If there is one word that sums up Stockholm based design studio Form Us With Love it is dedication. Since we first wrote about them back in 2007, FUWL have been dedicated to challenging the conventional through their innovative and holistic design thinking. Despite partnering with companies involved in the development and production of everyday objects, furniture and lighting, the studio has created an impressive body of designs that are far from everyday.
Take a look below at a selection of our favorite new designs from Form Us With Love and find about more abouy the interesting interior they recently created for the Haberdash store in Stockholm:
We´ve long been on the hunt for a practical but good looking shelving system for the lifeiscarbon® offices and finally it looks like we may have found the ideal solution.
No. 5 is a new storage system designed by Jesper Ståhl for the Swedish furniture company Voice. Designed to grow with peoples´ needs, all of the modules and fittings in the system are standardised and can be built and re-built in countless different ways without losing their fundamental design. The door, drawer and shelf elements enable up to 72 different combinations to be built. Unlike many shelving solutions, the system can be mounted on the wall or placed on metal legs, on a plinth or on wheels. We love the fact that the back panels come in four colours and three veneers.
Follow the link to see more images from the No. 5 shelving system from Voice of Sweden:
Established in 2002, Hay launched their debut furniture collection at IMM Cologne in 2003. From day one, the Copenhagen based company have had an unabashed ambition to encourage Danish design´s return to its innovative greatness of the 1950's and 1960's, albeit in a contemporary context.
With a commitment to design furniture and accessories with an international appeal, Hay strive to make great design accessible to all by producing distinctive pieces with an affordable price tag. What´s more, the company seems genuinely committed to nurturing and promoting the originality of young talent as well as stretching the imagination of established designers. All whilst making use of cutting-edge manufacturing technology. Few companies manage to operate as successfully as Hay in the space between architecture and fashion and fewer still can boast so many award winning designs.
Follow the link below to view a selection of our favorite pieces from Hay. A difficult selection to make given that lifeiscarbon® is in love with so many of their designs:
The talented new Danish designer Atifa Rasooli recently debuted her A/W 2012 collection and lifeiscarbon® have instantly found a new Scandinavian fashion favorite. Having been partly inspired by the humble somberness of quiet Winter days in Denmark and partly by the folkloric silhouettes of Japanese warriors, has resulted in a strikingly avant-garde ready-to-wear aesthetic that emanates a sombre and melancholic beauty.
The refinement of silk melting into mat wools and cottons gives the collection softness and variation. Very deliberately, the color range is kept within a strict palette of black, gray and white..... the colors of stillness according to Atifa Rasooli; "Everything imaginable and unimaginable is created from stillness. Stillness is where all creations begin. I am the messenger of stillness. Bringing back the strength of humble appearance with hidden nobility."
Follow the link to see the stunning A/W 2012 collection from Atifa Rasooli:
Excusing the clumsy alliteration (not quite qualifying as a tautogram), Kim Høltermand is the master of monochromatic minimalism and a new favorite of lifeiscarbon®.
Born in 1977, Kim Høltermand is a freelance architectural and landscape photographer from Denmark. Høltermand was born into a creative family, with both his father and grandfather being artists, and his grandfather having once worked as an architect. His work has appeared in numerous publications around the world and has so far been exhibited in France, China, Russia and his native Denmark. Despite his burgoing career in photography, which only began a few years ago, Kim Høltermand's day job has him working as a fingerprints expert in the Crime Scene Unit of The Danish National Police.
Follow the link to see a selection of our favorite works by Kim Høltermand and to read about his multi-media collaboration Outliers, Vol. I: Iceland:
If you´ll allow, there seems no better way to introduce the Icelandic fashion brand Kormákur & Skjöldur then to quote Steve Jobs words; "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently.." Crazy perhaps, but we see fashion genius.
The Kormákur & Skjöldur brand was established in the fall of 2010 by Kormákur Geirharðsson, Skjöldur Sigurjónsson and fashion designer Guðmundur Jörundsson. The brand was established around Kormákur and Skjöldur's menswear store Herrafataverzlun Kormáks & Skjaldar (which had been established in 1996), in order to introduce their particular take on classic menswear with a modern twist. With two previous Autumn/Winter collections already sold out and their first Spring/Summer collection soon in stores, Kormákur & Skjöldur are soon introducing their fourth collection 'dresstheirflesh'.
Follow the link to see some of our favorites from Kormákur & Skjöldur´s recent collections:
As Iggy Pop is to punk, so Bleed are to graphic design. Despite the successive waves of newer design agencies in Scandinavia, Bleed have stayed the course and seem to be consolidating their position as the godfathers of graphic design in Norway.
Established back in 2000, Bleed is a multi-disciplinary design consultancy based in Oslo. With an avowed mission to challenge conventions in art, visual language and identity, they have become one of the most awarded agencies in Norway and received considerable international acclaim. They recently received the Merket For God Design Award from the Norwegian Design Council, for their work for Comoyo.
Follow the link to see some of our favorite projects by Bleed and to find out details about Hunger, a superb limited edition look-book by Bleed:
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. White may well be the new black in Acne Studios latest Capsule Collection (SS 2012) but the rest of their winning formula remains in place; skinny silhouettes and stark Scandinavian simplicity.
