Hasta La Ideas

While much of the recent London Fashion Week lacked the edge of past seasons with designers taking the safer route by showing subdued ready-to-wear collections, Dutch-born designer Maaike Mekking seized on high drama (what some might say fashion does best) with her collection dubbed “Witch-Craft-Wo-Man-Ship.”

Channeling the spirit of cult films such as Christiane F and Bandlands, Mekking showed a collection of wearable separates reflecting her own take on the classic American biker jacket, jeans and white t-shirt. To heighten the intensity, she mixed in contrasting materials including sheepskin, corduroy, chiffon and wool—all thrown over a tribal-patterned bodysuit.

Since completing a masters in Womenswear Design at the Royal College of Art, Mekking has built up a solid platform of skills working under renowned designers such as the late Alexander McQueen, Humanoid and Alberta Ferretti. Now heading up her own eponymous label, the designer continues to captivate her audience with not only clothing, but also with an intimate range of interdisciplinary artistic collaborations involving artists Tania Leshkina, Anastasia Freygang and Joseph Xorto.

Mekkings collection showed that while the main catwalks of London’s Fashion Week may have lacked a little electricity, there is still plenty of energy left in the city for those willing to take a step in her direction.

As the 2010 World Cup nears,
Nike gathered hundreds of journalists in London (CH included) last week to learn about their new soccer products and technology, helping to fan the flames leading up to one of the world’s most popular sporting events taking place this summer in South Africa. Held in the Battersea Power Station, a crumbling Art Deco building widely featured in album covers, film and TV, the site (not to mention Nike’s bunker-like build-out and other theatrics) made for a dramatic setting to launch the paraphernalia.

London’s photogenic ruins couldn’t compete with the star power of the sport’s best athletes however. An appearance by Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo, followed by nine players each representing their national team (along with one repping Nike’s newly-acquired company Umbro), brought the event to a fever pitch as media from all over the world clamored to get a word with the talented footballers.

Not to be overshadowed by the event itself, Nike emphasized their innovation-led approach to design with the Superfly II, a new self-adjusting-cleat version of their Mercurial Vapor, an app dubbed
Nike Soccer+ that lets you train like the pros, and the world’s first Considered jersey made from recycled bottles. For more detailed images and info, check out the slide show below.

Image of Nike CEO Mark Parker at the Summit via Freshness

Philadelphia architect KieranTimberlake has won the competition to design the new US embassy in the UK. (more…)

Sean Freeman est un graphiste et amateur de typographie plein de talent, actuellement installé à Londres. Il récupère des objets pour créer des images saisissantes aux textures riches. De nombreux exemples de son style et de ses illustrations sont disponibles dans la suite.

Previously on Fubiz

• Be Stupid by Diesel
• Steven Bonner Illustrations
• Typography Videoclip

London based illustrator, designer, art director! Lui è Ziemowit, lo trovate qui e qui.