The Rapha Continental project began in 2007 with the clear ambition to explore the road less travelled, discovering the things you only find out when cycling the open road. That sense of camaraderie which comes from sharing the effort and the adventure of meeting new places and people along the way has been the key motivation for a string of beautiful rides through the years. Last year it brought a group of riders to the Dutch shoreside called Hoek van Holland, in weather conditions making it a rather typical ride for our little country. Wind, rain, followed by some sun and always those returning threatening packs of grey clouds. Typical Dutch circumstances, and therefore contrary to many other countries, stopping very few Dutchmen and -woman from actually getting on a bicycle when it is needed. This culture of dealing with nature despite its hardships was also translated to a beautiful iconic poem written in 1936 by Hendrik Marsman named 'Remembrance of Holland,' which inspired the whole feel of the The Rapha Continental — Hidden Europe: Holland, resulting in a beautiful film by e r t z u i ° film serving the spectator a ride ones loves to hate. [ Continue reading ]
New York-based ISAORA recently released their first-ever Rainwear collection and we really love it. The collection is completely waterproof, though not resistant, and features three pieces that clearly represent ISAORA's guiding principles. Made in Portugal, the collection includes an amazing Mac Coat in black and bone color, a black Sportcoat and a Wetworker Tech 3L Field Jacket also in black and bone. By applying precision ultrasonic welding to fabrics from their technical apparel, ISAORA was able to eliminate their reliance on stitching, perforations, and taped seams during production. This technique yielded a rainwear collection that embodies the intersection between all- season wearability, emphatic minimalism, and leading-edge performance. Each piece features 100% 3L technical nylon from Japan, ultrasonic welding construction, ventilated eyelets under the arm and YKK Aquaguard zippers, creating completely waterproof garments that can be worn throughout the year, without compromising on its beautiful design. [ Continue reading ]
We have slowly been moving into the fascinating world of hand-made watches over the last two years, and this 'Look over the Watchmaker's Shoulders' by German watchmaker NOMOS Glashütte inhabits everything we love about the beautiful craft. Since 2005 NOMOS has been building all its movements and watches, among which are the beautiful Tangente, Orion and Zürich models, in-house in its facilities in Glashütte, Saxony which is located in the South of Germany. The year 1845 marks an important year for that city, as it was the moment when Ferdinand Adolph Lange settled in Glashütte as the first master watchmaker, following a call to the Royal Saxon government, after which he received 7000 'Taler' start-up funding and began training the first watchmaker. Since then the watches and fine mechanical industry has been the economic backbone of the city. Some of the more renowned watch company operating from Glashütte at the moment are A. Lange & Söhne, Bruno Söhnle Uhrenatelier Glashütte and ofcourse NOMOS Glashütte, who has given this beautiful insight into its Chronometrie. [ Continue reading ]
This amazing video by Christopher Kippenberger for German bicycle producer VANDEYK catches the sentiment of solitary cycling on a snowy day perfectly. Named after VANDEYK's top of the line carbon fibre road bike collection; 'Machine for Riding' captures the almost spiritual cyclist moments when the sole rider, the wide landscape and trustworthy bicycle hybridize into perfect unity. With a minimalistic 'code' at the core of the design concept, this particular bicycle collection of VANDEYK patronizes the optimal alliance of man and high-performance machinery. The Machine for Riding bicycles were engineered by Formula 1 proven engineer Ralf Brand and fully manufactured in Germany by ax-lightness, making it an amazing product of the finest in carbon fibre technology. The clear goal for the Machine for Riding was to create perfect balance between rider and road, which was immaculately intepretated by Kippenberger. [ Continue reading ]
The Dutch artists Lernert & Sander continue their string of fascinatingly beautiful projects with their concept named 'Last Season'. Amsterdam-based Lernert Engelberts and Sander Plug created a concept in honor of the arrival of the new seasonal collections at high-end Maastricht-based boutique Kiki Niesten, which yearly creates a concept in honor of the TEFAF Maastricht art fair. 'Last Season' revolves around the reduction of last season's knitted garments by Céline, Chloé, Jil sander and Prada to balls of yarn: "symbols of hope and aspiration." From the 14th until the 23th of March of this year, the results of the proces will be showcased in the window display of Kiki Niesten. Every year during the renowned art fair TEFAF, the prestigious boutique in the heart of Maastricht takes pride in participating artistically to the TEFAF experience, with this year resulting in the great collaboration with Lernert & Sander. [ Continue reading ]
We've slowly been collecting Kokeshi dolls for some years now. From the moment we found the first doll at Tortoise General Store we have been fascinated and impressed by the craft that goes into the production of the dolls, which clearly shows. In this video the modern production process of the Kokeshi has beautifully been caught on camera by Sàneyuki Owada of Japanstore. However, the origin of the beautiful Kokeshi dolls lays in North-East Japan, where it was first produced as wooden toy for children during the closing chapter of the Edo period, which ended in 1868. These first dolls were produced by woodwork artisans, called Kiji-shi, who normally made bowls, trays and other tableware by using a lathe. They began to make small dolls in the winter to sell to visitors who came to bathe in the many hot springs near their villages, which was believed to be a cure for the demands of a strenuous agricultural lifestyle. [ Continue reading ]
