Cool Hunting
| 03 March 2008view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Cassette Tie
by Letizia Rossi
What better way to express woe over loss of the mix tape art form that with a 100% silk handmade tie? Playing on prepster versions with whales or turtles, the Cassette Tie from Los Angeles-based label House of Cassette makes for perennial mourning. The skinny black tie features a subtle pattern depicting a sad-faced cassette tape (click image for detail).
Available from House of Cassette for $103.
Nau NYC Warehouse Sale
by Ami Kealoha
On this Thursday, 6 March 2008, Nau's setting up shop in Manhattan to sell items from their Fall/Winter collection at discounts from 40%-75%. As longtime supporters of the outdoor wear brand, we're proud to be sponsors of the event.
Anyone who's already a fan will be happy to find some deals and, for those who aren't yet converts, it's the perfect opportunity to join the cult. In addition to the discount and Nau's ongoing commitment to the environment, 5% of the profits from the event will go to support Kiva—making the entire shopping experience pretty much guilt-free. (See a flyer after the jump.)
Nau Warehouse Sale
6-9 March 2008
Open House
201 Mulberry Street
New York, NY map
Also on Cool Hunting: Nau Sponsored Video
Soul of a Nation
by Brian Fichtner
“Soul of a nation” is an ongoing project by the Icelandic designer Gudrun Lilja Gunnlaugsdottir, a partner in the firm Studiobility. From objects as varied as a chair, a cabinet, a coffin, a broom, or a lamp, “Soul of a nation” gives three-dimensional weight to the personalities of fellow Icelanders Gudrun has grown to know. The project began in 2004 with “Visual inner structure,” a chair representing a woman Gudrun characterizes as warm, strong, and selfless, though giving in such a way that she has lost much of herself.
At the end of January, she debuted a second piece in the series at ToolsGalerie in Paris. Titled “Curiosity Cabinet,” the design represents a farmer that she described thusly: “To my mind, the farmer is solid, full of wisdom and full of personal treasures. Somehow, in conversations, he always has a way of looking at matters from many sides and pointing out aspects not noticed before.”
With 15 people chosen, and the forms they will take mapped out, the length of her project has largely been determined by the expense and complexity of the designs. Nevertheless, Gudrun is on a tight schedule; “Soul of a nation” will be the subject of an exhibition at the Reykjavik Art Museum in 2009.
William Fitzsimmons
by Lost At E Minor
His name echoes those of colonels and soldiers who fought in the American civil war. But far from that, William Fitzsimmons is actually an obscure songwriter from Jackson, Illinois, building a fan base through Myspace and, would you believe it, the TV show "Grey's Anatomy."
When I hear his song, "It's Not True," I think of bleached wood, smoky red wine, and the great American outdoors. It follows in the footsteps of Iron & Wine, Damien Rice and Sufjan Stevens—subtle folktronica that draws you in with its melodic and enchanting production. Fitzsimmons comes from the same hometown as Sufjan, so its perhaps no great coincidence that his music shares a very similar sound.
Photo by Caleb Kuhl
Pebble Carpet and Long Life Light
by Doug Black
Generally, I resent being tricked by household objects masquerading as something they're not. That said, I'm hard pressed to get mad at this unassuming pile of stones. What appears to be solid rock is actually a cushioned wool rug. Each "stone" of the Pebble Carpet is hand-crafted of merino wool and attached with an internal cord. Designed by Ronel Jordaan in Johannesberg, South Africa, the Pebble Carpet is distributed through Be Sweet, a website that aims to bring a wider market to a group of socially-conscious designers.
Another beguiling example is the Long Life Light, which, if not for the tell-tale electrical cord, could be mistaken for a quart of milk. Encased the iconic lampshade is an extended-life bulb, creating a environmentally-sound, fully-functional lamp. It's made by Florence-based design studio Anatomic Factory and debuted earlier this year at the Stockholm Furniture Fair.
The Long Life Light is available in their shop. You can buy the Pebble Carpet on Be Sweet's web boutique. See also: Livingstones
