La Urna by LessDesign

Those of you who follow Say Hi! on facebook already know I was at Arena Design in Poznań last week. Obviously, I came back with a bag full of leaflets and business cards and my iPhone's full of photos. One of the first designs I want to show is a little unusual, because it concerns the one aspect of life, we try to avoid talking bout - dying. La Urna is an urn, design by a Polish design squad (as they call themselves) LessDesign. Ceramic vase is supposed to help you keep the best memories of the person, once present in your life. You can apply photos to it, it visually enhances the interior because of the modern shape it has. Would I like to use it myself? I'm not sure. But it enters the world of ugly coffins and gold ornaments, willing to change it.
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Kyung Ho Chang

'the modularity', by south korean designer kyung ho chang, relies on modular structure to accommodate 'infinite variation in scale and finish', permitting an entire line of products to be produced from the same basic components. each module consists of a curved piece of molded plywood, surrounded by foam and upholstered. the independent elements are then connected internally to create a structural whole, raised on wooden legs.
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Sander Reijgers - Blow-Up Sex Doll Coat

I was looking a collection of items produced from things, that had a previous "life" and a function, and this stood out from the crow. A jacket made of blow-up sex dolls by a Ducth designer Sander Reijgers. A little googling brought me to an article, where he says I customize existing tracksuit tops with parts of the blow-up dolls – the head, the breasts, the vagina, the anus. These dolls are so ugly and vulgar that turning them into something beautiful has become a challenge for me. The doll is a means to convey something else. It's quite an outfit for Friday niught, I have to say. (By the way, it reminded me of the movie Lars and the Real Girl with Ryan Gossling. You should watch it!)

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Snoopy and Wooty by Karim Rashid

New line of furniture by the ever so prolific Karim Rashid for B-line.The line is based on soft line, so characteristic for Rashid, and come in variety of lively colours. The low table called Snoopy has two slots / pockets for storing newspapers, it also enables stacking of the tables to create book shelves - function is something Karim Rashid always puts first while designing. Woopy, the chair, has an interesting high armchair version.

Loop Chaise Lounge

Tufting is the technique you normally use to make carpets. One carpet consisits of thousands of little loops. This chair by Sophie De Vocht is made of loops as well, only enlarged to the maximum, getting bigger and bigger, spilling on the floor.

Wall Champion Hanger

I am a huge fan of the fussball. Unfortunately I never thought of making a hanger out of old fussball parts when I was working on my hallway. Folks at RS Barcelona did though and now you can have a set of the friendly footballers of a chosen nationality dealing with your coat situation.


Wall Champions is a coat-hanger which was born a footballer. A decorative item which is also useful, with a sporting, friendly spirit. The players from the classic football table jump off and become a coat-hanger.

Eumenes

 eumenes made its debut at the latest edition of Maison&Objet in Paris at the SILVERA Université store with two product collections (each one consisting of a line of chairs and tables), designed, respectively, by Paola Navone and Jean Marie Massaud. The company's mission can be summed up in three key concepts: reason, flexibility and research.

New Vitra Bird

The famous Vitra bird by Charles and Ray Eames has a French brother - l'Oisaeu by the Boroullec brothers.
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Husk by Patricia Urquiola

Patricia Urquiola designed a new line of furniture called Husk, combinig hard lines of the solid base (made of recycled plastic) and soft, comfy cushions.
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Chip Kidd - Few Words On Selected Work

I don't know how to start this little piece on Chip Kidd, because so much has already been written about him. He is the guru of book cover design. As Veronique Vienne says, in her book titled simply "Chip Kidd", he is perceived as a "design demigod," an "inky colossus" and "the closest thing to a rock star" in graphic design. In 2008 he was listed on the famous TIME magazine list of 100 most influential people (and he was listed higher than Hillary Clinton or David Beckham). And I'm going to see his lecture tomorrow.

Chip Kidd is 47 years old. He designed his first cover in 1986, which means he's been designing for 25 years now. His covers follow one general rule: they're supposed to catch your eye, intrigue you, give you a glimpse of the world pictured by words in the book. But he strictly avoids one thing: being literal about the book's subject, as he thinks it is insulting to the reader. His covers are like a riddle then, presenting one puzzle that only falls into place when you actually find the other pieces in the book.

As a result of working with book authors, reading piles of manuscripts and observing the writing process, Kidd decided to give a shot to writing himself. He is the author of The Cheese Monkeys (check the short excerpt of the story) and The Learners, which were well received by critics and became bestsellers. I think it gives him even better understanding of what message would the author want to convey with the book cover, as he knows the other side of the story. Working on more than 70 book covers a year, Kidd completed more than 1500 designs (it's a  number he's been giving for quite a while, so it must be higher). Is it difficult to come up with so many ideas? Kidd says the design process is "pretty simple, unless it becomes complicated." (via USA Today)

Innervision Mirrors

I have a habbit of checking Thorsten Van Elten's site from time to time. I love to check out in the collection of weird items he produces and sells. These two mirrors for example. Not exactly your favourite mirrors to do the make up (you'd have to manoeuvre a lot to see your eylids in between the letters), but wouldn't you like to read one of these two quotes on a daily basis? 'To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance' and 'It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances'.
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Plywood Wine Knot

So it was a day off in Poland (I live in Krakow) and everyone got their hopes up for BBQs and afternoon spent in beergardens (there is an amazing Jewish District in Krakow, lazy in the atmosphere, where most of us happens to spend at least a part of their lives), but the weather was lousy. In other parts of Poland it actually snowed (in May! I know). So I imagine everyone stayed home with a glass of wine, or the liqueur of their choice, instead. My cousin sent me a link to this beautiful wine rack made of plywood and I think it is very appropriate to post it today.

Designed by Alberto Mantilla, Scott Henderson and Anthony Baxter, the Wine Knot is made of 2 curved pieces of wood, creating a beautiful 7 bottle wine rack.

Vintage Persil

Looking at the statistics of this website it seems that everyone enjoys thevintage packaging stories, like the one about Barilla or vintage Coke advertising. Here's a few more then, by Persil.