Four limited-run caps inspired by the Good Moods collection from NYC’s Reed Space and Hawaii’s KICKS/HI
Making a case for the value of a good collaboration is LA-based fashion brand Publish. After dropping their well-recieved “Good Moods” collection just two weeks ago the label teamed up with NYC’s premiere lifestyle boutique Reed Space and Hawaii’s world-renowned sneaker shop KICKS/HI for two limited-run joint projects for your head. Officially launching tomorrow, 13 July, the line will feature a snapback and a five-panel inspired by the retailers’s respective digs.
As an ode to the controlled chaos and artisanal history of New York City, Reed Space’s snapback features muted floral prints conjuring what might grow in the dark alleys if given the chance. The five-panel, on the other hand, features a bright, flowery pattern vaguely reminiscent of a cheetah, in homage to the concrete jungle.
While Reed Space finds inspiration in the dark city of cynics, KICKS/HI’s prints inspire with vivid colors and an unmistakably laid-back attitude. The five-panel seems like it was crafted from a swatch of Victorian-era wallpaper, rather than palm trees and hibiscuses. The snapback’s vibe seems more like digi-camo upholstery, marking a welcome departure from more traditional motifs.
All in all the four collaboration hats stay very much on-brand for the three influential companies. Find the American-made caps in store only at Reed Space and KICKS/HI tomorrow, 13 July. For a closer look see the slideshow.
With summer in full swing, your bike has likely become a constant companion. Giving your wheels some natural lo-fi charm, handcrafted wooden accessories also provide a supreme level of easy functionality. We scoured Etsy to find the best of the bunch, from baskets and grips to storage units, fenders and lights.
The Bike Valet by Reclamation Art Furniture is a handsome and practical addition to any cyclist’s home—the wall-mounted storage unit features compartments for keys and a wallet as well a place to hang your bike. Made from urban harvest walnut and hand-rubbed with natural VOC oil finish, each Bike Valet is made to order, individually numbered and signed by craftsman Steven Tiller. Available for $185 on Etsy.
The wooden bicycle light from Sean Said Play is fashioned out of reclaimed walnut and attaches via a Velcro strap, relying on a common 3v coin battery to produce a bright flash. The designers utilize as much reused material as possible, aiming to make well-designed lights that compete with their mass-produced counterparts in price, quality and functionality. Available in both a red and white light, the wood can be customized on Etsy for $35.
Broken Board handcrafts these wood grips on a lathe in either Brazilian Walnut Hardwood or Cherry. They’re finished with a spar polyurethane commonly used for marine applications, enabling the grips to withstand the elements while enhancing the natural grain of the wood. Available for $50 from Etsy.
Combing a rustic feel with modern lines, REdesign Studio‘s RE-cycle wooden bike fenders offer a twist in the aesthetic of your ride. Handmade from reclaimed wood, the fenders are crafted in downtown Seattle by alums of the University of Washington’s architecture department. Available for $100 from Etsy.
For rear bike racks, the Wooden Bike Basket from Off Cut Studio is a handsome alternative to the traditional wire or nylon basket. Made from solid walnut and finished with four coats of marine oil, the Wooden Bike Basket’s mortise and tenon joints mean it’s built to endure the elements. Off Cut Studio also welcomes requests for custom sizes. The walnut Wooden Bike Basket is available for $105 from Etsy.
For those who prefer a basket mounted to the front of their bike, the Classic Porter Crate by Bates Crates boasts the bonus of a cup holder. The crates are handmade from maple before being stained and polycoated to handle the environment. Available for $125 on Etsy.
Since opening Baggu‘s first-ever shop in Williamsburg last month, founder Emily Sugihara has enjoyed watching customers ponder over which of her stylishly functional eco-bags they want to take home. “They’ll be holding a bunch of them, and they’ll put one back and try another one, and look at them all together,” Sugihara says. “I think people feel more ownership of the bags because they’re making their own little set.”
Now based in Brooklyn, Baggu was born in San Diego in 2007, when Sugihara and her mother set out to make beautifully simple alternatives to plastic grocery bags that people would actually look forward to using. Releasing its first nylon bag in eight colors, the brand is now known for its vast array of colorful daypacks in everything from tie-dye to vibrant neons, over-the-shoulder canvas totes called “Duck Bags,” and various sizes of the original, all reasonably priced and manufactured with minimal waste. Most recently, Baggu released a line of leather handbags and small leather pouches, made from the fabric cut from the bags’ necklines.
Sugihara says the idea to open a Baggu retail store had been on the table for some time, but the company’s decision three months ago to take over their current space on Wythe Avenue, just steps away from Baggu’s offices, was mainly motivated by a need for meeting space. “If two people in the office wanted to talk,” she says, “there was no way to do that without distracting the other 11 people.”
