Hasta La Ideas

A peek at the new book written by Deidre Anne Martin and illustrated by Stefanie Augustine.

Katie Green has drawn another book stack and I’m happy to see The Elegant Cockroach has made it into the pile! Thanks, Katie.

Also thanks to Aprile at Not Paper for posting about illustrator Stefanie Augustine.

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Yesterday, we posted about the Guggenheim Foundation‘s tax filings and what they said about the organization’s finances. Today we turn to news coming from one of those places that’s using a portion of the money they’re taking in: the Frank Gehry-designed, in-development Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Art Newspaper is reporting that Thomas Krens has left the project completely, having gotten involved almost immediately after leaving his long-time post as director of the Foundation. What does this mean for the Abu Dhabi plans, and what happened to make Krens decide to leave after nearly two years and the forming of a company to help support it? No one involved is talking, so we’ll just have to wait and see. Here’s a bit:

A spokeswoman for the Guggenheim foundation confirmed by email that Krens is no longer working on the Abu Dhabi project. On the subject of the curatorial panel, she added that: “No formal group was ever officially formed. The Guggenheim is in conversations with experts from around the world who are knowledgeable about Middle Eastern art and culture and who will be called upon for their expertise.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Converse leverages their heritage to reinvent retail with their second shop

With over 100 years of history and a shoe known around the world, it may seem surprising that the Converse store opening today in NYC is only the second brick-and-mortar shop for the iconic brand. Following the success of its first location on Boston’s Newbury Street, Converse is taking their wholesale and online empire to SoHo, with a sizable shop dedicated both to the city itself and Converse’s athletic heritage all with a punk rock twist.

As explained by Dave Powers, Vice President of Global Retail for Converse, the store is directed at kids aged 18-22 that enjoy wearing a simple outfit comprised of Chuck Taylors, jeans and a plaid shirt. While this sounds similar to the typical ensemble adorning the Abercrombie crowd, Powers ensures us that the Converse shop is actually the opposite to uniform style. Powers states simply, “we don’t need anyone telling us how to dress.” The Converse store reflects this, with its relaxed atmosphere, no-frills merchandising (there’s even an express pick-up window for shoe shoppers who already know their size) and a customization center complete with “maestros” who are eager to help patrons put their name and personal style on shoes, totes and tees.

The store is home to the largest selection of Converse kicks in the world, from the 648 pairs of red, white and blue Chuck Taylors making up the American flag wall installation (taken from the Berlin Bread and Butter show) to its extensive showcase of premium brand collaborations, NYC One Stars, (Product) Red, Jack Purcells and more.The shop isn’t just for sneaker freaks though—also stocking the shelves is a brand new collection of apparel and accessories seemingly centered around various styles of denim and snug-fitting sportswear.

With so many brands drawing on their heritage as modern inspiration, the Converse store is a refreshing take on the concept; successfully acknowledging its roots and playing to them without force-feeding its customers a glorified version of its past. Reclaimed gym bleachers are a prominent design element in the store, for example. Powers also explained to CH that before they worried about decor or product the goal was to achieve the perfect store ambiance. Initially working with design firm Ideo, two years later they have done just that.

Woodworking scraps-turned-fashion in Navajo-inspired necklaces

The side project of CH contributor Mike Giles and his girlfriend Judy Lawrence, Miju jewelry is a peek into how the two mix Mike’s furniture design with a creative Montreal-based partnership. For Fall/Winter the duo created “Manha”—an 11-piece assortment of laser-cut wood gems.

Of the Native American-inspired collection, one of our favorites is the “T-Bird necklace” (also available as a brooch). Taking the classic Thunderbird silhouette, the duo then added detailed etching for geometric texture and an overall appealing design. Painted either gold or a combination of red and blue, the necklace hangs at a perfectly situated place across the collarbone, allowing for full visibility that works with a variety of necklines.

Each piece in the collection is made from solid walnut—remnants from other designs Giles creates in his Montreal-based woodworking shop, Furni. The Manha collection sells online from the Miju Etsy site, with prices starting at $36.