Don't Have Time

Denis Julia Reytan's Timepeace is a bracelet you literally barely have time for. Modeled (I assume) after 80s Casio watches, they are all retro form without function, a mere skeleton of a watch-cum-objet. I'm obviously drawn to this by the very graphic nature of the design, but also because of the irony - a watch that isn't really a watch. I'm already a big fan and proud owner of Natalia Brilli's leather-covered watch, so it's already a given I like the cleverly non-practical. Available in limited editions of 50 and in various finishes, you can inquire about them from the designer herself here.

Skin Treatment

Over a decade ago, I worked with the creative director of the then-new skincare division of a major luxury brand (begins with a "P" and ends with an "A") who developed, among other things, a line of logo-branded medicated strips. Of course, I couldn't wait for those medicinal plaster labels to be produced, because I thought it was the most genius branding idea. Sadly, they were too costly to go forward with, and my dreams of luxury-branding my wounds went pfft.
Well, today, I've discovered something even better. The very experimental and highly conceptual designer Scott Amron offers a similarly designer-y but subtler look, with black leather band-aids. I. LOVE. THEM. I mean, seriously, how chic is that? You'll be "hiding" your wounds in more ways than one (hide, get it? Cowhide? Okay, fine, groan.). At $15 for 3, they're certainly not cheap, but quite possibly a luxury worth getting hurt for. You might want to risk facial scarring just so you can prominently display your bandage of choice right smack on your cheek or forehead. Buy them right now from Amron Experimental.

Also on his site is a similar band-aid splattered with the logo pattern of a certain very popular luxury group, which for many reasons I'm sure he can't advertise. But go look - and if you can acquire those, be prepared to be assaulted by every Japanese tourist who will be just dying to know where you bought them.

Pleats Be Seated

At the last ICFF, one of the most memorable pieces for me was also one of the subtlest: the 25 seat from Bocci. A modern, minimalist frame was given just the right amount of distinction by unevenly pleated upholstery. It's the kind of thoughtful but pared-down design idea I love seeing in clothing ( the overused but apt phrase "classic with a twist" comes to mind ) so you can imagine how much I liked it in a piece of furniture. What was even more enjoyable was the fact that it was comfortable. Find out more on bocci.ca.

I'm All Chalked Up

Firekites - AUTUMN STORY - chalk animation from Lucinda Schreiber on Vimeo.
Stop animation is simple but painstaking work, and when done in such everyday materials as chalk, it takes on a very relatable appeal. We probably all know the process of drawing on a chalkboard, which will probably come rushing back into your head with memories of cleaning out the erasers and possible asthma attacks. But Lucinda Schreiber's whimsical video for Aussie band Firekites allows you to live out the creative possibilities of elementary chalk drawings, with all the naive, child-like wonder... minus all the dust.

A Fan Of A Chair

We had one in our house when I was growing up in the seventies: that ubiquitous rattan Queen Fan Chair that seemed to be in pretty much everyone else's home (not to mention Filipiñana souvenir shops throughout Manila), often accompanied by spider plants suspended above it in macrame potholders. So it's with a bit of gleeful nostalgia that I look upon Patricia Urquiola's Crinoline Chair, a modern re-interpretation of this now-classic warm weather seating. The solid-toned high-back version's silhouette (top) evokes the original, but the pared-down weave and open base are 100% modern, for a juxtaposition that appeals to both your new and old sensibilities.

The asymmetrically-detailed style (above) definitely channels the decorative woven details from the original 70s versions, but scale of the patterns keeps it fresh. I consider it something of an outdoor, summery version of a wingback chair, so that reference alone would make me love it. If I had a yard and the space, this would be perfect for holding court outside in a summer: a rather cool chair for those hot days.

Very Printeresting

I swear I'm going to run out of wallspace. I've discovered more than a few art poster sites online with really interesting new artists showing the kind of work that makes me (a) cringe that I'm not doing similar things, and (b) want to whip out my credit card and just keep adding to my cart until the decimal point moves to a dangerously distant location west of my total. But I feel that good work needs to be rewarded with monetary sponsorship, so I'm just carefully culling the herd down to a few selected pieces.... for now. But the art on view at inprnt.com is of such varied lot, keeping that resolve is a difficult one.

From lavish illustrations to sharp photography to graphic design layouts, inprint's pieces run a wide gamut of designs that are just a bit edgier than the poster images that are so trendy right now, so your abode isn't likely to be sporting the same poster that you've been seeing around...well, "For, Like Ever." (which I do like, except it's just freakin' everywhere now!) And at $25 for inprnt's smallest 13" x 19" size to up to $90 for their larger 24" x 36" format, their pieces won't break the bank either.

Just be aware that the measurements online are the paper size, and may not represent the print area. Explore the art here at inprnt.com

Love, LV

I got the June issue of Japanese women's magazine Spur, and from an advertising insert in it, fell in love with Murakami's latest effort for luxury goods brand Louis Vuitton. I have no interest in the company nor the actual leather goods mind you, but Takashi Murakami's flash movie Superflat First Love pleases the anime fanatic in me no end,with its dizzying montage of bright colors and patterns. And his latest character, the Petitpanda, awash in a mismatched kaleidoscope of saturated shades, is just too adorable for words. I gotta find a figurine of that panda!