Dwell Magazine X Marmol Radziner Pre-Fab Houses

While we are huge fans of pre-fabricated living solutions, it is clear that the trend has not manifested itself in the mainstream yet.  Hopefully with this new collaborative effort between Dwell Magazine and the legendary pre-fab gurus Marmol Radziner these types of constructions will gain a foothold in the market.  The new “skyline” collection is pretty slick as well as green made with insluated glass, sustainable woods, energy efficient appliances, and the possiiblity of solar panels.  The homes are delivered completed to building sites in order to reduce building waste.

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I Love You Magazine Launch

We always like to support the efforts of our friends and neighbors in Berlin, so it is with great pleasure that we announce the launch of I Love You magazine.

According to Rike Doepp´s post in the Arkitip Intel blog, “No doubt, the recession has hit fashion quite hard. Sales are going down and only high street labels are doing well at the moment. However, the recession also cleans the market and we can focus on what we really want and love… no wonder, that so many new magazines deal with the word “love” in their title. Besides the glossy Love Magazine, Berlin based I love you, that launches this Friday, will be one of my favourites.”

I love you magazine just being printed!

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Switched on Picasso

Hypebeast posted some great images that were originally published in Life Magazine (1949) of Pablo Picasso “light painting.” Inspired and enlightened (no put intended) by the photographer Gjon Mili, these images are the first efforts of Picasso at this artform. Not bad…

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Kanye´s newest stage

In preparation for his upcoming European tour, Kanye West leaked some images of his stage design which is reminiscent of an undulating giant disco ball.

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New Bernhard Willhelm

German born designer Berhard Willhelm recently debuted his Spring/Summer 2010 collection. We wholeheartedly agree with Hypebeast as they described the collection as “walking a fine line between art and wearable fashion. Some of his most captivating pieces are hard to describe as they follow far from the conventions of fashion but nevertheless offer a glimpse into his creative world where there seems to be few barriers.”

Coming soon to the Design Hotels online shop will be one of Willhelm´s recent collaborations with Berlin-based sunglass company, Mykita. Stay tuned for more about this!

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Kanye West X Louis Vuitton pics & interview

We all know by now that Kanye West has teamed up with Louis Vuitton for a new line of sneakers.  Paris-based La MJC recently shot the shoes for their Cool Cats blog.  In anticipation for the big release of these shoes, an interview was also published online shedding some light onto the creative process involved for the project, as well as Kanye´s personal opinions about certain areas of fashion and style.

How did your collaboration with Louis Vuitton come about?
I already knew and looked up to Marc Jacobs. Then Louis Vuitton called me and said they had this idea for me to do shoes. I was really excited about the opportunity. I don’t know if they quite knew what they were getting into asking me to help create something!

How did you work with the teams from Louis Vuitton?
We’d fly out there. They’d have ideas. I’d have ideas and I’d start sketching. I just sketched every idea in my head, women’s, men’s, everything. In the end Louis Vuitton had to narrow it down because I had SO many ideas that I wanted to get out.

How many sneakers did you design?
Ten, but I would have done more.

What inspires you about Louis Vuitton?
They’re the number one fashion house in the world!

What was your image of Louis Vuitton before you became so closely involved with the company, and have your impressions evolved in any way as a result of the collaboration?
They’ve always been my favourite aspirational brand from the day I bought my first wallet. Actually I used to dream of being able to buy their trunks and put them round my house.

Have your impressions evolved in any way as a result of the collaboration?
Hey, I just love the opportunity of being able to work with people who produce on a certain
level.

Why sneakers? (I know you are supposed to own at least 400 pairs)
Because they’re a great entry point for people who can’t afford the trunk, you know.
Also, sneakers, I think, are a way of displaying where you are mentally.

What, for you, makes a great pair of sneakers?
Comfort of course, but also the way they work with different outfits…

What sneakers are you wearing now?
The white boat shoes.

What was your inspiration for this collection?
I was inspired a lot by the movie Dune—remember those big padded collars they wore? Well I did that padded look as a flap at the back.….

So the accent is at the back of the shoe rather than at the front in the ‘tongue’ ?
Exactly!

How did you choose the colors?
The grey brown and fuschia combination in the Tour model is very much a concept I have for clothing. That juxtaposition of soft and electric palette is something I don’t see too often. The exception being Marc Jacobs who has touched on that combination with bags

Who are your fashion icons?
Michael Jackson is the best dressed person of all time. Not today, I can’t say that, but in his hey day. When he was wearing all those jackets covered in Swarovski crystals. And then all those leather jackets and Mickey Mouse t-shirts and those tailored pants and penny loafers. Michael Jackson, he was for real.

How would you describe the experience of Paris / France?
Y’know, when I first went to Paris I used to HATE it. Now it’s one of my favourite cities in the world. I compare Paris to a girl that you meet at a bar who is very rude to you, who you end up falling in love with.

What do you like most about the city?
I like the heritage, the attitude. The vibe I get from Parisiens is highly educated, highly cultured and very impatient. And I’m into that. Paris forces you to step up your game. It forces you NOT to be ignorant about things.

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Re-defining Rodeo Chic

US designer, Adam Kimmel, has raised heads for his ultra high quality materials and comfortable, yet fashion-forward, cuts for mens clothes. Additionally, his video “Claremont” featuring skaters Noah Sakamoto and Patrick Rizzo barreling down hills on longboards at breakneck speeds established his street-cred as well.

Now, Kimmel has tapped another extreme sport to show off his new collection, bull riding. Keep in mind these are real bulls…

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Gehry takes on the “Big Easy”

With all of the recent efforts by celebrities and do-gooders from around the world to re-build New Orleans, starchitect Frank Gehry has taken it upon himself to propose a new architectural solution for the housing problem. Fast Company reports, “In the wake of these letdowns Gehry last week unveiled his most modest plan in memory, a humble shotgun house to be built in the sixth ward of New Orleans. He designed the modular shotgun house, known as the “Modgun,” with urban planner Robert Tannen.

No titanium swoops here. Like traditional shotgun houses, it has an elevated pitched roof for natural cooling and stilts for flooding. It will be built on a rundown block on Ursuline Avenue, but it’s meant as a prototype that can be duplicated in the various neighborhoods still blighted four years after Hurricane Katrina.”

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Yves Saint Laurent S/S 2010 Video

To introduce the essence of the upcoming S/S 2010 line for YSL, Creative Director Stefano Pilati had this movie made by French actor/writer/director Samuel Benchetrit and starring Benchetrit’s 11-year-old son, Jules. Cool kid.

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Which Kate Moss nude is for you?

If it were up to us, we would have a different Kate Moss nude for every day of the week… Somebody must have heard our prayers and thanks Christies and a new site called PhotographersLimitedEditions.com we are one step closer to achieving this dream.

Christies will host an auction including a full frontal photo of Kate taken in 2003 by Chuck Close. The expected price for this image is between $11,500 and $16,000. However, if you are unable to make it to London for the auction, PTE.com gives you the chance to buy small edition signed images of fantastic photographers including several shots by Rankin. While not cheap, images are around $4,000, the limited edition of 25 is a gentler alternative to the 16k.

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