Andre Agassi Tennis Racket

by Letizia Rossi

In honor of Andre Agassi's retirement from professional tennis we would love to see the racket Damian O’Sullivan designed three years ago for HEAD Sport AG bearing Agassi's face finally go into production. A fitting tribute to the eight time Grand Slam title winner whose 21 years in professional tennis made him one of the most well internationally respected and loved athletes. Even if the racket isn't produced, it would be nice if the portrait stenciled on the strings made its way to market.

via MoCo Loco

Candrian Bell Handmade Leather nano Case

by Josh Rubin

While in Portland, OR recently we found this lasered leather iPod nano case handmade by Thomas Bell and Natalie Candrian. The couple are both product designers at Nike and formed Candrian Bell to establish "an emotional connection with the consumer through the use of premium materials, innovative product details and flawless functionality." The case is made from thin, supple leather which means the scroll wheel is fully operational and it has a clear plastic screen protector to prevent scratching. By combining traditional craftsmanship and new technology they've created a handsome yet modern case that should wear in beautifully like a favorite pair of shoes.

$40, sold exclusively at Blake.

Air Conditioner cover by Leslie Fry

by Letizia Rossi

With summer coming to an end the issue of storing and concealing ugly air conditioners is once again a challenge. We love the air conditioner cover by Leslie Fry which was featured in the September issue of Dwell and seen on Apartment Therapy and MoCo Loco.

Made from plaster reliefs of gourmet cookie packaging, the sculpture is inspired by the same philosophy as Fry's larger site-specific pieces: "My task is visually translating icons and symbols that have historical, utilitarian, or personal significance for a given environment into site-specific artwork. And since in this case the site was my own habitat, the by-products of my cookie habit became the design solution." Leslie is now taking custom orders for these AC covers online .

Nau

by Evan Orensten

Nau is the tipping point for Eco-Luxury. It means “welcome” to the Maori in New Zealand, but it also means welcome to a whole new way of designing, manufacturing and selling product—the socially responsible way.

We stopped by their LEED Gold certified offices/studio in Portland, OR to hear what they were up to, get a sneak peak at the gear and learn about about their mission to change nearly everything about the way performance clothing is created and sold.

Founded by accomplished adventurer Eric Reynolds in 2005 and run by a fast-growing group of 35 industry professionals (with pedigrees from companies including Nike, Patagonia, The North Face, Starbucks, Limited Brands and Adidas) who are seizing the opportunity to change the status quo, the team aspires “To do well by doing good.”

Technical outdoor clothing and casual sportswear are at the core of Nau’s product range—including underwear, base layers, fleece insulation, soft and hard shell pants and jackets—in fabrics made from recycled materials like soda bottles, 100% organic cotton, 100% wool, and most importantly biopolymer fabrics such as PLA, an incredibly versatile synthetic fiber made from corn. While this gear performs as well as the rest of the high-end performance market, it’s how it looks that sets it apart. The lines are clean, the colors subdued, the details and tailoring impeccable, and the style meant to endure the comings and goings of fashion trends (think classics by (early) Prada Sport and Jil Sander).

We saw production samples from the first and second deliveries and were really impressed. They're not ready to fully unveil the line, but here are a few details showing the good looking, weather appropriate seam treatments; flat buttons that are comfortable under bag straps; and almost architectural inside details featuring laser cut holes and heat taped seams.

The design team makes use of their long-term relationships with fabric manufacturers by pushing them to the limits of technology, fabrication and skill to create and increase demand for new kinds of sustainable materials. They ensure that Nau products are made in factories that agree to social and environmental audits by a third party, package them in sustainable and renewable materials, and are even recyclable and biodegradable after their usable life is over.

You won’t see Nau products at your neighborhood sports store or big box retailer. Though they aim to sell nearly all of their items online (to decrease costs, reduce their carbon imprint and centralize their operations), they are pioneering a new kind of retail presence they call a Webfront. It is a store, and you can purchase clothing there and take it home with you. The goal, however, is to let you experience the gear and the brand, and to make your selections and place your order online at one of the nau.com kiosks in the store or when you get back to your browser or choice. To encourage you to make your purchases online, Nau will reduce their retail prices by ten percent. They figure that the more people buy in the store, the larger the space, staff and storage they need. All of these costs go back to the customer, so by keeping costs down they can afford to reduce the price of items sold online. The first four Webfronts are scheduled to open sometime in spring 2007 and will likely be in Portland, Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco, and like their office will be designed to be as green as possible given their location. Nau is working with Skylab Design Group and Green Building Services to develop their Webfronts.

The Nau way includes another gesture. They have decided to contribute 5% of their sales to national/regional/local social and environmental organizations. When you make your purchase you will be asked which organization you would like 5% of your sale to go to, engaging you in the process (and perhaps in the benefit) of charitable giving.

From their ambigram logo to their passion for beauty, performance and sustainability, their innovative business model, surprisingly reasonable prices and their desire to do good (and have fun while doing so), we’re expecting great things from Nau on.

Check out Nau.com (designed by Blast Radius) for their blog and growing content. Their first product season will be available online starting in January 2007, but stay tuned to CH for photos of the line before then.

Kate Bingaman: Hey, Hot Shot!

by Letizia Rossi

Artist and graphic design professor Kate Bingaman first caught our eye with her charming line drawings of her credit card statements, which are available from her website Obsessive Consumption each for the amount of that particular statement's minimum balance. The site which showcases Bingaman's love/hate relationship with consumer culture launched in early 2003 and includes drawings of all of her purchases from 22 January 2002 to 22 April 2004.

Bingaman was recently selected as one of ten winners of the Hey, Hot Shot! showcase, an ongoing series of exhibitions of emerging photographers, selected by a panel of influential photography industry insiders including Caterina Fake, Co-Founder of Flickr. The gallery will host a reception for the 2006 winners tomorrow, 6 September 2006 at the Jen Bekman Gallery, 6 Spring Street, New York City. The exhibition will be on view Thurs-Sunday 12-6pm through 10 September 2006.

Mana Bernardes Jewelry

by Ami Kealoha

Since the age 11 when her work was worn on-screen by actresses in a popular soap opera in her native Brazil, 25-year-old Mana Bernardes' jewelry has been in the limelight. Since then, Mana's playful objects have been exhibited in galleries and are stocked in stores like Colette in Paris and Zona D in São Paulo. Her pendants, earrings, and bracelets range from minimalist chrome to brightly-colored plastics and translucent pieces that seem to take on a glow of their own, hinting at the young designer's fascination with light. The materials are varied: toothpicks, hair clips, pearl, silver and gold, and even coffee spoons. But Mana's inventiveness—often pairing common objects, like plastic mesh, with traditional jewels (pictured here)—renders the recycled elements unrecognizable in the final piece.