Disney Hips Up Their Plushies & Classic Characters Become Cool.

UPDATE 2013: Apparently these were too hip for Disney customers. I'm sad to say the line has been discontinued.

Original post: Disney has been really good about expanding their brand to include things that would appeal to hipsters of all ages. For the last decade or more everything from their films to their toys, their couture jewelry and collectibles have included modern artsy versions in addition to the classic ones.

The latest are their new soft plush toys that were inspired by the urban vinyl toy culture. The modern looking 12" tall toys called Pook-A-Looz (okay, so the name sucks) were designed to capture the personalities of iconic Disney characters in an edgy, offbeat way.



Sassy and fun, the new line of plush features more than 30 wide-ranging characters from Buzz Lightyear and Cheshire Cat to Muppets and Jack Skellington. Shown below are a few of them for you (keep in mind, there are more than just those shown below.. such as Eeyore, Dumbo and other beloved childhood favorites).

Mickey and Minnie:

Woody and Buzz Lightyear:

Snow White, Dopey and Grump:

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell:

Winnie The Pooh, Tigger and Piglet:
:
Alice, Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter & the Queen Of Hearts:

Goofy, Donald and Pluto:


“We focused on capturing one key element, gesture or trait of each character during the design process. We wanted the look to be very unique, quirky and cool,” said Jose Zamora, lead designer for the DCP products. “When you think of the Queen of Hearts, you think of her mouth, so we brought that out in the design. With the Cheshire Cat, you think of the teeth. So we focused on that famous grin.”

To help promote the new plushies, there will be a series of “Pook-a-Sodes”, videos on the Disney Living YouTube channel. The first one, with Pook-A-Looz Mickey as a ‘Gentleman Caller’ is shown below:

The Disney Living Facebook fan page and @disneyliving Twitter feed will also offer additional content and forums for fans to win prizes, share content and connect. The 12" Pook-A-Looz cost between $7.99 and $12.99 and can be purchased at Disney Parks, The Disney Store and Toys R Us.

Who's The Man? Artist Rudy de Belgeonne, That's Who.

Who’s the Man is an epic installation of a thousand individual hand-painted panels with words used to describe and define ‘man’ by artist Rudy de Belgeonne. The installation will form the centerpiece of an exhibition which opens at London's The Future Gallery in June 2010.



'Every type of man you’ve ever been called, ever felt like, ever known’

Inspired by all the weird and wonderful names he’s been called over the years, Rudy plays with the ever-changing identity and categorisation of the modern man by creating definitions of masculinity packaged as products, as each word becomes a logo in glossy seductive enamel colours: Hero, God, King, Scoundrel, Rogue, Brute, Bad Boy, Love God, Fancy Dan, Mama Man, Sonofabitch, Sonofagun, Bloke, Joe Schmoe, Golden Boy, Nancy Boy…and on and on…




Five years in the making, Who’s the Man is a series of 1000 typographic works painted in beautiful shiny signwriter’s enamel on wooden panels. The installation of 1000 original paintings will be exhibited alongside limited edition sets of different sub-groups – Good Guys, Bad Guys, Gay Guys, Insults, movie references and so on.


above: SwineFiendDevilBrute, 1118mm x 840mm, Giclee print, edition of 25

Presented in this way each word becomes a logo, advertising a response to the ever-changing male identity, defined by morality, sexuality and the body. Using seductively glossy colours, each word is painted in a style that reflects its meaning – either literal or subconscious – referencing our language, typography, brands and visual culture.


above left: Superman Lover, 840mm x 1118mm special edition of 10, hand-painted giclee w 23ct gold leaf
above right: BAM-GRD, 840mm x 1118mm, Giclee, edition of 25

On the simplest level, Who’s the Man is an encyclopaedic and decorative texture of emotionally resonant colours and designs, but the playful placement of each panel reads left to right, top to bottom as a witty poem or narrative, where word associations throw up questions in the mind of the viewer about their own attitudes and expectations of masculinity.


above left: 16 Big Shots, 1626mm x 1118mm, Giclee print, edition of 25
above right: Space Cowboy Gangster of Love

The entire work (5m x 4m) will be accompanied by a limited-edition series of hand re-touched prints of each of the various subsets.

There will be an opportunity to purchase limited edition pieces at the exhibition: on sale will be the 1,000-panelled installation and a series of hand re-touched giclee prints in limited editions of 10. Visitors may also request a special commission by Rudy de Belgeonne on wooden panels.


above: 16 Lovermen, 700mm x 500mm, hand painted, enamel on wood, edition of 10

Exhibition details:
Thursday 3 – Tuesday 8 June 2010
10.00 – 18.30

The Future Gallery
5 Newport Street, London WC2H 7HY
T: +44 (0)20 3301 4727

Sponsored by:
Pearl and Coutts, quality residential and commercial property lettings in London
Courvoisier The Future 500, an exclusive network of 800 rising stars across the UK



About the artist:
Rudy de Belgeonne is a Slade-trained artist who’s fascination with puzzles and gameplay led him to work for many years new media as an interactive games designer. In addition to his painting, Rudy has worked on a wide range of projects – both personal and professional – that occupy the space where art & technology meet. He lives and works in London.

all images and info courtesy of the artist and gallery

Private Co-Branding. Karl Lagerfeld's Strippable Model For Eres Swimwear & Lingerie.

