Hasta La Ideas

After years of perfecting their curvy and colorful packaging solo, our friends at Method are exploring the designer collaboration route. The planet-friendly company’s debut partner is Irish-born, London-based Orla Kiely. A special fall collection of Method hand washes and home cleaners features four of the designer’s signature stylized prints that in turn inspired the products’ unique fragrances. The coral-colored floral print inspired a primrose scent, which Method describes as “an updated twist on a classic rose,” while the green stem print smells like bay leaf, and the multicolored “acorn cup” design is matched with a fragrance called vanilla chai. Kiely’s pear pattern led Method to a clean and gingery aroma that will be available in hand wash, cleaning spray, and dish soap. Look for the bright bottles (recyclable and made with 100% recycled plastic) in Target stores nationwide next month. Meanwhile, Method has already started to roll out the limited-edition line on its website.

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A table and Airplay-enabled sound system in one

Combining precision German engineering with beautiful Finnish design from their offices in Berlin and Helsinki, multinational studio Mela & Vanamo debuts with the stunning Kaikuuu01 table sound system. Designers Teemu Kurkela, Martti Mela and Päivi Meuronen created the Airplay compatible table with integrated speakers and radio, all encased in a spare, unassuming design.

Constructed of Canadian maple by a specialized cabinetmaker in Berlin, the glass-topped table relies on an audio exciter pressed against the underside of the glass surface that effectively turns it into a loudspeaker—a technique Mela says is commonly used in showroom windows and sound art installations. The boxed wood frame both acts as a natural soundboard to amplify low frequency tones and keeps the electronic innards out of sight. The glass plain rests on a dampening cushion that eliminates the transfer of sound and vibrations to other objects placed on the table.

The Kaikuuu01 is controlled by an Apple Airplay-compatible device within the structure, and powered by an AC cord that runs out of sight through one leg. For more information on the acoustic table and pricing—which can be constructed in any requested size—contact Mela & Vanamo directly. The designers also have a headboard, light and alarm clock in the works.

First look at the NYC boutique’s big-box collaboration

Honing in its successful collaboration series on independent boutiques, Target announced a partnership with NYC-based menswear pioneer Odin back in May, and last night we got a first look at the upcoming line for The Shops at Target initiative. As one of two New York stores to be included in the program (along with Kirna Zabete for women), Odin teamed up with innovative mega-retailer Target to bring a bit of their self-proclaimed “moody” menswear to a broad audience at unparalleled mass-market prices. Even with a requisite sense of trepidation over such a move, we were impressed with the strength and integrity of the collection.

Having established itself as the authority in sophisticated men’s fashion in New York, Odin’s participation in the fresh-minded Shops initiative will introduce the aesthetic to all Target stores nationwide. The cohesive collection of nearly 20 apparel staples and a small selection of accessories represents a characteristic offering for which founders Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi have become well-respected among their loyal and discerning fan base.

The range of button-down shirts, wovens and jackets come in a neutral color palette, along with chinos, a chukka boot and an understated weekend bag. Standouts include the Fair Isle Shall Cardigan, unstructured Moleskin Blazer and the motorcycle-inspired Cropped Jacket—each priced less than $100.

The Odin at Target Collection will hit stores 9 September 2012 alongside those from Kirna Zabete, San Francisco’s The Curiosity Shoppe and Boston-based Patch NYC. Prices range from $35 for items like shirts and trousers to $45-$99 for jackets and sweaters. Hit Target stores and visit their website next month to purchase.

From left: judges Billy Paretti (Hennessy), designer and Pratt alum Harry Allen, and Jennifer Yu (Hennessy), with Michael Cook and his winning work, competition mentor and judge Futura, and faculty advisor and judge Jeff Bellantoni. (Photos: Rene Pérez)

Ithaca, New York native Michael Cook and his mixed media work hopped to first place in the Hennessy-sponsored competition that challenged a group of Pratt students and recent graduates to produce work that illustrates the “wild rabbit.” The contest was part of the cognac house’s collaboration with street artist Futura, who has splashed his signature colored helices on a bottle of Very Special (V.S.) cognac and mentored the competing students. Cook, who graduated from Pratt in May with a BFA in communications design (and a concentration in graphic design) and now lives in Brooklyn, took top honors for a piece that incorporates sculpture and video. He received a cash prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris for the October launch of the Hennessy V.S. bottle customized by Futura. As Cook prepares for the show of his recent work that opens Saturday at HomeGrown Board Shop in Ithaca, he made time to answer our questions about the competition, his winning work, and why graphic design is more than adjusting text boxes in InDesign.

What was the original brief for this collaborative project with Hennessy?
The original brief from Hennessy was to create a piece of artwork, of any medium, that related to the theme of “chasing one’s wild rabbit.” This was aligned with the brand’s mantra of “Never Stop. Never Settle.”

How did you respond to this theme and what did you create?
I used this starting point to conduct an exploration of what it means to me to be an artist and ultimately what it is that I want from art. There seems to be a myth, or a misconception, that being involved in graphic design means you spend your days in front of a computer adjusting text boxes in InDesign. I realized pretty early on in my art school education that that wasn’t going to be me, so I would usually try to find ways of conveying the same ideas in ways that allowed me to use my hands and explore different formats.
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Futura with Pratt MFA students Macklen Mayse and Jonathan “Johnny Tragedy” Stanish.

Street artist Futura has splashed his signature colored helices on a bottle for Hennessy, following the LVMH-owned cognac house’s successful 2011 match-up with KAWS. This year’s project also included a partnership with Pratt Institute, where a group of eight art and design students and recent graduates were challenged to produce work that illustrates the “wild rabbit.” The theme is a nod to the creatures that dart about Cognac, France and represents a force that drives people from one success to another, according to Hennessy brand lore. Jeff Bellantoni, chair of graduate communications design at Pratt, served as the faculty advisor for the competition, for which Futura mentored the students as they created works that ranged from a hand-crocheted afghan rug made from 185 plastic bags collected over the course of a month (the work of MFA student Natalie Sims) to a glamorously shredded evening gown topped by a rabbit head mask and photographed in a series of idylls (by BFA student Sophie Hui-Ni). Stay tuned for the full scoop on the contest winners. In the meantime, here’s an up-close and personal look at Futura, courtesy of Hennessy.
(Photos from top left: UnBeige and courtesy Hennessy)

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