Tokyo-based studio Torafu Architects recently completed the Kyoto store for our favorite cosmetics label Aēsop. Once again it is of the highly inspirational quality we've become used to when it comes to Aēsop stores. Located in the central shopping district of Kawaramachi, the beautiful space consists of two levels; a retail and small lounge area on the ground level, and a gallery space on the upper floor intended for social interaction. The original building structure was key in the design by Torafu as they wanted to keep it as intact as possible. Creating a beautiful raw and industrial aesthetic, exposed concrete and irregular wall surfaces have been preserved and integrated into the overall design. [ Continue reading ]
Finding more togetherness
During the pandemic, in search of more togetherness, we collaborated with Jordi Carles Subirà and started a little online network which we named Together&. In the last few months, we evolved a few elements in this endeavour to explore if there's a real potential to upgrade it to a proactive professional network for collaboration and co-creation. Our end goal would be to actively assemble like-minds, in search of resonance between people, projects, products and (freelance) client work. At this point it still lives mostly online, but it will break out of that digital domain more and more in the future to come. For our first (network-only) edition released under the label, we connected the exceptional bio-dynamic Vineyard Dassemus with artist Andreas Samuelsson’s stripped-down essence. [ Continue reading ]
For the just released 12th issue of Journal de Nîmes we travelled to Antwerp to speak with retail pioneer and well-respected figure within the fashion industry: Geert Bruloot. The curator of the current shoe exhibition in the ever-inspiring MoMu has played a pinnacle role in the road to stardom of the infamous Antwerp Six, which he sold before any one else at the avant-garde designer store Louis and exclusive footwear boutique Coccodrillo. On that rainy wednesdayafternoon we sat down with him and talked about the main theme of the issue 'new vintage', the importance of the experience in a fashion store and the need for rebellion in these times of homogeneity.
— As published in Journal de Nîmes No 12 — [ Continue reading ]
This year was a very special one for us as we finally opened Our Current Obsessions, with the exhibition named NOIR as the debut edition. To celebrate NOIR one last time, we decided that everything turns black in our annual Another Gift Guide once more. Like last year, we’ve selected a number of our favorites from the Guide which are exclusively previewed by our friends at Nuji. In this year's Gift Guide one will find some names which we proudly introduced in the course of NOIR and some additions, forming the definite final chapter of our obsession with the color black. For those who followed the first OCO one will find familiar names like GERTRUD & GEORGE, AcneJR, Floris Hovers, Sort of Coal, the beautiful 'Tom Ford' book, the Kaweco Sport, and our favorite hand wash by Aesop. But also this year's extraordinary discovery: ISAORA's one-of-a-kind nylon Mac coat, Killspencer's mini indoor basketball and Globetrotter's 33" black suitcase are included, amongst others. Enjoy this preview and stay tuned for the whole Gift Guide which we'll present from today until the 25th of December in high speed. [ Continue reading ]
We are very grateful for everyone who had a share within the very first Our Current Obsession as without them we couldn't have realized it. Having introduced the main collaborator GERTRUD & GEORGE, some of the artists involved (with more to come), and ,The World of Black' in our space has been extended long and wide onto the online Our Current Obsessions environment, now it is time to give a proper insight into the other partners with which we’ve created the core of the extraordinary black selection of products for sale in our space on the Schippersgracht in Amsterdam. As these stores offer only the finest in their particular specialty we’ve named them Holland’s Finest, to which we owe a sincere debt of gratitude and feel honored to have collaborated with. [ Continue reading ]
Today, Vitra and our favorite online interview magazine Freunde von Freunden have started a fascinating new collaboration, in the form of an apartment in the centre of Berlin. The 'FvF Apartment by Vitra' on the Mulackstrasse 26 offers a glimpse into the world of the Vitra living collage and visualizes Freunde von Freunden’s conceptualization of urban living. The house is fully designed for the digitally oriented generation, for whom creativity, sustainability, and mobility are more important than status. Based on the common styles and experiences of Vitra and Freunde von Freunden, the FvF Apartment offers the necessary space to examine what this group of people is looking for in their home. At the same time offers the Apartment a platform for innovative products from friends and fellow partners (including New Tendency, Aesop and Paper & Tea) and will be available as an apartment, for events and for presentations. [ Continue reading ]