Hack Chair
Candle Holder 1 from Sao Paulo
Kadushin’s Open
Design
solution does not only hint
at a piercing incision into the gut of his
is
full opening up and invitation to replicate
that of the designs he suggests in Open
industrial design creations, rather it is a
refreshing
them. Under the Open Design moniker,
Design most rarely use more than one or
Kadushin
freely
encourages
throughout the world to copy
designers
his ideas and re-interpretate them. From
the minimal and jagged aesthetics of some of his one sheet steel concepts, such as
the ‘hacker community’ inspired Hack
Chair, to the the elegance and finesse of more accessible household objects
like Candle Holder 1 or the Man Holding Flower Light; all are available for direct
copy. Indeed, scrolling down the news
to
see
two materials, do not have high cost for manufacturing or sourcing and have no need for toxic adhesives. For a designer who has grown up and learned
through one historical era of design
evolvement, it is refreshing to see that they could be setting a new benchmark for
an emblematic and positive shift in design thinking and doing.
section of his website, you may find one
by Alexander Horne
from Sao Paulo, an effort that is applauded
http://nouink.blogspot.com/
of the interpretations of Candle Holder 1
and showcased by the concept originator, Kadushin, himself. While many designers’
egos and desires to create their own unique language may stop many from publicly
rushing to mimic Kadushin’s offerings - it
http://www.alexanderhorne.co.uk/
New York City designer Susan Woo blends chic and modern ready-to-wear styles and environmental and social consciousness. Over the past few years, ethical fashion in the Big Apple has been on the rise, evidenced by eco-fashion centered events such as the annual Cool vs. Cruel Fashion Competition and the 2009 launch of The GreenShows at New York Fashion Week. However, while eco style and design is making strides in New York City, it still has a ways to go to obtain the ubiquity of ethical design in international cities such as Paris, Toronto and London. Maybe that’s why Susan Woo, born and raised in New York City, is such an ethical fashion anomaly. She creates sophisticated, high fashion pieces from organic fabrics, but she takes her ethical design duties one step further. She has also committed to ensure fair labor practices and sourcing from environmentally conscious companies. Susan Woo’s designs reflect a woman’s lifestyle as well as her personal style, offering a full range of ready-to-wear for the modern, chic and professional woman, with options for both day and evening. And for Woo, being a socially responsible company means more than just using organic fabrics. All of the fabrics that she uses are 100 percent all natural and sustainable, which
includes organic wool, cottons and cashmeres. They are also sourced from companies that have a strong environmental commitment, with extra steps taken to ensure that her everyday operations are environmentally conscious and energy-efficient as possible; she ensures that all of her garments are produced using fair labor practices.
Eco Meets City Chic While her roots may be in the city, Woo attended university at upstate New York school Cornell University, where she completed a degree in Fashion Design and Business. She would then go on to develop her luxury fashion background at Louis Vuitton, Derek Lam and Chanel. The time with these designers, she says, influenced her taste for quality and design. “It’s only been two seasons so far into my collection, but it’s amazing how much you can grow in such little time,” Woo told Think. “Going into my third season now, I see that I’m taking more creative risks. In my first season, I needed to get my bearings and nail the basics down. With that foundation, I’m feeling more comfortable with establishing my aesthetic and translating that in a new way each season.” If Woo could collaborate with any designer in
The Digital Age Traveler
Planning a trip not only requires thinking about what clothing and toiletries to pack but also we think about our indispensable digital age devices such as Smartphones, GPS or MP3 players, gear which becomes quickly part of our personality. Questions like which devices are needed on a particular trip, how to ensure they are powered up all time, how to protect them against environmental damage and theft have to be addressed. To cover the needs of our gadgets, add-ons usually take up more space and weight in our travel bag than the devices themselves. Travel bag volume and weight which airlines recently started charging extra money for. Besides the volume/weight/money dilemma there is the headache of keeping track of all the add-ons like backup power devices or protection cases. Who didn’t lose or forgot a charger, connector or case somewhere on a trip? Soft, wearable technologies offer alternatives to some of the digital age travelers needs, help to minimize the luggage capacity as well as bringing back a more enjoyable travel experience. How so you might ask? Soft, wearable technology is about integration of functionality
Solar Bag, Costume Nationale
into items we use every day: clothing and bags.
TEXT: ERICH ZAINZINGER - contributing technology editor
Why not upgrade your wardrobe with smart materials? Why not add functional clothing and bags without affecting their intended purpose of wearability?
SMART TRAVEL GEAR CHOICES Getting organized for the digital age trip, the choice of a suitcase or bag can make a big difference between having just a ‘confinement’ for all your stuff or to have smart luggage that provides convenience and power. A suitcase with an integrated scale is an option saving the handling and space a conventional luggage scale would need. Knowing how heavy luggage is before checking in can save the hassle of repacking during check-in or an extra baggage charge by the airline. Saving weight for backup power batteries, the smart traveler uses one of the latest electrical power generating suitcases and bags. While dragging the suitcase around the airport or streets, the wheels of the suitcase spin a high efficiency electrical power generator which generates electrical power for a complete cellphone charge during a half hour walk. Traveling to a place and spending most of the time outdoors? One of the many solar bags already available in the market will help to get extra power when most needed: outdoors. Solar bags with flexible solar panels are the best option as they are extremely light weight,
| 37