The gents at Machine Era Co., like many before them, set out to make a new kind of wallet. They wanted something slim, something clean and something functional—y’know, the typical narrative. But what they came up with is anything but.
The company’s new Machine Era Wallet is a slick minimalist take on the common wallet made from your choice of fully machined flat black aluminum or solid brass. Secure your cards and cash with a simple elastic band, and there you have it—a super clean, simple design that’s tough as nails. It’s also worth mentioning it’s made entirely in ye olde U.S. of A.
In support of the project, the Richmond, Virginia-based company launched a Kickstarter that was successfully backed in five hours. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the early bird specials. Read up on the full specs and back the project below.
Back the Project on Kickstarter. It ends on Thursday, September 5 at 1:39pm.
For his letterpress study of masks, Jonny Wan first had the daunting task of structuring centuries of mask history into a four print series. His initial research determined that no matter what period he was looking into, every mask he had found served one of four purposes: ritual, protection, performance, or fashion. Wan chose a mask from each category used in different periods, and printed the series on four different paper stocks using metallic inks. [via FPO]
It seems an ex of Fiona Apple, director Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master, There Will Be Blood) has finally found the time to finish the clip for "Hot Knife," the closing track from 2012's The Idler Wheel.
Read more about it at Pitchfork.
To mark the vinyl release of their new "Ain't That The Way" / "Chained to Love" double-A-side single, Divine Fits have commissioned Jay Shaw from Kingdom of Nonsense to design a new poster for each track, and art director Michael Carney to design a pair of T-shirts.
In June the band unexpectedly released the single on iTunes, and played the new tracks during a medley performance on Conan that same night. Along with the new posters, shirts, and vinyl, the band also has two neo-benshi inspired lyric videos.
The limited posters are available for preorder from Divine Fits' online store, and the 12" single is out this week on Merge. 
When it is not producing exceptional high-performance, fabric-driven clothing, Brooklyn-based Outlier likes to collaborate with other brands and flex its reach. After a successful shoe collaboration with Feit last year, Outlier is back at it again, this time with streetwear specialists Vans OTW. The brands have come together to release a special edition of the Bedford, one of Van OTW’s most popular silhouettes. Featuring premium suede paneling and co-branded tongue labeling, the real dig here is the Outlier-approved Supermarine Cotton upper. That’s the same fabric that blessed the Feit collaboration. It is notorious for its functionality: extremely breathable, highly water resistant and completely windproof.
The result has all the trappings of the perfect daily beater sneaker.
Check out the video below and keep your eyes peeled out for this in August—the collaboration shoe is available now for $90.
Anders Arhoj had what he calls a "super low shoestring budget" to create the branding universe for the Umami Mart. The website-turned-store, an importer of Japanese barware and kitchen specialities, opened up in a former "dead" space in Oakland, CA that the city offered to entrepreneurs with six months of free rent. The shop cites the Japanese Shinto religion and Scandinavian design as two points of inspiration, and functions as a sort of community center by hosting cooking lectures and workshops.
Read more about the shop's new crest and see a few more photos from Arhoj.
Hot off the heels from opening a new flagship store in New York, Shinola has new wrist candy available online, including a limited restock of the Runwell 47mm and new stainless steel styles of its little brother, the 41mm.
The company, also known for its leather goods and American-made bikes, is building timepieces from Swiss components right in the heart of Detroit, in hopes to bring high-end craft and manufacturing back to the United States.
Stock goes quick so you better head over and act fast before it’s all gone.
Visit Shinola for more on Detroit-made goods.
Photos by Yewon Kim
The people-watching at the annual Pitchfork Music Festival is almost as good as the music-listening these days. And this year's crowd of festgoers didn't disappoint, turning Chicago's Union Park into its own runway of hybrid summer style. Preppy and punk standards and the best thrift store finds were edged out by bold, sometimes globally-inspired patterns which went nicely with the tropical temperatures and late evening rain showers.
See more photos at Pitchfork.com and more street fashion at Elle.com.
The Adhocker line of chairs lives up to its improvisational title not only in function, but also in the process of its design. Adhocker 1, constructed from tape and plywood manages to create strength and stability from common materials, while Adhocker 2 and Adhocker 3 feature fabric improvisations on the stool to add comfort and flexibility to a basic tool object for sitting.
See more uses for all three chairs, as well as original production drawings from Annika Frye.
Directed by designer Kate Moross and filmed at the London Zoo, Washed Out's latest video "Don't Give Up" focuses us on the exquisite details and natural beauty of animals. Moross goes in for close-ups on flamingos and pulls brilliant colors from her subjects while also evoking our nostalgia for Mutual of Omaha specials in the slow-motion segments.