Etienne Meneau's Little Heart Glass

by Tim Yu

After making a name for himself with a series of unusually-shaped carafes, Etienne Meneau is doing it again with his newest glass piece, named Petit Coeur (little heart). We like how the design recreates the heart in an abstract way by reinterpreting the atriums and ventricles. And is that spout the aorta? Fill it with wine and the puns/comparisons are endless. Wine is good for the heart right?

Made of borosilicate glass, only 12 (eight numbered and signed and four artist proofs) were made and they cost a shocking €1,500. More info at Petit Coeur.

JimmyJane Ember Edition Of One Candles

by Evan Orensten

Well known for their gold and platinum plated sex toys, JimmyJane is set to release a special edition of their Ember Natural Emollient Massage Candles. With a matte black porcelain container, each candle is a one-off featuring a unique one-of-a-kind composition of gesture drawings.

Pairing aphrodisiac scents, the new candle smells like a blend of Cocoa and Fig fragrances. Each candle is made by hand using only natural plant extracts and a drawing is paired with the candle according to the makers mood. The use of cosmetic-grade wax allows the more adventurous to drip the wax on the body for use as a massage balm which nourishes and hydrates the skin.

Each Ember one-off candle is available for purchase for $65 at JimmyJane.

Masao Yamamoto: Kawa–Flow

by Jonah Samson

In the world of contemporary photography where bigger is often better and color rules, sometimes it’s nice to see work that defies all of these conventions, but still manages to make an impact. The current show on view at Yancey Richardson Gallery by Masao Yamamoto, entitled Kawa–Flow, is a great example of this.

In his intentionally stained and worn photographs, Yamamoto explores the notion of memory and the passage of time. Functioning like the words and phrases of what Yamamoto describes as his “dictionary," the unframed photographs are attached directly to the gallery walls, creating loose constellations of pictures in white space (pictured below left). “What overflows from one photograph would flow into the next piece, and in two’s and three’s the groups would create a combined effect, like the layered notes of an orchestra.”

Yamamoto’s images speak softly with an intimacy that draws the viewer near to explore each piece at close range. They evoke moments of heightened awareness by looking with quiet intensity at the world.

Masao Yamamoto's Kawa–Flow on view until 18 October 2008.

Yancey Richardson Gallery
535 West 22nd Street 3rd floor
New York NY 10011 map
tel. +1 646 230 9610

Monocle x Drakes Scarf: Interview with Editor-In-Chief Tyler Brûlé

by Tim Yu

Monocle—the magazine that covers international affairs, global business, culture and design—teamed up with Drakes London to create a new line of Merino wool scarves for the tenth and latest product collaboration for the Monocle Magazine Shop of luxurious goods.

Drakes is perhaps best known for their bespoke ties, and their elegantly woven scarves don't get enough attention. Produced in the heart of London and woven from the Scottish Borders’ finest wool, the scarves are simply designed, stylish, will keep you warm and are unashamedly British. They will be available early next week for £95 from the Monocle Magazine Shop.

Monocle only works with companies that share a passion for crafted goods of the highest quality. Whether it be a fragrance, bicycle, table or luggage, all items are specially engineered for their niche. Editor-In-Chief, Wallpaper founder and Financial Times columnist Tyler Brûlé has done a great job of shaping the multimedia Monocle brand and no detail is spared. Even the dimensions of the publication are well thought though. Bespoke in size, the magazine has a smaller footprint but at nearly 200 pages per issue, it is also a bit thicker than your average magazine, so it fits well in any bag and is easy on-the-go.

We recently had the chance to ask Tyler Brûlé a few questions about Monocle and their new products.

Cool Hunting: What was the catalyst for this collection of Monocle branded products?
Tyler Brûlé: The starting point was our idea to do a series of bags with Porter in Japan. After a round of discussions they agreed to the concept and we offered up a brief and set to work. After about three rounds of revisions the first bags were ready and they've been on sale via Monocle.com, Dover Street Market and Beams Daikanyama since the launch. We've sold something in the region of 3,000 units at this point.

CH: How are these products an extension of the Monocle Brand?
TB: They're an extension of our brand by virtue of the fact that we feel our products fill a niche in our readers' lifestyles. Moreover, we're the co-architects on the creative side of all products, i.e., nothing is off the shelf.

CH: How collaborative are the different projects? For example, did the Fritz Table go through many different drafts?
TB: The Fritz Hansen Table was an adaptation of an existing piece in their collection and with our associates in Copenhagen we worked on the solutions to slightly Monocle-ize it.

CH: What criteria do you have when choosing someone to work with for these products?
TB: They need to be either iconic design statements or fill a functional niche for our audience. They should also contribute to our bottom line as well.

CH: Are the products you make dictated by who you work with? Or do you find people to work with to make the things you want?
TB: We work with the appropriate experts in their fields. For example, Comme Des Garçons wanted to do something with us but they weren't quite sure what and the fragrance seemed to make sense as it's a strong part of their brand's line-up.

CH: What is up next? Or who are you working with next?
TB: We have a number of things on the go. A sixth bag with Porter, a series of scarves with Drakes, a candle with Comme Des Garçons, a travel blazer and swim trunks and we have about ten other items in the works.

CH: What's been your favorite favorite collaboration thus far?
TB: The Porter bags and the Comme Des Garçons fragrance as they're our biggest sellers.

CH: Anything you're really looking forward to making sometime in the future?
TB: I think we're doing everything we want at the moment.

CH: What do you think about the over saturation of collaboration products in general? How do you think it helps brands?
TB: I think it's always good to bring an extra set of eyes to the table and media brands, like Monocle, have a very different dialogue with their audience than luxury goods companies might.

Kangol Turns 70

by CH Contributor

by Ariston Anderson

An iconic hat is celebrating its 70th birthday. Founder Jakob Spreiregen started importing Basque Berets to England in 1918 marketing them as post-war fashion starting the Kangol brand. His company took off in 1938, when Kangol became the main beret supplier to British troops during World War II. Rumor has it, the name is in the makeup—the K stands for knitting, the ANG for angora and the OL comes from wool.

Since its inception the Kangol beret has gone through many iterations. Stiffer materials were used to form a peak as found in the popular 504 cap which is named after the wooden block it was formed upon. In the 1950s, Kangol linked up with designers Mary Quant and Pierre Cardon who made their mark by designing styles for women.

The hat first found its way into the music world, when the most popular style icons of the 1960s, the Beatles, took a liking to the caps and designer Eileen Greig created a line specific for the fab four. However, the hat was truly integrated as a music symbol when it entered the New York hip-hop community in the 1980s by gracing the heads of Run DMC, Eric B and Rakim, Grandmaster Flash, Slick Rick and Ladies Love Cool J.

Today the hat is still a major fashion symbol, taking its roots from both its British heritage and its hip-hop history. Kangol has teamed up with a variety of designers over the years including Catherine Malandrino, Comme Des Garcons, ALIFE, Stereo Sound Agency, INSA and Married to the MOB. The line today includes baseball gear, golf mesh hats, an eco-friendly line (bamboo and organic fabrics are used) and hats for transitional weather, all complete with the kangaroo logo.

To celebrate 70 years, on Wednesday, 8 October 2008, Kangol is throwing a huge bash at Le Royal in New York complete with a photo retrospective by Ricky Powell and Janette Beckman. They are also releasing a limited-edition classic wool 504. They are only producing 700 of the slick black hats, which retail for $70. Visit Kangol to enter to win this limited-edition hat and browse for more styles.