Cool Hunting
| 04 February 2008view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
AnOther Magazine Spring/Summer 2008: The Insiders
by Ami Kealoha
We were fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of the latest edition of AnOther Magazine, which as per usual is chock full of the stunning photography and clever editorial that always makes the book our go-to resource to find out what's happening across the pond. From the stunning cover featuring Uma Thurman bedecked with a dramatic butterfly wing to an interview with cheeky YBAs the Chapman Brothers, there's a lot to love. But we're always particularly drawn to the people working on the fringes and milliner Justin Smith, accessories designer Letitia Crahay and shoe-maker Andrea Lonn, all in this month's "Insiders" feature well, are worth noting.
Adding mops of hair, architectural details and other sculptural elements to footwear, Swedish designer Andreas Lonn's shoes effortlessly straddle the divide between streetwear and high fashion. Unabashadly now, the tribal heels look like a mix between "Bladerunner" and "Elephant Man."
Channeling the current neo-Edwardian vibe and elevating it to new heights of theatricality and whimsy, Justin Smith's hats continue in fellow Brit Philip Treacy's well-trodden footsteps. The spectacular hats in his graduation show—"feathered headresses that turned into burlesque fans, stiff hand-painted 'tattooed' pigskin berets" and more—were only rivalled by the "gothic circus" of jugglers, midgets and acrobats that made up the event.
Having cut her teeth studying architecture and art directing Olivier Theyskens (and as a consequence dressing Madonna), Laetitia Cahay made the leap into designing by joining ranks at Chanel. "The more you create, the more creative you become," she says.
Carly Allen-Fletcher
by Lost At E Minor
Carly Allen-Fletcher is a freelance Illustrator from the U.K. Her illustrations are created using a "mixture of pencil and pixels." Of her work, she notes: "my first love is my sketchbook, my second is my computer! I enjoy creating texture and movement in my work, and beautiful colors inspire me."
Tik Tak Clock
by Watchismo
Designed by Niels van Eijk and Miriam van der Lubbe, the Tik Tak clock explodes with every single minute represented on random lengths of powdered steel rods. The sizes of the 60 digits correspond with varying shades of steel for additional depth.
Available for £89 at Habitat UK.
via Technabob
HYmini
by Tim Yu
I recently got to check out the HYmini renewable power source for a bit at the Greener Gadgets Conference in NY. In fact, I poached a little charge from it for my camera, which gave me just enough juice to get me through the event.
Ask anyone from the Pacific Northwest during this time of year, sunshine can't always be counted on and definitely cannot be made. Luckily the HYmini, a handheld universal charger device harnesses both wind and solar power to recharge almost all your 5V electronic gadgets.
If you desperately need a charge while out on a windless night, just blow on it like kids do with pinwheels or purchase one the attachments that enables bikes or your arm to efficiently generate wind. Though it's quiet, the turbine needs to spin at least nine mph to effectively recharge the cell for transfer. The only downfall is that the small turbine takes awhile to generate usable power— "Ride your bike for an hour, with HYmini strapped on your arm, or mounted on the handlebars, and you'll have enough power for over 50 digital photos or about 15 extra minutes on your cell phone."
If the sun decides to show itself then break out your convenient little solar panel to soak up energy. If there is no sun or wind and you don't feel like generating any yourself, plug it into the wall to charge up as a back up battery source.
The device is pocket size and comes with five different outputs to charge all necessary gadgets. Purchase it for $50 at HYmini. Of course, it comes in recycled packaging.
