Cool Hunting
| 17 April 2008view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Solid Gold Rags T-Shirts
by Ami Kealoha
by Valery Joseph
The designers behind Los Angeles-based Solid Gold Rags are sparing us the search for the perfectly worn-in t-shirt with a new line of beautifully tattered tees. Screen-prints of pop-culture icons—French singers and muses Françoise Hardy and Serge Gainsbourg front two of the collection's pieces—the almost criminally soft shirts. Co-founders Perry Shimon, and Oliver Kupperhe seek to create quietly personal, everyday pieces that celebrate the individuals they admire. Of the name, Shimon says, "We wanted to poke fun at the recent obsessions with designer tees, that fetishize a specific label or brand."
The Architect's Bird Feeder
by Ami Kealoha
Designed by architect Doug Patt (he's also one half of bi-coastal firm Rootphi), the Architect's Birdfeeder is made of eight interlocking polycarbonate (think bulletproof glass) pieces. Like Rootphi's Flat Pack housing, the structural elements ship flat and require no tools or fasteners for assembly.
The upshot is product that's fun to put together, easy to refill and clean and eco-friendly. It also looks like a bird feeder from the future, which makes for a nice contrast with birdseed, trees and birds.
The feeder is available from the site for $25.
Stephen Burks: Cappellini Love
by Brian Fichtner
Yesterday at the Fiera Milano, walking through the sprawling campus of the supergroup Poltrona Frau, I ran into the New York designer Stephen Burks, who took a moment to chat with me about his new line of eco-conscious ware for Italian manufacturer Cappellini. Called Cappellini Love, the collection is comprised of a series of vases and bowls made from glass fragments, and a small group of tables made from recycled paper. Here are some of his thoughts on the project, and the tables in particular. (See more images of the tables after the jump.)
How did the project get its start?
It's based on a lot of my work developed over the years in South Africa, Peru, and Mexico, working with non-profits Aid to Artisans and the Nature Conservancy. My goal has been to try to integrate hand techniques with an innovative approach to the structure of the design and then find international distribution. It's business and design; I don't think the two are independent.
Where are they produced?
They will be produced in South Africa. These are the first prototypes using techniques that we develop independently of the artisans, and then we teach them how to do it. And in my opinion, why not make things by hand? We have a lot of people with a lot of skill, who can produce, so we don't always have to rely on industrial production.
How are they made?
They're made from bagloads of shredded magazines, mostly old Wallpaper and Domus… I keep the good ones (laughs). These were made from my old collection of magazines, but I don't know how we're going to do the production, we really have to gather a ton of magazines and newspapers. There's a paper structure, which is then stuffed with paper; it's a new paper maché technique. And then we use a non-toxic adhesive and hardener for the surface.
Fine and Raw Chocolates
by Letizia Rossi
Incredibly rich and delicious, Fine and Raw Fine and Raw are made using artisan low heat techniques to preserve raw vitality. Made from sustainably-produced shade grown raw cacao harvested from the Ecuadorian rainforest, the chocolates contain no sugar, dairy or additives and have a creamy soft consistency on par with the normal stuff. Loaded with anti-oxidants, magnesium and other nutrients, the chocolates are made with the finest Blue Agave Nectar (a low gylcemic sweetener with fewer calories than sugar), coconut oil and are packed with electrolytes. The ingredient Himalayan Sea Salt contains all the minerals and trace elements that comprise the human body. The eco-friendly ingredients combined with the health benefits of the raw preparation method make these chocolates a guilt-free treat.
Fine and Raw chocolates are $7 and are available at several Manhattan locations including Catherine Slip Organic Avenue ,Live Live and Jivamukti Yoga, as well as at the Bedford Cheese Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
