We really like the latest project of Norwegian Rain's co-founder, and one of our favorite people working in fashion; the immaculate T-Michael, who joint forces with Dutch optics specialist Ralph Vaessen in a collaboration which was officially launched yesterday at Pitti Uomo. Both T-Michael and Vaessen have a distinct sense of elegant stand-out style and a sincere love for luxurious craftsmanship and after a chance meeting their new creative enterprise was born. The result is a capsule collection of one model; simplistic yet tantalizing for the pure at heart and the lover of devilish detailing. Named 'Raphael', the extraordinary glasses are produced by hand in Germany of natural horn - the material of choice for most of Ralph Vaessen's models and a clear favorite of ourselves as wel - and comes in four color ways: ivory, slate, grey, ebony and chocolate. [ Continue reading ]
Through his work the Greek artist Panos Tsagaris aspires to express the emanation of the Divine as it is reflected through the abstraction, the beauty and the poetry of the everyday, in order to bring himself and the viewer closer to a state of Catharsis. Furthermore Tsagaris aims to create a unified spiritual environment that highlights the fact that most religions and spiritual traditions are not hostile in their nature but instead are connected to each other through compassion and love. In addition Tsagaris’ work contemplates on life’s fragile struggle between the sacred and the profane. Ultimately through his work Tsagaris is eager to capture and express the restlessness and magic that exists in the soul of all of us. We are highly inspired by Tsagaris extraordinary artistic vision. [ Continue reading ]
We are fans of the work of Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects and recently the Tokyo-based firm completed another gem: the new space for Japanese brand Cabane de Zucca. Located in the Daikanyama area, the interior of the new store shows a continuing theme from the other recently opened Schemata-designed Cabane de Zucca in the renown Sibura Parco. The Daikanyama store shows a strongly executed industrial aesthetic with sharp geometry and familiar materials. Yet, what we are most drawn to in this particular store is the unique subtle (concrete-like) texture on the walls, floors and ceiling, created out of different materials. Next to actual concrete, textured wood and tremendous chromate treated steel plates and frames were used showing a similar aesthetic. It's seldom that one sees such an extraordinary key element of a space integrated throughout different materials and furniture as superbly done by Schemata. [ Continue reading ]
Following on from last year’s inspirational 'American Craftsmen in Britain' profiles, which we really liked, Shinola and Jocks&Nerds have collaborated again in a series named 'Community of Craft', which resulted in a unique series of pop-up events in Shinola’s London shop. Over the coming months, five craftspeople will set up their own shops within the Shinola store. Members of the public can watch them work, learn what is involved in their craft, and purchase their own bespoke items. The third profile in the series focusses on Peter Bellerby, the London-based artisan globemaker of Bellerby & Co Globemakers. From the stand, to the artwork, the painting and map-making, each of the globes is expertly crafted using traditional and modern globemaking techniques, and is lovingly produced in their North London studio. The globes by Bellerby & Co have been used in Hollywood movies, in BBC and ITV productions as well as by established artists. Next to receiving customers from around the world searching for only the finest when it comes to globes. [ Continue reading ]
We have been following the talented photographer David Cohen de Lara for a while now and have appreciated his incredible work ever since we first found it. David’s portrait photography is diverse in style, but always beautiful, full of mystery and character. Through his cinematic and atmospheric images he reveals an authentic sense of beauty and personality in the real and the uninhibited. We can’t take our eyes off his intriguing images. [ Continue reading ]
The inspirational printed project named Bare is a journal for which founder and Creative Director; Claudia Bruno, as well as Co-Editors-in Chief; Emily Lundin and Courtney Saunders find inspiration in the unadorned moment of truth. The magazine forms their ode to the raw beauty of realism, with all of their collaborators working with no creative brief, except for one quite unusual restriction in the digital age; no use of retouching is allowed. Bare - which was founded in 2014 - gives Bruno and her team the perfect context to work with artists, writers and photographers they admire, creating beautiful stories. Next to the fact that Bruno, Lundin and Saunders all are being located in different places on the globe, the workplaces of the complete team of Bare range from Amsterdam, London, Barcelona, New York City, Berlin, Montana to Los Angeles. Making the magazine a wonderful example of remote working, without it getting in the way of the diverse elegant quality it offers throughout its pages. [ Continue reading ]
While researching for Tenue de Nîmes' very own jeans line, one of the most significant conclusions which were drawn from looking back in time was the fact that after more than half a century of denim being an oftenly used fabric in fashion, it has returned to its roots: to serve as work wear. When looking at how people dress themselves, we see denim as work wear for people in advertising, in marketing or for people teaching history at the University of Amsterdam. But also people in finance or lawyers show us that ‘Casual Fridays’ are behind us as the only day for denim, and therefore we were inspired to create a new, smarter denim option to dress for work. To serve just the results of what we found in the research: giving people an elegant and modern garment to wear at work. To read more about our search for the best denim in the world, check out our article on Tenue de Nîmes Jeans in Journal de Nîmes Nº11. [ Continue reading ]