“An urban, but free-minded and radically white-only. A mix of different materials and silhouettes, caftans worn with Acne-Girls-Favorites like denims, poplin shirts and light jersey t-shirts, styled with high-summer flat sandals. Seethrough plissé effortlessly meeting shiny irridescent leather. Washed silk crèpe de chine on top of bonded lace. Denim twill worn together with floorlength lace cut-out rubber print jersey.” Jonny Johansson
Follow the link to see our favorite pieces from Acne Studios SS 12 Capsule Collection including the simple but stunning Lucille (short denim twill dress) and sculptural Castle Leather (A-line mini skirt) :
We´ve long been fans of the British PLCE and US MOLLE military load carrying systems (lifeiscarbon® even have a collection of vintage Scandinavian military rucksacks in their heritage archive), so it´s no surprise that we´re fallen for Unit Portables. Apparently the outcome of a collaboration between like-minded individuals with varied backgrounds in design, fashion and technology, Unit Portables have been designed in Stockholm, Sweden.
Put simply, Unit Portables is a system of bags and pouches that allows for the organization of gadgets in a smart way. Currently 4 units are available but Unit Portables are working on new units and promise that Unit 05 will be available by late Summer. It´s de rigueur that Unit Portables come in our two favorite colors of black and white, but for non-purists the series also comes in green, red, yellow and royal blue. Follow the link to see more of the Unit Portables system:
Originally made by tradesmen in Cairo for the British armed forces during the Western Desert Campaign of WW2, the desert boot has been having something of a renaissance over the last few years. It´s hard to improve on an original timeless design but a young Norwegian fashion brand has dared to do just that. Last year, Deep Search launched a capsule collection including a Derby Boot and Oxford Boot as well as their own take on the classic Desert Boot. Crepe souls (which never quite coped with surfaces other than sand) have been replaced with longer lasting Vibram soles, a third eyelet has been added to give a more secure fit and five funky colors have usurped the original sandy suede.
Until now, Deep Search boots have only been available online or from two of our favorite stores in Oslo, Sole Service andFreudian Kicks, but we´re looking forward to the launch of their first concept store in the coming months which is timed to coincide with the brand´s second collection. In the meantime, follow the link to see more images of the Deep SearchAW2011 Collection:
Sweden seems to have cultivated a knack for simplistic fashion with a modern touch. Easy elegance achieved through unfussy design that manages to look both achingly 'now' and enduringly timeless at one and the same time. A much coveted recipe that Swedish designers like Acne, Fifth Avenue Repairand Whyred are proving so incredibly apt at serving up. The latest designer to join their ranks, and an immediate lifeiscarbon® favorite, is Nhu Duong.
Born in Vietnam, Nhu Duong immigrated to Sweden at the age of seven and eventually graduated from Beckmans College of Design in 2008. Following a period as a design assistant at Acne Studios, she debuted at Stockholm Fashion Week in 2009 and went on to produce her first commercial collection for Weekdaythe same year.
Nhu Duong recently revealed her new Autumn Winter 2012 collection, entitled Hooped, to press in Stockholm. Once again, sharp, modern lines are teamed up with nostalgic prints although this time they are sliced into dramatic futuristic silhouettes. Follow the link to see more images from the press launch together together with a selection of our favorites from her Spring Summer 2011 and 2012 collections:
lifeiscarbon® may be digital but we love paper, and S Magazine from Denmark has long been a favorite of ours. Founded in 2004 by the talented Danish photographer Jens Stoltze, the magazine serves up a sophisticated mix of fashion and erotic photography. Initially with contributing photographers from Denmark, the magazine has evolved to include contributions from many well respected international photographers; including amongst many others Simon Emmet, Rankin, Christophe Kutner, Enrique Badulescu, Hiromix and Matthias Vriens-McGrath. The creative team behind the publication includes not only Jens Stoltzebut alsoMads Teglers, Ferdinando Verderi, Christina Chin and Son of Tam.
No one knows for certain what the S in the name stands for, but S Magazine suggest the following; sexy, stylish, shameless, straight forward, swashbuckling, seafaring, soapy, sweaty, symbolic or Scandinavian. Art, Fashion or Porn? We are no strangers to the debate. Decide for yourself by following the link to see a selection of images from S Magazine:
We love the austerity of the work of the Oslo based graphic designer Christian Bielke. Working across a broad spectrum of digital and print media, Bielke develops frugal and succinct designs, often making use of low-tech elements such as hand stamping and embossing. We particularly like the identities Bielke has created for Vibeke SkarandIda Noemi.
Christian Bielke was educated in graphic design at Norway Creative College and Studio 3 (at Westerdals School of Communication) before working for the branding agency, Work. In the past he has founded and contributed to a number of successful nightlife, fashion and design blogs including Oslo Nights and Jubel.FM.
Follow the link to read more about Christian Bielke and to see a selection of his work:
Whilst Scandinavia may be well known for it´s traditional crafted kitchens, notably Swedish companies such as Kvanüm and Lidhults, and countless providers of midprice designer kitchens, the best of which may be Kvik from Denmark, it has been notably lacking in terms of high end ultra-modern kitchens. Scandinavian designers and architects have had to look to European companies like Bulthaup, PoggenpohlandBoffifor suitable solutions. Until now, that is.
Vipp, Danish maker of iconic peddle bins, has more than filled the gap with their "radical reinterpretation of the kitchen". The company´s new furniture concept is complete in every detail - all fixtures, drawer pulls and inserts, as well as gas knobs and taps have been developed by Vipp with the aim of injecting a functional and visual cohesiveness into the kitchen.
Click the link below to see more images of Vipp´s new Kitchen Furniture Range:
Teglers is a committed old school analog photographer who spent his fledgling years in darkrooms mastering film developing techniques and discovering his unique take on his photography. A highly individualistic style that produces images loaded with ambivilence and just a hint of nordic angst. Emotional and strong, yet playful in a quietly understated way.
Click the link below to see a selection of our favorite images from Mads Teglers:
