Spring Bags for Guys

by Ami Kealoha

by Jason Wilson and Piera Gelardi

This season, our friends at Refinery29 gathered 15 favorite bags for guys with traditionally boyish shapes, many of which have been updated to maximize function and storage while still looking good in transit. From a sensibly chic leather back-pack and vigorously reconstructed satchel to a no muss, no-fuss beach tote, our top offerings should provide adequate room and style to spare. Superman has to stash the cape and boots somewhere, right? Here's how.

Above, from left: Umbro by Kim Jones Gamba Indie Bag, $99, available at Gargyle; Y.M.C. Duffle Bag, about $350, available at Y.M.C.; Billykirk Hand-Stitched Shoulder Satchel, $320, available at Billykirk.

Above, from left: Surface to Air Navy Cargo Bag, $552, available at Oak; Krane Avion Small Messenger Bag, $352, available at Revolve Clothing; Rogues Gallery Medium Beacon Tote, $187, available at Revolve Clothing.

To see all 15, go to Refinery29.

Bradley Price: Angle Parking

by Brian Fichtner

For the forthcoming ICFF in New York, Brooklynite Bradley Price was one of eight designers selected by Bernhardt Design to be featured in the ICFF Studio, a new platform for showcasing prototypes during the furniture fair. Bradley's design, "Angle Parking," is a clever take on the ubiquitous—and often boring—bookcase. By skewing the angle of the bookends to 45°, the shelving can accommodate 12½" deep books while protruding only 8½" from the wall.

Four inches may not make all that much of a difference in a suburban dwelling where space constraints have little bearing on furniture selection, but in a metropolis like New York (where apartment square footage is measured down to the single digits) it's quite a bonus. Carrying the 45° angle to the ends of the shelving also allows the design to become a modular system capable of turning both inside and outside corners.

Right now, the prototype is fabricated from grey lacquered MDF and blue upholstered vertical elements, though I think an ideal manufacturing partnership would take this in a direction of mass customization, allowing users to select from an infinite variety of lacquers and fabrics.

Former University of Michigan graduate Bradley spent several years cutting his design teeth in the offices of the Arnell Group before striking it out on his own. One of his first designs to hit the market was the recent "American Comfort Quilt," created in collaboration with Joel Yatscoff and picked up by the West Coast gallery of irreverent design, Citizen:Citizen.

Best of the Brooklyn Flea: Specimen Jewelry

by Ami Kealoha

by Sheena Sood

Specimen Jewelry was born after Carrie Yee, a denim designer by day, found a coyote carcass in the woods of West Jersey. She kept the completely intact skeleton in its entirety, cleaned and bleached the bones and later made earrings out of some of the ribs. This led to more ideas about seeing the unconventional as precious and thus Specimen Jewelry was born.

Carrie is inspired by nature, anthropology and is fascinated with the way native tribes adorn their bodies with products of nature that weren't consumed—something we seem to have lost touch with in modern society. "Maybe this is my sub-conscious attempt at re-connecting with this," she says, "and letting others experience a link to this as well." She is constantly sourcing materials and researching natural phenomena, and wishes she could raid the Natural History Museum. Carrie loves, "the unlikely combo of something organic with something shiny and modern," and many of her pieces make use of long dramatic feathers paired with a shiny metallic element, or combine bones, wood, beads and metal.

At the moment you can only find these handmade pieces at the Brooklyn Flea; check for updates and see more photos of the jewelry at her site.

Nike 706: 100 Innovations

by Tim Yu

Eighty-eight days before the opening ceremony of the Olympics XXIV (on 8 August 2008) Nike filled a warehouse space in Beijing's up and coming 798 Arts District with their 100 most innovative accomplishments and I was fortunate enough to be one of the first to see it. A gallery-like exhibit providing insight into the inspiration behind some of the game-changing footwear and apparel, it's a clear reminder why Nike is truly one of the best at harnessing design to improve athlete performance.

The space itself is built to look like stacks of iconic orange Nike shoe boxes, some holding original prototypes and signature models. Highlights include Michael Johnson's original gold track shoes, a prototype of Ronaldo's Mercurial Vapor and various Tinker Hatfield prototypes that rarely see the light of day. Upon entering the space, visitors are greeted with an iPod Touch preloaded with 100 tracks highlighting a short explanation for each innovation. Interactive displays, rotating and shifting images on the ceilings and a menagerie of hard to find gems had people salivating. See more images after the jump.

While there are those who might think Nike is only about air-cushioned soles, the visual timeline proving their tireless energy and consistent improvements and inventions all in one place is an impressive sight to see. For those who jock Nike for the more fashionable limited-editions, the brand, its reps and the exhibit are all invariably on message, touting the mantra that form follows function with sport very much still at the core of the brand.

Nike 706 will be left up for a month and will host similar exhibitions during the Olympics. If you're lucky enough to attend the Olympic Games this fall, take a minute and visit this Nike shrine.

Gansevoort South

by Ami Kealoha

The latest addition to South Beach's strip of bigger, hotter and hipper hotels is the Gansevoort South, sister to the four year-old Gansevoort in Manhattan's Meatpacking district. Boasting a 110-foot roof deck pool, a David Barton gym (not yet open) and two restaurants by Philippe Chow (also soon to open), visitors familiar with the original Gansevoort will recognize a few features. While co-developers William and Michael Achenbaum and Arik Kislin may not be the first to import pieces of NYC to the south, their version is a slicker, splashier, more candy-colored experience compared to the lush gardens of the Raleigh down the street or the neighboring Setei's nouveau Zen.

Courtesy of the hotel, we recently had the chance to take in the new spot, located at the Northernmost end of South Beach. Pluses include spacious rooms (334 in all) with beds on par with the most luxurious and outfitted for the digerati with free WiFi, iPod-friendly sound systems and the requisite 40" flat screen. We also liked the mini tee-pees dotting the Stephane Dupoux-designed private beach level (the largest in Miami) and a stunning 50-foot fish tank in the lobby. (We were disappointed it wasn't filled exclusively with sharks, as pictured in magazines, but the rumor is that they're coming soon.)

The rooftop area has a few details worth noting as well, namely an 18 and over policy that makes for a more relaxing place to take in the sun and swim. Teak decking (also at the lower pool) and palms set the scene for taking in the sweeping views (it's on the 18th floor).

Rack rates start at $595, check out their site or call +1 305 604 1000 for details.