If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives)

Aquariva By Gucci, A Sexy Luxe Speedboat Starting At $750k

Aquariva by Gucci is the exclusive made-to-order speedboat created as a result of a collaboration between Gucci, Riva and Officina Italiana Design. The Aquariva by Gucci speedboat was customized by Gucci's Creative Director, Frida Giannini. The model was designed to take part in activities marking Gucci’s 90th anniversary in 2011 and was recently unveiled at the International Cannes Boat Show.

In addition to their apparel and eyewear, Australian fashion brand Ksubi combines fashion, culture, art and music. Their irreverent runway antics at Australia's Fashion Week (like releasing live rats onstage) their late night parties, published books, art installations and music events distinguish them from other fashion brands.

above: Director Martin Scorsese directs the hunky French actor Gaspard Ulliel in a new 1 minute ad / short film to launch Bleu de Chanel, a new men's fragrance.

Bleu de Chanel was concocted by the label's long-time perfumer Jacques Poige and the new fragrance is a cocktail of pink peppers, citrus, sandalwood, ginger, and labdanum aroma.

The star of the film, the gorgeous Gaspard Ulliel:

Designing the bottle:

The Four "Making Of" Videos

Purchase the fragrance and/ or after shave lotion here.

all images, videos and info courtesy of Chanel.

UPCYCLING: Stunning Bowls Made From Plastic Water Bottles.

Artist Gülnur Özdağlar creates elegant and unusual looking bowls transformed from PET bottles. She calls this process "upcycling". Her aim is to substitute with labor and artistic value the characteristics that the material loses during transformation, thereby obtaining a product of higher value. The collection is named Tertium Non Data (translated from Latin means: the third is not given) and is an alchemic term which refers to the process of combining two disparate elements to create a new, third element.

In this case the new, third element is a collection of diaphanous, attractive tabletop bowls that resemble organic creatures like jellyfish and sea anemones.

The elegant perforated and ornate bowls are created from a regular PET* water bottles. What looks like a flower at the base of the bowls, is the indent from the base of the bottle. If the bottles have a bluish tine, the formed bowls do as well.

Gulnar delicately heats and forms the edges of the bowl to create undulating forms and embellishments like flowers and petals.

With various perforations, cut shapes and added petals, she has managed to create numerous variations, like the ones shown below.

The artist's tools:

The bowls can be used as pet bowls, storage containers, jewelry holders or just as lovely objet d'art. She also makes upcycled jewelry as well.

*PET is Polyethylene Terephthalate, which is a thermoplastic polymer. It can be re-formed by heating. After heating process, it becomes more stiff, rigid, durable and glassy. It becomes even stronger and crystallized when perforated.

above: artist Gülnur Özdağlar with her daughters.

Gülnur Özdağlar studied architecture at the Middle East Technical University and has been active as an architect since she graduated in 1986. She has participated in architectural design competitions, together with various groups, and many of her designs have been recognized with prizes.In addition to being active as an architect, she has also worked in the graphic design and photography fields, and many of these projects have been published in foreign countries in magazines and books. She has received prizes in international competitions of digital art.

•Her website
•Her blog
•Learn to make your own bowls from PET bottles with her "how to guide" on Instructables
•Buy her jewelry or bowls and more at her etsy store

Use Too Much Water And Poor Little Fish Floats Belly Up.

Industrial designer Yan Lu is hoping that you'll think twice about your water consumption if you think of it as draining the home of a poor little fish, hence the name of his innovative design.

The wash basin, "Poor Little Fish", topped off with a fishbowl, not only looks interesting but works in such a manner that, if you're a fish lover, will not have you wasting a drop.

Why? Because as you turn on the faucet and let the water flow, the level of water in the fish bowl lowers proportionate to the amount of running water you are using. Let the water run for too long and you've got a fish out of water. Don't fret though, the water level in the bowl returns to normal after turning off the faucet. And it's designed in such a way that the water from the tap is pure because the pipeline does not connect to the water in the fish bowl.

The project was first shown in 2008 at the Kith Kin exhibit, a London based art & design cooperative, producing events exhibitions and projects to inspire. Then at Designersblock London in 2009

Here are some additional images courtesy of Mocoloco:

Yan Lu is a Chinese designer/engineer based in London. He graduated from product design department in Central Saint Martins in 2009, and currently in the first year of the Industrial Design Engineering joint course (MA + MSc Double Masters) at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London.

See more of his imaginative and innovative designs here.

Nostalgia On Canvas. Allan Innman Paints Our Favorite Childhood Toys.

above: Full Metal Jacket, oil on canvas

If toys from your childhood like Mr. Potato Head, plastic Cowboys and Indians, Lego®s, Strawberry Shortcake, Play•Doh and View-Masters take you back, the paintings of Allan Innman will be like a trip down memory lane.

above: Dump Truck, oil on canvas, mounted on board

Rendered in oils and acrylics, Allan paints classic toys from the 70s and 80s in a realism style, capturing their colors and spirit. From Gumby and Pokey to Talking Teddy Ruxpin, his collection of works called "Back In The Day" will have yearning to bring out that Susie Bake Oven or indulge in some paste-eating.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Blue Play Doh:

Turnin' The Corner:

Here's Looking At You Kid (Lego Minifig):

Legos:

Lime Chiffon At Charmkin's Flower Mill:

Cowboys and Indians:

Sunday Afternoon Nap (Teddy Ruxpin)

Pretty Pony:

Tater Head:

The View Master:

Gumby and Pokey:

Assorted Toys:

In the artist's own words:

I was born and raised in Oxford, Mississippi. In May 2006, I graduated with a BFA degree in Graphic Design from The University of Mississippi. I currently work for the University of Mississippi Department of Art as the Visual Resources Specialist maintaining the slide library and digital image library.

above: Allan in his studio

My interest in art extends to all sorts of different mediums. In the past, I have pursued design, printmaking, and painting. My current series of paintings focuses on the idea of evoking nostalgia through childhood toys.