We really like the latest endeavor by one of our favorite outdoor label, Los Angeles-based Aether Apparel. Last December, as an enhancement to their online Journal, they introduced AETHERfocus. The new project is a video series that showcases individuals and companies that inspire the people at Aether. The very first episode focusses on Ben Farver of Argonaut Cycles. This company offers custom-built carbon frames, designed and manufactured entirely in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Each of their bikes are handcrafted using an innovative construction process for a completely tailored riding experience. The company is driven by a sincere passion for the sport of cycling, striving to make the best, because they want to ride the best. [ Continue reading ]
We love this video portraying the high level of craftsmanship one finds at the workshop of the Bradford on Avon-based Moulton Bicycles Company filmed by WellPlastic Films. Moulton Bicycles' founder, Alexander Moulton, is known as the pioneer of the small wheeled bicycle revolution which took place in 1962. All of today's small wheeled cycles owe a debt of gratitude to the original Moulton 'F' frame design, which not only introduced and proved the concept of full-size bicycles with small wheels, it was also the first frame that utilized front and rear suspension systems for improved comfort and performance. The Moulton bicycle has been developed and refined constantly ever since, and is seen as one of the finest bicycles being produced all over the world. [ Continue reading ]
Our favorite Lapka has succeeded again, next to their first endeavor, in introducing yet another lovely hybrid of aesthetics and technology: the Breath Alcohol Monitor. The Lapka BAM is an accessory for your phone that allows you to track alcohol metabolism over time, compare your measurements with friends and share them with the world. The device fits in your palm and when you hold it in a fist and the edge of your hand becomes the mouthpiece. Just one blow connects the device to your phone and starts the measurement process. The overall appearance of the app reflects your reading. It adapts to your night, meaning if you take it a little too far, it will even check in on you the next morning. [ Continue reading ]
New York-based designer David Weeks has proven, for many years now, to be a highly creative spirit. The designer has a very high level of production, from beautiful minimalist sofas and chairs to a nicely balanced mobile lamp. But our favorite of all his work are the wooden animals and robots that he makes in collaboration with Areaware. The first animal he ever produced was a bear of almost 35 inches high, made of 17 pieces of beech wood, put together by elastic. A beautiful and clever creature, who was able to stand in all kinds of positions. Afther the bear came a gorilla, an elephant, a rhinoceros, a crocodile, a pig, and eventually, as it is bound to happen everywhere at one point, the robot entered the scene. [ Continue reading ]
Next week a new European fashion label called Bonhomie will have its official launch. Based in Helsinki, Finland, Bonhomie offers premium shirts and other basics of European manufacture, which are solely sold online direct to the costumers, allowing the price to be half of the usual retail price of products with a similar quality. The debut selection of essentials Bonhomie presents are: a pristine white point collar dress shirt, an indigo button down denim oxford shirt and a basic white undershirt. [ Continue reading ]
We love the collaboration between Case Studyo and graphic artist Andy Rementer called People Blocks. It consists of four unique wooden characters entirely made and painted by hand. The individual pieces are interchangeable, allowing them to be re-assembled and stacked to create custom characters or abstract sculptures. The series captures the spirit of Rementer’s work, high key color, bold decorative pattern and oddly pensive characters which interact in unexpected and often humorous ways with the surroundings in which they are arranged. The characters: Antoine, Fabienne, Jean and François are sold individually and packaged in a screen printed wooden box. Each sculpture comes with a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by the artist. [ Continue reading ]
The collaboration between outdoor wear brand Barbour and Savile Row tailors, Norton & Sons is one of the highest standards. For the first time these two institutions have come together to create a beautiful menswear collection for Autumn/Winter 2013. Both brands pride themselves on their British heritage and have continued in this vein by choosing high quality cloth sourced from the UK. The emphasis in this new collection is on longevity. Both Norton & Sons, with their focus on artisanal tailoring and Barbour, famous for its well-made durable clothing, are keen to stress that their new collection is built to last. The main goal with this new collection was to produce a range of items which would be as good as they are now, if not better, in fifty years' time. [ Continue reading ]
We love the beautiful outerwear by British brand Hancock that was founded in 2011. Hancock translates a wonderful authentic story into a brand of the highest standards, available for current generations. Inspired by the innovations of Brit Thomas Hancock, the brand offers a stunning aesthetic and quality. The marvelous garments are created out of the finest quality of natural rubber from the Siphonia Elastica tree, combined with impressive and luxurious detailing out of materials such as cashmere, mohair and silk. [ Continue reading ]
