The Good Wood festival of Speed is on this weekend in West Sussex, England. The event is a garden party held on the grounds of the Good Wood House and is arguably the world’s largest car culture event. Each year Gerry Judah is commissioned to design the central sculpture for the festival and this year was no different. The design brief was to celebrate 50 years of the Jaguar E-Type. The sculpture is beautiful in its simplicity and shape (just like the car itself) as it was engineered using steel cylindrical pipes. However, it is the scale and positioning that impresses the most. The above video does a great job of documenting the story in a very fitting manner, unfortunately we were unable to find a credit. Enjoy!

Just last week I came across this entertaining clip and could sympathize with Casey when he received a hefty fine. I ride my bicycle each day and with this clip fresh in my mind it has made me reconsider my cycling decisions in NYC.

Just yesterday I was riding a few feet behind a police car (in the bike lane of course but clearly visible in both rear vision and side mirrors). We were both moving at a similar pace when the car suddenly hit the brakes, veered left and cut me off in the bike lane. I had to act quickly on my brakes almost toppling over the handlebars. The police officer didn’t sound the siren or flash lights but I assumed he had found a reason to pull me over. I had visions from Casey’s film and expected to be fined – for something….

The policeman didn’t move, he sat still. He definitely wasn’t in a hurry so I edged back on my bike and realised he hadn’t even noticed me. He was totally oblivious. He cut me off almost squashing me between two cars in the process. I rode around his car and stuck my head in the window and thanked him for his safe driving.

NYPD – you guys are bad drivers, unhealthy, unfit and overweight c*#ts.

The documentary Blank City provides an insight into New York’s grungy Lower East Side in the late 1970s. French director Celine Danhier has centered the film around the ‘No Wave’ and ‘Cinema of Transgression’ movements and the influence of Super 8mm cameras.

The picture is guided by the likes of Jim Jarmusch, Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, Susan Seidelman, Blondie’s Debbie Harry, Nick Zedd, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and many others. Danhier explores the cheap (hard to believe) haven that New York was in this time where there were no rules on what you did, no expectations and zero limitations. Dirty, dangerous and bankrupt, these pioneers of film made anything possible.

The feature leaves viewers feeling inspired as Jarmusch highlights that great ideas are far more powerful than money ever will be. See it.

Due to the unfortunate events in Japan earlier this year, White Mountaineering chose not to present the AW11 collection direct to an audience. Instead, they put together this nicely shot and edited 10 minute clip to present the collection. For WM, form does come first, closely followed by function. Many of these outerwear pieces would be suited for AK conditions with the use of high rated water/wind proof Gore Tex fabrics and Taped Seams. Good news for those heading to Alaska.

Tenue de Nimes have recently released the above short video of their 2010 visit to Nigel Cabourn’s home studio in New Castle. Nigel gives us a sneak preview of the SS11 collection, discussing where he drew his inspiration and goes into further detail about some of the separate pieces this season. Whilst we found the filming a little challenging to follow, Nigel’s intensity and attention to detail is right up their with the best of them.

Common Projects and Robert Geller have been collaborating on different projects for a couple of seasons now with great success. This seasons collaboration consisted of a Coat, Jean, Sweatshirt (Jumper) from Robert Geller and Common Projects contributing with the production of Single and Double Monk Strap shoes. The shoes also featuring in the RG runway show. The favourite piece form the collection those is the sweatshirt, available in Heather Grey or our favorite – Blue. Its the small details in the sweatshirt, the ribbing panels down the side under the arms, the weight, the colour that make this item just right and a favorite to wear all year ’round. More »

Common Projects have recently provided us with images of the SS11 collection and we have a selection to share with you courtesy of CP. Keeping in line with the Common Projects ethos must present its challenges. This season they have responded with some very suitable and new additions to the signature minimalist luxury collections they are known for.

New additions include the stonewashed and waxed versions of the Achilles (above) and the Brick Red Rubber soles added to the Oxford Suede dress shoes keeping them casual and wearable for the warmer months. If there is an overall feel to the collection, it is that of sporting vintage. The use of subtle off white vintage soles and an overall colour palette to match work with the new additions of the Running Shoe and perforated leather Summer Achilles. In my eyes, Common Projects have also bravely added the Men’s sandal in three colours, or maybe this is just the Italian influence creeping into the collection. More images below… More »

180º South is not exactly new news as it first Premiered back in February and has been touring the cinemas since. The film is produced by Woodshed films, the producers of numerous surf films that have helped influence and inspire the culture of surfing over the past decade.

“180º South follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life – and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado. Jeff’s life turns when he meets up in a rainy hut with Chouinard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all, the experience of raw nature – and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it”.

The beautiful footage paired with hand drawn Animation by artist Geoff McFetridge is accompanied by enjoyable soundtrack making for one inspiring journey that will most likely make you want to quit your job. The DVD can be found here or on netflix. Enjoy.

There are so many advertisements for perfumes around at the moment. Its easy to block them out all together.

CB I Hate Perfume seem to do things a little differently. They haven’t succumbed to the noise that is infiltrating print and even online media. Their concept is impressive. 

I stumbled across CB’s gallery in Brooklyn last weekend and was confronted by a mass of seriously intriguing and intelligent smells. CB offers two lines of scents. One being their traditional perfume (water based) creations and the other their accords. In the world of smells, the term Accord refers to capturing a very specific smell. This is something these guys have mastered. Some of these scents include whiffs of Clean Baby Butt, Bonfire, Atlas Cedarwood, Leather Glove and Wet Pavement. Really great idea.

If you are ever in Williamsburg, Brooklyn stop by CB and have a look. They are located at 93 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY.

We see typography amongst most of our day to day activities. It is rare that we take the time to appreciate and isolate the text as design. The clip above helps us do so by exploring the recent exhibition of legendary Lou Dorfsman at Kemistry Gallery in Shoreditch, London.

As a student, Dorfsman attended Cooper Square (for the Advancement of Science and Art) where he mastered his trade before serving in the United States Army during WWII using his design skills. It is from here that he was hired as Art Director for the CBS Radio Network in 1946.  

The artist’s works were revolutionary for the time, stretching boundaries of design. His most notable work was the 11m wide x 2.6m, wood carved wall, titled Gastrotypographicalassemblage. The wall alone contained over 1500 typography characters. Lou Dorfsman’s work was truly inspirational and paved the way for many graphic designers today.

If you didn’t make it to the exhibition, Dorfsman & CBS by Dick Hees (1988) displays 40 years of the artist’s work. Whilst it is an older publication, don’t let this take away from the content. Dorfsman & CBS and various prints from the exhibition can be found here.