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

SKULLMATES By Luke Twigger

Okay, so there's another yet artist who has created a series of skulls. Big deal, right? But Luke Twigger's Skullmates also function as tabletop storage. More than just a decorative item, the glazed earthenware skull has a removable 'brain' made of vintage fabrics.

Embellished with high quality transfers and the occasional spot of gold lustre, the skulls can hold anything from buttons to pasta.

Note that they are not dishwasher safe, so if you choose to eat from them, you'll have to hand wash them.

Each Skullmate is lovingly handmade and comes numbered and signed.

'The Skullmate' (2009), shown above is made of glazed earthenware, ceramic transfers, gold lustre, vintage fabric, stuffing and measures 4.5" x 5". You can buy it here.

The Skullmate/City Edition celebrates and reflects its surroundings, this could be cultural, mythical or just purely beautiful.

The first in a brand new series of Skullmates, The Skullmate/City Edition/Nottingham nods its head toward the City's most famous darling, Robin Hood. Using gorgeous, forest green, vintage woolen fabric to create the cushion, complete with natural feathers; it's definitely more stylish than his band of merry men:

To inquire about purchasing The Skullmate City Edition Nottingham, contact Luke Twigger.

• Also worth nothing are his wonderful wall mounted vases, "All Deer, No Antlers" in which you can place flowers where the antlers would be on a earthenware mounted animal head.

All Dear, No Antlers (pink), 2009:

All Dear, No Antlers (romance), 2009:

Both the above are created in editions of 9 and are available from Opus Interiors.

See more of Luke Twigger's work here.

Another Round Of Look What I Found; More Unique Products From All Over The World

Time for another round of Look What I Found. Unusual and interestingly designed items from all over the world.

1. Eclipse Baby Cradle by French interior architect and designer Thierry Bataille:

Above is Theirry's prototype of the Eclipse Cradle. The cradle is intended to be produced in the near future and will be available at Kids Love Design

2. The Propose Cushion by Korean designer Jeong Eun Lee:

This product is not for sale, but see more of this designers unusual work at her site.

3. The Serralunga Holly All by Philippe Starck:

A giant indoor outdoor vase that doubles as an armchair. Available in white or titanium with yellow. Buy it here.

4. The 4 Vase Dresser by Latvian designer Stanislav Katz:

4 Vase Cabinet is a contemporary perspective on a classic French "bombe" cabinet. Four spacious drawers give plenty of storage room to keep your belongings with style. Handmade in EU. Available in various colors. You can see an article on the making of the cabinet here . Available for purchase here.

5. The Grand Splatch Rug complete with diving board by Pupsam:

The Grand Splatch (Splash) Rug emulates a swimming pool and even comes with a stainless steel diving board. Designed by PUPSAM (David Puel and Thomas Libé).

The 380 x 340 cm area rug is made of wool and silk and comes with the stainless steel diving board covered in leather (which can come in a color!). Only 2 were made. Contact Galerie Maad for availability and price.

6. Embroidered denim football and soccer balls by Emperors of Honour:

American footballs and Soccer balls (European footballs) are made of denim and embroidered with jade, red or white tsunami waves and a painted dragon head.
Buy them here

7. The Grass Mirror Window Box by Jean-Jacques Hubert:

Designed by Jean-Jacques Hubert for Compagnie, the Grass Mirror is an indoor window box of highly reflective polished stainless steel that is wall mountable. They are sold as individual boxes but can stack upon one another like the images shown.
Buy it here.

8. Australian Duann Scott's Structural Steel Skull Ring:

This unique skull ring is from Australia based Duann Scott's unique Bits To Atoms Collection of structured jewelry made using modeling software. The Structural Skull Ring is 3D printed in Bronze Infused Stainless Steel.

Available in sizes 4 to 14. Each ring is 3D printed to order by Shapeways in the Netherlands. Buy it here.

Modern Glass Vessels / Fish Tanks By Vanessa Mitrani

above: The No Limits Bowl, glass and porcelain.

Amongst her large repertoire of work, French artist Vanessa Mitrani creates beautiful and functional hand-blown glass decorative vessels that can also function as fish tanks or fishbowls.

The latest of these objets d'art/aquariums is her No Limits Collection which features porcelain or aluminum cast fish half in and half out of their glass surroundings. As if escaping from their habitats, the fish create a sort of optical illusion, floating between their world of captivity and ours.

Dish (glass and porcelain):

Round bowl and Giant Cylinder (glass and porcelain):

In addition to the larger pieces (shown above) that can actually be used as aquariums, the collection includes a vase, water glasses, mugs and cups:

Her Aquarius Collection has been featured in various magazines and on design blogs touting their modern shape and convergence of nature and design.

Simple and Double:

Panoramic and Bottles:

Building and a recent piece from Salone del Mobil (name unknown):

And finally, her Oxygen Collection consists of two pieces; a large and small version of fused round bowls that appear as connected bubbles, weightless and suspended in air.

Glasssware is only a small part of Vanessa Mitrani's work. She also designs textiles, display products for merchandisers and works in porcelain. She has an impressive client list, having created pieces for Salviati, Ligne Roset and Roche Bobois, to name a few. Many of her pieces are carried by exclusive galleries or high end boutiques.

About the artist:

Vanessa Mitrani trained in furniture design at ENSAD, under the tutelage of Jean Claude Maugirard, spent a year at ADAC studios and worked with with the glass artist Pedro Veloso.

After graduating from ENSAD in 1999 she embarked on a professional career, the following year obtaining the VIA Label and created her first edition of vases for Ligne Roset.

In 2002, she started Vanessa Mitrani Creations which developed original objects, products, furniture design, and produced pieces for Roche Bobois, Salviati, Neiman Marcus, l’Occitane en Provence and the Conran shop. Mitrani also collaborates directly with factories in France, Portugal and India several times a year.