We love X-Bands (top) but wonder why Laufer are the only brand that makes them? – presumably they own the patent. It wouldn’t be so bad if they came in more colours. Step up one of our favourite stationers, MUJI. They have their own version of the X-Band (bottom) in chunky white, with holes that grip the corners. They are ideal for lo-fi collating of multiple books, although at $4 for 2 – they are actually high-price lo-fi. Spotted in MUJI at MOMA.
David Rainbird
Posted on Friday, 8th of February 2008 Permalink
Weare is a fascinating collision of clothing and technology with a simple philosophy - everyone should be able to participate in fashion.
Moving Brands launched Weare with a socially networked and user created scarf. The Moving Brands ecosystem of friends, colleagues and clients were invited to submit images to a window gallery at the Moving Brands studio. This sequence of images was then used to create the Weare scarf. The limited edition, collectible scarf is available to buy online from Moving Brands or in selected design-led shops in London throughout December and January 2008.
Aspiring designers and contributors can create images for the next Weare product – to be produced early in 2008 – by visiting weare.movingbrands.com.
These images will be shown at the Weare exhibition (online and Moving Brands window display) from December 2007 to March 2008. As well as creating images, contributors will also be able to vote for what the next Weare product should be.
In the interest of full disclosure I am the lucky owner of scarf 203 of 1000 and I used to work at Moving Brands. Not that that should stop you checking them out.
Gary Butcher
Posted on Friday, 14th of December 2007 Permalink
Get a festive design fix at The Design Grotto, at Somerset House next weekend (same place where you can make a fool of yourself on an ice rink every Christmas). It looks like a fun event with interactive stalls, creative workshops and unique gifts for under £20. Stallholders include Beyond the Valley, Multistorey, If You Could, Johnson Banks and Tatty Devine. Oh, and Michael Johnson will be Father Christmas this year (not really, but wouldn’t he be good?).
David Rainbird
Posted on Friday, 7th of December 2007 Permalink
The elves over at Peepshow collective have just solved all your Christmas problems. Launching just in time, Peepshop has an exclusive range of peepshow giclee prints, t-shirts, and decorations. With the best assorted Christmas cards ever, awesome prints such as Miles Donovan’s World Fair 1964 and Jenny Bowers’ Leaf Bag, every good boy and girl should be happy. Or, if you’re a bit of a Grinch, just get some Andrew Rae Skull Decorations for the tree. That’ll scare Grandma!
David Rainbird
Posted on Friday, 7th of December 2007 Permalink
The perfect Christmas gift for any budding typographer this year has to be this lovely Font Clock by Sebastian Wrong (for Established & Sons) incorporating 12 different fonts. The only problem is you’ll have to put a few more hours in to afford one.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Monday, 26th of November 2007 Permalink
Alistair Hall (of We Made This) took this great photo of Tom Dixon’s installation in Trafalgar Square. Last year Dixon gave away chairs, this year he’s giving away 1,000 “Blow” low energy lights. Be there at 5pm today to grab one or stay in the dark.
David Rainbird
Posted on Wednesday, 19th of September 2007 Permalink
This is going to be the most fun since the Casio VL-Tone:
“Media artist Toshio Iwai and Yamaha have collaborated to design a new digital musical instrument for the 21st century, TENORI-ON. A 16x16 matrix of LED switches allows everyone to play music intuitively, creating a “visible music” interface.”
Yamaha are test-marketing it in the UK now, currently out of stock but hopefully not for long. Soon everyone will be able to electro-synth like Jean Michel Jarre! (via MIT Advertising Lab)
David Rainbird
Posted on Monday, 17th of September 2007 Permalink
Staying close to my Ravensbourne roots, I thought I’d plug a 2007 graduate. If it was Yuta Watenbes way all that he would carry in his pencil case would be a pencil. His project named A Dozen Pencils is a visual exploration of The pencil, from memory, behavioural, humour and pencil language, and creating some really sweet products as a result. Check out his other stuff here
Vikesh Bhatt
Posted on Thursday, 16th of August 2007 Permalink
No, not Freddie Starr’s latest gadget, but Tom Ballhatchet’s ingenious design for a hamster cage with integrated hamster-powered paper shredder. It’s a virtuous circle - hamster runs on wheel, gears drive shredder, hamster gets more bedding.
Another of Tom’s MA Industrial Design projects is already patent applied – the TV packaging that becomes it’s own TV stand.
David Rainbird
Posted on Friday, 20th of July 2007 Permalink
To celebrate the epic new Transformers Movie that is being released later this week and with a little help from mutual studio Transformers fans take a look at this mega 80’s transforming watch. The robot detaches and if almost by magic transforms into a free standing robot. You can buy newer versions of this watch now but not a patch on the retro version. For all of you that don’t remember heres a little sound bite to jog your memory.
Vikesh Bhatt
Posted on Monday, 16th of July 2007 Permalink
