THIS BRANDED YOUTH

NINE

2009-05-27T02:30:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Federico Fellini's brilliant 8 1/2, Rob Marshall directs Nine, a film musical following the life of director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he suffers from a mid-life crisis that is stifling his creativity and leading him into a variety of complicated romantic involvements. Also staring Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz, the film looks to be this year's Moulin Rouge... I am so down.

ASIA DESIGN

2009-05-27T02:10:00.000-07:00

Tyler 'Littlejohn' Johnson and Flavia Sanches of Nomadink Studio, did a research project about Asian design, spending 2 months in China and Thailand, then presenting it to 5,000 designers at TMDG in Argentina. Check it.

Via Swissmiss.

I MISS MY PENCIL

2009-05-27T01:54:00.000-07:00

I Miss My Pencil: A Design Exploration takes a voyeuristic view of the creative process by looking at 12 design experiments conceived by designers at IDEO. IDEO design director Martin Bone and IDEO materials expert Kara Johnson put together this 240-page tome to explore what it is that inspires designers to design. Check it.

Via Curated.

UPDATE

2009-05-11T00:28:00.000-07:00

Oddly enough it seems now that I've graduated, I have even less free time on my hands.

To the five of you who read this, I will return to updating this thing shortly.

DISTRICT 9 TRAILER

2009-05-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ever since 2005's Alive in Joburg, I've been a huge fan of Neill Blomkamp's work. From Tempbot to the Halo 3 shorts, the naturalistic way that Neill integrates visual effects never ceases to amaze. District 9 will be his first big-budget Hollywood production (if you don't count the recently shafted Halo film) and if the trailer is of any indication, it's bound to be this summer's sleeper hit. Let's just hope it doesn't get lost amidst this year's big dumb sci-fi drivel.

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-05-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

THE BIG PICTURE: HUMAN LANDSCAPES FROM ABOVE

2009-05-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

Photographer Jason Hawkes returns to The Big Picture once more having captured stunning aerial shots of global landscapes, many of which have somehow been affected by humans. View all 26 photographs here.

YORIKO YOSHIDA SURGICAL MASKS

2009-05-03T17:53:00.001-07:00

Artist Yoriko Yoshida recently crafted these fabulous surgical masks and not a moment too soon. If we're all going to die at the hand of swine flu, we might as well look good doing so. View the entire set here.

Via Computerlove

BRYUM & KAPOK 03 - A LILT

2009-04-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

A quirky animation short by illustrator-duo Overture Image, set to the instrumental track 'Freibad' by Hauschka. This is the final part of Overture's Bryum & Kapok Trilogy; watch the previous two here.

Via Motionographer.

IS THIS YOUR LUGGAGE?

2009-04-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

Great concept by whoever it is that runs this site. After an airport auctions off unclaimed luggage, the owner of the site purchases these bags, snaps shots of everything in the bag and then posts the pictures on this site, in hopes they may connect the missing luggage (sexy nurse outfit included) with its rightful owner. Check it.

Via Josh Spear.

CREATIVITY IS AN UNKNOWN LANGUAGE

2009-04-25T18:30:00.001-07:00

Gorgeous work by Saatchi & Saatchi for B&B Italia. View the entire campaign here.

DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE BY THEIR APPEARANCES

2009-04-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

An insane user-submitted addition to Sagmeister's "Thing's I Have Learned In My Life So Far" project. "Don't Judge People By Their Appearances" is an organic typography project by designer Peter Chmela; head on to Sagmeister's site for the rest of the set... Also, am I the only one who finds that hair follicle image a little unsettling?

Via SwissMiss.

MORAY MCLAREN - WE GOT TIME

2009-04-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

Stunning animation work by David Wilson on this video for Moray McLaren's "We Got Time". What's amazing is the fact that this was done entirely in-camera, with almost no visual post-production involved. Props to Wilson and Blinkink for making this happen. Check it.

Via Motionographer.

HEDI SLIMANE AT COACHELLA

2009-04-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Hedi Slimane shoots the Coachella Music Festival. More at Hedi Slimane's photo diary.

THE BIG PICTURE: PEERING INTO NORTH KOREA

2009-04-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

News stories about North Korea have been quite frequent recently, with their test launch of a rocket over Japan, withdrawal from nuclear disarmament talks coupled with a threat to restart their nuclear program - and their recent arrest and indictment of two U.S. reporters on its border with China. Even with all this attention, photographs from North Korea are still restricted and hard to come by.

One way around that has been for photographers to peer inside from across the border. Collected at the Big Picture are some recent photographs, looking into reclusive North Korea from the outside - and some of the reactions these observations induce.

