Here’s the third post of photographic highlights from last week’s Switzerland trip… stay tuned for more exclusive features….
With Manchester being the trendy Argentine influenced chain’s only previous venture outside the capital, the opening of Gaucho’s Leeds outpost has been met with much approval, especially given the intense rivally between the cities. A long-standing celeb fave, Gaucho, with it’s glamourous interiors – all mirrored panels, cowhides and subtle lighting – and internationally renowned steak cuts is Leeds’ latest ‘place to be, and to be seen’…..
Remember how impressed you used to be when the suspicious looking children’s entertainer weaved his magic upon a few unsuspecting balloons and presented you with a deformed, red poodle? Well imagine how you would have felt if the rather talented, Chicago based Willy Chyr had presented you with a bloody great alien suit, dress or indeed an art installation inspired by a ‘ctenophore’ – a phylum of animals that live in marine waters. Having joined the circus whilst at university – yes really – Chyr stumbled upon the art of twisting balloons whilst performing as a juggler, unicyclist, and magician, soon developing a desire to create large scale works, he is already making somewhat of a name for himself… and with work as dramatically original as this, we can certainly see why…..
American Apparel x LOOKBOOK.nu
the blogosphere's continuing influence on the fashion industry....
March 19th, 2010
With a goal of bringing together “diverse, aesthetically talented and open-minded people from around the world”, San Francisco based LOOKBOOK.nu is an online fashion community inspired by the ’street style’ blogs made famous by the likes of ‘The Sartorialist‘ and ‘Face Hunter‘. With their finger always firmly on the pulse, clothing giant American Apparel set about inviting LOOKBOOK.nu’s active, international community to submit photographs of themselves in their American Apparel best for a new, well, ‘lookbook’…. Overwhelmed with high quality submissions, the highlights now form a suitably stylish, 64-page lookbook that features 132 looks from 77 global users…..
Six Senses at Rue De Castiglione, Paris
wooden cocoons offer a slice of tropical luxury in the city....
March 18th, 2010
Typically cropping up tropical oasis’ such as the Maldives, Thailand or Vietnam, Thai based resort and spa specialists, Six Senses, have found themselves in the heart of Paris, bringing their own little piece of tranquil luxury along with them. Featuring an interior vertical garden, created by landscape artist Patrick Blanc, a real-time image of the Paris skyline projected through the length of the spa and six uniquely hand crafted, oak treatment “Cocoons”, Rue De Castiglione’s fabulously understated new spa delivers serenity and exclusivity on all fronts. Don’t miss the ‘Paris Roof Top Honey Facial’, using honey harvested from city bee hives on the roof tops of Paris….
Renowned for a disturbing, visually arresting style – their debut album ‘All Hour Cymbals’ depicted a hairy chested, faceless woman on the cover – Yeasayer have seemingly found good company in equally perverse video directing duo Kirby McClure and Julia Grigorian, aka Radical Friend. Following the naked bodies, faceless horserider and homo-erotic boxer from their last single, ‘Ambling Alp’, Radical Friend’s latest interpretation of Yeasayer’s fantastically twisted psych-pop – for new single ‘ONE’ – features gangsters with morphing faces, underwater gimps, mystical poker games and, errrm… well, just watch the video….
Maison Couturier, Veracruz, Mexico
19th century elegance in the tropics of Mexico....
March 17th, 2010
Housed in the shell of an agricultural estate built by French immigrants in 1833 and faithfully restored, Veracruz’s Maison Couturier, with all it’s history of settlement and colonisation, couldn’t exude more traditional elegance if it tried. Inviting guests, who will occupy one of the 8 bungalows or it’s landowner’s suite – “la chambre du maître” – to step back into time, the Maison Couturier offers the expected luxury of a Design Hotels property – plasma screens, wireless internet, massage services and a deluxe swimming pool – whilst retaining it’s very special charm, seclusion and exclusivity. Relaxing, luxurious and oh so effortlessly cool, this tropical Mexican hideaway is a truly special find….
Hiroshima Park Restrooms, Future Studio
who'd've thought we'd be writing about public loos again so soon?
March 17th, 2010
So, we thought it’d be more than a few weeks until we wrote about public toilets again, especially public toilets in Japan… it seems, however, that they’re developing somewhat of a knack for doing them rather well, as less than four weeks since we ran a feature on the Tokinokura Lavatories in Shimodate, we’re back in Japan for yet more lavatory admiration! This time it’s the turn of internationally renowned Bunzo Ogawa’s Future Studio and their sublime, geometric creations that have appeared, rather like undeniably stylish alien landing pods, in parks around Hiroshima. With 12 of these graceful little beauties due to be completed in Hiroshima by the end of this month, and no reason as to why this project cannot be applicable in cities worldwide… we’re once more taken aback by the potential brilliance of the humble public loo….
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The latest addition to Tom Dixon's iconic mirror balls collection is this astonishingly beautiful 'Mirror Balls on Stand' floor lamp....
A 20-strong female choir decked out in futuristic technicolour capes who sing and scream about drinking and smoking over a post-dubstep clatter... Gaggle are the London based rebel yell we've all been waiting for. Previously mentioned in our midweek newsletter, their debut, 'I Hear Flies', is released today and yes, it's rather brilliant....
We love this cute little illustration from Central Illustration Agency's Chris Brown for Carluccio's
'The Lambeth Palace' is London's "newest, darkest and dirtiest purpose built cinema".... the temporary space set up by street art legend Banksy is showing his new film until March 4th, there's only a very few tickets left, so if you're in town between now and then, we suggest booking them right now....
Independent Dublin based design studio, Superfolk, are launching a new range of products at this week's Stockholm Furniture Fair, that will pay tribute to Irish heritage... whilst remaining desirably modern.
Loving this high quality print from the ever-impressive Scott Hansen... highly limited to 200 pieces so move quick.
Previously only available in German, Berlin’s Innervisions have released a limited English run of Tobias Rapp’s book, ‘Lost and Sound: Berlin, Techno and the Easyjetset’. Investigating the city's love affair with electronic music and the world's descent upon the German capital in search of the ultimate party....
Ether, the Southbank Centre's annual culture-fest of music, art, technology and experimentation is back from 16th - 24th April with the likes of Lou Reed's Metal Machine Trio, Broadcast and Gil Scott-Heron... the highlight for us has to be the 23rd where mindfuck genius Chris Cunningham performs a live multimedia extravaganza... expect to be disturbed....
Running from 5th - 13th February at the rather brilliant Darkroom, 'An Exhibitional Orgy of Love Hearts' is a celebration of Saint Valentine's in which a host of creative types have been commissioned to create a piece of work based upon the heart.... All pieces will be for sale for £125, with a portion of the profits going to the Haiti Fund
The latest product from magic industry pioneers, theory11, is this rather tasty set of playing cards that commemorate 125 years of design and development by the US Playing Card Company....
Tom Dixon Floor Lamp
Gaggle: ‘I Hear Flies’
Chris Brown for Carluccio’s
Banksy's Cinema
Superfolk
ISO50 'Adrift' Print
Lost and Sound
Ether 10
An Exhibitional Orgy of Love Hearts @ Darkroom
Bicycle 125 Playing Cards
