July 31, 2013
Burial At Sea (2013) / This Gun for Hire (1942)
"BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea‘s key art look familiar? We thought so, too. Turns out, it was inspired by the French poster for the 1942 film noir This Gun for Hire."
Givaudan Pharaone 10%
They had me at balsamic (corporate video autoplays at the link).
July 30, 2013
Sea Heart
"Using fifteen million popsicle sticks, five thousand school children worked together with stuntman Robert McDonald to create a life size viking ship."
Bjarnarey
"This island is 1,4 km out of Vestmannaeyjar (in Iceland) and goes by the name Bjarnarey (Bear island)."
July 29, 2013
Louis Vuitton Presents "L'Ecriture est un Voyage"
Louis Vuitton opens the doors of its first Cabinet d'Ecriture in the Saint-Germain District of Paris and starts a new journey into the world of writing.
This new field for Louis Vuitton is an expression of poetry, modernity and sophistication; it is a celebration of the House's unique heritage, which binds it to the art of writing through its founders, renowned customers, traveling authors who embarking on long voyages, enjoyed the emblematic travel goods.
Directed by Romain Chassaing
Music by Birkii
Produced by Des Quatre/ Mathias Vayer
Louis Vuitton Presents Gstaad Resort
"Louis Vuitton reinforces its ties with Gstaad by inaugurating a new 'winter resort' store in a traditional chalet built in 1913 and located on the renowned Promenade."
Louis Vuitton Presents Check-In, Check-Out with the Spring/Summer 2013 Collection
New Order Performs - Bizarre Love Triangle
Middle-aged edit (hat tip to SondraK).
July 28, 2013
William Burroughs - The Technology of Wishing (1986)
William S. Burroughs - The Technology and Ethics of Wishing. June 25, 1986, Naropa University.
William Burroughs on CBC (1977)
Peter Gzowski interviewing William Burroughs on 90 Minutes Live in 1977.
Kathy Acker interviews William S. Burroughs (1988)
"Literary outlaw, word virologist and post-modernist punk rock scum Kathy Acker and her mentor William Burroughs, the hombre invisible, smartly crack linguistic whips in this insightful conversation from 1988, which took place at the October Gallery during Burrough’s first British art exhibition."
July 27, 2013
Alex Cherney - Reflections. Lake Tyrrel
Reflections. Lake Tyrrel from Alex Cherney on Vimeo.
"Lake Tyrrel is a salt lake in the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia. The area was once home to Boorong people and the name "Tyrrel" is the Boorong word for sky. When there is water in the lake on a cloudless still night the whole sky can be seen reflected in the water."
The all-night time lapse shows setting Venus, followed by the the bright band of stars and dark nebulae of our Milky Way galaxy and then Jupiter in the morning. The ground becomes softly illuminated by the Moon light around 3 am."
Atheists turn to science during times of stress
"It's well known that religious faith can help believers cope with stress and anxiety, by providing them with a sense of meaning and control at times of uncertainty. It now seems that a 'belief' in science and a rationalistic outlook might do the same for the non-religious."
Cougar spotted swimming off Vancouver Island
"Fishing guide Graham Nielsen had seen wolves and bears swim between islands around Nootka Sound but never a cougar, and never at such a clip as he witnessed last week."
July 26, 2013
Blumarine Fall/Winter 2013
Blumarine fall 2013 campaign video starring Candice Swanepoel.
And while we are on the subject: "FashionTV brings you the latest scoop on the hottest models with . Candice Swanepoel is one of the most famous models on the runway today. She is South African and was born in Mooi River, South Africa. She was born on October 20, 1988. She closed the Blumarine show this Fall/Winter 2011/2012 season. She's also appeared in Fendi and Viktor & Rolf."
Tom Ford opens first UK store
Tom Ford's first UK store has opened its doors on London's Sloane Street.
Images at the link.
Off to Capri
Karla Martinez de Salas shares images from her stay at Villa Castello. I am particularly taken with the lemon tree.
