Cool Hunting
| 29 November 2007view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Nike M-65 Patchwork Jacket
by Tim Yu
When Nike's M-65 Patchwork Jacket showed up at the CH headquarters today—reactions were mixed, but anything that generates that much controversy is undeniably appealing. In fact, no two jackets are the same because of randomly placed patchwork layouts.
Produced specifically for this holiday season, the outerlayer twists the traditional concept of patchwork into a highly technical construction. Built off the same specs as the original M-65 Jacket, it's made entirely of three-layer laminate waterproof and breathable nylon patchwork squares with taped construction replacing stitching, which make for an extremely light but super warm piece.
The pop-out hood is useful in nasty conditions but neatly zips away when it's sunny; waterproof reserved coil zippers with contoured pull tabs protect the wearer and add functionality; laser-cut pockets seem to be the new standard, and for good reason. We also like the fact that there is no visible branding on the jacket, making it inconspicuous and at times, more versatile. The "no-branding" movement seems to have caught on quick and we hope to see more from Nike in this direction.
A super limited-edition piece, you won't find it at retail outlets just yet, so expect to see it only on those who are very close to the brand. Darn it!
Also on Cool Hunting: Nike Four Guardians and Tech Pack Series
Green Home LED Christmas Lights
by Jacob Resneck
We like a good Christmas light job as much as the next person, but there are always concerns about energy consumption and the like. Green Home, a pioneering outfit that's run out of a basement in San Francisco's working-class Richmond District, offers a good array of LED Christmas lights that saves energy (and money). Bulbs are available in both traditional (starting at $12.50) and globe styles (starting at $15) from Green Home.
They claim that LED lights are about 60 times as energy efficient as their conventional counterparts, saving the world as well as your dollars. With this kind of hyper efficiency, even if you live in Portal, North Dakota, it'll be a “green” Christmas. (Ouch!)
Environmental Defense also maintains a good site, complete with a link of retail outlets that vend LED holiday lights.
Art in Motion
by Lost At E Minor
Our friends over at Hewlett-Packard are presenting the Art in Motion event in Sydney at The Forum on 6 December 2007. Art in Motion is a "free multi-sensory event" showcasing performances from Coldcut, Nu-Mark, and awesome Berlin-based collective, Pfadfinderei—featuring eight designers, VJs, artists and typographers—as well as local acts Apsci and DJ Samrai. It's all part of an initiative by Hewlett-Packard to "provide a platform to engage with examples of how computer technology can deliver an experience that fuses the art of sight, sound and touch." It's the first time it's been hosted in Australia. We think it'll be hot, so register early. Check out the HP Interaction Facebook group for more info.
La Botica Mezcal
by Ami Kealoha
Our friends from m ss ng p eces recently returned from making a video in Mexico City with bottles of a smoky, complex mezcal labeled "La Botica." Turns out La Botica is a small mezcaleria in the trendy Condesa section of the city that's rebranding the humble liquor for a new audience with beautifully-designed packaging and an artisinal approach. Since opening a couple years ago, La Botica has opened four more branches in Mexico City.
Playing on the name La Botica (Spanish for Chemist or Pharmacy), the bar features walls lined with the diminutive bottles that themselves look like bottles of medicine. Available in 20 varieties, the one I tried was the añejo (aged) but other varieties include pechuga (a traditional method that's distilled with a vaporized chicken breast to balance out fruit flavors) and cremas, which are more like liqueurs.
Photos courtesy of Eduardo Towers Veytia.
La Botica
Campeche 396
Condesa
Mexico City, Mexico
tel. +5211-6045