We are really impressed by this collaboration between DDB New York and the New York City Ballet called New Beginnings. Filmed at sunrise on the 57th floor of 4WTC in lower Manhattan, this short film captures an extraordinary and moving performance of Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a tribute to the future of the city that New York City Ballet calls home. [ Continue reading ]
We really like this video by Danny Cooke giving an inside look into the Long Eaton factory of Sunspel Clothing. It shows the detail involved in the making of their products, specifically the Sea Island Cotton t-shirt. Sunspel’s Sea Island cotton is the finest cotton in the world. It is handpicked in the Carribean, woven in Switzerland and then handcrafted in their Long Eaton factory. [ Continue reading ]
Two weeks ago we were invited by Kees Kraakman, the man behind the coffee roastery located in the North of Amterdam as part of the cooperative Open Coöp named Stadsbranderij Noord. Kees has been a household name in the Dutch coffee industry for quite some years now. His life in coffee started in 1999 at The Golden Coffee Box as a friend of his was working there and he was looking for a job after finishing high school. Having worked there for little over 10 years Kees left and started as an independent in the coffee industry giving training and consulting, and eventually starting the coffee roastery Stadsbranderij Noord. [ Continue reading ]
To celebrate their this year introduced Highlander Honey whiskey Dewar's collaborated with Sid Lee and The Ebeling Group for a campaign in which 80000 Highlander honey bees play the lead role, producing the key ingredient for the new liquor. Dewar’s Highlander Honey is the first modern honey flavoured whisky to come out of Scotland and was created by Dewar's master blender Stephanie Macleod. The campaign is both aesthetically and technically impressive and shows a fascinating variation on the swiftly expanding 3D printing technology as it focusses on the process of bees creating honeycombs in the shape of a whiskey bottle. [ Continue reading ]
Sou Fujimoto is the latest and youngest architect who designed the prestigious temporary structure in front of the Serpentine Gallery, which this year was opened on the 8th of June. Made out of 20mm steel poles the structure has taken in nearly 3800 square feet of the London gallery’s front lawn. It is designed as a flexible, multi-purpose social space, with a café inside it. Fujimoto and his team designed the building with the ambition to persuade people to enter and interact with the pavilion throughout its four-month presence in London's Kensington Gardens. The official photography of the pavilion was commissioned to my brother Iwan Baan. [ Continue reading ]
We are highly inspired by this story of The Inouie Brothers participating in The Chaccu, the Incan ceremony of solidarity, to harvest as the Incas believed the finest material created by Pacha Mama. In the eyes of the original inhabitants of the Andes the Vicuña animals were reincarnations of young maidens, rewarded with a coat of pure gold in return for giving life to their civilisation. They called it "The Gold Of The Andes". [ Continue reading ]
East-London gallery, restaurant and performance space The Wapping Project is hosting as of the 24th of January a very interesting project named PASSAGE. The audiovisual immersive installation was first staged in the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Milan in April 2012 and has now landed at the Boiler House in one of London's most interesting art venues. [ Continue reading ]
Today NOWNESS shared this super inspiring preview of Loris Gréaud's upcoming project: The Snorks, a concert for creatures. "The initial inspiration for the project lies in the idea that creatures would be living on our planet, their aesthetical and behavioural features matching an alien fantasy in every aspect, thereby awaking the desire of communicating with those "creatures". What if they live within our oceans, major component of our eco-system, could we get in touch with them?... Here begins an artistic journey and production that will last 36 months. An unusual temporality that can be understood through the following paradox: we have the ability to go on the Moon, to date the presence of water on Mars, yet we barely know anything about what composes the tremendous majority of the Earth... [ Continue reading ]
Port Magazine made a lovely video featuring The Vintage Showroom, a company formed in 2007 to house an ever growing archive of vintage showroom and accessories collected by Douglas Gunn and Roy Luckett. In the following years the company has become one of the leading resources for vintage menswear in the UK, with their archive covering the early mid 20th century and specializing in international work, military and sports clothing, classic English tailoring and country wear. Douglas and Roy have divided their business in two particular ends. On the one side there is the appointment only showroom/studio mainly used by designers and stylists which is situated near London’s Notting Hill. On the other end there is the, open for everyone, retail outlet located on Earlham Street in Covent Garden’ Seven Dials. [ Continue reading ]
At this moment I'm on my way to Toronto to celebrate the 175th birthday of Holt Renfrew. A few month back they asked me to create a special design for their Hot@175 Mobile Tour, a cross-country, travelling pop-up shop that will sell exclusively designed, limited edition sweatshirts in celebration of 175 years of style. Six designers from all over the world were asked to join and I was honored to be one of them.
The piece I made was inspired on an old Hold Renfrew brochure cover from 1940. We see a beautiful lady in a fur coat, and just between the word 'Furs' and 'Fourrures' is this sweet little icon of a small animal. It was very subtile, and probably no one really mentioned it since it was very illustrative and the full attentions was drawn by the beautiful lady, but it was there. That little animal was the inspiration mixed with the roman numerals 175 and two little minks hidden in the illustration. [ Continue reading ]