art attack!

DIE FOR LOVE: greek artist living in london, christina koutsospyrou, is a renowned illustrator depicting contemporary culture. gaining much acclaim from her eye-catching pencil on paper like works, koustsospyrou has become vanguard in the london art movement. the artist has earned herself international recognition from companies like time out, elle, and fashion collection in russia, while working with fashion house rafael lopez. over the past several years christina has exhibited primarily in england with plans on exploring film, 3d work, and fashion. trust her words as a source of inspiration: 

"my work is very much decorative and giving it a message would be almost futile... some may consider my work to be pointless, but it is precisely that lack of a message and a specific reason for its existence that makes it my own. i just enjoy creating sensuous imagery-and people have responded positively to it from the start, which has given me more reason to continue in this style"- christina koutsospyrou

yogurt tim3

SWEET TOOTH: regardless of our dietary choices, now and again, we all crave a sweet. daily chocolate intake may be for the extremist, however, indulging into frozen yogurt might leave your guilty conscious less irritated. in the past year, frozen yogurt has experienced a stylish renovation. below, the paris based myberry, and singaporean frolick mix juice/smoothie/yogurt into lounge-like environments. the interiors mix bright colors and pop cultural references, while the eccentric flavors: peach and guinness, have customers filling cup sizes A-C daily. don't fret it, eat it. 

whit3 t33

CLASSICALISM: today street photographers snap the hip and chic; street fashion has become an epidemic. constructing an outfit has never been so fun, or, time consuming. intricate clothing garments produce wow-factors, turning heads of the public eye unaware of the fashion culture. often, you will see simplicity. though, this simplicity has become applied candidly to creativity. the blue jean, the white tee, or... black... which never fades. this week, i'll examine and show the versatility of the white-t; where individualism meets classic. though universally it has become a symbol for casual attire, the white-t's progression into a wardrobe staple is imminent. simplistic and pure, the body is converted into a canvas leaving the wearer an inventive-entity. dress it up, down, but always with class, the one time undershirt is a big deal.

thanks to sidethr33 friend, 

nancy nashid for photo finds and idea.  

d3sign tid3

PAST IS PRESENT: designtide tokyo2008 finished earlier this month but the affects are still causing uproar. in its 4th year, this convention has attracted architects, interior, product, fashion, graphic, and textile designers alike. the unique trends we see arising from tokyo, and artists pharrell williams often recruits, are the brainchildren exhibiting here. designtide is an opportunity to reconsider design; as a concept and way of thinking. anyone can share and participate in the 5 day gala. it links creative talents, manufacturers, journalists, and buyers worldwide, spreading the word about design activities manifest in their everyday lives. still in its infancy, but sure to blossom, peel your eyes for an even larger 09 showing. 

matth3w williamson

THE BUZZ: h&m has announced the next campaign designer as matthew williamson. the swanky english style guru will tie his indian influenced garments into a women's line scheduled to launch april 23, 09. though these first releases will only be available to select locations, williamson is also in charge of a summer womens/menswear line available worldwide in may. the anticipation has been fulfilled in the past celebrity collections and i am certain the frenzy will continue. www.matthewwilliamson.com

3rik björk

SPOTLIGHT: erik björk studied metal and woodworking at nyckelviksskolan and furniture design at the university of linköping. upon completing his scholastic endeavors, he introduced an independent design company, simply titled erik björk, in stockholm, sweden. specializing in lighting, he has initiated products for IKEA, MIND, svensk slöjd, and the royal art academy. björk has also worked closely with wood, which explains his sustainable philosophy. in his words, "products should not be to experimental, not to conventional, they should be easy to mass-produce yet hard to copy, the materials should be low-cost yet have an exclusive look". almost hypocritically however, his do it yourself bike does everything but this. it is easily reproducible. for that matter, it is encouraged and designs can be sent to your email by björk himself. with the help of a few salvaged bike parts and a hardware store, anyone can build it. the product is to ingeniously brilliant to pass, and so, the diy bike 1.0 is this weeks spotlight.

soho hous3: n3w york

UP AND COMING: the meatpacking district (MePa) in ny, or as it is known now, gansevoort market, has easily become one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in the world. prior to the late 90s, before the district underwent a dramatic transformation, prostitutes, transsexuals, and drug dealers operated the over 250 slaughterhouses lining its streets. shockingly, under only 10 years, this number has substantially descended to 35. today, alexander mcqueen, stella mccartney, diane von furstenberg, and christian louboutin house boutiques here, while establishment restaurants like buddha bar, tenjune, and apt have recently opened to serve young professionals. soho house: new york is a jaw-dropping example of one transformation that has taken place in MePa. the 24 bedroom, 6 floor hotel, offers guests a combination of luxury and style. fully equipped with private eucalyptus steam rooms, a cowshed spa (www.cowshedonline.com), screening room, private library/seafood bar, and games room, the hotel may be less for sleep and more for exploration. in hot months visitors can sprawl on the all day rooftop terrace equipped with a heated pool offering fantastic views over the west village and hudson river. book fast, this place hustles. 

