Fad*ish- fashion and design

I wracked my brain trying to think of ways to use cardboard furniture -- ok, maybe it wasn’t a thorough ‘wracking’, but I gave it some thought. CardBoarDesign is literally a hole-in-the-wall shop nestled in a crack between Armani and DKNY on New York’s West Broadway. There, strewn across the sidewalk like high priced litter, is a collection of cardboard furnishings that are practically avalanching out of an otherwise unnoticeable doorway. I am not sure what they do when it rains, but on any given hot and humid summer afternoon in NY, you can find their collections of goods ranging from a cardboard spaceship (for entertaining the kids) to a cardboard dining table (for entertaining guests).

Are their products durable? Sure they were used for a Guggenheim Gala in 2007, but could they be more than just a one night stand? Their Series 55 collection is designed to get the maximum durability from recycled cardboard. No glue, screws or space aged bonding method is needed, but one might suggest a waterproof varnish (or even a coaster) if you actually intend on putting a drink on one of their tables -- because there is no escaping the fact that they are still cardboard. More awe-inspiring is their imported ‘cousin’ Flexible Love ^TM, an expandable accordion-like chair/sofa/loveseat. Fresh from Taiwan and distributed by CardBoarDesign, Flexible Love ^TM expands to sit 16 and contracts to fit in your closet. The accordion-like seating gets 'comfortable' with time, which is just an euphemism for 'worn and a bit tattered' -- but even upholstery gets more 'comfortable' after one too many bums.

No amount of cute shapes, neat snapping and folding techniques is going to turn cardboard into a piece of wood, and no amount of painting is going to turn it into an elegant piece of furniture. But for a romp room, a twenty-something apartment, a eco-friendly event or a conversational piece cardboard furniture is perfect. I guess anyone who would furnish their dwelling with cardboard has more on their mind than just fashionable interiors -- maybe they are also thinking about saving the world for future generation.

*ms.b

links we love:

www.cardboardesign.com

www.flexiblelove.com

Labels: Decor

Why make it at home when you can pay for it? -- $32 to be exact, which is the roundabout price for a Lucky Wang Kimono for your little tike. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of this childrenswear company. Everything from their stylish wraparounds to their colorful fabrications screams individuality and an haute fashion sense. My only question is: why does a three-seam shirt, using barely one yard of fabric, cost over 30 bucks?

Because I am a huge fan of this company, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the cost of dye is sending the price of cotton twill to near $20 a yard, and if they didn’t add a near 100% mark-up they would not be profitable. Or, maybe it is a pricing strategy that says ‘hey our clothes are just as good as Ralph Lauren’s childrenswear, and we have a cuter name!’ -- really, who could argue with them there. Whatever their rational, I am betting that Lucky Wang knows that most people don’t own a sewing machine, could careless about shopping for fabric, and just plain love the convenience of paying any amount of money to have their kids look cool.

Buying Lucky Wang rather than making clothes at home is nothing to be ashamed of -- in fact I applaud it. With gas prices, a falling housing market, the damn dollar, and of course Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- consumers have more issues on their minds than reverting back to the glory days of the Singer sewing machine. So giving everyone a break, let us just buy our stylish kimono at www.luckywang.com.

*ms.b

Labels: Style

If ever I aspired to be an artist, Glenn Barr would make me want to toss my sketch pad -- yes, his work is good enough to deter, not inspire, a generation. Especially those whose work combines 60’s modernism with 20’s surrealism, if they thought they were being original, they will soon discover that they fall into the category of ‘been there, done that’. I am sure I am not the last person on earth to discover Glenn Barr, and with his level of success and exposure, at most, I might be considered as one of his many admirers.

What’s so deliciously irritating about Glenn Barr is his obvious classical training, flawless technique, mixed with tasteful perversion. I never thought I would want to hang a picture of a couple of ‘hos’ on my living room wall, but with his depiction of such coquettes in “Storyville”, I might consider it. And if that picture draws a snicker from a prudish friend, I might substitute it with “Girls Night Out”, which is a tamer print featuring two female characters who look suspiciously like Wilma and Betty of “The Flinestones” fame.

But I must admit what drew me to Glenn Barr, was not his semi-erotic prints, or his fanciful nature, but rather his classic retro creations. Taken out of context, 60’s were the days when sharp hair, liquid liner and the mini skirts were height of fashion -- and smoking in public was not only legal, it accompanied your coffee. I guess we have progressed past the free-love era, when no didn’t really mean yes, but it was harder to prove it in court. A time when the lovers revolution overshadowed the Vietnam war, civil rights ‘war’, and anything else socially relevant and important. Artists like Barr can remind us that this way of being is relevant and relatable today -- lustful suggestions or not. For more information, or to buy a print, book or ‘knick-knack’ -- visit his website at www.glennbarr.com.

*ms.b

Labels: Art

The last time I was at the beach I didn’t look quite as refreshed as the girls in the Romeo and Juliet Couture (RJC) spring 2008 ad campaign. Maybe that was because I wasn’t wearing RJC, and in 90 degree weather I opted for a bathing suit. Nevertheless, it must be surmised from their campaign that walking on the beach fully clothed in hot weather is not just fashionable, but also appropriate. And if you happen to pick up on this trend--as it would seem many Hollywood starlets do-- then RJC is just the clothing to wear whilst romping around in the sand (and scaring the sea gulls).

Like the trite ad campaign, the RJC collection is predictably lovely. Though far from couture, their clothing are soft, indulgent, and could make any woman feel feminine sans the need for a wax job. The founders hoped that their collection would: “sends a positive message of love, tolerance and Kids Organization, which (would) empower our youth worldwide to make the right decisions for themselves and to treat everyone with human dignity.” A lofty goal, easy to say, yet there isn’t any other evidence that they actually do something concrete to help these worldwide youths -- other than just make cute clothing. They seem to be about as interested in empowering the youth as the Spice Girls’ girl power was in empowering the young women of the world.

Sociologic ramifications aside, RJC Romeo and Juliet Couture has graced the backs, butts and legs of Paris Hilton, Scarlett Johanson, and Rihanna. I particularly favor their tops, while others seem to like their denim -- again neither of which are couture, but both of which can be found at their website at http://www.romeoandjulietcouture.com.

*ms.b

Labels: Style