Cool Hunting
| 11 June 2009view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
All Things Generic Pop-Up Store
by Phuong-Cac Nguyen
The Generic Man's All Things Generic pop-up store, housed inside Space 1520 (Urban Outfitter's concept mini-mall for indie labels in Hollywood), is anything but generic. Launching officially on 13 June 2009 and open until the first week of July, the L.A.-based label's dress and casual shoes under the Generic Man and Generic Surplus labels are elegant, stylish and the focus of the temporary boutique. The brand also invited a cadre of local artists to outfit their space which they filled with handsome Amsterdam Modern furniture, also for sale.
Generic Man's new collection features high-top, deck and wingtip shoes in canvas and leather for men and—for the first time—versions for women. The same 100-year-old factory in Portugal handcrafts the women's line from Italian materials, bringing the high standards of quality and well-made look to the ladies. At the launch party this past weekend, a white deck canvas shoe with perforations made for the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs caught shoppers' eyes and flew off the shelves.
The shoes are also available at Mohawk General Store in Echo Park, retailing between $58-355.
See more images after the jump.
Griffin Clarifi: Macro Lens for the iPhone
by Joel Niedfeldt
For those either stuck with ridiculous two-year AT&T contracts or just not ready to leap on the 3G S bandwagon for whatever reason, there are ways to make your old (aka "year old") 3G a little more S, starting with the Clarifi from Griffin. By adding another lens to the 3G's camera, Griffin overcomes the lack of a "macro" mode and enables shooting images at close range.
If you're like me and you photograph magazine and newspaper articles and save them in Evernote for later reference, you already understand the genius of the Clarifi. Producing crisp, clear images in detailed close-up, the applications are endless.
Built into a case, the lens slides easily over the camera when for use and out of the way for regular snapshots. Naturally, I've experienced minor problems with lint collecting on the lens from bags and pockets, but it's better than nothing and, honestly, almost indispensable. While I'm someone who hates adding bulk to the sleek iPhone, I haven't taken this case off since I got it.
The Clarifi is available online from Griffin (on sale, thanks to the 3G S no doubt) for $31.
Shaun White for Target: Jesse White Sketches
by Doug Black
Tailor made for the cash-strapped board sports fan, the Shaun White for Target collection is a clothing line created by the 22-year-old snowboarding phenom for the Minnesota-based retailer. Hitting shelves this fall, the forthcoming line is the collaboration's second season, following a highly successful 2008 launch.
While the new clothes officially take inspiration from White's life "along with his interest in music and travel," the line has always been a collaboration with older brother (and manager) Jesse. Along with his signature Burton line, the genesis of each Shaun White item involves brainstorming followed by hand sketches courtesy of Jesse. We were able to get a peek into his notebook at designs for the upcoming Target line (a few looks are pictured below). The drawings vacillate between technical apparel renderings and whimsical cartoons like the "skate monster," most of which made it into the final collection.
The new Shaun White for Target collection will be available in the fall at all Target locations and online. Check out more Jesse White sketches after the jump.
Hotel Chic and Basic Born, Barcelona
by Lost At E Minor
For a holiday spent taking in Barcelona's seamless blend of old and new architecture, food and sounds, the sublime Chic and Basic Hotel couldn't be more well-suited. Located in the trendy Born area, it's an ideal jumping-off spot for wandering the many narrow, meandering streets of the city's neighboring areas. But it's the hotel itself that symbolizes so much of what we consider Barcelona to be about.
Housed in a century-old building, with 22 foot-high ceilings, a crystal shower at the center of each room and a sophisticated lighting system that transforms the appearance of rooms according to mood, the Chic and Basic features the kind of thoughtful design that makes the interior both functional and an adventure. The look and feel come courtesy of architect and designer Xavier Claramunt, who made wandering down the corridors to the rooms an sensory experience.
His ultra-modern and unconventionally-styled rooms go for high-impact with details like shimmering walls of beads that visually divide the stark white walls. Those same beads dripped mischieviously from the roof in the hallways add a continuous sparkle to the common space.
Hotel Chic and Basic Born
Calle Princesa 50
08003 Barcelona, Spain map
+34 932 954 652
You can make a booking via their website, rates are around 70 euro, nightly.
