Reminder: Cool Hunting Reader Survey and iPod Nano Giveaway

by Ami Kealoha

Dear Cool Hunting Reader,

We'd like to get to know you a little better. You can call it a survey, but we like to think of it as small talk in a multiple choice format.

It's a way to ensure that CH will continue to have great content and we truly do love to hear your feedback.

Also, we love giving away iPod Nanos, which you have a chance at winning (in the color of your choice) by simply filling in the info.

Love,
Team Cool Hunting

p.s. It only takes a few little minutes, we promise!

Refinery 29: London Fashion Week

by Tim Yu

Fashion week jumped over the pond to London last week and our friends at Refinery 29 were there to catch the action. Many of our favorite pioneers didn't disappoint, but we chose to highlight a few designers that we thought were in especially top form.

England's own Nathan Jenden, who's had years of experience with Galliano and Von Furstenburg, followed up last year's success with another great line presenting an eye-grabbing collection of cheeky, superb creations for spring/summer '08. While most of this ready-to-wear line was far more watchable than wearable (as any good London collection should be) the artistry of his simple pieces were his strength. The narrow black dress with oversized white cuffs, large and broad skirts, white bustle dresses and oversized bows were undeniable (pictured above).

A man with momentum, Jonathan Saunders always does best when his body-hugging, no-nonsense designs stay that way—trim, taught, and without fanfare. More toward straight style than experimentation he displays an uncanny knack for mature, cosmopolitan chic and the best pieces in this taupe, black, and white collection stayed in that urbane minimalist framework. Thanks to a modicum of layering and silhouettes that generally hugged every curve, allusions to hip streetwear were outnumbered by those toward tennis dresses—though these are not pieces designed for doing anything other than looking your best.

Other notable collections include Richard Nicoll's gauzy dresses and 24-year-old Christopher Kane's balance of high and low fashion pieces.

Continue reading here.

by Gabriel Bell

30,000 Years of Art

by Fiona Killackey

Phaidon's latest behemoth, 30,000 Years of Art, will have you re-think everything you thought you knew about the world of Art. Spaning the entire history of art, the must-have coffee table book delivers a stunning collection of work from the first examples of human creativity to the future of art in the 21st century.

More than 1,000 masterpieces from the greatest artisans of all time are included on the full color photo pages. Text from 35 of the world's most renowned art experts allows the reader to trace the origins of each piece of art and compare and contrast it to art from differing eras.

Beautifully produced and immaculately presented, 30,000 Years of Art is an essential read for art admirers and art historians alike.

More images—a cloisonné jar, an Altamira Upper Paleolithic bison painting and a Hokusai—after the jump.

Fang Studio's Nesting Matryoshka Chair

by Leonora Oppenheim

Dutch designer Danny Fang, having recently made the transcontinental leap from Amsterdam to Hong Kong to set up his own studio, is one to watch. Just launched, his first design under the Fang Studio label, the Matryoshka Chair, was inspired by the traditional Russian dolls that fit perfectly inside one another. “The poetry of the Matryoshka dolls is their resemblance to people; they are all very similar, but none of them are the same,” Fang explains.

Produced in collaboration with the Malaysian furniture company Kian, this set of outdoor furniture includes two chairs and two stools made from woven polyethylene fiber and an aluminum frame. The materials make for an amazingly lightweight set; all the pieces stacked together only weigh 22kgs.

Marrying the technological materials with handcrafted form, Fang injects texture and context into his industrial design work. After working for many years as a senior designer at Marcel Wanders Studio in Holland, this promising start to his new solo project sees Danny Fang moving out from under Wander’s large shadow and into the spotlight.

Blackbird: Seattle Men's Shop

by Josh Rubin

In recent years, Ballard has become a destination Seattle neighborhood for those in the know, thanks to Scandinavian industrial charm, a few new bars, restaurants, a gallery, music stores and boutiques—including the standout men's clothing boutique, Blackbird.

With a good selection of the labels we know and love, some of the more obscure and lesser-known brands, like the Italian shoemaker Marsèll, put the two-year old store a cut above the rest. They even have a great men's jewelry collection that introduced me to the hard-to-find brand Alksndlia, a company that creates vintage rings and necklaces with old-world appeal. New in this fall are items from Raf Simons, Wings + Horns, Partik Ervell and Robert Geller. Next spring will include pieces from Tim Hamilton, Henrik Vibskov, Harmon and Wrath Arcane.

Like any good boutique experience, it's Blackbird's well-curated stock—fresh but classic—that's the cornerstone of their success and the Ballard neighborhood is always worth a visit. Check back with the Blackbird site for all the latest including sales and new inventory (they do mail order) and take a look at more images of the space after the jump.

Blackbird
5410 22nd Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107 map
tel. +1 206 547 2524

Tasmanian Rain Sparkling Water

by Tim Yu

Tasmanian Rain made a, er, splash with the introduction of their flat water a few months back and now Cool Hunting is the first to announce their new sparkling version. With smaller bubbles than Pellegrino or most other brands, the Tasmanian version is not as pungent, salty or mineraly as high-end alternatives. In fact, it's one of the few sparkling waters where I've actually noticed a major difference.

The company claims that Tasmania, "the edge of the world," is scientifically proven to be the purest air in the world and they capture the water in the northwest region before it ever touches the ground. While its pureness has an appeal and we like the taste, we still can't get entirely past our qualms with the bottled water industry—especially if it's being shipped all the way from Tasmania.

To Tasmanian Rain's credit, they're doing their part to cut down on their environmental impact. Bottled in 100% recyclable glass, the company is very proud to be carbon neutral. We're also still a little skeptical about the carbon neutral idea, but we'll take it for what it's worth.

Tasmanian Rain sparkling water comes in two sizes, 750ml and 375ml, and will be available at high-end restaurants, hotels and spas this November. For more information or to purchase the water visit their website.