By Andrew Liszewski
The first collaboration between John Maeda and Reebok brought us the Timetanium, a shoe inspired by time that incorporated various designs and patterns created from Maeda’s own algorithms. Their follow-up collaboration resulted in the Emoretion, a shoe designed exclusively for women that was inspired by the 7th law in Maeda’s book (The Laws of Simplicity) which happened to be emotion. This time around its Maeda’s 9th law, failure, that was the inspiration for their third collaboration, the Struccess. The shoe is based on Reebok’s InstaPump Fury, and once again it incorporates Maeda’s hand written code with computer generated designs and a truly unique color scheme.
Since the past 2 designs were so popular, this time Reebok made 300 pairs of the Struccess available on the RbkCustom website on July 2nd for $200, and believe it or not, they’re already sold out.
[ Reebok Struccess by John Maeda ]
By Andrew Liszewski
Just because you’re doing something as unglamorous as taking out the trash doesn’t mean you can’t do it with a little style. While Hefty has long since taken the safe approach when it comes to fashion with their all-black garbage bags, it seems there’s now a more daring option with these Louis Vuitton pattern bags. Perfect for the homeowner who thinks their trash is just a bit better than everyone else’s.
Unfortunately, since the pattern seems to be lacking the ‘LV’ initials, it’s pretty clear this bag didn’t come from Louis Vuitton. But if anyone knows where it did come from or where they can be bought, I’m sure our readers would love to know.
[ kanYe West : Blog - Louis Vuitton Trash Bag ] VIA [ Cribcandy ]
By Andrew Liszewski
If you’ve ever been caught in a sudden and unexpected downpour (you probably weren’t wearing your weather forecasting Suunto Lumi) you’ll know that a newspaper can make for a half-decent substitute umbrella. But holding it over your head while trying to keep yourself and whatever else you’re carrying dry can be difficult. Enter designer Shiu Yuk Yuen’s Eco Brolly concept. Essentially it’s an ultra compact collapsible umbrella frame that’s designed to use newspapers, plastic bags or anything else you can get your hands on to keep you keep dry.
Now obviously newspapers have the tendency to disintegrate when they get wet, but I don’t think the Eco Brolly is designed as a replacement to an actual umbrella. Think of it more as an emergency solution that’s small enough to carry with you on days where there’s a slight chance it could rain. I actually like the concept, particularly since you can just chuck the newspaper into a recycling bin when you get to where you’re going, instead of having to hang it somewhere to dry like with a regular umbrella.
[ Eco Brolly ] VIA [ Yanko Design ]
By Jonathan Kimak
You may be tired of waiting in extremely long lines for rides like Disney’s new Toy Story Mania. The long waits are especially annoying when the ride itself lasts only a minute. Well, if you have some spare time and a shed full of scrap metal you can do what John Ivers did and build a fully functioning roller coaster in your backyard.
The ride is called Blue Flash and has 180 feet of track and a 360 degree loop. The ride is longer than the wait and you can pretty much go again and again until one of your relatives jumps on it while you are re-experiencing your lunch and hurling it into the trash bin.
VIA [ Offbeat earth ]
Video of the awesome ride after the jump.
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By Andrew Liszewski
When you first look at the SitSack created by James Van Vossel, you get the idea that the designer has completely missed the point of bean bag chairs. I mean you’re supposed to be able to just plop down on one and not have to worry about posture or how you’re eventually going to get up. But with a molded plastic chair grafted onto the top of this bean bag, the last thing you’ll want to do is just plop down on it.
But if you think of the SitSack as an alternative to a regular chair, you start to see that the design has some merit. In grade school I was notorious for leaning back in my chair, and when you’re only resting on two legs, the odds are pretty good you’re going to end up on the floor. However, with a giant bean bag underneath your seat instead of just 4 legs, you can lean back or position the chair any way you want with a minimal risk of falling over.
[ James Van Vossel's Sitsack ] VIA [ DesignSpotter ]
By Andrew Liszewski
I’ll never advocate spending $2,700 on a pen that just writes, but at least the new Evolution model from Conway Stewart has a clever trick up its sleeve. Apparently balance plays an important factor when it comes to choosing a pen, and the Evolution is the first model to feature a “revolutionary” system that allows you to adjust the pen’s center of gravity to suit your handwriting style. There’s no specifics on how it works, because apparently the system took Conway Stewart three years to develop, but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that there’s a weight inside that can be moved from the front to the back.
But the adjustable weight system probably doesn’t contribute to that $2,700 price tag as much as the engraved solid silver body, and the fact that just two hundred of these will be produced.
[ Conway Stewart Evolution Pen ] VIA [ Born Rich ]
By Andrew Liszewski
Roller skating seems to be a popular Summer-time activity, and if you’re looking to get into the sport you basically have two options when it comes to equipment. You can go with an inline skate which is most common these days, or stick with the classic ‘wheels in the corners’ design and look like you skated right out of a 70’s roller rink. But there’s good news for those of you who actually prefer traditional roller skates. Not only do these Skorpion Quadline skates look just as cool as modern inline designs, but you can now get a pair that’s been styled by Emporio Armani.
The skates are part of Armani’s EA7 sports wear line, and they’ve given it a sleek black and silver color scheme complete with chrome plated hubs. Unlike most inline skates, the Quadlines are designed to be worn with a pair of shoes and feature independent spring suspension on every wheel for a smooth ride over rough terrain. Unfortunately Armani fans might be upset to hear they won’t be able to shell out $425 for a pair since they seem to be sold out at the moment. But you can still get a regular pair of Quadlines from Skorpion for about $180.
[ Emporio Armani EA-7 Skorpion Quadline Roller Skates ] VIA [ Luxist ]
By Andrew Liszewski
Over the years I’ve made several attempts at building my own desk, and for some reason they’ve never really worked out. But as of this morning I finally know why. There’s apparently a lot more that goes into a desk than I realized. I always assumed they were just a flat piece of wood with legs attached, but this see-through Executive Desk designed by Dale Mathis has shown me the error of my ways. His desk finally reveals all the important gears and cogs that were clearly lacking in my own design.
And to be honest if I knew they were really this complicated on the inside, I probably wouldn’t have tried to build my own in the first place. Though I can’t figure out how IKEA manages to get the price down to $100, when this model will set you back $21,000. (I’ve also included a video after the jump showing the desk in action.)
[ Executive Desk ] VIA [ Born Rich ]
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By Andrew Liszewski
When it comes to unique pieces of furniture, this is about as unique as you can get. The Fractal Table was designed by Platform Wertel Oberfell and Matthias Bär for Materialise.MGX. It’s based on their studies of fractal growth patterns which result in treelike structures that get smaller but denser as they ‘grow’. In this case the large base of the structure makes for a good set of legs, while the complex pattern at the top provides enough support to be used as a table. But because the design does get so complex, it can only be created using a rapid prototyping machine. So don’t expect your local IKEA to be stocking them anytime soon.
And I could make some comment about this table being perfect for nerds and nerd-like activities such as playing Dungeons & Dragons, but I have to admit I think it’s pretty cool. And if thinking this table is cool makes me a nerd, then I’m just going to secretly think it’s cool, and tell everyone else I hate it.
[ Fractal Table ] VIA [ Cribcandy ]
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