People and Places

When you look through Japanese designer Mikiya Kobayashi‘s extensive portfolio of furniture and product designs, you would be forgiven for thinking that you are looking at the work of someone more than twice his age. The refined choice of materials, the carefully considered proportions and the attention to detail that can be found in each of his designs makes them appear as if they have taken a lifetime to perfect. However it’s taken Mikiya just a few years, his online portfolio features 60 perfectly formed products yet he only set up his design studio in 2006 after graduating from Musashino Art University in 2005. Read the rest of this entry »

These beautiful photographs were taken earlier this year in Sindh in south eastern Pakistan following the 2010 floods. At first glance the tree in this picture looks like a dramatic plume of smoke. However, on closer inspection you can see that the branches are in fact covered in a dense weave of cobwebs created by the spiders taking refuge from the flood waters. Aside from creating unexpected, ghostly works of art, the spider’s webs also kept the dangerous mosquitoes from the stagnant water at bay, which reduced the spread of malaria. Read the rest of this entry »

While looking through this month’s edition of Apartamento magazine I came across the work of Serbian designer Ana Kraš. However I didn’t find her work within the magazine’s editorial, it was actually featured on the above full page advert for American Apparel. It would seem that those clever advertising people at American Apparel’s headquarters have struck upon the idea of sharing their advertising space in design magazines with young, up and coming designers such as Ana Kraš - I suppose in the hope that some of Ana’s cool factor will rub off onto their brand. (It also helps that she’s ridiculously beautiful).

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Last month I stumbled across the magical work of Australian jewelry label Billy Bride, whose rough cut crystal ring designs are now at the very top of my Christmas list. Their striking jewelry is all handmade in Australia from locally sourced minerals, stones and crystals. The lady behind the label is Renee Warne, who runs Billy Bride from her studio in Sydney. What is particularly beautiful about her work is her clear passion for the materials she works with. Renee researches and details on her website each crystal’s spiritual properties so her customers can find a design that not only looks striking but also has symbolic importance. Lin-Morris caught up with Renee to find out more about her crystal obsession and to see her latest collection, Enter Oblivion, which sees the designer sourcing materials from outside of Australia for the first time. Read the rest of this entry »