series of cartoon drawings showing the lone calorie taking its life. (Click on the image for an enlarged version). While the campaign...