this blog is a visual notebook of inspirations for a group of bandit bloggers. we post things we see and like. our lives don’t revolve around singular topics and neither does our blog. sorry! nothing is in-or-out of context here. enjoy xx
after fendi pulled all of their existing fragrances off the market, for over a year, there was a vacant spot begging to be filled. “fan di fendi” is the newest launch due in stores this september 2010. the simple yellow packaging and the proportion of the bottle are quite beautiful and summary, however the name is a little uncool for our taste. not only it sounds odd upon first read, its rather a direct derivative of the very successful j’adore dior. one would have expected karl lagerfeld to resist it just for that, but one can see how such a name can make marketing directors and the family filled with excitement. after all who doesn’t want “fans”… or for that matter to be “adored”. the only problem is that naming it that doesn’t necessarily make it so. the jus is signed by perfumer delphine lebeau-krowiakj and the ad campaign is, once again, created by mr baron (yawn!) and features models anja rubik, abbey lee and karmen pedaru suspended in a moment of rock and roll ecstasy.
for the record, our favorite fendi has always been the original classic “fendi by fendi”. the 70’s scent was delicious but unfortunately found it’s way into the low end retailers in the 80’s and the rest was histrory. with a bit of re packaging and updating that scent could find a great spot next to the latest, and we hope fendi will consider bringing that back. by dd
was listening to a re-aired jim jarmusch’s interview on french radio and remembered that he was talking about this oddity that is brian eno’s “oblique strategies” deck of cards. that sounded pretty fun on the radio but the truth is that it’s far beyond that, that is pure genius!
“the deck itself had its origins in the discovery by brian eno that both he and his friend peter schmidt tended to keep a set of basic working principles which guided them through the kinds of moments of pressure – either working through a heavy painting session or watching the clock tick while you’re running up a big buck studio bill. both schmidt and eno realized that the pressures of time tended to steer them away from the ways of thinking they found most productive when the pressure was off. the strategies were, then, a way to remind themselves of those habits of thinking – to jog the mind.”
let’s imagine a deck of cards that is giving you advise on a daily basis. in the interview, writer jean jacques schulh was telling jarmusch’s fortune. the instruction was “do something boring” great piece of advice! i ordered a set, next posts will be defined by the cards… by pp’
read somewhere that kerouac’s original scroll of “on the road” had been released and re-published recently. on the cover it says “rougher, wilder and racier than the 57′ version” which is funny and a bit over the top but anyway, the cover is gorgeous, blind embossed and so on. i got it, read it in english for the first time but now, i need the scroll itself! so if any publisher is reading this post and wants to make millions i suggest that he pull the strings that need to be pulled in order to propose it for the next black friday… by pp’
that said this is one hell of a ping pong table, considering the details and manufacturing, such as the ceramic chalk surface backed by steel plate and the black ash wooden legs. the table not only looks amazing its guaranteed to perform considering its designer, and our friend, johan liden himself is an avid ping ponger. (the clip link is just like johan… on vacation). chalk – for puma by aruhliden. debuts in new york, early june at the conran shop… bring your black chalk amex. by dd
ok i know this is nothing new, but i smelled this a few months ago and i still regret for not picking it up right there and then… there is a number 2 but nothing is as good as the first time… anyhow i was looking for a treat tonight as the sushi dinner out just wasn’t enough… after a month of gruesome work you can indulge a bit. well there’s always tomorrow. by uh
in 1951, jack kerouac wrote “on the road” on his typewriter as a continuous 120 foot-long scroll. few years later, in 1966, ed ruscha photographed “every building on sunset strip” and presented it on a 27 foot-long scroll. ruscha since confessed his obsession for his road heir in a book released by the great steidl in association with gagosian gallery.
“over the last couple of years, ruscha has turned his attention to on the road, resulting in his own version of kerouac’s beat bible. kerouac’s entire text appears accompanied by black and white photographic illustrations that ruscha has either taken himself, commissioned from other photographers, or selected from found images to refer closely to the details and impressions that the author describes, from car parts to jazz instruments, from sandwich stacks to tire burns on a desert road.”
