Bobbin Talk

COINONIA - Off-Tension

COINONIA is the fashion label by Kiho Kim from Korea and Momoko Hashigami from Japan. They established COINONIA in 2010, Milan and launched their first 2010-2011F/W collection in Paris. The name is inspired by the Greek concept of “Koinonia” – sharing, relationship, and communication. It is an idealized state of relationship, an idea of harmonized participation in a team. COINONIA is a label of two designers collaborating as a team while sharing their creativity, passion, and philosophy for fashion and life.

Kiho Kim graduated from Hangseung University in Seoul, worked for Parkyounsoo as an assistant designer for 3 years. Then he studied pattern making at Carlo Secoli in Milan and fashion design at Polimoda in Florence. During his study he won several international competitions and was a finalist for ITS3. After finishing his studies he worked at Antonio Marras for 4 years.

Momoko Hashigami majored in international studies at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, then studied at Tokyo’s Bunka Fashion College. She graduated from the women’s fashion department of Central St Martin’s, London. While studying she gained work experience at John Galliano and other Paris fashion houses. She participated in several international competitions including ITS4. After graduating Momoko spent 2 years at Antonio Marras.

This collection is called:  Off-Tension
“A moment when something gets suddenly released from a certain tension or balance.”

 

All photos from coinonia.tumblr.com/

McGARRAH JESSEE Offices

While I was in Austin I had the opportunity to visit the award winning McGarrah Jessee advertising agency office (during their rooftop music party of course)!

They have a gorgeous open space with chic modern furniture and an incredibly large art piece that took my breath away.

What I loved the most was the wall of photos of all the employees as you enter the offices. The catch is that they are all baby photos. How fun is that? Wouldn't you love to see your boss as a baby?

You know this guy was meant for a creative job!

And one of this agency's biggest clients is Shiner beer. You know by this photo that that was somehow meant to be!

Galleria T

This post comes from my fashionable and model handsome friend Derrick Jones, who lives in Rome, Italy and while working for Burberry also looks out for unique fashion stories and designers which can be featured on BobbinTalk. Thank you, Derrick!


"The whole concept of Galleria-T is about creating and exhibiting beautiful pieces of unique wearable art, where the clothing is the canvas.'" Quite a strong mission statment from Galleria-T's creator Eric Hall.

You have to commend Eric for leaping in to a field that is bombarded with so much fierce competition that it would make a weak man cringe at the very thought of the undertaking. But this englishman in Milan shows no fear and takes his creative process far beyond the traditional idea of this steadfast wardrobe staple. What would make another t-shirt so interesting? Well just glance at the ad campaign. What is your eye drawn to? It is not the  heavy sexual mood that the dark backdrop offers but instead it might be the bold prints and silhouettes which call the eye and which  makes this " t-shirts" hybrids between a casual cover-up and a chic frock.

You can see in the details  of every piece, the collaboration with international artists, illustrators, designers, musicians and just a dash of Eric's own boyish charm. These elements along with a special, secret sauce, which goes in to every USA printed top give the wearer the complete Galleria T experience.

Designed by American artist Danielandhisart this tee is called 'The World will end in Fire'

Created by American designer Nathan Opdahl this tee is called 'Veronica'

For more info visit galleria-t.com

Coat Check Chair

What a brilliant idea! Plastic hangers and a steel bar was all it took Joey Zeledón to design this Coat Check Chair. It is a concept chair design that seeks to encourage people to hang their coats up properly.

Design firm: Continuum
Website: www.dcontinuum.com
Industrial designer: Joey Zeledón

Coat Check is a concept chair design that seeks to encourage people to hang their coats up properly. The design simply appropriates the plastic hangers and the steel bar from a standard closet and creates a chair from those elements. The idea is to bring these items out into the open to be seen and thus remembered on a daily basis. The chair could be great for house parties or just daily routine. Coat Check also has the potential to be used in women’s clothing boutiques, helping with dressing room organization. The challenge was to design an experience that brought the closet to life. To bring the elements of the closet out of the closet, and into the foreground of a person’s daily routine. The chair, if produced, would made from extruded steel tubing and tubular plastic hangers Coat Check takes its form from existing products and combines them to create a new and rewarding experience in a way that’s fun and unexpected.

French Nautical

I've been noticing a lot of Nautical stripes and a navy/white combination with a bright orange/red pop color for spring. It reminds me of a care free French girl (which I would love to be at least for a day). I know I already have a striped top in my closet, all I need is that bright pop color. I would probably do it in a scarf instead of socks.

The Obsession of Looking Better

One of my Parsons students presented sketches for a really interesting concept collection yesterday. It's not your regular design ideas! And it might not even be a viable clothing collection, but it certainly raises questions and puts forward the efforts some women go through to look more fashionable! I personally have gone the organic way, with healthy eating and exercises, but looking at so many reality shows, featuring younger and younger women going under the knife or models starving themselves I feel a minority. What does it take to make us, women feel good about ourselves?

  
All sketches by Kristen Wrobel.

 

The Snow in Motion

Totally fitting for yesteraday's snowstorm, and today's icy aftermath! Yes! I feel like I'm twirling in a frozen world too!

OntFront Store Opening

One of my favorite emerging design labels OntFront, Dutch duo Tomas Overtoom and Liza Koifman has opened their first brand store.
The interior of the store features espresso brown walls with golden clothing racks (designed by architect ADA design) Large picture of a Zazou, a dandy rebel from Paris in 1944, takes a prominent place at the entrance. The Zazous were an infamous subculture during the second world war. These youngsters showed their identity and vision on life through clothing and slick hairdo’s. It was the time of bebop- and swing jazz. The Zazou represents everything that OntFront stands for: style, music, originality, vision and creativity.

Video by Just Another Nerd, music and sound by Fullcrate, actor Ruben Solognier.

I love their Fall Winter collection video even more. The collection is called shift gear and the video is a great blend of action, vivid graphics and a street-race action heroes, inspired by sleek sports cars like Lamborghini and Spyker.

Director: Tjeerd Braat D.O.P. - Marnix Postma (marnixpostma.com) Animation & Editing - Tjeerd Braat (tjeerd@justanothernerd.nl) Track - Curtamos - Trouble (curtamos.com) Sound FX - Christian Cardenas (sparkbeatz.com) Erasmus @ Ulla models, Matthieu @ Name models

Hair and Animal Hats

We got the first flurries today so I've pulled out my warmest hat, which totally reminded me of the fun hats I've seen lately (mostly animal heads with all of their fun parts knitted).

And THEN... I discovered these puppies by Nagi Noda, made out of hair!

New York

I love Bergdorf Goodman's windows and try to photgraph them as often as possible. Windows are really hard to photograph during the day as there is too much glare from the passing cars and people but this time it felt that the city theme blended perfectly with the bikes and meters in the windows. I actually love the overlay of the busy traffic! Inside and outside worlds collide and blend perfectly together!

The windows were still "In progress" so the forgotten tool made it even better for me! How often do you get to see an imperfect Bergdorf window!?!

All photos with iPhone Hipstamatic app.