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

Shanghai Tang Holiday Catalog's Balloon Art Will Leave You Breathless

... and that's without your having to blow up the thousands of balloons used in the catalog.

Every year retail companies scramble together around mid-june to start concepting and designing catalogs for the holiday season. It's hard to keep them fresh, original and memorable. But Shanghai Tang, the chinese lifetyle brand, has done it yet again.

Teaming up with Chandelier Creative, the cutting edge design firm (who has produced other fabulous holiday catalogs for them in the past) they've produce a 2009 holiday catalogue inspired by the whimsical world of balloon art. It's amazing what they've done in terms of styling stunning backgrounds and unusual product shots, photographed by talented product photographer Kanji Ishii, with simple colored balloons.

These are not all the images from the actual catalog, nor are they in order, but these are my favorites and I think you'll find them inspiring:

In addition to a beautiful catalog, Shanghai Tang's gifts are equally as fabulous, shop for them here.

To see other impressive balloon art and design, check these out:

A Photographer Who Is Full Of Hot Air: Paul Graves' Balloon Sculpture Series
Paul Graves' Newest Work - Balloon Expletives & More

Gucci's 2009 Collection To Benefit Unicef

Once again, Gucci designs a special collection to benefit Unicef. Last year it was the White Heart Tattoo collection of products and this year, the collection is inspired by author and Illustrator Michael Robert's children's Book, Snowman In Africa.

This years' collection has fewer products than last year; two fabulous fun handbags (one featuring the elephant pattern, the other the snowman wrapped in a boa constrictor) , a small wristlet hand bag and a coin purse -both in the elephant patterns, three keychains, a special gift card and of course, the book.

As in the past, this year’s initiative centers around the holiday period promotion of an original collection of items designed by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini to be exclusively sold in over 200 Gucci stores worldwide and on Gucci.com.

For the 2009 Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF, Frida Giannini has commissioned acclaimed author and illustrator Michael Roberts to create a sequel to his highly successful children's book, Snowman in Paradise, which was published in 2004.

Illustrations from the book:

The new book, titled Snowman in Africa, will be exclusively on sale in Gucci stores and on Gucci.com from November 16-December 31, 2009 with a retail price of USD $25. Gucci will donate 100% of the retail price of the book to UNICEF.

Concurrent with the launch of Snowman in Africa in-store, Giannini has also designed exclusive Gucci accessories as well as a Gucci Gift Card to benefit UNICEF, all of which are inspired by Michael Roberts’ magical illustrations featured in the book.

Two new medium sized Gucci Joy handbags feature Roberts’ distinctive and whimsical illustrations in a rich appliqué version and a sportier print version:

Symbolic charms representing characters from the book act as key rings or add-on charms to any accessory.

The collection also features a playful, animated print on small leather goods, including a wrist wallet and coin purse.

New for this year's campaign is the launch of a special edition Gift Card benefiting UNICEF, which ranges in value from $50 - $5,000 USD, again featuring inspiring illustrations from the book.

Frida Giannini said, “Michael Roberts did not hesitate for a moment when I invited him to collaborate on our 5th anniversary project to benefit UNICEF. His children's books are magical and he has touched so many people with his brilliant artistry. Now with his wonderful Snowman in Africa, we are able to continue making a difference to the many children whose lives will improve because of UNICEF's great work.”

The Joy Bags, charms, small leather goods, and Gift Cards will all be on sale in Gucci stores in over 20 countries from November 16 to December 31, 2009, and 25% of the retail price of each item will be donated to UNICEF.

Michael Roberts commented, "When the Snowman traveled to a tropical isle in 2004 in Snowman in Paradise, it was supposed to be his first and only voyage. But thanks to Gucci and UNICEF the Snowman has the opportunity to ride again and is now off to Africa. It is particularly appropriate that Gucci, an Italian company, is involved in his latest adventure, as the initial Snowman idea was born at a friend’s house in Venice over Christmas 2001.”

above: Michael Roberts' first book,Snowman in Paradise

The annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF has consistently supported education, healthcare, protection and clean water programs for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. In this highly active five-year period, Gucci has succeeded in committing over $7 million to UNICEF. This significant sum is a testament to the increased scale and scope of the company’s support, and has resulted in Gucci’s current status as the largest corporate donor to UNICEF’s “Schools for Africa” campaign. “Schools for Africa” aims to increase access to quality basic education for all children, with a special emphasis on helping the most disadvantaged—girls, orphans, children living in extreme poverty and other vulnerable children. In past campaigns, Gucci funds have focused on Malawi and Mozambique, and this year Gucci will add support for a third country, South Africa. In these three countries, over 2.3 million children have been orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

"Gucci's collaboration with UNICEF has produced important results in the last five years, thanks ultimately to the interest and enthusiasm of our customers,” remarked Gucci CEO Patrizio di Marco. "We are proud of what has been achieved so far and are committed to ensuring that this partnership continues to be the foundation for our humanitarian efforts worldwide."

"For most of Africa's children -- particularly orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS -- education represents a way out of a life of entrenched poverty” said Nichole Brown, UNICEF Chief of Corporate and Foundation Fundraising “By providing children with access to a quality education in a safe and protective environment, we are building better lives for not only these children, but future generations as well."
(all images courtesy of Gucci)

Gucci
Unicef

Some Sweet Rides From the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book

Each Christmas, Neiman Marcus comes out with their hefty Christmas Book, filled with drool worthy fashion and gifts for the holiday season. This year's is no exception and is filled with alternative forms of transportation to get your motor running.

above: The cover appears to be the work of Yulia Brodskya

The most chichi gifts include exclusive versions of the Mission One Electric Motorcycle, A special Jaguar Supercharged XJL, The ICON A5 Aircraft, complete with pilot training for two and the sweetest, literally, which is also the silliest..... The electric Cupcake Car.

