Amazing Fonts…

As a fan of architecture and product design, graphic designer Chris Labrooy has created an impressive collection of fonts which use famous designers and architects as inspiraction…

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Cripsin Porter Bugusky flops again…

The miami-based ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky which is behind many successful campaigns for Burger King, Mini, VW, etc… is making news again- but not for reasons that they like.  After having struck out on two recent campaigns, and lost VW as a client, they ventured into scary waters commissioning an open contest for the logo design of a new client- Brammo Motorcycles (the electric moto brand).

Fast Company explains why many designers are not happy about this…

“To create a logo for the electric motorcycle start-up Brammo, they’re crowdsourcing the design, for a reward of $1000. The winner will be announced in six days, and over 700 people have submitted work. But no matter: To many professional designers, so-called “spec” assignments–that is, exploratory work, done for free–is taboo. Many designers think it undercuts them, and denigrates the profession. Designis.ms was among the aggrieved, and they’ve started a Twitter campaign (#nospec) against Crispin.

So what? The funniest part is that one of Crispin’s other experiments has been an open-ended homepage which broadcasts unfiltered Tweets and news stories about the agency. As you can see now, the site is filled with over 200 tweets declaring, “Crispin Porter + Bogusky has no integrity for design.” Whoops!”

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Keith Haring Childrens Chairs

Vilac, the company known for their superb wooden children´s toys has released a collection of Keith Haring chairs (also for children).  The chairs are available through UnicaHome.

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Vintage Contemporaries Re-designed

During high school, one of my favorite books was Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McKinerney but even then I realized how ugly and dated the cover design was.  Fortunately, the good people at Vintage Contemporaries publishing have made some updates to the cover of this and some other books.  Here´s hoping a new generation of students will learn the virtues of 80´s excess and debauchery via Bright Lights, Big City as a result of the re-design!

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Summer Special from the Design Hotels Shop!

Well… Summer is drawing to a close and that means one thing… SPECIAL SHOPPING OFFERS!  We are thrilled to have managed to save a few of the hottest bags of the summer, the Raf Simons for Eastpak bags, and are offering them to you now.  Perfect for a weekend getaway, sleepover, or if you simply have a lot of stuff to carry around, these bags will continue to be seen anywhere and everywhere this summer and fall.   Simons’ style has been described as highly influential and he is cited as being one of the most important innovators in contemporary menswear by the international press (Observer).

In addition, we will include a special edition Design Hotels Book (a €44 value) with a personalized message from Claus Sendligner, our globe trotting, jet setting, visionary Founder and CEO, FOR FREE!  Also, we will pay the shipping within Europe!

Simply check out our selection here and get yours before they are all gone!

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Financial Times “Wealth” is Coming to America

The venerable Financial Times´s luxury magazine, “Wealth” is arriving on American shores soon.  According to Luxist, “The magazine is for well-monied eyes only, global citizens with personal assets of more than $1.65 million (not including the primary residence). Around 100,000 copies will go to newsstands and Financial Times subscribers.  In the U.S. the magazine will compete against the Wall Street Journal’s WSJ luxury quarterly.  The focus of luxury magazines has changed a bit in the last year or so, the consumption is still conspicuous but it is also conscientious with an emphasis on wealth management as well as wealth enjoyment. For example, the first U.S. issue will look at the impact of the credit crunch on currency values but also evaluate whisky as an alternative investment. Luxury advertising has contracted over the past year but with the quiet buzz about potential recovery beginning to build, perhaps the pockets of both advertisers and readers might be set to open a little.”

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Electronic Design and Music: Daft Punk

One more time…  we´re gonna celebrate how cool Daft Punk is…  High Snobiety included some images from Whitewall of elements of Daft Punk´s stage presence including helmets, sneakers, leather jackets, and gloves.

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Tic-Tac Modular House

Wallpaper* Magazine prompted Brazilian architecture firm FGMF Arquitetos to build a house that reflected “the need for constant change.”  The result was this 5 module structure with moving ceilings, walls, and a fixed kitchen and bathroom.  While the design seems wild, it is surprisingly feasible based on the system used to adjoin the modules and cost-effective.

More info here…

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Happy Birthday Mini

In celebration of the Mini Cooper´s 50th birthday, the brand is releasing images of a coupé concept…

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Can´t afford a new home? How about an Eames chair…

A new US advertising campaign launched by Ogilvy and Mather is urging Americans to consider their homes as the focus of their emotional lives in addition to their financial lives.  The $20million campaign states “things that fill our home also fulfills us” and has been seen in media such as Metropolitan Home and Elle Decor magazines. One ad includes a pricetag affixed to a couch saying: “22 percent cotton, 13 percent giggles, 15 percent group hugs, 11 percent afternoon naps.”

Behind the campaign is a bit of industry intrigue however according to Fast Company. “For decades the American furniture business has been based in High Point, North Carolina, where much of it was once (but no longer) manufactured. But over the past four years the momentum has shifted to the flamboyant World Market Center (above), a 1.3-million-square-foot showroom and exhibition space in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas group commissioned the ad campaign, which amounts to a declaration that it now speaks for the industry. “None of the individual companies has the ability to do something like this on their own so Las Vegas just stepped up and did it,” Shoulberg said. “They’re clearly trying to one-up High Point with this.”"

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