Turning the meeting space into a summer shop seemed like a real possibility once the block began attracting more foot traffic, with the spring openings of nearby stores Pilgrim Surf + Supply and Mociun. Baggu’s shop then came together rather quickly, says Sugihara. Just days before the opening, she and creative director Ellen Van Der Lean came up with the clever idea to display the bags on rope ladders and swings made from dowel rope and climbing rope (Sugihara is an avid climber).
The summer shop marks the first time Baggu’s entire product line can be purchased in person from one location. New colors and styles become available at the shop before they appear on the web, simply because that’s where the bags are delivered. At the moment, a number of Baggu pieces—such as a line of neon keychains and the pony hair edition of newly released drawstring bucket purse—are only available in the shop.
As always, Baggu has a number of collaborations in the works. In July, they will release a sturdy vinyl version of the Duck Bag, made by Brooklyn’s weatherproof bag maker Mer Bags, which Sugihara says “makes a great beach bag.” Baggu is also working with design duo Fredericks and Mae, who will incorporate the designers’ horse hair tassels into a line of leather Baggu bags.
Already proving a successful addition to Williamsburg’s burgeoning waterside promenade, Sugihara plans to keep the shop open at least through the winter holiday season. She is also keeping an eye out for permanent retail space that can stay open seven days a week.
Move beyond the toaster with these smart selections
For those whose summertime season has been taken over by beach BBQs and wedding obligations with equal frequency, the endless parade of serving plates and dust ruffles can be as draining as the heat. Trump the traditional wedding registry’s usual suspects with something that injects design into a couple’s new life together, while still fulfilling their newlywed needs. We’ve gathered a selection of items for the home that will surely stand out among the piles of presents. Here, eight highlights from our latest installment in the Cool Hunting Gift Guide—wedding wares.
Fort Standard Stone Trivets
These sleek stone trivets ($75-$100) protect your table while making a design statement at the same time. Water jet-cut from different types of granite and marble, these hexagons and pentagons have leather bottoms inscribed with Fort Standard’s insignia.
Michelle Quan Jewels
NYC-based artist Michele Quan transforms the iconic symbol for opulence and romance into a humbled version of itself with her jewels collection ($165 and up). These ceramic polygons come in a variety of sizes in either white or multi-colored pattern.
Sonos
Streamline your home sound system and bring tunes to every room with this all-in-one wireless set-up ($399). When you get the set, you’ve got everything you need to play music from your own library, plus a host of music services from Pandora to Spotify.
Gold Coffee Press
Coffee presses have long been known as the best way to make a perfect cup, but this staple-turned-piece-of-art ($50) named after Eileen Gray takes eco-friendly coffee-making to a new high. A three-part stainless steel mesh filter means less waste and more flavor, guaranteed to make your mornings even better.
Love Blanket
Holly Berry’s luxurious, cashmere and merino wool blankets ($580) are handwoven at a 250-year-old mill in Scotland, with each forming a tasteful arrangement of rainbow and gray squares that spell out “love” in Morse code. A colorful fringe surrounds these 55” x 75” throws.
Porky Hefer Weavers Nest
Porky Hefer creates a groovy and sexy haven to hang out with his made-to-order weavers nests ($5,000). Taking lawn furniture to the next level, the nests can hang from a favorite tree or perch on stilts.
Dream Home Registry
The American dream receives a 21st-century update with Hatch My House, an interactive website that allows users to involve friends and family in their quest to purchase or decorate a home. Whatever the occasion, the size of the contribution is wholly up to you.
Spear Print Tray
There’s something so satisfyingly functional about a tray, and the design options are endless. Here, crisp but serene colors cut a geometric pattern on birch wood for a piece ($80) that will look great sitting anywhere in the house.
A non-traditional take on a classic, utilitarian material, Shana Aldrich Ready’s jewelry line, The Ropes is a colorful ode to her Maine roots. “I always had a farfetched dream of trying to bring my design skills back to Maine,” says Ready. “I like the idea of visiting different metropolitan cities but then coming home to Maine to interpret and digest everything.”
Inspired by the nautical materials and the rich marine culture of her home state, Ready launched The Ropes in March 2011. “The Ropes actually started completely accidentally,” she says. “About two years ago now I was just messing around with rope I had around the house and ended up making two bracelets for myself.”
Those two original bracelets are now the Kennebunkport and the Portland styles, which, along with the rest of the line come in a vibrant assortment of colors from neon brights to classic white—inspired by the buoys Ready’s husband uses in his lobstering business. Each piece is handmade in Maine using authentic nautical hardware and cords, most of which are made in Maine as well.
The Ropes can be found online at Spaces Kennebunkport and at the Bliss boutique in Portland, Maine. Prices range between $30 for the Scarborough bangle to $70 for the multi-strand Portland bracelet.