Moschino Cheap and Chic - Chic Petals
Moschino Cheap and Chic Ad Campaign 2013 - Directed by Giampaolo Sgura - Models: Ginta Lapina and Jonatan Frenk
July 25, 2013
FM - Kimberly Cole with Iggy Azalea
Recording artist Kimberly Cole joins Australian rap sensation Iggy Azalea for a promo photo shoot with famed celebrity photographer Brooke Nipar.
Home suite home
Architizer takes a look at the "manses, pied-à-terres, and decorating habits of Calvin Klein, Rick Owens, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Diane Von Furnstenberg, Naomi Campbell, Martin Margiela, Karl Lagerfeld, and Alexander McQueen, as well as Versace."
Vertigo: Dubai
"Vadim Makhorov certainly has an adventurous spirit! The Russian photographer braves 'interesting, unusual, and hard to reach areas' in order to capture urban landscapes from creative perspectives."
July 24, 2013
Benjamin Franklin Journal of a voyage from England to Philadelphia 1726
Yesterday, Demeter Fragrance Library tweeted a question:
I figured my American history on the point was lacking and turned to Benjamin Franklin's "Journal of Occurences in My Voyage to Philadelphia on board the Berkshire, Henry Clark, Master. From London" for answers. This lead me to guess, incorrectly.
In fairness, they did post another clue later. It turned out I was over-thinking the problem (the answer).
Ben Franklin's journal is well worth reading nonetheless; a testament to a more civilized age. I was particularly touched by his description a chance meeting at sea.
Excess all areas
"Minimalists may want to avert their eyes. Maximalism is back - and it's more high-octane than ever before."
July 23, 2013
Atelier Versace Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2013-14
Featuring Naomi Campbell.
Anche: Gianni Versace’s iconic Miami mansion, Casa Casuarina, is up for auction.
Space Barbie
"The world knows Valeria Lukyanova as the girl who turned herself into a real-life Barbie doll. Controversy has surrounded her every move since her computer-perfect visage went viral last year." (hat tip to Nadya; videa autoplays at the link)
South Korean rhythmic gymnast Shin Soo-ji's first pitch
She throws like a girl (YouTube link; hat tip to Josh).
July 22, 2013
Vogue Festival - The Secrets Of Creating A British Brand
"Integrity; having a point of view; staying true to yourself; and understanding the relationship between creativity and business: those were the resounding secrets of creating a great British brand this afternoon at the Vogue Festival in association with Vertu, where Jonathan Akeroyd, ceo of Alexander McQueen, Anya Hindmarch, Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon and Christopher Kane all sat down to talk shop."
Public domain printing
"In February 2014, key patents that currently prevent competition in the market for the most advanced and functional 3D printers will expire, says Duann Scott, design evangelist at 3D printing company Shapeways."
Also: 3D printing with bees!
How It's Made - Smoking Pipes
"Since the 19th century, pipes have been made from briar wood - a fire-resistant wood from the root of a Mediterranean heather shrub."
Hat tip to Alexei.
July 21, 2013
Karl Lagerfeld - Women Only
"Karl Lagerfeld has chosen the obscurity of a Parisian cinema as the backdrop for the Fall-Winter 2013/14 pre-collection."
To Adrian Rodriguez, With Love
"For most photographers, having your computer stolen is the stuff of nightmares - it happened to photographer Melanie Willhide."
Vogelherd Cave
"Researchers from the University of Tübingen have successfully re-attached the newly discovered head of a prehistoric mammoth-ivory figurine discovered in 1931."
July 20, 2013
Nina Garcia's New York City Home
"Nina Garcia, the fashion editor and Project Runway judge, invites Architectural Digest into her family's stylish Manhattan apartment."
LÖVET
"Ikea, omnipresent Swedish purveyor of flatpack furniture, has announced that, come next month, they'll once again produce the three-legged table that started the build-it-yourself furniture revolution."
Shortlist
"The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced its shortlist for the 2013 Stirling Prize."
Unrelated: Homes with slides!