The fashion House of Chanel and sister brand Eres swimwear and lingerie have created a fun interactive campaign, photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, that features model Emily Didonato in a pop up window.



Move your cursor over the cutely dressed model and it reveals the Eres lingerie and swimwear underneath.

Here are some screen grabs of the 'before' and 'after':


And some screen grabs of the interactive process.

before:

after you begin clicking upon the visual:


before:

after:

before:

after:


from CHANEL news:


“CHANEL est une maison-mère avec plusieurs enfants qui ne portent pas son nom. La maison ERES en fait partie. CHANEL fait des maillots de bain et de la lingerie occasionnellement dans le cadre particulier d’une collection. ERES en revanche ne fait que ça, sans prendre ombrage de l’image forte de CHANEL. Mettre de la lingerie ERES sous une robe CHANEL est une démarche “mode” naturelle, moderne et spontanée. Normalement le co-branding se fait entre étrangers – ici il se fait en famille : PRIVATE CO-BRANDING.”

The new and improved translation below was provided by reader, Karina (Thanks Karina!):

“CHANEL is a company which owns multiple smaller companies which do not carry its name. The brand of ERES is one of them. CHANEL only occasionally makes swimwear and lingerie in the specific context of a collection. ERES, on the other hand, does nothing but making this, without taking umbrage at the strong reputation of CHANEL. Wearing an ERES lingerie underneath a CHANEL dress is a natural, modern and spontaneous approach of fashion. Normally, co-branding is between strangers – here it is within the family: PRIVATE CO-BRANDING.”


Start stripping Emily here.

0 To 60 In... An Hour. The Infiniti Special Edition Bell & Ross Watch

Luxury Car manufacturer Infiniti and French-Swiss watch brand Bell & Ross have collaborated on a limited edition timepiece. The special edition BR03-92 Phantom Instrument, designed by Bell & Ross, is to commemorate the recently revealed Infiniti FX Limited Edition performance crossover. Only 100 of the individually numbered wristwatches will be available worldwide.





TECHNICAL DETAILS


Movement: Automatic mechanical ETA 2982.
Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds (all central hands). Date with quick correction.
Case: Diameter 42mm, 316L glass bead blasted steel with black ‘carbon-powder coating’ finish, and winding crown.
Back: Screw-down, stainless steel with engraving of the Infiniti signature and adjacent personalised limited edition serial number (1–100). Bell & Ross insignia etched below.
Dial: Galvanic Black. Infiniti purple-coloured seconds hand. Numbers, indexes, and photoluminescent finish for optimal night reading. Circular window for date display.
Glass: Anti-reflection sapphire crystal.
Water-resistance: 100 metres (10 bar).
Straps: Heavy-duty synthetic black fabric or rubber.
Reference: BR03 PHANTOM
Price: €3,300
Number issued: Unique edition of 100 examples





The press release:
The launch of the exclusive timepiece, an elegant accessory for the discerning Infiniti customer and the watch collector, marks the collaboration of two brands which are synonymous across the globe with exceptional performance, craftsmanship, precision, and modern luxury.

The special edition BR03-92 Phantom Instrument has been designed by Bell & Ross to commemorate the recently revealed Infiniti FX Limited Edition performance crossover, restricted, just like the watches, to only 100 individually-numbered examples worldwide. However, such has been the extensive demand prior to the release of the watch, that only a handful remain.

The parallels from the fusion of Infiniti and Bell & Ross are clearly evident in the appearance of the piece. The black carbon powder finish, which encapsulates the 42 mm case, resembles the graphite finish applied to many exterior parts of the Infiniti FX Limited Edition and is just as beautifully-crafted. The seconds hand which sits on a galvanic black dial, is lined with a distinct purple coating, the same colour which lies at the heart of Infiniti’s brand identity, and can be seen everywhere from the instruments of the car to furnishings inside the Infiniti Centre.

Whilst on the move, it is all about the ownership experience which is personal and exclusive: the rear of each the 100 pieces has been engraved with the Infiniti signature and is complemented by an individual number of the edition within the BR03-92 Instrument Phantom Infiniti series.

Jim Wright, Vice President Infiniti Europe, explains: “The limited edition BR03-92 Instrument Phantom watch is a perfect tribute to the core qualities of Infiniti. It is also about offering the Infiniti owner something truly special and individual which we are able to achieve through this exceptional timepiece.”

The BR03-92 Instrument Phantom Infiniti watch goes on sale on 01 June 2010 at a recommended retail price of €3,300, and is available for purchase from all European Infiniti Centres. For their locations which range from Barcelona to Bucharest, see www.infiniti.eu.

The Glänta Ceiling & Suspension Lamp By Johan Carpner

Swedish designer Johan Carpner has designed a suspension lamp and a ceiling mounted lamp with patterned foliage that creates an interplay between light and shadow. The Glänta is produced and distributed by BLOND and is available in white, black or grey matte lacquer with diffusion light shade. The Glanta comes in two sizes and with two possible foliage patterns.










BLOND BELYSNING AB
Silkesvägen 13
BOX 503
331 25 VÄRNAMO

e-mail them for information, availability and prices.


See more of designer Johan Carpner's work here.