Via The Big Picture.

JAMES JARVIS x NIKE

2009-04-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

Illustrator James Jarvis recently collaborated with Nike on this wonderful short film titled "Onwards". The film features a Martin-esque character jogging through a surreal, psychedelic landscape inspired by Jarvis' own experiences in long distance running. Set to a wicked track by Caribou, the short is directed by James Jarvis and Shynola's Richard Kenworthy. Check it.

Via High Snobiety.

H&M TIGHTS

2009-04-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Sleek packaging for H&M Tights circa 1999 by Swedish studio BVD. Via SwissMiss.

OKI-NI FASHION ARCHIVE: RAF SIMONS

2009-04-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

Oki-Ni has recently launched their much-talked about Fashion Archive. The Archive brings back iconic pieces from earlier collections of select designers. For now, the spotlight is on Raf Simons, menswear's most quietly influential designer. I thought Oki-Ni did a great job of covering Simons' diverse portfolio, especially his earlier works. I would definitely recommend a view through for anyone who has only recently heard of the man. Check it.

GOOGLE MAPS ALPHABET

2009-04-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

Over the course of several months beginning October 2008 to April 2009 designer Rhett Dashwood has been spending his spare time searching Google Maps hoping to discover land formations or buildings resembling letter forms. This is what he came up with.

Via SwissMiss

STEVEN KLEIN'S CLOROX BLUE

2009-04-21T21:17:00.001-07:00

Normally I'm adverse to the idea of fashion photographers taking on film (with the exceptions of Nick Knight and Sean Ellis) as most of their projects end up being a mess of incoherent imagery and sound being passed on as 'pseudo-art' at best. Anyway this one isn't that much better, but it does remind me a little of Blue Velvet and it features Amber Valletta doing something naughty so I guess that's good enough for me.

Via Frillr

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-04-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

Juun J now available at Seven New York

Via COÛTE QUE COÛTE

THE PRADA TRANSFORMER

2009-04-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

One of the first images of the recently completed Prada Transformer art space in Seoul. The project consists of a temporary building masterminded by Rem Koolhuas that incorporates the four sides of a Tetetrahedron: a hexagon, a cross, a rectangle and a circle, and the whole thing is covered by a big stretchy elastic membrane. Over the course of the next few months the building will house a programme of exhibitions and cultural events, including Miuccia Prada’s Waist Down exhibition.

Via Selectism.

THE BIG PICTURE: CASSINI'S CONTINUED MISSION

2009-04-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

NASA's Cassini spacecraft is now a nearly a year into its extended mission, called Cassini Equinox. The spacecraft continues to operate in good health, returning amazing images of Saturn, its ring system and moons, and providing new information and science on a regular basis. Collected at The Big Picture are 24 more breathtaking images from our ringed neighbor.

Via The Big Picture.

SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD

2009-04-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

Moby's latest single 'Shot In The Back Of The Head' has a new video directed by David Lynch. The result (which features an animated Lynch) lies somewhere between Eraserhead and the crudely-drawn Dumbland series. The pair later sat down to discuss Moby's upcoming album 'Wait For Me', for which Lynch was quoted as an immense influence. Check it.

Via Rolling Stone.

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-04-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

PIXAR'S PARTLY CLOUDY

2009-04-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

PIXAR's next short film is titled Partly Cloudy and will be shown alongside Disney's Up. Partly Cloudy will be about where Storks go to get the babies they deliver. My parents always told me that place was China, but I guess PIXAR thinks otherwise.

Via Ain't It Cool.

WITH RAIN

2009-04-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

Since graduating from Nihon Univeristy's College of Art in 2002, artist Takafumi Tsuchiya has been working on a number of these fantastic experimental vignettes. "With Rain" is one of my favorites (largely due to the wicked track by Caelum); be sure to hit up his website for more.

Via Fubiz

FLORAL ROMANCE

2009-04-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Swedish photographer Edvard Koinberg has created a visual counterpart to Carl Linnaeus’ 18th century work on plant sexuality with his new book Edvard Koinberg: Herbarium Amoris. Linnaeus worked with a collection of 20,000 plants and grouped them according to sexual organs, drawing parallels to human anatomy, a concept that formed the basis for Edvard's plant photography. The book is available now at TASCHEN.

Via Curated.

FOOD CELEBRITIES

2009-04-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, Harvey Nichols released these charming "Food Celebrities" postcards. Featuring the likes of Cake Winslet, Banana Mouskouri, Wayne Pruney and Pea Diddy, the postcards were sold for £4.95 a pack in both a Boys and Girls version. If anyone has a set to spare, you know where to find me!