July 19, 2013
Guillermo del Toro
“Basically if I can, I will shoot every movie for the rest of my life in Toronto,” he says. “I think it’s the most livable city in the world. Honestly, my family and I are in love with the culture here. We’re in love with the restaurants, the bookstores, the parks. I’ve been able to get to know the city pretty well.”
July 18, 2013
Bill Cunningham - Sizzle
"Last week’s heat wave did not faze the stylish. For many younger men, the trend to abandon socks has only grown stronger." (video opens at the link)
La Piscine - CHANEL N°5
CHANEL N°5 advertising film from 1979. "La piscine," by Ridley Scott, music by Vangelis.
Goldfrapp - Drew
Hat tip to Mr. Percifield (NSFW, bare bottome, racy).
July 17, 2013
Vietnam's Infinite Cave
"Veteran photographer and National Geographic grantee Carsten Peter is also an accomplished climber, diver and caver who has photographed some of the world's most extreme environments. Here he shares stories and images from a cave system in Vietnam that may be the world's largest."
Hang Son Doong Cave: "There’s a jungle inside Vietnam’s mammoth cavern. A skyscraper could fit too. And the end is out of sight."
Gentrification
"If you want to live in a London village, you have to pay for the privilege - and it seems an increasing number of people can’t afford to."
July 16, 2013
MotherboardTV - The Survival of Mark Pauline
"Mark Pauline is the founder of Survival Research Laboratories, a mythical moniker among weird-techies, art-punks and general violence seekers across the globe. Pauline began his work in the 80s in the San Francisco punk and art scene defacing billboards and organizing public pranks. Through the decades, he has become a pioneer in technological and performance arts. His vaguely anthropomorphic creations are some of the most dangerous machines ever made, rivaling the military, but instead of turning their threats on us, the machines blow each other up and let us watch."
Haas brothers
"If artists, musicians and furniture designers Simon and Nikolai Haas feel they don't have a sufficient number of adjectives before their collective name, they can surely pick up a few this week at Design Miami/Basel."
Quartz crystal armchair
"This $14,000 armchair, designed by CTRL ZAK and Davide Barzaghi uses a beechwood lattice and upholstered, giant geometric shapes that resemble quartz crystals."
July 15, 2013
McQueen and I (2011)
Profile of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen.
Calcio Storico
"No one knows exactly when Calcio Storico - historic football - was first played here, but its pitch, the piazza of Santa Croce, dates from the 14th Century and the rules of the game - in so far as there are any - were written down in the late 1500s."
For the Muskoka set, at least
Toronto is having what the fashion world lovingly refers to as a “moment.”
July 14, 2013
Doctor Who Prom 2013
"The most striking thing about Saturday’s Doctor Who Prom was the abundance of red fezzes."
July 13, 2013
BBC One - The World's Most Expensive Paintings (2011)
"Art critic Alastair Sooke tracks down the ten most expensive paintings to sell at auction, and investigates the stories behind the astronomic prices art can reach. Gaining access to the glittering world of the super-rich, Sooke discovers why the planet's richest people want to spend their millions on art.
"Featuring works by Picasso, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Klimt and Rubens, Sooke enters a world of secrecy and rivalry, passion and power. Highlights include a visit to the art-crammed home of millionaire author Lord Archer; a rare interview with the man at the heart of the sale of the most expensive old master of all time; privileged access to auctioneers Christie's; and a glimpse of the world of the Russian oligarchs."
Matthew 7:26
“I do think the Broad Beach homes are in jeopardy, and I don’t want to be cold or callous about that,” says Ford. “But we have to recognize that scientists in Rhode Island and New Jersey [and other places where there’s a lot of erosion] are talking about ‘managed retreat.’ ” That means abandoning these houses and moving away, preferably way, way upland. Ford takes a breath. “We simply have to recognize that building homes on beaches is not sound policy,” he says.
July 12, 2013
Paul Poiret: King of Fashion @ the MET
Paul Poiret: King of Fashion @ the MET from SOFTlab on Vimeo.
