Despite a general downturn for most retailers this year, affordable Swedish denim purveyors Cheap Monday have seen dramatic rises in not just their sales, but also in an overall interest in their brand. Rumored to have been bought by H&M, Cheap Mondays were orginally a capsule collection for Stockholm based counter-culture fashion mecca Weekdays and [...]
July 2, 2009
Holt Renfrew’s Blog-Inspired Window Displays
The Holt Renfrew Vancouver store recently paid homage to their favourite fashion blogs. The 170 year old Canadian department store brand has dedicated each window display to a number of notorious fashion blogs, including; The Sartorialist, Bryan Boy, Garance Dore, Sea of Shoes, Jak & Jil and I want I got.
[via Style Spy]
July 1, 2009
Pic: Plastic Wrapped Wooden Spoons
When we saw these ‘wooden utensils’ in Anthropologie on 5th Avenue in New York recently, we wondered if the retailer was engaging in a bit of greenwashing. Sure, the bundle of eight knives, forks and spoons may be made from sustainably grown birch but is it really “sustainable” when they wrap it all in non-biodegrable [...]
June 30, 2009
Nike Pays Tribute to Jones Beach
To those who have ever spent the long summer months in the Northeast, the name Jones Beach brings to mind packed summer concerts, tourist jammed beaches, and the distinct smell of copper tone. However, the folks at Nike have a soft spot in their heart for that stretch of sand on southern Long Island and [...]
Model Illustrates Life in Moscow for Chanel
Blessed with not just beauty but an artistic eye, model Sasha Pivovarova was recently asked by Chanel to create an illustration in honor of Chanel’s upcoming Moscow show. Apparently, Karl Lagerfeld was so taken by the catwalker’s talents that he has recruited her to work on a book of original illustrations inspired by Russian fairy [...]
June 29, 2009
Gap to be Bought by Uniqlo?
Is the Gap about to have a new boss? The ailing Khaki Giant, who despite cooking up some impressive collaborations, has failed to pull themselves out of a quarters-long slump, may about to be another jewel in Uniqlo owner Tadashi Yanai retail crown. Yanai, who founded Uniqlo’s parent company Fast Retail in 1984, is rumored [...]
Hand Drawn QR Code for Marc Jacobs
The QR code, used to store and decode small bits of data via printed symbol, received an artistic rendering by SET as part of its campaign for Marc by Marc Jacobs. The QR patterns—usually a stark, blocky, black and white pattern—are here re-imagined in a sketchy and stylish fashion, accompanying the label’s Miss Marc mascot. [...]
June 26, 2009
Missoni to Collaborate with Converse
Converse is about to add a new collaboration to it’s list, which also includes fashion luminaries Thom Browne and John Varvatos. For their Spring / Summer collection, the iconic shoe company will be rolling out a new capsule line with Italian fashion house Missoni, known for their trademark zig-zag knits and bold colors. At last [...]
June 25, 2009
Vending Machines Dispense Comfort for Aching Feet
If the prototypical late night wedding scene finds men on the dance floor with their ties draped across their brows then there’s an equal number of women holding their high-priced heels in their hands in an effort to keep the party going into the wee hours of the night. It’s the fashion paradox for women [...]
Spud Raincoat Begins and Ends as a Plant
The Spud Raincoat by Equilicuá aims to be as educational as it is useful, illustrating the potential of compostable materials that are as effective as their less environmentally-friendly counterparts. The jacket, though indistinguishable from any other raincoat, is made entirely from potato starch bioplastic, and as a final feat of eco-consciousness, can actually be planted [...]
June 24, 2009
Alexander McQueen Creates Dark Films for his Spring/Summer Collection
Following the success of Dior’s recent video campaign featuring Marion Cotillard, avante guard fashion enfante terrible, Alexander McQueen has teamed up with David Sims to create a series of dark, sometime disturbing fashion shorts exploring the creative process. In these films (which are reminiscent of psychological dramas like Memento and 2001) McQueen hopes to do [...]
Designer Creates Bags From Recycled Leather Jackets
Globe-trotter, former design student, and now eco-friendly designer- you could say San Francisco dweller Shannon South has worn a lot of hats. This one-time New Yorker is the creative mastermind behind reMade USA, a new line of bags and accessories made entirely from unusual recycled materials like leather jackets and is inspired by “a [...]
June 18, 2009
Hood to Aid Autism
Leo Chao’s ‘Beagle Scarf’ was created to aid Autistic people in times of stress. Some studies have shown music, textured toys and aromatherapy to be of great benefit in alleviating the stress and discomfort often associated with Autism. The Taiwanese-born, American-raised designer created the scarf which can be gently wrapped around the head. Inlaid speakers [...]
June 17, 2009
Racy Life-Drawing Classes: The Keyhole Sessions
Combining elements of a burlesque show with a life-drawing class, Toronto’s Keyhole sessions offer a new kind of artistic educational entertainment. This drawing class uses edgy, (sometimes) costumed models to bring an element of debauchery to practicing art skills.
They explain:
Tired of the stuffy standard fare that is the traditional life drawing class? Come look through [...]
June 16, 2009
Hidden Layers of Information on a T-Shirt Design
Matt Jones has a t-shirt with a secret. Similar to a QR code, there is a hidden layer of information embedded into the design.
The pattern of dots and spaces can be mapped onto a Tenori-On electronic musical instrument (or an iPhone simulator of the device), and will produce the sounds below.
tenori-on t-shirt by moleitau
[via [...]