Via Creative Review

CHRIS CUNNINGHAM FOR GUCCI

2009-04-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Star director Chris Cunningham has made his anticipated comeback with this gorgeous spot for Gucci's Flora fragrance. Featuring Abbey Lee Kershaw and Cunningham's own take on Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", the advert expands on Inez Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin's original print campaign and is a curious departure from his previous, more darker work. Check it.

THE BIG PICTURE: HOLY WEEK

2009-04-12T22:37:00.000-07:00

Christian communities around the world are currently celebrating Holy Week - both the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. Holy Week commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Here, hooded penitents from the Fusionadas brotherhood take part in the procession in Malaga, Spain.

Via The Big Picture

DEATH AND TAXES 2009

2009-04-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Designer Jess Bachman created this amazing six-square-foot infographic titled "Death and Taxes" (click on the image above for a larger view). Bachman sought to organize the entire federal discretionary budget into a single, sprawling bubble diagram.

Via The Moment.

PORTRAIT OF RICK OWENS

2009-04-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

Providing an intimate portrait of Rick Owens in his own words and his own clothing, this filmic diptych, shot live during the action on set, explores Nick Knight's monograph of an American fashion legend.

Via SHOWstudio.

TRIUMPH OF THE SIGN

2009-04-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

In Triumph of the Sign, artist Jean Charles de Castelbajac presents a series of paintings that articulate his fascination with, broadly, the tensions and synergies between high art and consumer culture, and most specifically that defining element of contemporary visual culture - the brand logo.

In a process that mirrors the production of mass-consumer goods, Castelbajac commissioned painters in China to perfectly reproduce a series of Western masterpieces, from Bronzino to Manet, and another group to paint logos on the surfaces of the copied masterpieces. The resulting works ironically embrace a flattening of hierarchies, a breakdown of distinctions and an evacuation of content. The works, therefore, are themselves perfect signs of the present moment.

Triumph of the Sign is currently on exhibit at the Paradise Row Gallery.

Via COÛTE QUE COÛTE

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE POSTER #2

2009-04-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

The second poster of Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are and it looks a little more menacing than the last one.

Via Ain't it cool

VALENTINO - A GRAND ITALIAN EPIC

2009-04-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

This lavish book traces Valentino’s illustrious career through copious images from his archives, including drawings, magazine editorial shoots, advertisements, portraits, and documentary photographs. Presented chronologically, the visual material is accompanied by a vast array of newspaper and magazine articles about Valentino throughout the years. Combined, they provide an in-depth look at the man, his lifestyle, and his genius. Available now from TASCHEN.

Via Curated

SPRINT NOW NETWORK: ANTHEM

2009-04-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here's some fantastic use of data visualization in advertising. Slickly but not overly produced; the whole infographic movement has been around for quite some time now and yet this ad still manages to be refreshing and never gimmicky. Props to Superfad and Goodby, Silverstein and Partners for pulling this off. Check it.

Via Motionographer

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-04-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Raf Simons’ ‘All Star’ style Astranaut Mix monochrome sneaker in top quality calf-skin leather with an extendable Velcro ankle strap. Available now at Oki-Ni (for a measly price of 900 cad).

THE BIG PICTURE: ALASKA'S MOUNT REDOUBT

2009-04-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

Beginning March 22nd, 2009, Alaska's Mount Redoubt, began a series of volcanic eruptions, and continues to be active to this date. Ash clouds produced by Redoubt have pushed 65,000 feet into the sky, disrupting air traffic, drifting across Cook Inlet, and depositing layers of gritty ash on populated areas of the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage, about 180 km to the northeast... Nature always does it best.

Via The Big Picture

O CHILDREN

2009-04-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

Photographed by Hedi Slimane.

SAM WEBER

2009-04-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

If illustration is your thing, then check out Brooklyn-based artist Sam Weber for some beautiful artwork.

Via BOOOOOOOM

INOCHI-KUN

2009-04-03T01:40:00.000-07:00

Takeshi Murakami's Inochi-kun action figure will debut tomorrow at the KaiKai Kiki Gallery's Inochi exhibit. Prices start at 1500 USD per doll with only 200 of each produced worldwide. These things are too fucking creepy and even more so after watching them in motion... I so want one.

Via High Snobiety.

THE LOST TRIBES OF NEW YORK CITY

2009-04-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a lovely short film by urban anthropologists Andy & Carolyn London who animated commonplace objects off the streets of New York using the voices of New Yorkers they had interviewed.

Via Motionographer

OKI-NI FASHION ARCHIVE

2009-04-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite online shops, Oki-Ni, will soon offer its customers the opportunity to explore archived collections of select designers. Creative Director John Skelton reasons "we produced the archive because we wanted to and because we wanted to keep giving you more than just products to buy. We hope to offer a completely unique experience and this is one of the ways we’re trying to do that."

The first designer to be featured is Raf Simons. A selection of his pieces, including items from his initial mid 90’s collections, will be displayed online for public viewing.

Via Style Savage.

THE BIG PICTURE: AFGHANISTAN

2009-04-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Afghan horsemen play Afghanistan's national sport Buzkashi in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, March 20, 2009. Buzkashi is the national sport of Afghanistan, which literally translated means "goat grabbing."

In Buzkashi, a headless carcass is placed in the center of a circle and surrounded by the players of two opposing teams. The object of the game is to get control of the carcass and bring it to the scoring area.

Via Big Picture

STEEL LIFE

2009-04-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely stunning. For his master thesis at Arts et Technologies de l’Image, Mathieu Gérard created “Steel Life,” a breathtaking tapestry of textures and light that evokes themes of genesis and rebirth. While there’s no obvious narrative, the film uses abstract realism—lovingly rendered imagery inspired by nature—to build an associative network of ideas.

The lush soundtrack, composed by Mathieu Alvado and performed by the Star Pop Orchestra, adds a dramatic arc to the film. Check it.

Via Motionographer.

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-04-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

MISS DIOR CHERIE

2009-03-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

The web presence for Miss Dior Cherie has finally launched and it comes in the form of an interactive pop-up book. The visuals here are fantastic and it captures Ms. Coppola's charming vision quite nicely, though Brigitte Bardot's "Moi Je Joue" can get a little tiring after the first thirty seconds... I recommend browsing this one with the sound turned off.

Via Adverblog.

VISIONAIRE 55 SURPRISE

2009-03-29T02:57:00.000-07:00

Visionaire's latest issue presents intricate pop-ups by Sophie Calle, Andreas Gursky, Cai Guo-Quiang, Steven Klein, Yayoi Kusama, Alasdair McLellan, Steven Meisel, Guido Mocafico, Nicola Formichetti with Gareth Pugh, Solve Sundsbo, and Mario Testino.

Executed by renowned paper engineer Bruce Foster, the issue features moveable images, three-dimensional scenes, and surprise reveals, The Pop-up folios are housed in a dark purple cloth-covered case with a magnetized closure and engraved number metal plaque.

Via Selectism

THE HAZARDS OF LOVE

2009-03-29T01:19:00.000-07:00

Designer Mario Hugo (Hugo & Marie), known for his shape-shifting approach to design and typography, recently worked with illustrator Carson Ellis on this gorgeous album & vinyl sleeve for The Decemberists' latest release.

Mediocre album or not, this will be one of the few album purchases I make based solely on the packaging.

THE SELBY AT COLETTE

2009-03-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Selby Paris book is being produced for colette and will be released April 2009 at the opening of The Selby Paris show. It includes watercolor paintings and photographs of all the people that were photographed in Paris for the show, many of which have not been seen on The Selby website. This book is limited to 250 copies. The spines of each book are hand painted red white and blue. All the books are signed and numbered by The Selby.

Via Hypebeast.

HONDA'S SHINING LIGHT

2009-03-26T21:51:00.001-07:00

Not to be outdone by a bunch of LED lit sheep from Wales, Honda and W+K Amsterdam put on their own grid-based light show with a new spot for the Insight... And if you were as impressed as I was, be sure to head over here for the "making of". Check it.

Via Creative Review

NEWWORK MAGAZINE

2009-03-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

NEWWORK magazine is a large-format arts publication designed for connoisseurs of fresh ideas. Designed and published biannually by the Brooklyn design studio of the same name, each issue features new work from a wide range of artists and creators in the worlds of fine art, design, high fashion, culture, and politics.

Via h(y)r collective

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE TRAILER

2009-03-25T23:49:00.000-07:00

Spike Jonze. Where The Wild Things Are. New Trailer... need I say more?

View in Quicktime here.

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-03-25T23:41:00.000-07:00

THE BIG PICTURE: SIGNS OF SPRING

2009-03-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

Iraqi Kurds carry torches up a rocky hill as they celebrate Nowruz in the Kurdish town of Akra, 500km north of Baghdad on March 20, 2009. Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21.

Via The Big Picture.

CAT SHIT ONE - THE SERIES

2009-03-25T23:26:00.000-07:00

Apparently there is an upcoming animated series titled "Cat Shit One" (bound to be retitled in North America) featuring various cute furries duking it out Call of Duty style. Tack on some amazing production values to this brilliantly absurd premise and we've got a winner. Check it.