The Cupcake Car

First introduced at Burning Man and Maker's Faire a few years ago, The Cupcake Car, an electric vehicle built (baked?) for one by Bay Area designer Lisa Pongrace is definitely this year's most odd item in the annual Marcus Neiman Christmas Book.

For $25,000, you can have your own 24 electric volt vehicle that tops out at a sweet and safe 7 miles per hour. And you can have it made in your choice of flavors...er, I mean colors.
buy it here.

For those who prefer a less fattening ride, there's a limited-edition Mission One electric motorcycle for $73,000 or an Icon A5 airplane — complete with training for two people — for $250,000. Both of which I have blogged about before.

The Mission One Electric Motorcycle

The clean, pure ride you’ve been waiting for is here, with 150 mph of quiet, gorgeous power. Say “Hi” to the Mission One, the world’s fastest electric sport bike. It debuted at this year’s TED Conference to rave reviews—and giddy celebrity pre-orders. What it isn’t: another lame-tech exercise in green disappointment. What it is: the official obsolescence of internal combustion cycling. Crank it up to 150 with an amazing 100 ft-lbs. of instantaneous torque at every speed.

With zero carbon emissions, the ear-splitting tailpipes and planet-killing exhaust are history. Its liquid-cooled AC induction motor and single-gear transmission also eliminate the distraction of shifting. There’s no need for a gas tank, with a next-generation lithium-ion battery pack that runs a full 150-mile range between charges. Use the interactive interface (just like pro racing teams use) to collect data on your laptop, adjust the throttle maps and tweak the regenerative braking system to suit your riding style.

The amazing profile and clean lines are from world-renowned designer Yves Behar. Our exclusive edition is limited to just 10 bikes tricked out with numbered NM plaques, exclusive wheels, and a special paint job. Come to San Francisco to meet your bike and the people who designed it. You’ll get one-on-one training with a pro on a test track, learning the nuances of handling for optimal performance.

For more information on the Mission One Motorcycle, please visit http://www.ridemission.com or see my post on it here.

The Amphibious Icon A5 Aircraft, trailer and training for 2:

Exclusive 2009 His & Hers gift package: the game-changing ICON A5 sports aircraft. It’s from a world-class team of engineers and designers who helped create the groundbreaking Virgin® Global Flyer and X Prize®-winning SpaceShipOne® (among other things). It’s been rigorously tested, meets or exceeds all FAA standards, production is about to begin, and the waiting list is stacking way up.

Some of the features:
1) An amphibious hull and landing gear to take off and land just as easily on water as on land.
2) The ability to run on automotive gasoline or aviation fuel.
3) A sexy, streamlined two-seat interior with intuitive controls, including
4) FAA-approved flight instrumentation and
5) a state-of-the-art GPS system, so you don’t get lost.
6) A range of 345 land miles or 300 nautical miles.
7) A next-generation lightweight carbon fiber frame.
8) Spy-movie wings that rotate up and fold back out of the way.
9) Removable side windows to dangle your arms out into the wind and sun.
10) A custom, high-tech trailer for fast and easy loading and unloading from land or water.

Your package includes one ICON A5 sport aircraft with NM exclusive exterior and interior luxury upgrades, a custom trailer, and full FAA-certified Sport Pilot License training for two. Load “your” song onto an MP3 player and slip it into the dashboard dock and there it is, the perfect way to float through the clouds, just the two of you.

For more information on the ICON A5, please visit www.iconaircraft.com or see my post on it here.

The 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition:

Especially designed for NM, only 50 will ever exist. The all-new frame is pressure cast from aluminum and magnesium to give the XJL a strong, light architecture that improves fuel efficiency and structural rigidity. The new panoramic safety-glass roof provides a tremendous sense of spaciousness in the cabin and an amazing view for every trip. The powertrain? A new third-generation supercharged 5-liter V8 that delivers 470 horsepower. The Jaguar Sequential ShiftTM six-speed ZF automatic transmission adapts to its driver, with wheel-mounted shift paddles and Sport, Standard, and Winter modes.

Instead of dull dials, there’s an interactive 12.3" high-def screen to display all the pertinent info in your line of vision. An integrated navigation and entertainment system is at your fingertips to access audio, Bluetooth® 2.0, hard-drive based GPS navigation, and climate control systems via touch screen or by speaking your commands into the Interactive Voice™ system. There’s a media hub with docks for MP3 players and USB devices, a Bowers & Wilkins® 1,200-watt premium sound system with Dolby® ProLogic® IIx Surround Sound and an aural-inspiring 20 speakers throughout the cabin.

Massaging front seats, electric sun blind, heated steering wheel, four-zone climate control, integrated security system and more.

The Neiman Marcus edition also features an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint outside and the NM nameplate on the custom interior intaglio, of course. Dazzling 20" double-10 spoke polished alloy wheels complete the exterior. Inside, there’s a custom interior of butter-soft navy and ivory leather and Zebrano matte wood accents.

Other refined details of the automotive masterpiece include illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher. They even throw in a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage, in navy blue leather.
Price? $105,000.00

Visit www.jaguarusa.com/neimanmarcus for all the details.

Also worth noting:
While it won't get you from point A to point B, this gift is really amazing.

A $200,000 dinner; The Algonquin Rountable Experience, that lets you break bread with this list of accomplished literati: Christopher Buckley, Roz Chast, Delia Ephron, Nora Ephron, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Gopnik, Lewis H. Lapham, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith, George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth learn more about that here..