The expertly curated online shop Need Supply doesn't need to do anything extra to impress us, it stocks all the right labels in our book. But with its fine, follow-worthy blog and print publication, Human Being Journal, it does so anyway. The mag is ad-free—unless you consider the whole thing an ad—and features top-notch photography and some solid stories, too. The menswear editorial, photographed by Will Godwin and Lauren Lyon, features threads from Soulland, Han Kjobenhavn, and Engineered Garments. Check out some sample images, plus some behind-the-scenes pics of the making of the magazine below.
The Human Being Journal Issue No. 3 is available September 23rd.
The second annual Design Week Portland, set for October 7-12, does an admirable job of corraling and celebrating the City of Roses's diverse creative community without shoehorning presenters and speakers into preconceived formats. Organizers Eric Hillerns and Tsilli Pines gave wide berth to those heading up individual events, resulting in a mix of presentations, open houses and speakers that give voice to what makes the region so compelling. A letter press fair, Portland design auction, and the opening of the Portland Design Museum all run concurrently with an array of events, including "Blurred Lines," a exhibit of interaction design sponsored by the AIGA, and a speech by Etsy creative director Randy Hunt on design and entrepreneurship.
After talking with some of the organizers, here’s a list of a few of the events we’re excited about. The full list can be found at designweekportland.com.
Home Brewed by Design (October 10 at 6pm, One Grand Gallery)
"Most designers covet these types of projects," said co-organizer Jason Sturgill of his Home Brewed by Design showcase, which pairs 20 artists and 20 brewers to create custom labels for beers that, in some cases, didn't even have a name when they were first conceived. "We wanted to bring together two independent communites, design and brewing, and help connect other communities with Design Week." By the times the event occurs, each team's graphic treatment will grace 200 bottles of home brew, meaning there will be plenty of libations on hand to make connections.
Brandcraft: Building a 21st Century Brand (October 10 at 4pm, Owen & Jones Partners)
The challenges of branding mirror those of web design, as multiple format and continuity become keys to effective communication. Brandcraft, organized by Mark Rawlins and Rusty Grim of Owen Jones & Partners, convenes a panel of creatives to cover how traditional ideas of branding bleed over into everything a company does. "The world has set things up in silos," says Rawlins, "and we should torpedo those silos. Branding is everything you do." Participants include Nike's Global Brand Design Director Jeff Weithman, who talks about how to get smaller and relate to smaller tribes of consumers, and AJ Joseph, Executive Creative Director of Adobe Software, who talks about the emotional versus empirical measurements of how agencies perform.
Domestic, a Showcase of American Design (October 9–13, The Janey)
Curated by interior designer Jasmine Vaughan of design journal Made & State, Domestic pushes American products as a matter of taste, not loyalty, and wants to take a move beyond the "bearded and salvaged wood" to push a more modern aesthetic. Seven designers and stores, such as Beam & Anchor and Fig Studios, will each be given two rooms at the Janey, a boutique apartment complex in the Pearl, and free rein to decorate with American-made goods and clothing. The rooftop will feature craft cocktails and custom furniture by FIELDWORK, and a Saturday afternoon trunk show is being oragnized by Amanda Needham, Portlandia's Emmy-winning costume designer.
Portland Design Week takes places at venues across the city October 10–12; find more info and register for events at designweekportland.com.
In embellishments, mix-matched colors, oddly shaped silhouettes, and more, nail designs have been a crucial beauty trend to watch for the past few seasons. Add cuticle tattoos to this nail frenzy. Rad Nails, the nail design brand known for its nail wraps, has created a line of temporary nail cuticle tattoos. The cuticle tattoos can act as an extension of your basic manicure or enhance an already crazy nail design. Just like the temporary tattoos favored by kiddies, the cuticle tattoos are transferred by placing the tattoo on your desired finger, dabbing your finger with water then slowly peeling back the paper. The tattoos run at $6 for a set of two and come in various designs.
Hyping a new shoe with a classic inspiration, Saint Laurent Dance, Hedi Slimane has directed a series of fashion films for the house's ballerina slipper. Gracie Van Gastel dances to Clementine Creevy's "Trick Or Treat" in the first video while recalling the babydoll looks of the grunge era. While in video two, Lida Fox prances to Cherry Glazerr. The common theme is punky expression of childlike freedom in gritty suroundings. Some are calling Slimane's embrace of wearable punk-influenced clothes and a reworking of the classic ballerina slipper "controversial," while others are calling it "safe."
Visit saintlaurent.com if your interest is piqued. The shoe doesn't come out until November.
This past Saturday saw the release of Archy Marshall's long anticipated King Krule LP, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon. A few months earlier in the summer, however, he quietly released a line of printed shirts on his website. Since announcing the line, called "Set Adrift," with a link posted to his Facebook, Marshall hasn't said much else about the collection. We do know he designed each print. The collared shirts come in long or short sleeve, and two styles are already sold-out. Check out the full line at kingkrule.co.uk.
The shirts range from £62-£70 and are hand sewn by Marshall's mother, British artist Rachel Howard. 6 Feet Beneath the Moon is out now on True Panther and XL.
The fashion industry, as anyone involved in it knows, is competitive, and fashion designers, just like pro athletic teams or stars, often have loyal fans and followers. Now with designer jerseys by LPD NYC, fashion fans can represent their favorite designers without the price tag often attached to the designer's actual goods. Inspired by basketball jerseys, the designer jerseys contain a minimal design with a designer name and year of birth on the back of each garment in traditional athletic jersey font. Prices range from 85 dollars for a basic T-shirt style to 155 dollars for a hoodie.
LPD NYC designer jerseys are avaialble online and at select retailers.
Happy Socks, the eclectic Swedish sock brand, is well named. The brand's latest lookbook, for Fall/Winter 2013, exemplifies this spirit as models demonstrate styles from the CHAPTER #SIX collection while skateboarding, laughing with friends, casually standing by quintessential New York scenery and so on. Pieces start at 10 dollars, are available in a wide range of colors and prints and add zing to any otherwise average fall look.
The CHAPTER #SIX collection is currently available for purchase via Happy Socks.