Via Motionographer.

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-03-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

Paul Smith limited edition Yorick print tee. Available here (but not for long).

THOM BROWNE PRINT CAMPAIGN

2009-03-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Thom Browne's debut print campaign photographed by Lauren Winslow. View the rest of the ads here.

Via Selectism.

THE DAYS

2009-03-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

The film 歲月 (The Days) from director Boi Kwong, tells the tale of Singapore’s rival street gangs as they clashed between the years of 1989 and 1990. Josef Lee/Mojo directed this insane titles sequence for the film, which condenses the entire narrative into a 2 minute Manhua-style animation. The title track is "My Freedom" composed by indie rock group Black Forest. Check it.

Via Motionographer.

KOSTAS MURKUDIS S/S 09'

2009-03-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

SAGMEISTER FOR LEVIS 501

2009-03-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

After working with art-world luminaries Damien Hirst and Shepard Fairey, Levis turned to star graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister for their latest art-based collaboration. The result is this quirky window installation that debuted at L.A. retailer American Rag. Being a Sagmeister fan myself, it's great to see his unique brand of typography being put to good use here. Cheers to the Levis team for bringing us another tasteful collaboration.

Via Design Taxi.

PRADA SPRING 2009 LOOKBOOK

2009-03-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Prada's curious Spring 2009 lookbook, produced and designed by the brand's go-to architect, Rem Koolhaas and his Rotterdam research firm, AMO. Exploring the collection's "domain of inspiration", the lookbook shows the clothes on some highfalutin mannequins—namely, Greco-Roman statues.

Via Men's Style.

THE BIG PICTURE: ERUPTIONS NEAR TONGA

2009-03-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

On March 18, 2009 an undersea volcano erupted off the coast of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga, sending plumes of steam, ash and smoke up to 100 meters into the air. Dana Stephenson of Getty Images managed to capture this stunning shot of the eruption.

See the rest of the set over at The Big Picture.

EDWARD BURTYNSKY

2009-03-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered the work of large-format photographer Edward Burtynsky through Jennifer Baichwal's documentary Manufactured Landscapes. Burtynsky's most famous photographs depict sweeping landscapes altered by industrial expansion. The grand, awe-inspiring beauty of these images is often in tension with the ravaged environments they portray, a point that Baichwal emphasizes in her documentary.

Burtynsky's most compelling work (in my opinion) is his visual documentation of China's ongoing Industrial Revolution, you can view the entire series here.

PUMA LIFT

2009-03-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

PUMA's ad for its new LIFT footwear line tells a charming tale of two underwear-clad lovers through the use of some light projection wizadry. Spectacular work here by MJZ and MassMarket. The featured song is "Underwear" by The Magnetic Fields. Check it.

Via Boards.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE POSTER

2009-03-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today the first poster of Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are has finally surfaced and boy does it look fantastic. Whoever designed this absolutely killed it; the tasteful cropping, Carol, the charming hand lettered type, and Max's expression... perfect.

Here's hoping that a trailer will soon follow!

KALLE HAGMAN

2009-03-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

Now here is a refreshing idea, re-skin Google Maps into a topographic view of your portfolio. Graphic designer Kalle Hagman did just that and the results are pretty rad. It'll probably look even better once he has enough pieces to really clutter the thing up. Check it.

Via Greg Washington.

THE JOURNEY

2009-03-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here's to catching up with old news. 1st Avenue Machine's alter ego Special Guest recently signed on Brazilian director/illustrator Vinicius Costa, and to celebrate the occasion they commissioned him to direct this gorgeous short titled "The Journey". The concept behind the film emerged from Costa's own "journey" to his new home at Special Guest. Check it.

Thanks to Ozan for the heads up.

17 CREATIVE WEBSITES YOU SHOULD BOOKMARK

2009-03-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

When it comes to knowing the who's who of today's most talented creatives, Jeff Hamada is your go-to guy. So when he decides to make a list of 17 websites you should all be bookmarking (unless you're dumb) you'd better be listening.

THE BIG PICTURE: HOLI

2009-03-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, people in India and other countries with large Hindu populations celebrated Holi, the Festival of Colors. Holi is celebrated as a welcoming of Spring, and a celebration of the triumph of good over evil. What that translates to in action is an enthusiastic dropping of inhibitions, as people chase each other and playfully splash colorful paint, powder and water on each other.

It's like living through one of those Color Like No Other commercials... what I would give for an experience like that! For more stunning photography from the event, head over to The Boston Globe's Big Picture.

