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Allow us a quick “duh” moment: Money and fame open doors. Case in point: Pharrell has been able to collaborate with some pretty talented designers in the world of furniture, jewelry and fashion to create some pretty…um, interesting products. The latest is a puffy piece that resembles a bullet proof vest, made in conjunction with Moncler (shown above).
Now you would think, given their track record, that Moncler and Pharrell would produce something dope—at least as dope as any other Moncler or BBC product—but no. What we got was an odd, and presumably super-expensive product that only Pharrell would be able to rock without looking like an idiot. But this isn’t the first time Skateboard P has created some off-the-wall shit. It’s all he knows how to do, really! Don’t believe us? Take a look at five of his other ridiculous collaborations below…
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Your phone knows your schedule better than you do, but it can’t offer the joy of crossing an item off your to-do list. For that, we go analog. Japan is churning out colors, nib sizes, and designs that make writing more fun than wireless synching. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a Bic RoundStic (ayo!) when you need to jot something down, but once you get a look at some of our favorites (all available at our go-spot, JetPens), you’ll be well on your way to becoming a kingpin of the ink pen…
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Trek actually planned the District colorway to match our infamous Complex dugout jacket. So we think.
While going “green” isn’t always easy, a great way to reduce your carbon footprint is by riding a bicycle instead of driving. Sounds simple, but if you live in a major city, you really have no excuse not to get a bike. So what kind? The ballyhooed fixed-gear movement has become trendy recently, but consider fixed-gears the allover prints of the bicycle world. It makes better sense to invest in something like the all-new Trek District bike, which hits stores in the first week of April.
Our buddy Erik from Trek stopped by last week to give us a sneak-peek at the District, and it is a thing of beauty. But looks aside, what makes it special is that it’s Trek’s first single-speed, belt-drive (i.e. no chain) bicycle. The District has specs and parts to satisfy bicycle enthusiasts while being user-friendly enough that your mom would have no trouble riding it. Uh, pause. Every aspect of the District has been well thought-out and executed with careful attention to detail. At $929, it may cost a grip, but think of it as a lifetime investment'as long as it doesn’t get jacked. For a detailed look at the features of the District, and as a bonus, some pics of the Trek x KAWS bike for Lance Armstrong, see below…
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If you're looking to add another set of balls (PAUSE) to your Sunday Football experience, you might want to cop these luxury sport-inspired seats from German company VIP Seating.
A step-up from usual sport-themed furniture, the seats are hooked up in top-notch nappa leather, chromium and other highbrow materials that will impress both your Budweiser guzzling friends and your interior decorator jump-off. Chairs are available in basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis and soccer. The distribution is sketchy for now, but if you're looking to inquire, hit up sales@vipseating.de. See the full set of chairs below…
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For some obsessive artists and designers, it’s hard not to see everything through the lens of Pantone. No matter what they come across, there’s a subconscious tendency to match its hue up with its respective number from the Pantone Matching System. Well now those OCD color freaks can even use the Pantone system to tell time with a new clock called Pantime.
Created by a UK college student named James Beattie, the Pantime replaces traditional clock numbers with an array of colors and corresponding PMS numbers, starting with “012 C” (the Pantone number for yellow). While there’s no evidence of a rip-off, the Pantime is strangely similar to the Chromachron, a watch designed by Tian Harlan in the 1970s. Check out a close-up of the Pantime, as well as the O.G. Chromachron, below…
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We bottle poppin’'word to Gorilla Zoe
Maybe you saw the “Be Kanye” ads a couple months back produced by the creative college whiteboy firm Chiat Day, but the Glow In the Dark Tour is over, friends. Up next in the Absolut blitz is a disco ball-esque casing for the bottle, available free with purchase at select retailers from now until New Year’s.
If you’re light on the Halloween costume tonight or just want to spice up upcoming holiday parties with flashing lights, check your local liquor store for the 750ml ($20) or the 1 liter ($27) size. We got a nice clear photo of it for you below…
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Halloween is right around the corner so you know what that means'time to get creative with costumes. Sure, you could dress up as something obvious, like Obama, McCain, or Palin (everybody’s doing it), but you might want to think outside the ballot box if you really wanna to stand out. The designers behind Gryphern, a website dedicated to costume design, are urging you to get creative with an instructional video that shows how to make a elaborate pair of retractable dragon wings.
