New products, new markets and new consumer groups generate new aesthetics – or, at least, you would hope so. Too often, style migrates from one category to another, or the identity of a sub-culture (visually speaking), is exploited in a commercial context. This is where ‘authenticity’ emerges, to support genuine origin credentials, or to mask the appropriation with narrative context....
In case you’ve missed it, low and no-alcohol drinks are a thing. With over 20% of adults in the UK claiming to be teetotal, abstinence is cool: Brewdog is now Punk AF (that’s ‘alcohol free’), Thomson & Scott’s Noughty is (fairly) nice, and Seedlip is sexy. This sobriety revolution is driven, in part, by the mindfully sceptical Gen Z, turned...
Blackhorse Lane Ateliers is a UK-based premium selvedge and organic raw denim jeans brand. It was founded in 2016 by Han Ates, who has over 25 years experience in the textiles industry, and is located in a renovated 1920s factory building with a distinctive profile in Walthamstow, North London. Blackhorse Lane Ateliers is committed to implementing a sustainable and ethical production model....
Modern by Dwell Magazine is a new range of home decor products, tablewear and furnishings for those who want to create a welcoming space with a modern aesthetic. It is a collaborative project between design and architecture magazine Dwell, designers Chris Deam and Nick Dine of Deam+Dine, and the American retailer Target. The range features over 120 products. From chairs, tables and glassware to kitchen utensils,...
Lorod is an American fashion label that redefines timeless basics with modern, modular construction, distinctive fabrics and vintage-inspired chic. The designers at LOROD experiment with production methods to give each garment a quirky, personal and one-of-a-kind quality, and utilise new distribution tools to produce collections within the U.S. This intersection of the classic and contemporary, refined craftsmanship, a utilitarian functionality and quirky personality informed Lorod’s brand...
Someone Somewhere is a clothing and accessories brand. Each of its products are designed and made in Mexico by small communities of textile artisans. The social and cultural contexts that are the foundation of brand are expressed by its new visual identity, created by Mexico City-based graphic design studio Sociedad Anonima, through naming and a graphic device that calls out maker and origin....
London-based studio Charlie Smith Design worked with British department store John Lewis to develop the visual identity system and packaging for their childrenswear department. The system needed to appeal to girls and boys aged from 2 to 14 (and presumably their parents), and connect a broad range of accessories and garments that included denim, swimwear, shoes and underwear. The result is as a...
Smithey is an ironworks producing kitchenware from its location in Charleston, South Carolina. Smithey’s first product, a 10 inch skillet, features a smooth, non-stick cooking surface, created using a handcrafted method of finishing and polishing. This process was developed in response to the rough, coarse and sandpaper-like finish that proliferates the ironware market, which creates an uneven surface temperature, makes it...
Farah is a men’s fashion brand with a seasonal catalogue of shirts, polo shirts, knitwear, jackets, footwear, bags and accessories available online and from high street and department store premises in the United Kingdom. Following two years of collaboration, London based graphic design studio Post were commissioned by Farah to refresh its visual identity, from tags, retail concept, internal communications and art...
Decontoured is a Milan based, by appointment only, fashion label that provides a bespoke service for redesigning existing garments. Its philosophy is firmly rooted in an aesthetic sustainability and value that transcends seasonal fashion trends, and acknowledges a shift in consumer behaviour from the mass-market towards conceptual products and personalised practices. The label’s approach is one of collaboration, craft, innovation...
Mona De Castellarnau is a US based luxury lifestyle brand that creates and retails a unique collection of crafted and meaningful objects that are said to reflect timeless beauty, simplicity and authenticity. Objects include home furnishings, accessories, bags and throws. Each are designed with an appreciation for tradition and provenance, an understanding of artisanal disciplines, and utilise simple forms, prints, patterns and...
Croft is a contemporary men’s knitwear brand that specialises in high quality cashmere and soft wool garments. These are available exclusively through online retailer Superdemin. Each garment is hand knitted on Scotland’s Shetland Islands by crofters, a name given to those using traditional batch production processes within small communities unique to the Highlands. Alongside a new logo, London-based design studio Commission worked with photographer Luke Evans to...