H(Y)R COLLECTIVE ISSUE 11

2009-03-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

h(y)r Collective has finally dropped Issue 11 of their self-titled magazine. Gotta give props to Ryan Williams and his crew for upping game with every new release, this latest issue is packed with solid content. My favorite bits are Ryan's interview with Supreme's marketing director Angelo Baque and the piece on kitchenware duo Teroforma. So head on over to h(y)r, it'll do you good.

ARTISTIC LICENSE

2009-03-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of NY Times' T-Style Magazine launched a few days ago, shifting our focus back to menswear with the current spring/summer collections. After a quick scroll through the bit that really stuck with me was Eric Nehr's 'Artistic License' spread, an homage to my favorite expressionist artist, Egon Schiele. The photography here is beautiful; Nehr did a fantastic job of capturing on camera the contorted proportions and angular poses that characterized Schiele's work. Check it.

THE PERIODIC TABLE OF TYPEFACES

2009-03-11T22:42:00.000-07:00

The Periodic Table of Typefaces is a cleverly designed list of the 100 most popular, influential and notorious typefaces today. I'm just curious as to how Comic Sans didn't make it onto the table, after all it is notorious for being the shittiest typeface available, that has to count for something.

For the high res version, click on the image above. Via Swissmiss.

IKEA PS

2009-03-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

IKEA's latest interactive ad campaign takes us on an ethereal journey to IKEA PS, a world composed enitrely of IKEA products (and one likely to fall apart after a year of living in it). I was a huge fan of last year's brilliant IKEA Catalogue 2.0 so count me a little disappointed that they didn't up the ante with this one; that being said IKEA PS is still a great looking site, so if you do have a few moments to kill it's well worth a visit.

IKEA PS is a collaborative project between Nordpol, Parasol Island and KOKO KAKA.

Via Motionographer

JIMMY CHOO S/S 09'

2009-03-11T21:59:00.000-07:00

No one today photographs sex in fashion better than Terry Richardson (actually that probably isn't true but I'll run with it for now) and it shows in Jimmy Choo's S/S 09' ad campaign. Say what you will about my tastes, but I make no excuses for my fixation with this gorgeous shot of Angela Lindvall's uhhh... shoes.

Via Frillr.

KALINA

2009-03-10T01:38:00.000-07:00

Kalina is an independent magazine started by Brooklyn based photographer Noah Kalina (made famous three years ago for his Everyday project). Each issue features a photography project built around a single concept or theme. The current (and debut) issue is titled "WHY WON'T YOU LOVE ME" and is available for purchase here.

Via Sebastian Waters.

DEPECHE MODE - WRONG

2009-03-10T01:12:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I come across a music video so fucking dope that I could watch it a hundred times over and still be blown away with every subsequent viewing (think Chris Cunningham for Björk). This probably isn't one of them, but it does come close.

Directed by Patrick Daugthers of The Directors Bureau, the music video for Depeche Mode's latest single "Wrong" is as eerie as it is beautiful. Depicting a backwards traveling car wreaking havoc on the streets of Downtown L.A., it's a simple (albeit absurd) concept, but the top notch direction and gorgeous cinematography manages to elevate this into so much more. Check it.

JAMES JOYCE FOR IT'S BIGGER THAN

2009-03-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

Over the years, British designer James Joyce did these rad flyers for the monthly London party It's Bigger Than. Each month, with the help of Dave Oscroft, a flyer was animated and projected in the party's venue, creating an evolving show reel of animated illustration.

Via Kitsune Noir.

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'

2009-03-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

So on Friday I watched Watchmen, and to my surprise it was actually pretty damned good. I could have done without Snyder's excessive use of slow motion (and yes, there is an assload of it here) but the film certainly wasn't the flop many fanboys had expected it to be. Anyway, this is not a film review so I'll just cut to the chase. One of my favorite parts of the film was (surprise, surprise) the opening credits. Created by L.A.-based yU+Co, the sequence features Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" set to a gorgeous montage of historical events in the Watchmen universe.

Unfortunately, Flickr caps all of its videos at 90 seconds, so I've only been able to upload half of the sequence. Drop me a line if you want the full Quicktime video.

VOGUE HOMMES JAPAN VOLUME 2

2009-03-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you who remember Hedi Slimane's wicked L.A. shoot from last December, the photographs are now available on print in the latest issue of Vogue Hommes Japan (in newsstands today). Though if you're hesitant on forking over the import premium your local bookstore is bound to charge, you can still view the entire set on Mr.Slimane's own Fashion Diary. Check it.

Via Hypebeast.

MAGAZINES

2009-03-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

Picked up these magazines over the weekend and so should you... Purple Fashion, Fantastic Man and LOVE. Of the three, LOVE is definitely my favorite.