If you’ve got a shit-load of time on your hands between now and October 31st, prepare yourself for this labor intensive arts and crafts project. Using pipes, cables and screws, the video provides an in-depth explanation of how you can create a pair of flapping wings for only $18. Even if you don’t want to dress up as a “dragon,” these will add a new dimension to any costume'we guarantee you’ll be the only Flying McCain in the party. Watch the instructional video below…
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Thanks to Sarah Palin, good old fashioned Alaska livin’ is all the rage these days. But before you make your way up to the state’s snowy tundra for a moose hunt, you might want to invest in this modern equivalent to the classic igloo. For the past 25 years, Icewall One’s Igloo Satellite Cabin has been used by scientists to withstand harsh conditions across the globe.
Back in 1982, designer Malcolm Wallhead created the round, alien-like pod for the Australian Antarctic Division. The fiberglass construction and polyurethane insulation can protect you not only from polar ice caps, but the searing heat from tropical climates as well. Multiple igloos can be linked together via tunnels, making a perfect haven for your whole team. See more photos below…
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Putting the power of design in the hands of the consumer has its strengths and weaknesses. It’s an opportunity for unknown designers to get some shine, but sadly sub-par concepts and uninspired execution usually overshadow the real talent. But damn, we can’t hate on the left-field designs that have come out of Nokia’s Music Almighty Headset Competition this week.
The Finnish company called on consumers to put a music-inspired spin on their line of Bluetooth earphones, using tools provided on the website like beaming lights, interchangable colors, and decorative characters. The five winners will actually be manufactured as one-of-ones and will be displayed in select retail locations. Check out designs inspired by Jay-Z, MGMT and Santogold below…
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If you’re still crashing on old-school bean bags, it’s high time for an upgrade to real furniture, my dudes. Italian home design company Qayot will help nostalgic geeks hold onto the golden era of 8-bit video games with the Poufman living room set, which was unofficially inspired by Pacman’s iconic silhouette.
Qayot unveiled the collection recently in a furniture design exhibit called “Abitare Il Tempo” in Verona. With a wide variety of interchangeable, two-tone polyester linings, the round and square seats can be combined with additional sets to produce flexible seating for any situation. Sadly, they haven’t yet created a red ghost ottoman to match. Check out more images of the Poufman set below…
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In today’s market of over-priced real estate, the average apartment is basically a man-sized shoebox. Now you can make the most out of the space thanks to Japanese company Atelier OPA and designer Toshihiko Suzuki, who have introduced a series of folding “rooms” called Kenchikukagu.
The innovative line features a kitchen, bedroom and office that all fold up into compact cabinets that can be wheeled away for easy storage. For about $7,500 each, you can buy one now on Amazon Japan. See how it all unfolds in the video below…
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These days, it’s cool to ‘go green,’ but more important than that, it’s still cool to be cool. With both those in mind, designer/architect Greg Lynn debuted his ‘Recycled Toy Furniture’ at the Venice Architecture Biennale last week.
Lynn took home the Golden Lion for Best Installation Project and his designs'simple coffee tables that use welded children’s toys for their bases'seem like a much cooler use of any extra kids’ playthings that are laying around'either yours or that brat’s who lives down the street. After the jump, check out the rest of Lynn’s award-winning designs.
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These days, a gallon of gas is almost as sought after as that Sarah Palin sex tape. So it’s no surprise that folks are coming up with creative responses to America’s energy crunch. The latest? Something called “The Hitch,” an original transportation concept that’s the brainchild of designer Robert Nightingale.
Basically a belt with three industrial grade suction cups attached to it (plus a hand-held suction cup for stability), The Hitch lets people affix themselves Spidey-style to the side of vans, buses, and probably any other form of conveyence they’re dumb enough to hop on. We’ll stick to our Heelys for now, but Nightingale might be onto something. See close-up photos of The Hitch below.
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Taking a refresher course in the alphabet sounds pretty ridiculous for anyone who’s outgrown Huggies. But sometimes you’ve got to take it back to the basics'for a perspective on the ABC’s that even grown folks can appreciate, Lise Bonneau has created a new design-forward pop-up book called Typop-Up.
The coffee table-style book uses thin strips of paper to construct an elaborate 3D page for each letter and number. Taking a cue from French designer Marion Battle’s own alphabet book, Bonneau designed each page as a complex piece of architecture. No word on whether or not the book will be mass-produced, so watch the video below to flip through it…
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Taking a cue from that classic Hypercolor gear, designers Nuno Goncalves Ferreira and Erin Hayne have been creating home products like pillows and furniture that respond to body heat and warm light. Their latest creations are these Touch Wall Panels, which are intended to be hung up around your home.
As humans touch the thermosensitive fabric panels, the colors change, leaving temporary hand and body prints on the surface for up to 30 seconds. Finally, we have a method for catching serial wall-humpers in the act. See what the panels look like after you touch them in the gallery below…
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