www.sohohouseny.com

rashid's s3miramis

MODERN GRECIA: "hotels today make you feel like you're living in the previous century. that's the last thing i want to do" says hotel semiramis designer, karim rashid. if you are unaware of rashid, he is a leading industrial engineer of our time. after introducing his first successful project, "the garbo", a plastic bin which has sold over three million pieces, rashid has went onto add modern simplicity to practically all items: mouse pads, soap dishes, kettles, vases, lamps, and coffee cups. the semiramis hotel, based in kifissia, athens, is a reflection of this. the 52-room hotel is nestled in a trendy suburb encircled by cafes, boutiques, and high-end restaurants. guests will immerse themselves into a product of 21st century chic while observing the hotels modern art collection. rashid's refusal to accept day-to-day environments is apparent... there is always room for design.

Patricia Urquiola

TAKE A SEAT, RELAX: it's easier said then done. however, with the help of spanish designer patricia urquiola's 'frilly' chair line, launched last week in milan, lounging seems favorable. the furniture is constructed from polycarbonate and embraces the fabric affect of material furniture: pleats, grooves, folds, and lines. the high back chairs come in a variety of colors offering versatility as they have been designed to use indoors and outdoors. for more information link33 www.patriciaurquiola.com

ART BUZZ: contemporary and minimalist design - although require a certain appetite - has become integral to nearly all new interior and architectural concepts. be it linearity, bold daring colors, or chrome, glass, and mahogany. minimalism accentuates form, disregarding all decoration that drapes most spaces. forms are stripped to the essentials. on the other hand, minimalism in the visual arts is relatively recent. it dates primarily to american visuals of the late 60s' with artists like donald judd and frank stella. minimalism's exact origins are skeptical but highly regarded as a reaction to abstract expressionism. more linear and precisely organized, new york artist sara eichner drifts away from the blurred images and drip paintings of abstractors. her work hints architecture, done symmetrically on patterned grids. in this sense, the reoccurring patterns cry escher. eichner states her inspiration came in geometry from homes in her neighborhood of williamsburg. the works zen-like shades; pinks, blues, and greens play nicely off the retina, as polygons and boxes are first applied to wood and paper then diligently painted overtop. sara eichner is a graduate from syracuse university and this is her sixth independent show. view her closely at33 www.saraeichner.com

FOR THE RECORD: globalization has killed good design. in eyewear. one time premier italian fashion houses like gucci or armani manufactured sheerly from their headquarters. the inner arm read 'made in italy', wholly, and truly. flip to today, as economic dilemma heats higher, companies have begun production in labor markets providing limited salaries to employers. foremost, china. plastic frames are fully constructed in places like this on the exception of a single screw. by law, if a company inserts even a single screw they are able to stamp 'made in: italy, spain, new york, or france'. you pay $400 for $8 of plastic. among few businesses priding themselves as authentically french is jean lafont: 06' eyewear of the year tokyo/paris, and recent sunglass of year winner from silmo d'or. quality, elegance, trend, and workmanship grace all 60's vintage cateyes, cheetah or beehive tortoise shell printed frames, for instance. check out some recent looks! 

BON APP3TIT3.

SPOTLIGHT: who ever thought jeanne lanvin's (1867-1946) influential french fashion house of the 20's and 30's, after plummeting downward when the company died in 1946 would again reign supreme. a switching of hands between several investors like britain's midland bank, orcofi, l'oreal, and finally by harmonie S.A, who appointed the genius alber elbaz artistic director in 2001. elbaz has restored the lanvin embodiment with intricate trimmings, embroideries, and an elegant simplicity the company has not seen in over 50 years. the men's winter 08' accessories preserve an almost industrial spirit. metallic patent shoes transparent as mirrors, glasses with metal hinges, belt buckles covered in matte glaze, and the finest of material: flannel, velvet, and cashmere. ELBAZ-THE-RAZ-A-PAZ!

THE BLOUS3

AN OBSERVATION: perhaps my submersion in style allows me to witness trends at the forefront, but correct me if i am wrong; individualism in garment choices has reached an apex. everything and anything has become usable. in its nature, fashion has always attracted the odd, unconventional, and colorful anti-mainstreamers. though there was a time isabella blow, anna piagi and iris apfel single-handedly dominated individualism. these women, overtly design oriented and lifesize art projects may never again be replicated, but prepared a revolution of fashion conscious 20-somethings who gallivant helsinki, stockholm, paris, ny, and other bustling metropolises. the 'tights phase' has been long established, so, pushing the envelope is refreshingly interesting. i'll go on a limb, take a risk like john galliano, and say: the greatest source of fashion is the psyche. subscribe to your own internal well being. 

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au courant: versatility of the blouse; worn elsewhere besides the upper body is this weeks idiosyncrasy. think spring/summer 09', brr, it's cold now!

SIDE3

theres you. 

theres me.

theres design.

architecture_fashion_lifestyle