DIGITAL TEMPLE ISSUE 5: WE ARE ON

2009-03-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

Design magazine Digital Temple has recently dropped its 5th online issue. Titled We Are On, the issue is jam packed with amazing work from some of my favorite emerging artists. McBess, Neil Krug, Raul Allen and Hilde Holta-Lysell are just a few of the many talented names that you'll find in here. Check it.

For back issues of the magazine, click here.

GARETH PUGH F/W 2009

2009-03-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Showstudio crew have finally unveiled their video presentation to Gareth Pugh's A/W 09' show.

My reaction to the video can be summed up by two simple words... Holy and Shit (I'll assume that there are others out there who share a similar sentiment). Created in collaboration with filmmaker Ruth Hogben and model Natasa Vojnovic, the film is quite literally a visual assault on the senses. I was one of those fashion stragglers who never "got" the appeal of Pugh's previous work, but now after seeing this you can consider me sold.

WELCOME TO LEGS

2009-03-04T23:02:00.000-08:00

Legs, most famous for their work with Diesel on Pete the Meat Puppet, Hair Bath and Dance Party, have just launched their website Welcome to Legs. A word of caution however, the site opens with a montage of flying naked people (full-frontal nudity folks!) so depending on where you work, clicking on the link may not be a good idea.

(Thanks Ozan for the heads up)

RICK OWENS, THE MASTER OF DISASTER

2009-03-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz recently posted this great interview with influential fashion designer Rick Owens. The article gives us an in-depth look at Mr.Owens' life as he shares about his humble beginnings in L.A., his relationship with Michele Lamy, plans for an upcoming fragrance line and his thoughts on pop-culture icons wearing his clothes (oh yeah, he even calls out his own protégé Gareth Pugh on his notoriously flamboyant designs). For those of you who have been faithful fans since day one, the article doesn't offer anything new, but for the rest of you here's a great chance to get caught up on one of today's hottest designers. Check it.

Via Stylezeitgeist.

SUPREME x A-RON THE DOWNTOWN DON

2009-03-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

So just a few days ago I called out Supreme for dropping what I thought was a half-assed S/S collection, but now I'm going to eat my words because peeping the recent A-ron x Cool Trans shoot has changed my mind completely (not that they'd care anyhow). A-ron the Don rocked the shit too well, if I had seen the lookbook before seeing each piece individually my first opinions would have differed greatly. Chalk up another win for Supreme. Check it.

Via HighSnobiety.

KID CUDI - DAY N' NITE

2009-03-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

Ed Banger regular So Me brings his hand-drawn illustrative style to Kid Cudi's first music video, Day N' Night. I was never that big a fan of So Me's other work, so I'm not sure what it is about the video that actually "drew" me in (get it? okay, sorry), but I've probably watched this thing five times now and I still dig it. Post-production and animation courtesy of Paris-based studio Mathematic. Check it.

Via Motionographer

JIL SANDER F/W 2009

2009-03-01T21:38:00.001-08:00

The Jil Sander show pretty much made this season's fashion week for me (with Prada and Bottega coming in at a close second). The architecture, the shapes, the fabrics and the details my god the details, Raf Simons has certainly come a long way in the realm of Womenswear. Barbara Atkin of Holt Renfrew described the collection as a "Dior's New Look" moment in fashion and though that may be too bold a statement, this was certainly one of Raf's strongest (though in my eyes, his defining Jil Sander moment will always be S/S 09'). Anyway, by no means am I a fashion journalist so don't take it from me, you're better off seeing this shit for yourself!

Click here for the entire collection and while you're at it, check out this fantastic interview with the man himself by IHT's Suzy Menkes.

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DICTIONARY

2009-02-26T23:49:00.000-08:00

The Photographic Dictionary is dedicated to defining words through the literal, figurative and personal meanings found in each user-submitted photograph. The project was founded by Netherlands-based photographer, Lindley Warren.

Via SwissMiss.

I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU

2009-02-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

The Rick Owens lambskin intarsia jacket. What do you guys think? Is this the leather jacket to invest in, or am I just trippin?

KILLZONE 2 MAIN TITLES

2009-02-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

Guerrilla commissioned Dutch motion designer Joost Korngold aka "Renascent" to design the main titles sequence for PS3's upcoming Killzone 2. The result is probably the finest looking credits sequence ever seen in a video game (not that there were many to begin with but I digress). Hell, if someone were to tell me this was a Prologue piece, I'd have believed them. So if you're as much of a gamer as you are a fiend for good design (like yours truly) then check this out.

Via Motionographer.