the leather-bound book comprises 228 pages, signed and numbered by the artist in an edition of 350 and presented in a slip-case. we won’t write the price because it’s depressing… by pp’
this should just become our new uniform considering the weather in new york lately. barbour waxed cotton jackets are stylish, classic and weather resistant. ready to fight off wind, slush, snow, rain, hail…bring it on!by kv
what does one do when they are an overworked and overstressed creative professional? why, they move to the estados unidos mexicanos. usually people sleep, read, tan and possibly sip some tequila, but when you can’t help but start your own product line during your escape you know it’s in your blood. although it’s always too few and far between crossing paths, the creator of scout & catalogue is one of my favorite people, and here you can see why. you can find these hand crafted products of love at on etsy.com. by kl
fashion week is around the corner, hipsters are getting ready, magazines, luxury brands and model agents are throwing their parties… and hell, we will probably dread to a few, but i strongly doubt if we’ll find anything this beautiful and tempting at any one place in new york this season…
let me tell you… 12 years ago i bought a hand made classical/acoustic guitar from the legendary rudy’s music on 48th street (NYC) built by a small unknown guitar maker from spain for a little over a 1000. this guitar has become my love ever since, and the soft warm sound and the cedar smell has been my sole source of inspiration in unsuccessfully mastering eric satie triads… fast-forward to last friday, a cold sunny new york day, when i was strolling past the window of a music store in soho (who ever knew there was one?) where i saw a vintage gretsch. i walked in… past the gretschs, and simply fell in love again. upstairs were 12-16 pieces of craftsmanship to die for. it was only then, that i realized that this was in fact the newly opened rudy’s music downtown… and of course… (i mean who else?) now all i need is enough practice to earn and more importantly deserve one, and a lot more money to ever afford one. here are just 3 of my new loves. all totally acoustic, and all beautifully crafted…
item # 1: the 1998 d’aquisto prototype – $140,000 +plus
“james d’aquisto became an apprentice to acclaimed archtop builder john d’angelico when he was 17 and started making guitars under his own name when d’angelico died in 1964. in the opinion of many collectors, d’aquisto’s archtops were actually superior to d’angelico’s legendary instruments. the model above (avant garde) is considered one of d’aquisto’s finest achievements. he made this prototype in 1988 for vintage guitar dealer/collector hank risan who supplied the luthier with many ideas about its construction. risan sold the guitar to a private collector for $140,000. that said perhaps the most valuable d’aquisto is a one-of-a-kind advance model (not pictured) that was made for renowned vintage guitar collector, scott chinery. the estimated value of that guitar is $250,000, but, according to chinery collection curator, mike carey, it is not for sale”.
these are not electric guitars, but fully acoustic onesitem #2: gibson (1939) super-400C
you cant ever compare any two but here’s a more affordable masterpiece that still beckons a certain mastery. a beautifully crafted acoustic gem. (1939 gibson super 400C – S/N EA5384)“with original sunburst finish and spruce top, maple back/sides, 2 piece maple neck, ebony fingerboard and chrome hardware.”
item #3: gibson (1929) L-5 “snakehead”
and yet another rare dream… closer in reach than the first, but still a handful of responsibilities. “…a 1929 Gibson L-5 “snakehead” in original vintage sunburst finish. the guitar had the fretboard professionally replaced years ago. a little bit of binding repair has been done on the body, but very minimal. otherwise in fantastic original condition! plays beautifully, and sounds gorgeous!”
so if you are here, for what ever reason, and if you care for such things, don’t miss the chance to visit rudy’s. conveniently located near cipriani downtown. please park all cheesy italian sports cars in the back. by dd
there’s something charming about using a pencil over pen. like a rotary phone over mobile or temperamental film over digital photos. you can find the perfect pencil at graf von faber-castell, which is made from fine california cedar, has a replaceable eraser, and extender with integrated sharpener in silver or platinum. by kl
not a fan of jewelry in any way, especially the the overtly expensive ones, but i can see the desire of owning the rarest in any thing… it surely gives you the illusion of being special, perhaps even when you aren’t.
laurence graff paid more than $25,000,000 for this gem attaching his name to the original: “i’ve been privileged over the years to own some of the world’s most important and famous diamonds, but i would say that the wittelsbach diamond is the most valuable and the most beautiful. i had the opportunity to examine and value it in my own offices, and i came to the conclusion it was one of the rarest stones i’d ever seen. i knew it was a stone we had to have,”
initially valued at around $15,000,000, graff paid more than $25,000,000. in a controversial move he had it re-cut and polished, reducing it from 35.5 carats to little over 31 carats. critics say the act compromised the historical integrity of the stone, but mr. graff disagrees.
“every diamond that was ever mined, every diamond that was ever polished and cut, is still with us. who knows the story that this stone will tell in a thousand years time.” got a point the buddy. but 25 million dollars is a lot to make a point.by dd
a visual collective outlet of inspiration
after fendi pulled all of their existing fragrances off the market, for over a year, there was a vacant spot begging to be filled. “fan di fendi” is the newest launch due in stores this september 2010. the simple yellow packaging and the proportion of the bottle are quite beautiful and summary, however the name is a little uncool for our taste. not only it sounds odd upon first read, its rather a direct derivative of the very successful j’adore dior. one would have expected karl lagerfeld to resist it just for that, but one can see how such a name can make marketing directors and the family filled with excitement. after all who doesn’t want “fans”… or for that matter to be “adored”. the only problem is that naming it that doesn’t necessarily make it so. the jus is signed by perfumer delphine lebeau-krowiakj and the ad campaign is, once again, created by mr baron (yawn!) and features models anja rubik, abbey lee and karmen pedaru suspended in a moment of rock and roll ecstasy.