An Icelandic duo’s first accessories collection references the nation’s most prolific saga with Viking Age materials
Staka marks the first collection in an ongoing series between Icelandic product designers María Kristín Jónsdóttir and Bylgja Svansdóttir, comprising a curious mix of finely crafted unisex leather neck accessories. The aristocratic vibe of each piece stems from the design duo’s concept for the range, which draws inspiration from one of Iceland’s most notorious narratives, the Brennu-Njáls saga. Like all Icelandic sagas, the author remains anonymous, but the extensive storyline is centered around a familial feud which brings the idea of masculinity into question. The designers were also particularly taken by the tale’s leading lady, Hallgerður Langbrók, a femme fatale “who was notorious for her majestic appearance and temperament”, explains Svansdóttir.
Cut and molded from “Viking Age materials”, each piece is designed to tell a story about the wearer’s social status, but the beauty lies in their ambiguity. “We want each person to have the freedom to decide their own story and social status,” explains Svansdóttir. “The responses we’ve gotten so far have been very interesting, people guessing which pieces famous characters from The Icelandic Sagas would have worn, etc.”
Each equipped with their own portfolio of distinct works, the pair met while both exhibiting at Reykjavik’s Spark Design Space. Having bonded over a shared passion for unconventional jewelry and accessories design, they will continue to evolve the Staka line together, adding to the exciting range of unusual statement pieces.
Staka 2012 is available in limited supply at 38 þrep in Reykjavik, which stocks an equally exciting inventory of fashion and design goods.
With Spring dawning in half the world—including at CH HQ in NYC—we’ve been inspired to brighten up our warmer weather attire to the match the early blossoms. After searching for Spring-ready neckwear, we have gathered together a selection of ties and bow ties that best convey the renewed energy of the season.
Pierrepont Hicks
Using Thomas Mason’s coveted fabrics, the “Cameron Bow” ($62) accurately captures the ethos of spring and summer sun. Microcord cotton adds texture and natural striping to this New York-made accessory.
Monitaly
For a something cheerful but still subdued, this pastel striped tie ($58) hits all the right notes. Made by Monitaly, the cotton construction is cut for a slim silhouette and is casual enough to wear without a jacket.
Ernest Alexander
You can’t go wrong with a traditional rep tie. Ernest Alexander’s version ($72) uses micro-stripes to break up the green and blue dominance, and lines the silk exterior with a somewhat sturdier and more laid-back chambray.
Drake’s
Fit for the office and sunday brunch alike, this brightly hued royal twill tie (£95) is screen-printed by hand in England. The luxe brand’s simple polka dot design injects a sense of fun into a look that can still pass as conservative enough.
Shipley & Halmos
The “Artist Jacquard” ($98) from Shipley & Halmos balances the dominant pink with a navy that comes through in the furrows. Printed across the silk are renditions of a painter hard at work, for a thoughtful and humanizing little riff on the critter motif.
Etro
The bold hues of this knitted silk tie ($190) fall in line with the Italian brand’s trademark mastery of prints, but in a slightly unexpected form. The squared end stands out, and lines of tan anchor the colorful spectrum against a formal ensemble.
General Knot & Co.
Part schoolboy geek, part retro badass, this cotton check tie ($88) is made from vintage 1960s fabric. Plus, the ultra-limited run of 12 ties comes lined with a charming shamrock pattern on the underside.
Alexander Olch
Pink seersucker serves as the cornerstone to any spring tie collection. Hand-sewn from woven English cotton, the texture of Alexander Olch’s take ($140) softens the shirt-and-tie look with casual preppy spirit.
The latest ways to enhance game play with your smartphone or tablet
With additional reporting by James Thorne
Realizing that competing with the popularity of smartphones and tablets is a game they’ve already lost, toy manufacturers are finding ways to incorporate apps and devices into their product experience. New options range from simple tactile cases to QR codes and elaborate augmented reality board games. We’re really impressed by the breadth of the examples we discovered at the 2012 Toy Fair in New York City this week, even if more often than not the concept is more impressive than the execution. This is a space in which we expect to see a huge amount of innovation, and look forward to seeing how large companies and startups jockey for position in the growing market.
The simple foam design of this ball opens the gaming experience to loads of new opportunities. By combining motion sensors, app-based games and TV visualization, the toy from Phyiscal Apps is able to dramatically expand the capabilities of your smartphone simply by securely wrapping it up in a foam ball. Experience bowling by watching the game on your TV and roll the ball against the wall to simulate bowling, for example.
