THE JIMI

Friday, 28 October 2005


The small storage device that has been used for decades to carry cash, identification and credit cards has just been reloaded. Of course, the utilitarian wallet can now be a thing of the past since The JIMI Wallet has entered the picture. Mr. Smith Inc. is the company responsible for giving an extreme makeover to the practical and sometimes not so fashionable wallet, and proven that a pragmatic consumer product can actually have function to complement its form. by Isla Verde



EMILY STRANGE HALLOWEEN

Wednesday, 26 October 2005


Tired of seeing the same old "typical" Halloween costumes year after year?...Masks have been used for celebrating Halloween for literally thousands of years. Halloween masks make up part of the two and a half billion dollars spend annually on costumes, masks and makeup, with literally millions of Halloween masks being sold every year. Our pick of the bunch - theEmily Strange ski mask for $18. by Lisa Evans


NEW URBAN BAGS

Tuesday, 18 October 2005



Phones, iPods, PDA's, PSP's? You already have so many things to do with your ten fingers. Perhaps its easier to wear your bag around your wrist like a bracelet or on your forearm if you so choose. New-York based Arza Design (pictured above) makes it possible with its contemporary design collection, using minimal shapes and basic materials. The Swiss handmade bags and accessories brand Prognose(pictured below) features another innovative solution. Like a jerry can around your hips, Gurt.no.one model leaves hands and torso free to move. Thanks to the folding system, the bag can be opened and closed quickly and easily, like a drink carton. Simple and clear-cut, this retro-futuristic cube will probably become a must-have piece of hand luggage for necessary items. by Yvan Rodic



STYLISH WELLIE

Monday, 17 October 2005

ÊCelebrating new design talent, today's young designers can be more imaginative and ingenious than ever before thanks to advances in technology and an increasingly receptive market.Rachael Sleight, a product/fashion designer from the UK, created these unique wellies which are sure to make women happy now that winter is here. Shame though they were made for arts sake.by Lisa Evans


ANTICON HOODIE UPDATE

Friday, 14 October 2005




Anticon, the new French brand who we featured last week sent us a Hoodie as a gesture for all the press interest we generated for them. Seems media outlets from NY Daily News to The Sunday Times (UK) China Times, FHM Germany, Vice magazine, Citizen K (FR) and numerous others had contacted them due to our posting. The masked hooded sweatshirt will be available on 1st December in 4 colors : Black, White, Red, Kaki and four sizes : S, M,L, XL. They'll cost 80 to 120 Euros (US $95 - $145) depending the model. Those interested in distribution can contact Lucas - contact@anticon.frÊ

DOING IT WITH DURKL

Wednesday, 05 October 2005



Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Usually, but a picture and a few words can also get the point across. DURKL gets to the point very quickly with its mens and womens T's. 80's pop culture with a sprinkle of the 90's and a dash of the 21st century can sum up the overall message of DURKL T's. From pink flamingoes and purple unicorns to US city references, these T's are far from shy and pretty fly. Buy online from Durkl. by Isla Verder



TERROR FASHION

Tuesday, 04 October 2005



"Terror fashion" is about to invade cities. The new French brand Anticon is launching a new concept of hooded sweatshirts. Graffiti artists, people with acne, snowboarders or simply superheroes would certainly be into them. To order your sweatshirt, you'll have to wait a few more weeks but we wanted you to be first in the know. Definitely an eye-catching fashion statement! by Yvan Rodic

HOUSE OF DAGMAR

Tuesday, 27 September 2005



Dagmar is a new, hot and trendy Swedish design label for women, created and run by three sisters, Kristina TjŠder, Karin Sšderlind and Sofia Malm. The first collection was launched in spring 2005.Ê With a strong emphasis on quality and a tailored touch, Dagmar unites knitwear and jersey in jumpers, dresses, jackets, sweatshirts, skirts, tops and accessories as hats and scarves. Dagmar represents femininity, humour and quality. A Dagmar item emphasizes on the wearer's personal style and creates a modern opening for individualism. The fine qualities and excellent handicraft will give the wearer a feeling of sensuality and enhance the person's energy. The sisters' muse and big inspiration source is their late grandmother, Dagmar. She worked as a tailor and was very interested in quality, the seeling of glamour and tailoring, which all make the essence of Dagmar. Dagmar were recently awardedÊ "Rookie of The Year" by the Swedish Fashion Council and "Garbohatten" by PUB department store in Stockholm, Sweden (in honor of late Hollywood superstar Greta Garbo who started her career in PUB). By Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar

A BUG'S LIFE

Tuesday, 27 September 2005

The fashion world is notorious for appropriating symbols and motifs from totally unrelated sources. Think tribal African prints worked into pricey couture gowns worn by Manhattan socialites. One quirky New York retailer has taken the concept one almighty step further, taking the wonderful world bugs for inspiration, and literally. Natural history and science emporium, Maxilla & Mandible, is doing a brisk trade with their bug jewelery collection featuring real bugs (the dead kind, thankfully) worked into chunky and colourful lucite bangles, rings and pendants. The iridescent weevils hail from such exotic locations as Malaysia and Thailand. The effect is odd but totally original -- you certainly won't bump into anyone one else on the street 'wearing' the same bug.Ê



THE KEYBOARD BAG

Thursday, 22 September 2005



The designer handbag has long been a symbol of status and fashionability. Each season a new style hits the catwalks, turning intelligent grown women into wanton I'll-do-anything-to-get-it and I-don't-care-what-it-costs strategists. But before you rush out to Dior/Fendi/Burberry et al, check out the Key Bag, which comes completely left of field. The ultimate in quirky techno-cool, the keybag is made entirely out of computer keyboard keys. The bag was 'invented'' by Portuguese industrial designer Jo‹o Sabino and comes in black and white.