"We worked closely with Christopher Noey and The Costume Institute (Harold Koda - Curator in Charge and Andrew Bolton -Curator) to develop the animations, which show the way in which some of Poiret’s dresses are constructed through very minimalistic means, yet reaching highly complex outcomes."
Worldport
"If the design, by the firm of Tippets Abbott McCarthy and Stratton, wasn’t as sophisticated as Eero Saarinen’s TWA Terminal a few hundred yards away—surely one of the great buildings of its era, transportation hub or otherwise—the Pan Am terminal was the second-best piece of architecture at JFK, and in some ways it captured the feeling of the moment more directly."
Thirty minimalist homes
"Often defined as reducing an object into its basic necessities, minimalism is also a term that characterizes a popular modern architecture and design current. The residences featured ... are not faithful replicas of Phillip Johnson’s Glass House or of Le Courbusier’s Villa Savoye, yet their interior design is (also) characterized by simplicity and lack of ornaments."
NOVA
"Zaha Hadid has collaborated with the 'original shoe architect' Rem D. Koolhaas (nephew of the starchitect) to design NOVA, an entirely futuristic shoe for United Nude."
July 11, 2013
Monocle - Best Bike Shops
"Makers who bring something special to their industries are easy to love and so is cycling. These elements combine in bike shops in Toronto, Buenos Aires and Zürich, where imaginative artisanship combines with rational urban cycling design."
Fit for the Queen
"This weekend the Royal Warrant Holders Association celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation with an exhibition in the grounds of Buckingham Palace."
July 10, 2013
Calvin Klein - Downtown
"Rooney Mara's latest role as the face of Calvin Klein's new fragrance Downtown has been unveiled with a moody film directed by David Fincher."
Music: "Runaway
Mulberry Autumn Winter 2013 Campaign
"Mulberry Autumn Winter 2013 celebrates the beauty of the English countryside, inspired by childhood fables, rural landscapes and the secrecy of nature.
"The print campaign was photographed by Tim Walker, and stars Cara Delevingne and the owls."
July 09, 2013
Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2013/14
Full film of the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2013/14 Haute Couture show that took place on July 2nd at the Grand Palais, Paris.
Soundtrack:
"Airglow Fires
"F For You
Chanel - Fall-Winter 2013/14 Ready-to-wear
Full film of the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2013/14 Ready-to-Wear show that took place on March 5th at the Grand Palais, Paris.
Soundtrack: Philip Gorbachev : "Where Is Ronny Douglas ?", "Last Days Of The District", "Sweet Regina", "I Want You So".
Courtesy of Kompakt.
An anarchist of taste
“One day I was having lunch with Karl [Lagerfeld] and Silvia [Venturini Fendi] and all of sudden Karl decided that they had to do the fittings,” Vincent Darré remembers. “I told him I couldn’t go with them to a Fendi fitting now that I was at Moschino and he said, ‘It doesn’t matter, Moschino doesn’t have style anyway, it’s a pastiche.’ I thought it was brilliant and I asked him to write it and sign it on a piece of paper. In the next [Moschino] show, I made a t-shirt out of it and I sent Inès de la Fressange [down the runway] wearing it.”
July 08, 2013
Georgina Chapman for Lifestyle Mirror
"Fashion designer Georgina Chapman loves the art of dressing up and wishes the late eclectic heiress—and label's namesake—Marchesa Luisa Casati could wear her designs today."
No one wants to kiss a girl in black
Marks and Spencer is set to introduce a range of Downton Abbey beauty products in time with Season 4 this fall.
Also: Bygone Beauty Tutorials.
Teddy Girls, 1950s
"Ken Russel’s series of documentary Teddy Girl photographs were published in Picture Post magazine in the summer of 1955."
Robin Thicke feat T.I. & Pharrell - Blurred Lines
(NSFW, Canadian content, sexy)
July 07, 2013
Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 2013-14
"The Dutch purveyors of humor luxe are returning to the couture runways tomorrow after a 13-year absence, and if you were hoping to cast your eyes over the collection before deciding which of the 20 dresses to spend your entire family’s life savings on, your options are now sliced in half. 10 of the dresses have already been bought by an unnamed art collector."
