Nendo for 24 Issey Miyake

Nendo for 24 Issey Miyake

I got pretty excited when I saw the most recent retail project by one of my favourite Japanese design studios Nendo on Abitare today...

 
Isn't it fantastic? This is the brand new interior concept for Miyake's '24 Issey Miyake' store in Shibuya's massive Parco complex. It's such a simple, well-executed design that shows off the product range perfectly. The field of white rods (that remind me somewhat of those old prince of persia arcade games where you used to fall into the pits of spears...you know the ones, right?) provide a wonderful display mechanism for Miyake's inventive Bilbao bag which folds and moves seemingly independent of any real structure. I need to get me one of those. Time to go back to Tokyo and hang out in this colourful Miyake paradise.

E.

Machiko Agano

Machiko Agano

The beautiful work of Japanese installation artist Machiko Agano. Initially trained as a weaver and currently professor in the Textile department of the Kyoto Seika University, she explores the artistic possibilities of large-scale knitting with materials such as silk, fishing line and wire. The effect she creates through this technique is so delicate and ethereal...I think her installations are absolutely sublime. Her more structural works use bamboo, paper sheeting and organza but still have a highly organic quality. Incredible stuff.

Photos via the artist's website, Transition & Influence, InDesign and Cheuk Wan Chi.

E.

Morishly Good

Morishly Good

Some of the beautiful packaging designs of Australian cosmetic company Mor. I was sold as soon as I discovered their tubes of hand cream had polished wooden lids. It's wonderful to find this much detail put into a small, ultimately disposable product - and without a ridiculous price tag.

E.

The Rise of an Empire

The Rise of an Empire

 

The man who had it all (and still does I suppose). Vintage photos of the Hef during Playboy's decadent heyday.

Images from The Coolist.

E.

Japan Fashion Week Favourites

Japan Fashion Week Favourites

I've been a bit slack getting this post together, but better late than never, right?

There were some absolutely beautiful collections shown at Japan Fashion Week in March and I wish I could have attended some of the shows...namely these ones:

Entoptic took classic silhouettes and adorned them with exaggerated shapes and organic textures. I love both the playfulness and sophistication of this collection.

Hiroko Koshino's collection has a kind of 16th century court jester thing going on with those lush fabrics and royal colours. I'm dying over the cute tights and masses of velvet. Yum.

The stand-out collection for me was from Matohu. Their colour palette is perfect, emphasized by such beautiful gradient and dip-dye effects. And those long-line jackets are gorgeous.

A local Tokyo favourite of mine, Mint Designs showed off their typically awesome range of prints - love those houses! The mecano headgear is pretty cool too.

Adorable fur + knit ensembles by Shida Tatsuya. They just look so snuggly!

Tiny Dinosaur put up some beautifully draped and tailored pieces. Another fantastic colour palette too.

I love the elegant silhouettes, layering and leather touches in Yuma Koshino's collection. And that black yeti coat...wow.

Hopefully I'll make it to the next JFW, because the collections shown this time around were very inspiring indeed. Until then, I'm making extended wish lists.

You can check out the rest of the shows at the JFW website (all images from this link).

E.

Playing with Porcelain

Playing with Porcelain

All images and quotes via Abitare

Paola Navone reworks classic white china for the historic Italian porcelain company, Richard Ginori. The concept of her installation is fascinating:

...I thought of turning the traditional image of Richard Ginori products as indoor furnishings on its head by presenting them in an open-air setting. In the next project – “One Off ” at Merci, in Paris – I wanted to demonstrate the firm’s skill in relating to the design industry. I took 1000 kilos of white, unmatched reject china and, in little more than a month, had it decorated with decal fragments, brushstrokes and splashes of colour. This metamorphosis gave new life not only to the product, but also to how it’s sold – one-offs sold by weight, the way stockists sell off remnants.

Not to mention the finished products are absolutely gorgeous. I wouldn't mind a set of stapled dinner plates.

E

Hiraki Sawa

Hiraki Sawa

I touched on Hiraki Sawa's video art in my nonsensically long APT6 post, and I'm so excited that he's exhibiting as part of the 17th Biennale of Sydney that I thought I'd delve a little further into his exquisite work.

 Dwelling, 2002

via artnet

Elsewhere, 2003

via the artist's website

Now, my patience can wear a little thin with video art, as it probably can for most people. Rarely will the subject matter engage an entire audience, and it can be a very dividing and under-appreciated medium. Sawa's work is entirely not this. It is surreal, evocative and mesmerising...I can't remember another time when I've sat willingly and completely entranced in front of a gallery screening.

via secretumeuhimi

Going Places Sitting Down, 2004

Migration, 2003

 via the artist's website

Having often used his own apartment as the backdrop for these playful scenes, Sawa manages to generate the most dreamlike of images in seemingly mundane environments. A snippet from Anna Zagala's excellent article describes his artmaking perfectly:

Sawa's work takes great pleasure in the surreal possibilities generated by taking rescaled objects, often juxtaposing several fantastical elements in a single frame, and placing them in ordinary domestic environments. As such these visions of the animal kingdom and far-flung places recall the experience of childhood with its singular passions and unfettered imagination. 

 via La Plume Culturelle

Hiraki Sawa's work will be exhibited at Artspace in Wooloomooloo throughout the Biennale. If you're in Sydney I really urge you to check it out; me posting stills doesn't quite do a video artist justice. And good luck with the rest of the Biennale program... that is a hell of a lot of art to get through.

E.

Above.

Above.

It's been a while since I've dropped into the gorgeous Moku boutique in Sydney, and when I finally visited yesterday I was delighted to see they're stocking Melbourne fashion label Above. Ever since they provided me with the perfect black tee a couple of years ago I've been chasing after Nyssa Marrow and Kerry Findlow's designs. Now they're fast becoming my favourite Australian label.

Sneak peek of their S/S 10/11 collection shown at RAFW (photo via Pedestrian). I love laser cutting, and luckily this is very far removed from my experiences burning misshapen holes in organza at uni years ago. The whole shirt + blazer + shorts ensemble may be a tad breezy, but it just looks so gorgeous!

Their current collection. Beautiful fabrications and absolutely sublime colours, especially that combination of tan and prussian blue in the jacket. What I really love about this collection is the thoughtful sense of drape. It's wearable and flattering, and gives so much credit to the fabrics used. I can't wait to see/try on the next instalment.

E.

Cosmogramma

Cosmogramma

It's here! This incredible album art belongs to the latest release by beats mastermind Flying Lotus, aka Steven Ellison. 
Warp have described the album as a "space opera" and it more than lives up to the epic title. This breathtaking piece of work flows seamlessly between gorgeous cinematic string tracks, meaty mechanical beats, jazzy breaks and a whole range of amazing synth sounds. Flying Lotus has produced another dreamlike aural adventure that exceeds his already superb 2008 album, Los Angeles.

 Photo via Warp

Photo via Afghan Raiders

Photo via booooooom

Now all I have to do is catch him live and my life will be complete.  Rush out and buy this album right now. Or just listen here. You'll thank me later.

E.