Cool Hunting
I started Cool Hunting in February 2003 after accepting that I'm much better at organizing digitally than physically. As an interaction designer I'm always looking for both inspiration and an understanding of the way people do things. I decided to catalog what I found on the web and haphazardly named it Cool Hunting because to me that's synonymous with finding inspiration. Some people think this site is about trends, but it is more about curating observations.
I get excited about obsessive compulsive art, elegant uses of technology, unusual and limited edition sneakers, and general paradoxes. I grew up in both Miami and Vermont which set a foundation for contrast that I live by today.
I am a Senior Partner at Bond Art and Science, the digital services firm I helped found. I was a User Interface Design Lead at Motorola, I've worked with big-brand clients as a Design Director at Razorfish and I ran product development for a little while at Upoc Networks. I have a BA in Communications and Cognitive Science from Hampshire College and a Master's in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University. I live in New York City and love my two Sealyham Terriers, Otis and Logan.
This photo was taken by Leo Zacharias during our party at the Art Director's Club in October 2006.
Terence Koh's Converse 1Hundred(red) makes the classic over in his current trademark all-white, fashion-forward style. Trimming the sole and generally streamlining the look, the edition focuses on subtraction and seems to reflect his stated interest in "hiding reality." Formerly working under the moniker "asianpunkboy" and never one to shy away from sexuality, the launch party for the shoe featured stick-thin, mostly male models posed...
Enlisting the interior design brilliance of Masamichi Katayama Nike's first Tokyo flagship store located in the style-magnet Harajuku district opens tomorrow. We were invited in advance of the grand opening to take a look. While unmistakably Nike, the space makes an inspiringly distinct departure from their other stores. Katayama used elements from shoes and the brand's history to create crisp but playful treatments. Black...
To showcase their Spring / Summer 2010 line-up Converse presented each collection in different rooms of NYC's famously bohemian Hotel Chelsea. Visiting the homes of long-term residents Man-Lai Liang, event planner; Zaldy, clothing designer and Steve Willis, film director was a unique opportunity to to take in the creative material these artists choose to surround themselves with. Beyond placing their product in a unique...
Few of us can boast that we sleep in the bed of Scandinavian royalty but a new offering from Hästens—supplier of beds to the King and Queen of Sweden—gives you some idea. The 157-year-old company's state-of-the-art layered mattress take luxurious slumbering to a whole new level. I recently had the opportunity to try a couple of these palatial beds at the Peninsula Chicago courtesy...
Far from simply photoshopping an animal head on a human body, the pet portraits of Valerie Leonard reflect a level of care and personality that's peerless in the field. Inspired by the Old Masters, as well as film and family portraits, her images balance a level of whimsy with a stateliness befitting their regal subjects. Based in Connecticut, the artist devotes days to each...
Addressing the growing market for a smaller camera with professional features, Olympus recently introduced the compact, lightweight Micro Four Thirds EP-1 a.k.a. "PEN" digital camera. I never go anywhere without a camera, but schlepping the bulky DSLR is not always convenient and my iPhone camera quality isn't always acceptable. Interchangeable lenses, a range of in-camera filters and the option to use full manual settings...
A black backpack is part of my daily life and needless to say I have very specific requirements—after a few weeks testing, the Timbuk2 Q has become my new standard. Constructed from durable ballistic nylon, the pack is designed to offer "swing around" access to its padded laptop sleeve, but also offers easy reach for its other compartments. The main pocket is roomy enough...
On a recent morning this Summer I had a chance to explore some unknown areas of Central Park and test the latest footwear from Timberland Mountain Athletics, a relatively new division of the New Hampshire-based footwear brand. Hosted by Jay Steere, Timberland's VP of Product Management and guided by Maia Josebachvili, founder of Urban Escapes, we explored the northernmost portion of the park which...
