Black and White is the new Green

After securitisation divided up and re-bundled mortgages until all transparency had disappeared while in fashion batik patterns flowed into one another to form an indefinable confusion of colours, and even the press releases from the Near East had become more and more diffuse, we now finally need to get back to some clarity again. When the times are uncertain the simplicity provided by black and white categories acts like a lifeline in a sea of randomness. Instead of just drifting uncertainly we can once more be decisive. Black and white is the new green.

Sherwood Forlee, product designer from Hong Kong, and the Japanese graphic artist Mihoko Ouchi are united by a common passion for carbohydrates. They have named themselves «the. team.» and produce highly versatile design objects for our everyday use with a sense of fun.
What appears to be two or three cups nestled within each other is actually only one cup. Stacked Cups are available in white and black, and in triple, double and single sizes.

Speak-er are high-qualtiy multimedia speakers that plug directly into your computer or MP3 player. Their iconic shape put the «speak» in speakers. Set includes a left and right speaker and power adapter.

Storage space
A new product from the imm cologne 2009: the shelf unit by Ferdinand Uschold from Münster's Academy of Design is partly a utilitarian furnishing item and partly an artistic object. With its individual MDF elements it can adapt itself to any space, providing the required storage capacity with a multiplicity of positioning and stacking options. Each element is fitted with a strip of rubber which makes sure that it is stable and can't slip.

Trance
Artifort presents the designer duo Mathias Seiler and Stephan Veit. Their design Trance is an elegant chair with a strikingly stylish curved seat and a transparent backrest made of plastic. Light, airy and comfortable, it is for the moment available with four legs or a cross base, rigid or with an adjusting mechanism.

Looks
The design of the chair «Looks» by Patrick Norguet for Artifort is an ode to the Danish furniture designer Hans Wegner and to the first plastic chair of the Fifties. «Looks» consists of a 4-legged base and a GFK seat and backrest with clean lines. The two large openings emphasise the simplicity of form and the elegance of the chair. The shell is available in white or in black, the seat is without upholstery or with a flat, elegant cushion in leather or fabric.

Nolen Niu
Since 2005 the credo of the American firm of Nolen Niu is «Design with simplicity, function and comfort ».

Knitted Tie
McQueen's Savile row tailoring comes to the fore this season, sleek modern masculinity is back with slim body focused cuts, form fitting fabrics and a healthy pinch of disco glamour. This could possibly be our favourite collection yet from the legendary Brit designer.

Rick Owens Shirt
Remaining true to his aesthetic of a minimalist palatte and dramatic structure, the s/s pieces from Rick Owens are the ultimate in anti-glamour. Raw textures, great details and simple draped cuts are what he does best. His line is easy to wear but looks incredible on. Here a semi-sheer drape cardigan knit in black. Sleeves are extra long and fine ribbed whilst the body is a fine knit. The collar is a ruffled thick knit and there’s a thick statement seam that runs down the back from collar to hem.

The structures of Gianfranco
A feeling for structures and geometrical forms: the Gianfranco Ferré spring/summer 2009 collection, the first under the creative management of Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi.

Spring at Chanel
In spite of the gloomy times Karl Lagerfeld says that he has cleared everything out of the way and started «with a clean white sheet of paper». An all-white collection sounds like clinical minimalism, but the Spring 2009 Couture from Chanel is much more of an uplifting rite of spring with contemporary graphics, ravishing romanticism and surprisingly innovative details.

Not For Everyone
N4E1 is a premium street wear label originating from the high life of Hong Kong, specializing in apparel and aesthetics geared towards the social elite. N4E1 redefines the boundaries of premium street wear. All of the garments are specifically cut and sewn to exact specifications and then finished with distinctive quality prints. All products are produced in limited numbers.

Confetti Trainer and Marble Sports
This piece takes inspiration from 70’s Austrian running shoes. A monochrome patent upper in black is embellished with confetti in celebration of the label’s 20th anniversary. The upper will age and flake over time. Made from lambskin and split calfskin, with a rubber sole.

"Jil Sander must always be pure, and I'm aware of making any reference minimal, but I also want to show my freedom to be inspired by the moment." sais Raf Simons, successor designer at Jil Sander
Jil Sander ‘Limoges’ marbled hooded sports jacket with a double breasted press stud fastening, two waist pockets and an internal zip pocket. This style is a boxy fit and sits on the waist. The marble print is a key show piece for Jil Sander’s AW08 mainline collection.