COLLECTABLE T-SHIRTS

Monday, 05 September 2005



Gone are the days when the concept of the 'collectable' applied only to antiques and art. Fashion, too, is now considered worthy of hoarding - but only if we're talking about rare vintage pieces or limited edition releases. New boutique Sydney label JR7 is getting into the fashion-as-art act with a range of lust-worthy limited-edition graphic print Ðshirts for men & women. There are just 200 of each style made and they are individually numbered. Designer Rosano Martinez, a former break dancer and hip hop artist turned photographer and graphic designer, draws from street culture for his edgy designs, some of which are good enough to hang on your walls. You better be quick before they run outÊ

ART FORCE ONE

Friday, 08 July 2005



Adidas has its Original Series, Puma has its Mongolian Shoe BBQ, and Nike has its NikeID (you can now be entered into a lottery to get an invitation to the "by invite only" space in NY).. It seems the market is flooded with an over-abundance of customized sneakers, yet only a select few are created with bona fide originality and passion. ART FORCE ONE, a French online sneaker store by Manu custom, have uniquely artistic customized sneakers designed by a group of artists and available to purchase online. Prices aren't cheap though, starting atÊ 349 Ûuro (US $415) or if you prefer, check out the Paul Smith sneakers ($123 - pictured left) PAUL SMITH

Overall, the goal of ART FORT ONE is to reinforce the idea that customization is an ART, and that with any art form PROFESSIONALISM and dedication to advancement of the craft is truly the name of the game.

NIKE ARTIST COLLABORATION TEES

Wednesday, 06 July 2005





Nike Asia Pacific will soon launch these cool artist collaboration tees as part of the nike colab+ project for the fall 05. They will be unveiled in Hong Kong and Shanghai this summerÉThe first season consist of work by Tenmyouya Hisashi (JPN), Phunk Studio (Singapore), and Dave White (UK) for the mens line, and Groovisions (JPN), and Sixstation (HK) for the womens line.

via: freshnessmag

GUN T-SHIRT

Tuesday, 28 June 2005



Loving the Gun T-shirt designs from young French graphic artist, Marc Sich. The 25 year oldÊ designer is involved in the graffiti and street art scene in Paris. They are available in S/M;Ê M/L; L/XL and girls version comes in small size only. He's selling them directly to fashion addicts world-wide for 30 Euros. E-mail him direct if interested. marxich@hotmail.com

KNOMO LAPTOPS

Monday, 13 June 2005



What happens when you can't identify your lost laptop bag in an airport because they all look the same as yours? You set about designing the world's coolest high end fashion laptop bag so you never find yourself in that position again. The owner of the lost bag, Howard Harrison and the Knomo design team in London and Paris have graced us with a range of the most delectable designer laptop bags available. The Knomo laptop bag is a design and style masterpiece in a world of drab and uninspiring computer luggage . The bag's layer of shock resistant foam which allows it to take sever knocks, and it's clever bundle bag for cables are just the beginning of it's remarkable features. The Knomo bag also includes a removable laptop pocket for boardroom meetings, a separate 'bundle bag' for messy cables and benefits from the unique Knomo tracking feature which enables each Knomo bag to be followed online if lost and returned to it's owner by courtesy of it's 24 hour recovery call centre. A sound understanding of commuter's needs combined with the latest information on forthcoming innovations in notebook computers are the foundation of the bags initial design. It's physical attributes are based on strong, bold colours and clean cut, sophisticated designs in a a variety of styles. These bags are stylish without compromising safety, mobility and ease of use. To see the range or purchase log on to www.knomobags.com


MIMCO BAGS

Monday, 06 June 2005

Mimco are doing for handbags what Sex In The City did for Manolo Blahniks. Yesterday it was all about the shoes, from Prada open-slings to Gucci stilettos and back again. Today we see that the handbag is the new queen bee in ultra chic fashion trends. "We now pivot an entire outfit around a handbag, not the other way around," says Sarah Wilson, editor of Cosmopolitan magazine. Handbags have evolved into the ultimate fashion accessory, based on mixing, matching, collecting, and reinventing. Price is an obstacle that can be all too easily eliminated or ignored with the flick of a Visa card as the $5 billion dollar a year industry shows. Mimco is an Australian fashion boutique that boasts an encyclopaedic knowledge of the world of the handbag as well as a platform for the latest offerings and is feeding the insatiable appetites of bag hunters countrywide.

Publisher: the cool hunter
The Cool Hunter brings today's most happening movements, styles and trends to readers across the globe covering genres such as fashion, music, urban living, designer and cultural trends. As a professional cutting edge reporting service, we have a network of global trendspotters positioned in key cities worldwide to report on the latest and greatest cool huntings on offer. Our extensive global coverage ensures that the Cool Hunter never misses a beat when it comes to emerging and future trendspotting. The essence of the Cool Hunter is the ethos of 'global information channelling' that is not regionally specific, but rather based on worldwide relevance. In a society obsessed with the shiny and new, The Cool Hunter has become the reference point of choice for the latest in what's hot tomorrow.
Published: October 28 2005
Region: usa

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Information in this report relies on sources including Trade Shows, Associations, News Releases, Government Reports and other public sources. Infomat can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof.