On booths i always look forward to seeing, Normann Copenhagen was high on the list, they always have such beautiful displays ~ at ICFF they had more of a clean low black display... at Maison et Objet, they went for more of a rustic woody modern table look with their nice black walls and vibrant new pieces. Of the pieces launched, the one that grabbed me most in person was the Herb Stand designed by Jakob Heiberg, the quality feels incredible, and there's something so nice about the balance achieved even when empty... that splash of green with the scissors handles doubling as a little pair of sprouting leaves is adorable, and could probably just as easily find a place on your desk, as you kitchen counter. See more images ~ as well as booth images on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come...

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Tags: accessories - gifts - kitchen - maison et objet - plants - shopping - veuve clicquot

Crazy weekend here ~ been shopping quite a bit, and prepping for Paris (leave monday!) ~ so figured this was a good time to see what was popular on NotCouture this week! Looks like lots of bags and boots made the list. Click the pics to find out more!

Tags: accessories - bag - fashion - roundup

Ok, you know when you have some ridiculous idea, and you need to tell someone to see if its super silly or possibly functional, and no one seems to be online and not super busy working right now... so unfortunately for you, here's my silly idea this late friday afternoon!

So many of my cubicle dwelling friends have either got or toyed with those rear view mirrors for their desks, monitors, etc. And really, regardless of whether you're using it for fixing your hair, keeping an eye on who or what is behind you at all times, staring at yourself, staring at your cubicle mate across the way, spying on others around corners... does it have to be SO OBVIOUS? Especially when it is taking up so much of your precious teeny tiny desk space? So i couldn't help myself and picked up some cheapy sunglasses that are pretty similar to the matthew williamson acrylic aviators i posted to NotCouture last night ~ and when i sat down at my desk i rested them up on my monitor.. and since they're slightly mirrored, honestly it works far better than those silly mirrors (and there are TWO!) and seems far more understated for your workplace spying... If for some reason you have no clue what i'm ranting about today, go see the other products on the next page and then come back...

UPDATE: for those who asked - this particular pair set me back a whopping $35 at the Free People store ~ and is by Spitfire called the "Million @ 20", clear aviator frame with mirrored lenses...

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Tags: accessories - fashion - gifts - glasses - shopping

Jewelry seemed to be the main theme this week on NotCouture. There's a crazy Jaeger-LeCoultre watch that doubles as a keyless entry for the Aston Martin DBS (how James Bond!). And the other mini-theme seemed to be coats and jackets as we're about to transition into Autumn (how is summer almost over??). If jewelry and coats aren't your thing, there's plenty of other stuff to check out at NotCouture, and of course keep sharing your cool finds with us!

Tags: accessories - fashion - roundup

NOTCOT Note: This is the final post in my series of Ultimate Accessories posts which have been sponsored by the new Infiniti G Sedan! As with any sponsored content ~ these posts are done - my way - my product choices, my content, and they help me keep doing what i love!

Swims. I've shown you the Swims line before ~ and even a hands on review in the rain... but i never had a chance to share how amazing the umbrella and men's models are. So a few quick notes - when we spontaneously took off into the woods in vermont from our NY trip, we only had our nicer shoes... and both men's and women's shoes saved us! Even when we ran across the stream behind the log cabin. And the umbrellas - so nice that they both open and close with the push of a button! It certainly spoils you quickly when running in and out of so many down pours! Read more about Swims!

Tags: accessories - fashion - rain - shoes

Babies everywhere! Or i'm apparently reaching that age where i have found myself constantly baby shopping for friends suddenly... So is it any surprise that Jill Fehrenbacher, of Inhabitat, in the midst of her pregnancy has launched Inhabitots, the latest addition to the Inhabitat family? Also, the new logo for the calm blue site is an adorable Owl with child! While many of the products there are right up our alley (and have shown up on NOTCOT previously) ~ they are eco-friendly, clean and modern... and my latest discovery on Inhabitots to add to the backup list for new-parent shopping is what is a bit scarily called "Teething Bling" by Smart Mom Jewelry. If you pick the subtler hues, its not a bad necklace/bangle, and the nice thing is, it's completely safe for your child to teeth on, and saves your usual jewelry from the nibble marks. My only worry is... will this help condition your baby to think its ok to chew on jewelry in the long run?

Tags: accessories - baby - fashion - gifts - green - jewelry - kids - shopping

Our favorite felt/leather technology carriers, Working Class Heroes, has evolved and is now known as Hard Graft. And honestly, nothing has changed, other than their moniker, and the quality and designs are, if anything, better than ever! So i've got an exclusive sneak peak for you of the latest line (and quite possibly my favorite yet)... here's
The Dapper Collection!

I've always loved their leather pockets on felt, which my original laptop sleeve from them had, and now they've brought the motif back as the signature feature in
The Dapper Collection. Also, they've mastered the Kindle case (see pics of a prototype i've been playing with on the next page), and it has a pocket which perfectly fits the iPhone. Honestly, its the perfect little bundle to grab when you're off to read in the park or at the beach. They've also got an adorable iPhone case, which has a pocket for some cash/cards... and a revival of the laptop wallet with top buttons and a new larger pocket also perfect for iPhones! So check out more pics on the next page, and see the full collection for purchase at Hard Graft!

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Tags: accessories - gifts - iphone - laptop - shopping

NOTCOT Note: This is the fifth in my series of Ultimate Accessories posts which have been sponsored by the new Infiniti G Sedan! As with any sponsored content ~ these posts are done - my way - my product choices, my content, and they help me keep doing what i love!

On ultimate accessories, one of the more interesting ways to bring some green into your home is definitely in the form of terrariums (especially over cut flowers!). And your terrariums can be filled with anything from cacti or venus fly traps to flowers or bonsai... one of my favorite designs which manage to be both minimal and somewhat traditional, yet so organic and fluid feeling is definitely the blown glass terrariums of Esque at A+R. As described on the site - "Esque Design in Portland: Justin Parker and Andi Kovel blow recycled glass into purposeful sculptures that are as elegant as they are otherworldly. Case in point: These crystal-clear balloon terrariums, which frame your favorite succulents, flowers or other life into a world of their own."

Tags: accessories - gifts - glass - home - shopping

Incase has done it again... waking me up to yet another giddiness inducing package. They always manage to put me in the best moods with their great packaging (from packaging of the product, to the silver penned notes to go with them!). I'm sure you've been seeing these new limited edition cases buzzing around the web all morning, but here's an unboxing and some close up pics of my own. And for those just catching up...

Incase has teamed up once again with Arkitip Magazine, and this time they've pulled in one or my favorite artists, Craig Costello aka "KRINK" aka "KR", the legendary creator of KRINK inks and markers and artist behind those awesome silver drippy mail boxes! So this new KRINK Sleeve is the first in the "Curate by Arkitip" series. First impression, was being smitten by the silver on black drippiness, so messy, yet so clean. Next thing to hit me... although it is an awesome art product, the quality is incredible, but then again what else would you expect from Incase? This would be such a fun case to carry into a formal meeting... if not just to see what the reactions are like! Anyhow, go see the many pics on the next page, as well as the video with behind the scenes on how this sleeve came to be.

p.s.
i know it sounds silly, but part of me is dying to spraypaint 'NOTCOT' on mine...

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Tags: accessories - art - incase - laptop - streetart - technology

NOTCOT Note: Here's a new post from Anna of Sub-Studio. I'd also like to say congrats to Jason Gregory on Makr, which he coincidentally emailed me about earlier last week ~ the leather line of simple wallets are stunning!

I saw these über-sexy wallets over at Kitsune Noir. Made by Makr, each wallet is laser-etched on leather. They are all limited edition, so you'd better click over there fast if you want one! The wallet patterns are minimal and functional, with little surprise details here and there (detail images after the jump).

The wallets from the One series (above) are super simple in shape and function - a single pocket card holder for cards and folded cash. Maximized for ergonomic comfort, the curves of the opening mimic the natural position of thumb and forefinger. See more on the next page, as well as the full press release and link to the line sheet.

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Tags: accessories - gifts - shopping - sub-studio

It's noon on Friday, and this week has been so much design/dev/catch up ~ i somehow ended up staying up all night catching up on emails (i was a few hundred deep... now down to somewhere around 100! yay!), so about to crash, but wanted to first show you guys some exciting new fall launches coming from Belkin. I hope you don't mind, but i'll keep it brief, and give you lots of pics on the next page:

1. Fly Wire - this was one of the things i've been waiting for since CES, a super sleek simple way to mount a receiver to your flat panel TV, and have no wires showing when its wall mounted, while all your devices are connected elsewhere. Gorgeous design, awesome implementation!

2. Break Free - a great little magnetic break away jack for all our guitarists out there, or for those who trip on their cords!

3. Laptop Cool Strip - fun idea for getting your laptop some room to cool, while also having space to let cables not get crushed under the laptop.

See larger pics of all of these on the next page!

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Tags: accessories - Belkin - gifts - guitar - laptop - shopping - technology - tv

Since the American Apparel Thermachromatic Tees post last week ~ we also noticed the LA Times Image article today picking up the comeback of hypercolor as a new "trend" (as seen on .org #11727)~ and so out of curiosity i had to go find the Anzevino and Florence tees, tanks, dresses, and scarves mentioned! While i'm still a bit mixed on how to feel about these, its fascinating none the less, and a scarf could be fun to play with! The photography on the Anzevino and Florence Colour Change collection is pretty much as creepy seeming as the American Apparel ones, strangely enough - however, it is awesome that theirs don't go between color/white, but color to color! And the cuts look far more fun and playful than the American Apparel selection... See more pics on the next page ~ and shop for them on the AZFN site.

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Tags: accessories - fashion - gifts - shopping

It's that time again... NotCouture roundup! Click the pics to find out more!

Hope you all had a great 4th of July! And now the work week approaches which is reason enough to give anyone the summertime blues. Here are some items to help you express your inner blueness, and one crazy silver crab bracelet that's just too awesome not to share!

Tags: accessories - fashion - gifts - roundup - shopping

NOTCOT Note: Here's the latest discovery from Anna (Sub-Studio) ~ these cheese/cutting boards would be SO perfect for fourth of july picnics and bbqs!

I saw Lotte van Laatum's work on Bloesem recently and fell in love with it. Lotte is a designer and recent graduate from the Design Academy Eindhoven. In her graduate program she specialized in the social-cultural and ecological aspects of design, an interest you can see permeate through her design collection. Much of her work references other cultures, and even employs craftsmen from those cultures, such as her Bloei! sofa, Tulipa vases (after the jump), and the Made in Peru cushions. Lotte's Dutch Wood project attempts to create awareness about the sustainable use of local resources by keying the shape of each cutting board back to the geographical region it was harvested from. The cutting boards come from the regions of Veluwe, Noordoostpolder and Salland, and are made of three different types of wood - beech, ash and maple.

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Tags: accessories - furniture - kitchen - lighting - sub-studio - table

NotCouture Roundup! You know the drill, click the images to find out more!

4th of July weekend is coming up, so we thought we'd pick some stuff that you can wear to all those upcoming backyard pool parties and BBQs. From cute poolside attire to lightweight shirts and jackets, we've got you covered!

Tags: accessories - fashion - roundup - shopping

NOTCOT Note: Love these awesome necklaces that Anna from Sub-Studio found!

Bernadette Deddens is a London-based accessories designer who views accessories as props that can add small-scale drama to daily life. Her work is playful and often has multiple narratives, requiring interaction by the user. For instance, a necklace that begins by mimicking a checkered linoleum floor but that can be transformed by the wearer into hundreds of configurations, or a bracelet that is both sculpture and bracelet. Check out her shoe accessories after the jump - it's a great collection of add-ons that dress up the shoes that you already have.

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Tags: accessories - bag - jewelry - shoes - sub-studio

Click the images to find out more! Today is a scorcher up and down California ~ Linhchi (SF) and i (LA) are dying in the heat, and i'm about to head out to Point Dume (where unfortunately that amazing Iron Man house fictitiously exists) for a birthday bash... but while we were trying to figure out what to wear to beat this weather and still look good... we though a proper roundup was in order! So top row we have sun dresses and shorts for the ladies, middle is sandals and sunglasses ~ and bottom row is all boys! If you feel like contributing to the cause, come add your summer survival wear to NotCouture!

Tags: accessories - fashion

Incase always has the best packaging experiences... as much as i love their products, opening the press packs they send always leave me giddy all day. Today they sent over these new Incase iPod Touch Slider Cases - in the starburst like colors of Summer Rose, Rummer Red, and Summer Orange - these were wrapped in tissue paper, tucked with giant paint chip like info cards in black Incase envelopes, which fit perfectly on some padding in the gift box... and on top of that was a card with their motto when you opened the box: "A better experience through good design." *swoon*. I love these guys... living up to a motto like that makes them a pleasure to interact with. The cases are great - they are incredibly thin but durable plastic - with my favorite soft touch rubberized coating! So take a peek at the unboxing pics and close ups on the next page... and keep an eye out for these to be available on their website! (Currently you can only find the black and white high gloss ipod touch slider cases)

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Tags: accessories - gifts - ipod - review - shopping - technology

NOTCOT Note: Here's a fun find from Anna over at Sub-Studio ~ and a HUGE congrats to her, on taking the plunge to give up the day job, and take Sub-Studio full time! We're so excited for her!

Mystake is a new brand by Dima Komissarov of Plus Minus (#061). The presentation of the brand reminds me of Atypyk - cheeky one-liners that are polished and pretty.

The Candle Bulb Candle, as Dima writes on his website, "looks like a candle bulb, but it's not a bulb, it's a candle, which looks like...you know". Modeled after the old chandelier candle bulbs - I would love to have a chandelier over my dining table that could take one of these. Mostly, I'm just really into the idea of a candle modeled after a bulb. I'd love to see this series expanded into a bunch of different bulb types (compact fluorescents, anyone?).

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Tags: accessories - candles - sub-studio

The press release starts off "In these days of soaring gas prices, yelps of cash crunches and real estate depression, the last thing anyone would do is destroy money. Well, anyone but Yoko Devereaux that is. Launching for spring/summer 2008, Old Money, is a collection of coins hand cut into works of art Yoko has attached to aged sterling silver necklaces. As Creative Director, Andy Salzer, explains, "It is about taking something that is so relevant in our society and then destroying it."

Somehow, i think the destruction of pennies, to turn them into 88$... is not exactly the dumbest way to "destroy money" in a recession, but that's just me. Personally, i have always admired some of the more gorgeous designs to appear on money, and this is a beautiful way to isolate those elements... now if only they would make one with that one pound coin that has the dragon on it! See a close up on the next page...

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Tags: accessories - fashion - gifts - jewelry - shopping

Cartier is taking on love ~ and was kind enough to surprise me with a DHL package this morning with a little gift in it (more to come on that later) ~ in part announcing their new Love.Cartier site. Today i learned the story of their classic "love" bracelet - the iconic piece with the screw heads along the band - and a screwdriver to lock you in - "In the 1970's, imagination soared to new heights and any folly was possible. Cartier created the ultimate symbol of loving commitment: in the manner of handcuffs, the famous bracelet closes with a tiny screwdriver. Its humorous impudence appealed and was immediately adopted by legendary couples as a cult jewel. Love is a provocative talisman, a rallying cry for modern love, totally free from convention."

In their marketing comeback, they have created a site dedicated to love - manifested in music, art, and film. The music is nice if you're into that romantic mood setting stuff... and the art seemed a bit buggy on their flash site for me... but i was surprised that the films are what really caught my eye, and i actually sat here going through all 12 in order and loved them. The filmography is absolutely breathtaking ~ the black and whites, playful uses of light, gorgeous parisian backdrops... *swoon*... and they go through 12 tiny fragments of love stories tackling: The Declaration, Forgiveness, The Kiss, Infinite Love, Hero of Love, First Love, A Life of Love, A Loving Liaison, Love on Hold, Knowing How..., Seduction, and The Decision. Personally my favorite are First Love, Seduction, and Love on Hold - i'm sure you'll see why - if you have the time i recommend you go through them in order though, renowned director, Olivier Dahan, ends every pieces with a hint of what you see at the start of the next ~ and weaves them all together in such a beautiful way... see a few screenshots on the next page...

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Tags: accessories - jewelry - luxury - paris - video

NOTCOT Note: Morning! Here's one more before i head back to the cabin ~

At the Hardcore Exhibition in the Meatpacking District during ICFF that showcased New Finnish Design, i discovered VEGE by Design Mikko Laakkonen for Selki-Asema. These are frying pans and blini pans specially for vegetarians! And not only are they a nice way to help show your veg friends that you keep things separate ~ they even leave nice leafy patterns into your pancakes, etc. Cute idea. It's cast iron and the frying pan has a birch handle. See more images of the full rack of the from the exhibition on the next page!

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Tags: accessories - food - icff - kitchen - shopping

The perfect saber for roasting marshmallows while simultaneously skewering your arch nemesis? Too funny - add this one to the pile of random fencing posts here on NOTCOT. BBQ Sword found at TrendsNow.

Tags: accessories - fencing - food - gifts - shopping

With so much tech accessorizing coming in the form of metals and plastics, its refreshing to see this new i/o Desk Organizer from Kaiju Studios that is made of walnut wood and felt. This modular system allows for constant reorganization depending on your needs, with everything from cable wraps, dividers, picture holders, and more. The design uses natural, warm materials that are ecologically responsible. See more detailed shots on the next page...

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Tags: accessories

D!REKTRECYCLING makes the coolest envelopes ever. They have become one of my favorite things about receiving packages from Working Class Heroes - other than the incredible felt/leather sleeves for my gadgetry, of course.

The image above is what happens when i stick my camera inside the envelope... for more context move on to the next page... it's brilliant because its such a clean professional looking envelope on the outside, yet you can't help ripping it apart to learn about new places on the inside...

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Tags: accessories - gifts - recycled - shopping