Kor One Water Vessel

by Brian Fichtner

The Kor One Hydration Vessel elevates the humble water bottle to new aesthetic and functional levels. Forget Voss, Smart Water, and Jeff.

Face it, we need privatized bottled water like we need more internal combustion engines on our freeways. Getting people off the bottled water habit is no small feat though. City dwellers in particular, relish the convenience of a deli-bought bottle, preferring to quench their thirst on the fly rather than plan ahead by toting something reusable.

The answer might lie in making the bottle into an object of desire by co-opting some of the industry's very own branding schemes. Enter Kor, a new company dedicated to creating sustainable personal hydration solutions.

What started as one man's attempt to find a decent reusable water bottle has blossomed into one of the sexiest industrial designs of the year. Taking a few visual cues from bottled water packaging (click images for detail), Kor ups the ante with a handful of intelligent design choices. Foremost, the vessel (which starts shipping next month and retails for $30) features a hinged snap-cap that allows one to open and drink with a single hand. Unlike typical Sigg bottles (our former vessel of choice), the Kor One has a wide mouth that can accommodate ice cubes and deliver more water on demand. Lastly, consider the bottle's ovular shape. When viewed from the front, it reminds of an old thermos; only from the side or the top can you see that the vessel has been pinched to provide an easier hand grip. Brilliant.

Discerning partnerships with Eastman Innovation Lab, RKS (for the ingenious lid) and Nypro (who delivered a mould that allowed for a lens-like bottom), have resulted in a product befitting the highest annual design award. According to Kor's new blog, this is just the first in a series of "Water ReDesigned" solutions. We can't wait to see what comes next.

via Core77.

La Grande Dame by Riva

by Ami Kealoha

Recent years have seen Veuve Clicquot choosing Karim Rashid, Porsche Design and other contemporary design luminaries as brand partners, but with the launch of three new accessories in collaboration with Italian yacht-makers Riva, Veuve is moving in a more classically glamorous direction. Consisting of a "made to measure" Cruise Collection, the smaller Cruiser Bag and an ice bucket, both are designed to make enjoying Veuve Clicquot's top champagne, La Grande Dame, aboard a Riva boat that much more amazing.

Built to the buyer's specifications, the Cruise Collection (pictured below left) features the same gorgeous craftsmanship, richly-hued woods and elegantly curving lines for which Riva yachts are known. Encased within the semicircle-shaped container, four bottles of La Grande Dame 98 and two magnums of La Grande Dame 88 await indulgence. To facilitate, the case includes six Riedel flutes, six water tumblers, plates, placemats and cutlery. At $80,000, it's an accessory befitting a multi-million dollar vessel.

For the more financially conservative, the portable Cruiser Bag (pictured above right) mimics the design of one of Riva's yachts with black lacquer, mahogany inlay, chrome accents and leather trim. It includes a bottle of La Grande Dame 98 and two flutes. Limited to an edition of 300, the bag retails for $475 and will be available in July from Veuve Clicquot.

The Riva-inspired ice bucket, like the rest of the collection, adds nautical flair to the Veuve Clicquot experience. There's no word on pricing or availability of the bucket yet.

Rubicon Rucksack Baby Bag

by Letizia Rossi

Unless you're into the "dad in drag" look, we recommend the Rubicon Rucksack, the most masculine diaper bag we've come across. A rugged buffalo leather bag, it comes with two interchangeable linings that transform it from diaper bag (complete with bottle pockets) to padded laptop bag.

The over-the-shoulder rucksack also features a snap-in compartment for a water-resistant diaper pad, custom antique brass baby wipes case and leather valet stroller clips. Details like an adjustable shoulder strap and antique brass hardware take the style quotient to the next level.

Made by Petunia Pickle Bottom, a company with a mission to bring style and sophistication to the word of modern parenting, the Rubicon Rucksack is part of their Scout men's collection. Available in black with green accents or brown with orange accents, it's $235 (see website for retailers). The Journey Pack a similar bag made from green or grey felt is $135.

via Uncrate.

Four Newly-Released Chris Marker Films

by Letizia Rossi

By Michael Talbott

Every self-respecting cinephile has most certainly seen the haunting 1962 "La Jetée," Chris Marker's new-wave meets sci-fi classic of post-apocalyptic Paris time travel, but few outside film students and obsessive arthouse attendees have had opportunity to catch any of his roughly 40 documentaries. Self-described as the “Best-Known Author of Unknown Movies,” the unavailability of Marker's work has been a tragic gap in dire need of filling.

With the launch of their new DVD line, Icarus Films looks eager to correct the situation via inaugural releases of four Marker discs showcasing his unique brand of essay film.

"The Sixth Face of the Pentagon," a first-hand account of the 1967 march on the Department of Defense building, is packaged with The Embassy, a fictional short depicting a group of political subversives seeking asylum following a military coup.

"The Last Bolshevik" documents Soviet filmmaker Aleksandr Medvedkin and is part of a two-disc set that also includes Medvedkin's 1934 silent film "Happiness."

Though the official street date for these DVDs isn't until 2 September, Icarus Films has allowed the Wexner Center for the Arts exclusive pre-release sales of these titles via their Chris Marker Online Store.