Vans x Keren Richter: Wellesley Shoe and Tote

by Karen Day

Keren Richter's illustrations of creepy-cute mod girls and ethereal dreamscapes have graced many gallery walls, advertisements and products. In fact she's such a hit Vans asked her to design another shoe for their spring collection, following the success of her first pair last fall.

The Wellesley skate shoe comes in two colorways, purple or pink, and features an illustration inspired by Keren's San Francisco youth on the canvas exterior and a brightly colored mosaic print lining inspired by Islamic textiles and stained glass. Also launching with her shoe is a spring tote bag boasting the same durable canvas and whimsical design as the Wellesley. Keep an eye out for Keren later in the month, as she tours the country promoting her designs at various Vans stores.

Officially launching 1 February 2009, the Wellesley shoe and tote will be available at Vans stores, Vans online, or at Journeys, Zappos and Nordstrom for $55.

Woolrich Woolen Mills Fall/Winter 2009

by Tim Yu

With all the fairs and fashion weeks there are so many new lines that come out this time of year. One that's stood out thus far is the Woolrich Woolen Mills Fall/Winter 2009 collection unveiled last week at Galleria Lorenzelli in Milan.

For the F/W 09 collection designer Daiki Suzuki studied images of old Woolrich pieces in vintage hunting catalogues such as Field & Stream and Outdoor Life. Taking inspiration from the hunting and fishing tradition that has made Woolrich an icon of American outerwear since the beginning of the 20th century, Suzuki recreated their classic Shadow Plaid. The staple red and black plaid has been Woolrich’s signature since the 1830’s, but a new green and black version was added—applied to everything from suit jackets, vests, pants and bow-ties. We appreciate the mixing of colors and patterns that come together to create a gentlemanly outdoors look. All you'll need is a tobacco pipe to finish it off.

Woolrich Woolen Mills partnered with Peter Blake to accompany the presentation of the new line. One of Britain's most influential living artists, a retrospective of his collages and paintings entitled Peter Blake - Collages and Works on Paper (1956-2008) adorned the wall inside the Galleria Lorenzelli. The exhibit will be on view through 20 February 2009.

All fabrics used are milled at the Woolrich mill in Pennsylvania, which was founded in 1830. Look out for this Woolrich Woolen Mills collection later this year at Barneys in New York and Fred Segal Finery in L.A.

More images after the jump.

Web Design Sketchbook

by Doug Black

Before a website can progress from concept to illuminated pixels, it needs to be rendered the old-fashioned way—with pencil and paper. To save time and improve appearance during the process, the Web Design Sketchbook comes printed with blank web browsers and internet advertisement windows. That way, web designers can quickly depict their vision in a more finalized fashion, and hopefully win some more clients in the process.

The sketchbook was designed by Are Sundnes of Paranaiv. It's currently only available with a Mac-specific Firefox window, aptly assuming that most web designers work on Macs.

The Web Design Sketchbook has 60 pages (45 browser windows and 15 with ad boxes) and comes wrapped and tied in brown paper. It can be purchased from Norway-based Hunting Lodge.

via Paranaiv

Brad Downey: An Honest Thief

by Karen Day

Growing up as a member of an itinerant United States Marine Corps family, Brad Downey quickly became acquainted with the 20th century urban landscape. His latest exhibition, "An Honest Thief," is tangible evidence of his keen understanding of urban architecture and what it signifies.

By manipulating road signs and other urban symbols, like phone booths, the Berlin-based artist reminds us that these signals and systems influence our everyday movement without our detection or consent. With "An Honest Thief," Downey reminds us that we are entitled to comment on the use of the public arena. His installations are simultaneously thought-provoking and witty, with straight-forward titles that aptly suit each piece, for example the image to the right entitled "Negative Space Saves The Day."

Oftentimes disguised as a city worker, Downey is able to pull off his creative interventions during the daylight hours.

In addition to his street installations, Downey also creates films, sculptures, paintings and drawings that further reflect on the idea of the use of public space.

An Honest Thief - 29 January through 8 February 2009
Stolen Space Gallery
Dray Walk
91 Brick Lane
London, E1W 6Q map
tel. +44 (0) 207 247 2684

via Creative Review

Baldomero Fernandez Photography

by Lost At E Minor

We asked New York-based photographer Baldomero Fernandez about his Cuba series and whether there was a particular mood that he was looking to capture. He comments, "usually I tend to photograph quiet scenes that are empty and have a feeling of solitude. The surreal part that comes through is usually more because of anachronisms, or maybe something is just out of place. It's not straightforward surrealism. Reality usually tends to be far stranger than fiction."

Read more in the exclusive interview with Baldomero Fernandez on the Feature Shoot .

Artists Thukral and Tagra

by CH Contributor

by Laura Neilson

New Delhi-based artists Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra have found themselves at the forefront of a burgeoning Indian art movement that's not only fresh and suddenly noteworthy to Westerners (as well as the rest of the world), but to Indians alike.

The award-winning duo collaborate on an exhaustive range of mediums including painting, sculpture, installation, video, graphic and product design, Web sites, music and fashion. Their vivid, color-charged work typically exhibits a whimsical fascination with consumerism—not unlike Murakami— blurring the lines between fine art and popular culture, product placement and exhibition design, artistic inspiration and media hype. Despite the global nature of consumerism and its prevalent existence, the pair display the subject through a distinctly Indian lens. Given the extremely diverse stratification of Indian classes, lifestyles and the country's economy, the result is a harmonious and beautiful clash of sorts.

In addition to a show at Nature Morte in Berlin, running through 14 February 2009, Thukral and Tagra are currently showing works in the exhibition "The Audience and the Eavesdropper," with nine other influential Indian and Pakistani artists at Phillips de Pury in New York. Their work, "Now In Your Neighborhood," on display at Phillips, explores the issue of mass cultural consumption (pictured above).

The Audience and the Eavesdropper: New Art from India & Pakistan - 28 January through 14 February 2009
Phillips de Pury & Company
450 West 15th Street
New York, NY 10011 map
tel. +1 212 940 1200