We've been following the Dubai-based Brownbook Magazine for quite some years now and are super inspired by their totally unique perspective on lifestyle, which is oftenly imitated in the West but rarely shows the authenticity one only finds at the source. Last month, for the third time, they released their annual Fashion Directory which again is of the highest standard. The 2014 issue focusses on The Wedding. From a tribal beauty competition in Niger to an alfresco shaving ceremony in Turkey, beautiful photography and illustrations delve into the culture, customs and accessories of 10 of the most stylish weddings from past and present. One discovers the stories of recent brides and grooms, whether a henna night in Canada or a Muslim wedding in China, everything with an in-depth anthropological slant and beautifully designed. [ Continue reading ]

What started as the creation of a weekend house of architect Manuel Aires Mateus ended as one of the most beautiful retreats we have seen in a long time, named Casas na Areia, located one hour south of Lisbon, in Comporta, Portugal. The beautiful region is known for the magnificent white sandy beaches, the wine, fresh fish, the rice paddies and the pine trees. It's integrated on the natural reserve of river Sado, home to a great variety of wild life such as flamingos, storks and dolphins, but also one of the best places in Portugal for bird watching, with 100 different species to be seen in just 1 day. Next to this, the design of Casas Na Areia is simply mind-blowing, making it the perfect place to forget about everything and find peace of mind. [ Continue reading ]

Philippe Brunel’s painstakingly assembled anthology of tales and photography named 'Kings of Pain: Masters and Convicts of the Road' quickly became a touchstone for fans of road racing, capturing the ethos and aesthetic of decades of the sport. It is a book born of days in the archives and from countless hours of interviews, making it an indispensible companion for anyone drawn in by the golden age of professional cycling. After spending many years out of print, 'Kings of Pain: Masters and Convicts of the Road' now has been republished by Rapha, featuring re-scanned, duotone photography on Fedrigoni paperstock, bound in high-quality Buckram. All the original Kings  of Pain are captured by Brunel like you rarely see them, the book consistsing of some of the peloton’s most compelling stories and images. Be they brave, fragile, or a touch crazy, this book celebrates the riders as human beings making it a perfect celebration of the sport. [ Continue reading ]

Since its foundation in January of this year New York-based WorkOf is changing the way interior designers and consumers connect to independent, locally made home décor by creating a go-to source for direct access to the nation’s independent designers and makers. Founders Charlie Miner and John Neamonitis saw that interior designers wanted an easier way to source independent design, and consumers were interested in furnishing their homes with locally made home décor but neither had a reliable destination to source these pieces and therefore they created the digital platform to provide in this service. Since its launch in January the start-up has grown to include over 40 designers and makers with more than 300 home design objects. During NYCxDesign this last spring, WorkOf debuted the inspirational WorkOf Apartment. Using close to 40 pieces from their partnered designers, the whole apartment installation introduced products from Calico, Souda, Eskayel and Vidi Vixi, among several others, resulting in an amazing overview of their catalogue which is now also offered online. [ Continue reading ]

After we wrote about the first steps of Amsterdam-based denim label Olaf Hussein at the end of last year, a lot of work has been done by Olaf and his team. They presented their new collection during last Amsterdam Fashion Week and received a lot of rightful positive feedback after participating in the major fashion fairs. With their new collection Hussein en co put the mod back in modern; drawing inspiration from the stylish young men of the late fifties and implementing that within an updated appearance. Nevertheless from their clean aesthetics, to their razor sharp tailoring, traces of the mods can still be found throughout the entire line, mixed with contemporary details like bonded fabrics, drawstring hems and seams sealing tape; Olaf lifts the classic look to the current modern standards. The collection shows character and depth marking a serious step in the right direction for the Olaf Hussein brand, promising great things for the future. [ Continue reading ]

We love this project by prestigious Oslo-based multidisciplinary studio Snøhetta named The Vulkan Beehive. Set atop the roof of the Mathallen food hall in central Oslo, the honey-colored wooden cabins became home to 160.000 bees this past July, which shows that the little ingenious insects continue to inspire in the creation of great projects. The shape and natural geometry of the honeycomb were key-elements in this project, as the highly inspirational studio created these sculpturesque urban hives in real bee style with a multi-faceted form and hexagonal-patterned façade. Constructed entirely out of a light-colored wood finished with an intentionally honey-reminiscent hue, the hives were designed with an appearance that reflects their purpose of bringing back bees to the city environment of Oslo in an utmost elegant manner. [ Continue reading ]

Last Friday marked the grand opening of the beautiful Richard Sachs exhibition which was designed by House Industries at the Rapha Cycle Club NYC, and will run for the upcoming month. The inspirational exhibition walks through the bicycle builder’s personal industrial revolution from his early days as an apprentice to becoming a modern folk hero in the cycling community. The show highlights the balance of tradition and innovation with which Sachs has built a loyal following and profoundly influenced cycling culture worldwide. House Industries, an internationally-recognized graphic, product and type design firm, has been a long-time supporter of the Richard Sachs program and therefore makes for the perfect partner of this inspirational overview. [ Continue reading ]