As much as we love elegant well-balanced design, it are those makers who create with a similar precision, but always inhabiting a certain element of friction, who continue to stand out rather than loose real relevance over time. Among the artist who have proven to be just that; exquisitely precise but always finding ways to be represent friction into in their case timeless sculptural creations based on animals and nature - full of humor - are the French artist duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne, who have inspired us with their timeless work since we discovered it through the Yves Saint Laurent art sale in 2009. Following a retrospective exhibition in 2009, inspired by the death of François-Xavier, last month on the 12th of December, the Paris-based Galerie Mitterrand opened another grande exhibition devoted to extraordinary work of Les Lalanne, celebrating 40 years of collaboration between the artists and Jean-Gabriel Mitterrand, and 25 years with the gallery. This exhibition is the opportunity to discover (or rediscover­) the art works of this internationally renowned, extremely talented couple of sculptors. [ Continue reading ]

After last night's incredible very first edition of the two weekly 5-course 'Forthnight Dinners' by our dear friends of The Village, which we will elaborate on in the near future, we decided tot end this weekend in style. What better day than this first real crispy winterday to take out the vintage casino glasses acquired at the extraordinary vintage market of Lisbon during a visit in 2013 and create our favorite mix around; Gin & Tonics out of one of the finest gins available; Amsterdam's own V2C. Spiced up with some gunpowder, in this case dried bay leaf, cardamom and some dried juniper berries. There is no better way to end this wonderful weekend. [ Continue reading ]

Two years ago we wrote about the impressive first collaboration between Converse and one of our favorite brands around; Hancock Vulcanised Articles. Since then it was succeeded twice and today marks the fourth joint endeavor by the two brands which is again of the highest standard. Using subtle colors and graphic juxtaposition as the main inspirations, the worldwide release of today signifies the first time Hancock DNA has been incorporated into the premium Converse Jack Purcell Signature silhouette. Available in three complementary colorways – Autumn, Taupe and Black – the latter featuring Hancock’s striking Siphonia Elastica rubber plant print, each sneaker is completed with a contrasting top eyelet detail with interchangeable laces, making this the perfect hybrid of the Purcell's classic design and Hanock's cutting edge garments. [ Continue reading ]

Although the project was first presented (to great critical acclaim and public amazement) in 2012 at The Barbican in London, last November's (second) reprise of the extraordinary 'Rain Room' by Random International at LACMA in Los Angeles continues to be one of our clear favorites in sensory design, being some of the most gracious construction we've encountered in the last few years. The London-based innovative studio brought its installation to LA via Shanghai, where it was also shown - partly simultaneously with its presence in the USA - during the last months of 2015, proving interest in the work to be worldwide. The highly elegant 'Rain Room' is an immersive environment of perpetually falling water that pauses wherever a human body is detected. It offers visitors an opportunity to experience what is seemingly impossible: the ability to control rain. The creation presents a respite from everyday life and an opportunity for sensory reflection within a responsive relationship. [ Continue reading ]

We continue to immerse ourselves in the wonderful world of the finest fragrances on the market and last month we stumbled upon another incredible brand which proves to be very inspirational for us. The Dublin-based ROADS was founded in 2013 by Royal Academy of Dramatic Art graduated Danielle Ryan, granddaughter of Ryanair founder, Tony Ryan; debuting with a collection consisting of 10 fragrances, each named after its direct inspiration or a fictional background story. After its foundation ROADS also introduced a book-publishing arm and documentary film production house under its brand, which all seems to make sense because of the extremely cohesive visual language and represented emotion in all branches. Last month, ROADS showed its continued leading creative energy with the introduction of 4 incredible new perfumes, this time inspired by the rich source being the African continent, both in scent as the commissioned art that decorates the packaging, adding great new depth to its already remarkable collection. [ Continue reading ]

Last month we discovered the extraordinary 'Yo + Yo' project by New York-based Brazilian typographic artist and graphic designer Yomar Augusto. The start of the new project leads all the way back to a period between 1960 and 1962, during which Augusto's father was deployed to the Gaza Strip as part of the United Nations emergency force where he combined his work as a soldier with photography. The insightful images he shot there show the daily life inside the military compound, the region and numerous charismatic self portraits of the young lieutenant. As fans of vintage photographs with a beautiful weathered look these images really appeal to us to begin with, but Yomar's vision to hybridize his personal talents with their shared passion for photography makes 'Yo + Yo' a next level project of a son who's father died when he was 5 years old. Having printed the photographs on 1 meter wide paper, Yomar adds a distinct layer of both typography and graphics, giving the images a strong new meaning, both on the mentioned deep personal level, but even more as remarkable imagery with an extraordinary raw aesthetic. [ Continue reading ]

On this wonderful day right at the beginning of the new year - but more importantly at the start of the life of a beloved newborn (!) - we will begin our writings in 2016 with a great find of some months ago. With a newfound introspective focus on what really inspires us, rather then just sharing those projects which are universally considered to be relevant or influential, we turn to the art of painting once more. British artist Kes Richardson started figurative, but for some years now has moved all the way beyond most familiar shapes into the geometric abstract, through which he really caught our attention when we discovered his incredible 'Garden Paintings' series, which was presented to the public by London-based Fold Gallery in 2013. [ Continue reading ]