Cool Hunting
| 01 October 2007view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Rita Design
by Mike Giles
Rita is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Montreal, Canada. Responsible for a large array of graphic, object and event designs, they work to create inspiring new creative solutions in form, function and communication. Whether it’s a city-sized intervention, or simply the design of an everyday object, their interdisciplinary philosophy applies to all levels, in all circumstances.
Along with an impressive list of past clients they somehow find time to work on projects of their own, their latest is a collection of graphic T-Shirts entitled “Carry Less” These T-shirts are printed with the silhouettes of every day items and accessories as they would appear if they were “worn”. Their first series is called “Beverly Hills 1980s-style”, which includes prototype versions of a classic Walkman, roller skates, Ray-Ban shades and, available now in a limited series, a holster, complete with a gun. It's $35 from online from Rita's Boutique.
OnGuard Locking Skewers
by Mike Frank
New to commuting by bike in NYC, I recently learned about the ingenious design of OnGuard's Locking Skewers.
After several years of hibernating in my parent's garage, I dug my bike out and brought it to the local repair shop for a much needed tune-up. They quickly informed me that my 14 year-old U-lock was not going cut it on the mean streets of New York and then demonstrated by easily opening it with a regular Bic pen.
So I needed a new lock. The recommended approach is to use at least two, one to secure both wheels to the frame and another to secure the frame to a post—which doesn't even cover the seat. I began to review my options. Riding around like the ghost of Christmas past with a long heavy bike chain was less then desirable, so I was excited to discover the Skewers as an alternative.
The hardly noticeable skewers replace the quick-release wheel and seat bolts (securing all three) and can only be opened with a one-of-a-kind ratchet key. Once the system is installed, the only hassle you ever need to worry about is securing the frame to something solid. I chose a small, light U-lock which is easy to carry and quickly locks up the bike.
The true test is always on the street. After a night of being locked to parking sign on a dark street off Houston, I found the bike with both wheels and the seat exactly where I left if it. The handle bars, however, were gone.
Hello Kitty Solid Gold Playing Cards
by Ami Kealoha
by Brian Ashcraft
If nothing says luxe like gold playing cards, then nothing says WTF like gold Hello Kitty playing cards. Starting 3 October 2007, Sanrio will start selling solid gold Hello Kitty trumps in honor of Kitty's 33rd anniversary. Each 99.99 percent gold card in the deck of 54 is sealed in a protective laminate, measures at 58 x 89 mm and is pressed to a thickness of seven microns thanks to Mitsubishi Materials Corp.'s precision rolling tech. Talk about thin!
The cards feature Kitty-chan (as she's known in Japan) in various states of royal wear. The reverse of the cards shows the cat character against a Union Jack and an apple. Hello Kitty was born in London and is said to be three apples heavy and five apples tall. The deck lists for ¥567,000 ($4,900). How about them apples.
via Pink Tentacle
Dan Chesterman: Angkor
by Lost At E Minor
Traveling through Angkor in January 2003, Dan Chesterman took a series of evocative photos that now form the basis of his upcoming exhibition at the blank_space gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney that opens later this week. Shooting analogue, he captures the natural beauty of the area, with a focus on the relationship between the temples and the trees that have grown over and around them.
Angkor
Opening Reception: 4 October 2007,
4 October-8 October 2007
blank_space gallery
374 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Australia
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