THE ADI LOOKBOOK

2009-02-26T01:07:00.000-08:00

Adidas recently launched the Adi Lookbook, a promotional mini-site showcasing products from the Adidas Originals women's line. The site features some fantastic use of stop-motion (also put to great use in last year's Adi Dassler spot) with fashion photography and top notch art direction by Rodrigo Braga of Montreal's Sid Lee. Oh yeah, and while you're at it, be sure to check out the lookbook for Jeremy Scott's latest Originals collaboration... what can I say? Adidas killed it yet again.

Via Adverblog.

ANIMALPHABET

2009-02-25T23:18:00.000-08:00

Innovative typography paired with dope illustrations, what more could you ask for? Next week, Andreas Samuelsson and Jan Kruse will be releasing this new poster titled Animalphabet. The poster features a number of established artists illustrating their take on an alphabet comprised entirely of animals. Animalphabet comes in a limited run of 500 prints and will be available at A Number of Small Things.

Via Kitsune Noir.

THE CRISIS OF CREDIT VISUALIZED

2009-02-25T23:02:00.000-08:00

The latest entry in the realm of educational motion design, "The Crisis of Credit" is an ambitious project by Jonathan Jarvis that tackles the complex and often controversial origins of today's failing economy. As expected, there have been a number of criticisms questioning the short's accuracy, but regardless of these no one can deny that Jonathan's visual essay is informative, engaging and effective.

The animation was completed as part of Jonathan's thesis for the Media Design Program at Art Center College of Design.

Via Motionographer.

SUPREME S/S 2009

2009-02-25T22:36:00.000-08:00

Business as usual for the upcoming Supreme drop… same shit, different collection. The Lou Reed tee is pretty dope and so is the camo M-65 (both pictured above), but even then it’s nothing worth getting excited over. I’m not sure if its still Brendan Babenzien doing his thing there but whoever it is, the guy really needs to elevate his game. Supreme has been pretty stale over the past few seasons and it doesn't look like it's getting any better.

So in the meantime, you’re better off looking towards up-and-comers like Wings + Horns to satisfy your Summer street wear needs.

HEDI SLIMANE PHOTOGRAPHS LINDSAY LOHAN

2009-02-24T21:34:00.000-08:00

Hedi Slimane and... Lindsay Lohan? Firecrotch (sorry I couldn't resist) is the latest celebrity to be featured on Hedi's Fashion Diary. This is probably one of his stranger choices in subject, but then again he does have a knack at photographing train wrecks. Courtney Love or Amy Winehouse anyone?

That being said, I am quite fond of these photos, though I suspect this has more to do with Hedi than it does with Lohan. Check out the rest of the set here.

CREDIT WHERE CREDITS ARE DUE

2009-02-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

In a New York Times op-ed piece, designers Emily Oberman and Bonnie Siegler argue that the Oscars should have a category for the design of title sequences.

Titles have always played a significant part in motion pictures. They may have started out as simple black-and-white cards. But in the days before sound, they already did more than identify key players: they communicated dialogue and advanced plot. And as filmmaking evolved, so did title design. Titles have become wonderful bridges from reality into the cinematic world and back out again. At their very best, they are themselves innovative, emotional experiences, microcosms of their movies.

Their list of notable nominees (if such a category were to exist) include names as Saul Bass (though he'd probably be a better fit for Lifetime Achievement), Kyle Cooper, Pablo Farro and other contemporaries as the Prologue Films crew and this year's would-be winner, Pixar. Check it.

Via Kottke.

FIVE ARTISTS. THEIR DREAMS. ONE CITY.

2009-02-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

This beautiful film by Chiara Clemente was recently screened at the New York Film Forum. In Our City Dreams, Clemente documents the inspirational journey of five women from different generations who have migrated to New York in hopes of fulfilling their dreams as artists. The documentary features Kiki Smith, Swoon, Ghada Amer, Marina Abramovi and Nancy Spero as its five subjects.

“The idea for the film began to form on my return to New York. I had left New York with the eyes of an adolescent and returned with the eyes of an adult - it is a place so familiar yet so mysterious and exciting... This film is inspired by those who have been lured to New York and have stayed for the ride. I respect especially those determined women who have fought their battles and found their voice in a stubborn town. Some of the most significant artists working in New York today are women. It is time that we discover some of these brilliant artists not only through their work, but through an intimate glimpse into their worlds.”

View the trailer here.

EXTREMELY REALISTIC SOUND

2009-02-21T23:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a clever new ad from the German electronics manufacturer Leowe. These days, it's nice to see an advert that doesn't (fully) rely on post-production to get its message across, but lets its concept do the talking. Check it.

Via Swissmiss