A range of games from Hasbro slated to appear this year are swapping out traditional game boards for iPads. Old favorites like Life and Monopoly are among the ranks, although we were most excited by the company’s plans for Battleship. The strategic two-player game has come a long way since pegs and model ships ruled the board. The game leverages an app and is supplemented by placing battleship pieces on your iPad’s screen. For the game of Life, significant “moments” trigger relevant videos, from graduations to wedding ceremonies.
iBounce is reminiscent of treadmill televisions, giving kids an interface to play along with as they engage in physical activity. Currently accompanied by an eBook, the story prompts children to jump along with RompyRoo on his adventures. Apps are already in the works.
Age-old card games like Hearts, War and Solitaire aren’t left out of the appcessory world. The standard decks are enhanced by QR codes on some of the cards, which can be ignored offline or scanned to instigate new ways of play. For example, one scanned during Hearts may say to draw more cards, or to throw cards out. It’s a simple, clever way to engage those who are interested without modifying the game experience for those who aren’t.
Touted as “huggable learning”, these adorable smartphone holders give children something to grab on to as they learn through educational app play. The stand also serves as a charger.
This quiz game app and is created for family play, and leverages a dish that holds and counts tokens, and shields your screen-based entries from other players. Answer questions displayed on the screen by putting your colored pieces in the corresponding dish. Correct entries are then collected in the basin below without the need to manually tally responses. The company makes several other appcessories, including game show style buzzers for question-based games.
The original Eye Know card game has been enhanced with a free app component. Scrambled images gradually become clear, and players win points depending on how fast they can guess the person, place or thing coming into focus.
Featuring several different games, this triptych board by Identity Games uses the iPad as the central interface surrounded by two panels for real-world movement. Several two-sided inserts are included with the game board. Play is enabled by rotating the die in the holder, each face corresponding to a different game. Character pieces help keep kids involved as the integrated apps track progress, keep score and provide instruction. A version for smartphones is on the way, too.
The world of tablet styluses is given a natural kid-friendly counterpart with this “crayon” styled stylus by Dano. While not a game, it facilitates both drawing and game play. The triangle-shaped stylus teaches correct grip as users draw on the screen of the tablet, engaging with their app of choice.
Of the many noteworthy designs to come out of 2012 Paris Fashion Week the spatially inspired Fall/Winter collections of Sruli Recht and Inaisce were particularly captivating.
Sruli Recht presented a highly spirited line of garments featuring graphics of horses running across wild Icelandic landscapes while conveying the warmth needed to face such harsh climates.
The Field Dressing collection comprises luxury-quality natural animal-based materials like felted and knotted Icelandic wool, reindeer leather, calfskin and hand-loomed satin made from single strands of horsetail hair. For his third complete menswear line, Recht employed a hunting theme, but tailoring is decidedly urban, with impeccable detail from innovative silhouettes to precise pleats.
The 35-ensemble collection centers on a color palette of rusty orange-red, black and a spectrum of beige shades. The spirit of hunting shines through in audacious accessories, from a dolphin-skin belt to bird-wing collars and glass-blown slippers. Shorts over light knit leggings were shown with transparent shirts made with spider silk. Coats feature oversized pleats and enveloping hoods and jackets stay more closely cut, offering an asymmetrical line to the overall ensemble.
New Yorker Inaisce finds his inspiration in Far Eastern wonderlands like Mongolia, Siberia, Armenia and the Silk Road for his Pilgrimage collection. His story, documented in beautiful photography, follows some kind of rough warrior traversing land and sea to reach a kind of hidden heaven.
The waterproof garments are stiff and durable outside, disguising sensuality in soft and delicate materials on the inside. Paying close attention to fabric, Inaisce plays with contrasting textures on lambskin, wolf wool, cotton, silk, fur and leather smeared with resin or carbon.
Conceived as a whole, the architectural unisex collection is highly cohesive. The wraps and coats, caftans, leather blazers, monastic tunics and warrior skirts work together seamlessly.
The dummy book motif has appeared on accessories from handbags to desktop boxes, only partially satisfying true literary geeks because, after all, they’re only just replicating the covers. Book Chargers by Rich Neeley Designs, on the other hand, are made from actual vintage books outfitted with an impressively subtle power source for an iPhone or iPod. The USB-compatible hook-up tucks neatly behind the book’s binding, and the dock itself is discreet enough to go unnoticed at quick glance.
Neeley and his wife, Brenna, travel around Southern California on what they call “book hunting” excursions. They’ve picked up tomes like a 1977 edition of “Alice in Wonderland”, a manual called “Modern Dentistry” dating back to 1975, and a cloth-bound copy of Louisa May Alcott’s “Eight Cousins” from 1914 for the antique bases they then refurbish to keep your modern technology fully juiced. The selection of books also includes contemporary releases bound in throwback past-edition covers, with titles spanning “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, “Huckleberry Finn” and more.
Rich Neeley Book Chargers sell through the designer’s Etsy shop, with prices ranging from $48-$55 per book.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