Londres
London: the fashion place to be (via Business of Fashion).
July 06, 2013
Costas Douzinas / Slavoj Zizek - Thought in the Age of Monsters
On the role of the public intellectual.
Bill Cunningham - Urban Druids
"Summer is the time of the solstice and Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with the grid of the city's cross streets, illuminating facades on both sides with a lacy tracery." (video plays at the link)
July 05, 2013
The VICE Guide to the Venice Biennale (2013)
"Every two years since 1895, Venice has hosted the most important contemporary art exhibition in the world. Over a period of six months, the Biennale welcomes over 375,000 visitors and raises millions of Euros in sponsorships. In 2013, 88 nations were represented.
"But while everyone was talking about the art at the Biennale, we went to Venice few months before the official opening to meet artists, curators, and producers, and to understand how such a massive art event is made, as well as its impact on the city and its citizens."
London: Architecture
Tyler Brûlé interviews Alain de Botton on urban development.
Jacques de Bascher - Histoire d'Eau (1977)
"Histoire d'Eau was the first fashion film in history, produced in 1977 to launch the first Fendi Ready to Wear collection. Recently restored, it was presented to celebrate 'The Glory of Water' exhibition in Paris. The original film, directed by Jacques de Bascher, tells of a young woman, dressed in Fendi, vacationing in Rome and bathing in the city fountains."
(NSFW, bare breasts, hydraulic engineering)
July 04, 2013
Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2013-14
Valentino Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2013
Lou Stoppard and guests Stephen Jones, Oriole Cullen and Shonagh Marshall discuss the breathtaking Valentino Spring/Summer 2013 show (imagery at the link).
A zig-zag in time
Grazia has two behind-the-scenes videos from Missoni's Autumn Winter 2013 campaign. Windswept rocks feature.
July 03, 2013
Bert Haanstra - Glas (1958)
"Glass (Dutch: Glas) is a 1958 Dutch short documentary film by director and producer Bert Haanstra. The film won the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject in 1959. The film is about the glass industry in the Netherlands. It contrasts the hand made crystal from the Royal Leerdam Glass Factory with automated bottle making machines."
The Gallery of Lost Art
"Destroyed, stolen, discarded, rejected, erased, ephemeral – some of the most significant artworks of the last 100 years have been lost and can no longer be seen.
"Visitors to this virtual exhibition enter a large warehouse where photographs, newspaper cuttings, letters, images and films are laid out for examination, revealing the last traces of lost works by over forty artists across the twentieth century, including such figures as Marcel Duchamp, Joan Miró, Willem De Kooning, Rachel Whiteread and Tracey Emin."
Tate: The Gallery of Lost Art.
Patchouli for Men
"How clever of Floris to launch their latest offer for men midst Menswear S/S'14 catwalk presentations."
Jenna Elizabeth - Spectral (2013)
The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper. - W.B. Yeats
July 02, 2013
Iris van Herpen, Couture Autumn-Winter 2013/2014
"Wild nature was in the spotlight for Dutch wunderkind Iris Van Herpen, who produced a typically organic-infused couture display for fall-winter 2013."
Also: De wildernis van Iris van Herpen (video at the link).
And: 3D printed platforms.
Ueberbau
Andy Tauer figures out his new wrapping machine, takes a hike.
A lot of Ueberbau (superstructure) for a few spritzes, I know. But that’s the name of the game.
Jimmy Choo Autumn Winter 2013
"Academy Award® winning actress Nicole Kidman stars in the Jimmy Choo Autumn Winter 2013 campaign. The campaign video explores the film noir genre and references the tension of Hitchcock's empowered heroines to convey the feminine power, luxury, and sexiness evoked by the collection.
"Photographer Mikael Jansson portrays Kidman as the seductive protagonist in a series of images that hint at the brand's recurring themes of empowered glamour."
July 01, 2013
Burberry - Trench Kisses
British couple Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge star in the new Burberry Autumn/Winter 2013 campaign.