Hasta La Ideas

We felt these rings were appropriate given the current weather patterns in the Bay Area. Just when you think the sun is going to come out the clouds come rolling in.

Thanks Karen for the tip.

Hmm… This innovative concept design by designer Erik De Nijs functions as luggage, but can be converted into a comfy set of stylish furniture for those extended layovers.

De Nijs explains his thinking behind the project:

The ‘suited case’ is a project which is inspired on the idea of people waiting during their trip. People often go and rest sitting on their suitcases, that is the starting point of this design.

What began as an exploration of form with a sharpie and a pair of vans one afternoon by artist and educator Louie Gong , has evolved into a series of custom shoes with a growing fan base of a few thousand in a few months time.

The influence of the designs stems from the ancestry of the Nooksack tribe which stretches from British Columbia to Oregon. The artist states: “Coast Salish art is one of the ways I connect to my heritage, so it was natural that it came out sat down to make my first pair of shoes. The art style is characterized by a very strong formline, which is created using ovals, crescents, and triangular shapes that are sometimes called trigons. The formline in my shoes is often created in the negative space, just like someone creates a design in a relief carving…”

“Specifically, I want to find new ways to make this specific statement: you can embrace the dynamic realities of modern life and still maintaining strong cultural identity.”

For more on the 8th Generation line of shoes go here.

More than 510,000 tons of milk and juice cartons are generated every year in the United States, but unfortunately, less than .05% get recycled. This unfortunate fact prompted Portland-based industrial designer Schreiber into action. He’s developed functional wallets from the very paper cartons that we so readily discard.

Milkmuny pays local groups seeking to raise funds for the cartons they collect. After giving them a good scrub down, they create multi-pocketed wallets through an intricate folding process. Wallets are priced at $10 a piece, and come with a 45 day warranty. A percentage of sales are donated to various environmental groups. Schreiber explains:

“I wanted to challenge traditional design thinking and create a mass produced product that didn’t expend more energy to create or require more resources to produce but was also aesthetically pleasing and uncompromisingly functional.”

via:

While grabbing a cup of coffee at our local café, we came across an interesting line of apparel cleverly titled ?RU. Each item contained slogans such as “Mixed to Perfection” and “Hybrid Vigor.” The concept behind the ?RU brand acknowledges the fastest growing group in the United States—people of mixed race, or the “multi-racials.” For more info on this burgeoning population, click on this.

Our discovery of this multi-cultural line also happened to correspond with the 5th annual celebration of “Loving Day” which occurred on June 12th of this year. Loving Day commemorates the landmark decision to ban what was then termed miscegenation, or in other words, interracial marriage. Created by Writer, Lori L. Tharps and Art Director, Tesia Barone, ?RU is the embodiment of the progress made in the US in overturning oppression and embracing our estranged yet interconnected roots.

Lori Tharps shares the motivation behind the new line: ” As the mother of two mixed kids and a journalist who often writes about race and identity, I knew that the phrase ‘What are you?’ is one of the most annoyingly pervasive questions people ask of those who don’t look like the stereotypical definitions we have for racial categories. I write about these issues, but I wanted to do something more. I wanted to bring the question and the answers out in the open and hopefully neutralize some of the pain and annoyance associated with identity politics. I wanted to start a public conversation but I wanted to do it in a positive and fun way.”

In regards to the graphic treatment, co-founder Tesia Barone explains: “The identity works very well in both its graphic treatment and naming. The goal was to turn what can be an annoying question, into an opportunity for discussion. The combination of symbols and letters to represent that question is how we frequently communicate in the current age of texting & instant-messaging. The overall effect is meant to feel bold, slightly intrusive, and intriguing at the same time.”

In addition to their tees and pins, ?RU is in the process of developing additional products such as socks, flip-flops, and mittens. Stay tuned, as we’ll provide you with the latest on this inspiring, identity-embracing apparel as it becomes available.


Here’s a video they put together together to explain what they are doing.