De Maria's Unique Lampshades: Art To Read By

de Maria's is made up of two dutch artists: photographer Roos Jooren and textile specialist Diana Maria. Roos and Diana merge their talents together to collaborate on various projects. The electric combination has inspired the artists to create objects outside their own area of expertise.

The two of them have studied at the The Royal Art Academy, The Hague, The Netherlands. The result of this collaboration formed de Maria's whom have created many fabulous unique lamps for commercial or personal lighting.

Above left: photographer Roos Jooren as a child, right: textile designer Diana Maria de Vroet as a child

With both a permanent collection and limited editions, they incorporate embroidery and unique materials as well tasteful, beautifully composed, sexy ethereal photographic imagery by Roos Jooren .

Looking great both off and illuminated, the lamps serve as art in addition to their obvious function.


Above: their latest addition to their line, the Amaranthe, with embroidery on the inside.

Below are more examples of their products:



Some examples of the shades off and on:






Maybe you have already spotted their work at the Bijenkorf? (For fans outside the Netherlands: this is the biggest Dutch department store.) They can be found in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.





Above is one of two of their lamps available at Bijenkorf, the lamps are called "Bloom" (below left) and "Leaves" (below right).

The lampshades are a limited edition. Each lampshade comes with a certificate so you are sure it's handmade by Roos en Diana.
Would you like more information about de Maria's?
Or more information about their lampshades?

Roos Jooren & Diana Maria
Cartesiusstraat 137 J
2562 SE Den Haag
The Netherlands
info@demarias.nl

Imprint Culture Lab Handbag Design Contest Results

Above: Grand Prize Winner Scott Rench (Chicago, IL)

Well, the handbag design competition from Imprint Culture Lab is over and I'm proud to announce that one of the two grand prize winners is my talented friend and artist, Scott Rench.


Imprint Handbag Design Contest Results
After tallying the nearly 10,000 votes, we now have the pleasure of announcing the following winning designs.
Prizes for each winner are:
- Grand Prize: Louis Vuitton LV Murakami Neverfull Handbag
- Judges’ pick: Louis Vuitton LV Murakami Neverfull Folio
- Honorable mention: $20 Starbucks giftcard


Above: Grand Prize Winner Irene Cheng (Cerritos, CA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Judge's Pick:

Entry #50 (left): Manoj Nath (Haryana, INDIA)
Entry #76 (right): Christina Conway (San Diego, CA)

Entry #75 (left): Irene Teng
Entry #39 (middle): Ruqayya Ahmad (Redondo Beach, CA)
Entry #98 (right): Nicole Zambolla (Davis, CA)

Viktor and Rolf Say NO to Fashion

 Her eyes may say "yes" but her clothes say "no". And "dream" and "wow".

 The Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection from Viktor & Rolf literally incorporates the word "no" into much of their new collection. Other pieces say "dream", "dream on" and even "wow". The words appear in various forms: sequined, sewn into them and even constructed in 3D. The new collection also makes use of gold staples which , although sounding odd, look fabulous. Take a peek:




 Below is a whole new way to interpret a wardrobe 'staple':

  

 Rolf Snoeren and Viktor Horsting are known for their unusual designs.

 Even their Milan boutique is designed like no other. It's upside down!

  
Above: Viktor & Rolf

  

Visit Viktor and Rolf online here.



Be sure to see the side by side comparisons of Viktor & Rolf's Fashions with their Restrospective Barbican

 Doll exhibit here!

   

Or the upside down Viktor & Rolf store in Milan here.

Wizkid Makes Pleo Look... Well, Prehistoric.

The text, images, videos and information below is from the wizkid site.

Wizkid looks like a computer, but it’s a robot. With its social skills and physical presence, Wizkid introduces the simplicity of everyday interactions in the world of computers. You can teach Wizkid about habits, introduces it to your friends and pets. Day after day, Wizkid will learn to recognize you and them and react differently in each context.

Wizkid expresses itself by "shaking" its head, nodding, bending its neck in various ways and with a very simple "eye brow" system consisting of two horizontal bars that can go up and down. Despite the fact that this design is non-anthropomorphic, Wizkid conveys rather convincing expressions.


Wizkid introduces a novel interface system entitled "Halo". Interacting with the machine, the user sees himself in a kind of augmented mirror. Around him, several widgets and other interface elements appear. He can just select them by waving his hand. This "interactive halo" follows the user everywhere so that Wizkid's tools are always "at-hand".



Wizkid is the results of a collaboration between an engineer, Frederic Kaplan, and an industrial designer, Martino d'Esposito. It was developed at the CRAFT Laboratory at EPFL and benefits from the support of the EPFL-ECAL Lab.

In the living room, Wizkid can act as a central interface to media players:


Just show a CD to Wizkid and it will play it. If you organize a party, Wizkid will take pictures autonomously of your guests and create a visual summary of the event that can be sent to your guest afterwards.


In the children’s room, you can play augmented reality games with Wizkid. Look at yourself “in” the robotic screen and wait for the metamorphosis. With Wizkid you can really go beyond the mirror, seeing yourself in imaginary worlds where a simple playing card can turn a fantasy creature to life. At any moment, if you can talk or share thoughts with Wizkid. Although Wizkid does not speak, it listens carefully.

At the office, Wizkid introduces video conference with a presence. Your remote coworkers are really here with you, controlling the Wizkid’s directional head and expressing their reaction through physical movement. During meetings, Wizkid is following conversations just like any other participants paying attention to who is speaking (and who is not), acting like an efficient secretary.

Many more applications can be envisioned for shops, museums, schools, etc.
Whizkid is currently presented at the MoMA in New York at the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition.

Interaction with visitors at MoMA:





tech info:
Robotic display with camera / 2 microphones / WIFI / Bluetooth / IR receiver/emiter / RFID reader
Face and object recognition / Halo Interface / Curiosity-driven development / Programmable in URBI
Inside housing : Aluminum and polycarbonate plastic
Slipcover : Elastan-polyamide fabric
41×32×44 cm

Wizkid website

Go here to contact the makers of Wizkid.

Ordinary Life: Disturbed by Nika Zupanc

Tired of cutesy dolls and cradles? Looking for unusual edgy nursery items? Or chairs, footstools and tables? Well, then I've got the a designer you should meet. Slovenian Nika Zupanc has an unusual take on items of domesticity. Her polycarbonate and acrylic cradles, chairs, footstool and dolls are edgy, even goth...but still functional.

Diamonds Are A Plumbers Best Friend? Teknobili's Diamond Oz Faucet

Above: Bathroom Bling

Teknobili of italy has a limited edition of their OZ collection bathroom faucet made in pure gold (2,580 grams of 750% gold, that's 18k folks ) and embellished with 282 VVS, F color diamonds -that's 10.42 carats.
Here's a closer look:







Designed by architect Nilo Gioacchini, it has been reproduced in this version by master goldsmith Professor Alberto Cotogno, winner of the International De Beers Diamond Awards 2000- Paris Louvre museum.

See it here.