Friday, February 27, 2009

An App a Day


My favorite photography apps for the iPhone are the QuadCam and TiltShift apps. QuadCam is especially fun because you have only 3 seconds between shots, so one has to pre-plot the photos. I just ending laughing so hard by the third shot and can't quite get them all in focus just yet. Love, love the TiltShift app, it's imperative that you shoot a scene from up high to mess with the scale. All at the iPhone app store.

Listening In

Great type treatment & cover design on this new album release from M. Ward, and a beautiful website too. Get it on iTunes.

Sit on It

No, it’s not a plant but a succulent pillow from Be Sweet made from felted merino wool into free forms that resemble an actual succulent. Be Sweet's mission; to bring socially and environmentally friendly products to fashionable consumers that evoke an individual style and help support community development around the world. Be Sweet works with several job creation programs in South Africa by giving artisans the confidence and the means to support themselves and their families in an otherwise economically depressed region. 

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Bring on the Wrinkles

There is no doubt Muji is a wonderful thing and I continually hope they will open a store here in Los Angeles. At their shop in Times Square you can pick up this fabulous wrinkled t-shirt for $ 21.50!! They come compressed into a little cube and are such a close clone of Prada's spring wrinkled t-shirts, I'll be calling the store to hopefully get one shipped out. Muji Times Square (212) 382-2300 Photo: NY Times

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Lovely Letters


How cool are these typographic chandeliers from Perch?!! They can be made with up to six letters, each ball is 5" in diameter. The custom light comes with a hardwire kit only, the single lamp also comes with a switch. I’m going to get it in a single letter and hang it in a low in a corner or the entryway. Each lamp is $110.

Camo Pen

I've used Sharpies to camouflage nicks in furniture, shoes and anything else that needs filling in with permanent color with varying degrees of success. Now Sharpie makes these three shades specifically to match pine, oak, cherry, walnut and mahogany wood surfaces! Like having wood stain in a pen, just brilliant and so handy.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Chair Crush

This iconic chair has been a favorite design of mine forever, but with the calf skin treatment I now have a very serious crush. This last December, Herman Miller released 500 limited issue Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chairs. Finished in walnut veneer with a refined cowhide covered seat and back, each chair is numbered for authenticity. To die for!!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Utilitarian Literature

To celebrate their 50th anniversary Cramer Inc. has created a Kik-Step stool that reflects its origins, the Library Edition, featuring quotes from classic literature molded into the non-skid tread. A nice nod to wordsmiths.

Buckle Up

Kind of loving these Ozzy Inspired Jack Purcells from Converse. 

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

By Invitation Only


New York Fashion Week has spawned some very imaginative invitations, my favorite being the oven mitt for Betsy Johnson’s show. See more examples at the NYTimes The Moment blog. Photos: Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Nice Package


Calvin Klein will launch three limited edition fragrances for spring 2009. I really dig the type treatment on the CK One & CK Be “we are one” bottles of the iconic scents, decorated with the words "we are one" written in various languages. Slated to launch in February, they will include a MP3 player-compatible speaker to tie in with the idea of music as the universal language. 

Monday, February 16, 2009

Eco Revolution



This weekend Debra of Trend Agitator and I headed up to Malibu for a Valentine's Day soft opening of new boutique Revolution Malibu, tucked into a tiny cluster of shops across from Zuma Beach. The vision of infectiously energetic Cece Abel, this shop creates most of its merchandise from recycling, re-imagining, re-stitching and re-sewing materials into hats, t-shirts, silky tops, skirts, dresses, jackets and even a line of baby clothes that upon viewing, are instantly objects of desire. Everything she and partner Melissa Simpson do at Revolution Malibu is based on recycling, handmade, eco-friendly dyes and using local products. A huge inspiration are the techniques from the Alabama Stitch Book. For those of you out of the area, she will soon open an online shop but one can always call in orders to ship. I have to say that I've only been wearing my wool cap as seen above for two days and 4 people have asked where I got it and raved about how fabulous it is. 

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Monday, February 9, 2009

Cuffed in Vinyl

WRecords by Monkey uses reclaimed vinyl records to create cuffs that are artwork for the wrist. They offer a huge range of designs and sizes as well as earrings, necklaces, rings and t-shirts. Music & fashion meet on the arm.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Pantone 1963

Just love these new sneaks from SeaVees! With the creation of their 09/63 collection, SeaVees celebrates the founding of Pantone, and the release of the first PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM in September 1963. For the first time in their 45 year history, Pantone has allowed an external design team into their hallowed archives. SeaVees has selected seven vintage colors from the original Pantone color guide. The palette, chosen from the only authentic guide known to exist, epitomizes the cool, casual style of California in 1963. The series production has been restricted to 1,963 pairs. Get them here.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Mama Shelter



Mama Shelter, a new 172 room hotel in Paris has just opened. This imaginative,very chic and delightful hotel was designed by Philipe Starck and created by the Trigano family (co-founders of Club Med) with French philosopher Cyril Aouizerate. With five different sized rooms, the hotel has fabulously designed common areas, a fun bar, a restaurant and lots of art. Love the slightly sinister bedside lamps made from masks. Those tribal chairs are pretty stunning too.