MASSAUD DESIGNED GLOBE LUGGAGE FOR FPM – FABBRICA PELLETTERIE MILANO

The renowned French designer Jean-Marie creates an affordable luggage line inspired by musical structure and rhythm.

Founded back in 1946, FPM-Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano is a leather goods brand that has come back in recent years with new captivating projects, with the mission to work “in the name of movement”. With the aim to connect with the world of design, the brand has released collaborations with worldwide renowned figures such as Stefano GiovannoniMarc Sadler and Marcel Wanders. FPM’s latest collaboration involves French archistar and designer Jean-Marie Massaud, also known for his previous works with B&B ItaliaAxor HansgroheDiorPoltrana Frau , FoscariniLancômeand Renault .

For FPM he has designed a collection of luggage called Globe, due for release in September 2012. The suitcases come in four sizes and are made of 100% pure polycarbonate. The shapes are a synthesis of function and aesthetics, where the technical solutions serve also as visual marks. We had the chance to meet Massaud for an exclusive interview and a preview of the Globe line.About the project Mr. Massaud says:

1. THE PROJECT:

“It’s a collection of luggage for every kind of situation: it’s lightweight, solid, resistant, efficient, high level in terms of quality and looks. We tried to reduce instead of adding elements, both functionally and visually. As a result it looks like the archetypal professional luggage for photography equipment and electronic devices, but redefined for common use. However, in order to enjoy it you don’t need to carry complicated electronics or optical products. The shape is just a parallelepiped with smooth edges, with the addition of some ribs (two horizontal and two vertical) that give a bit of structure to the luggage.”

2. THE CONCEPT:

“The request from FPM was to have no design, no fashion references, no special attention to fancy colors. That’s why we chose a dark blue that is very close to black, a deep and intense khaki (to stay away from a strong military feel but to give a neat sense of efficiency), a red which recalls Chinese lacquer and a very light and warm grey. There’s also a special edition in white, just because we like white.

FPM wanted to make an affordable product: it’s the less expensive of the collection but not because we sacrificed on quality. For this same reason we also searched for a permanent basic item, meant to stay in the collection for a long time. It didn’t have to look trendy or fashionable—on the contrary, the focus was a simple shape and a large volume, so that we could invest more in the study of details and mechanical fittings. We didn’t want to have a simple basic article without allure or identity, but something meant to be long-lasting as a collection and—from the consumers’ point of view—able to stand the patina of time.”

 

3. DESIGN PROCESS:

“We have designed every single part of the suitcase in the constant quest of efficiency and lightness. We strengthened the structure of the wheels to protect and make them super strong with reinforced plastic and glass fiber. The zipper and the stitches are clearly visible to show how good they are. It’s a strong piece of luggage—efficient and robust—and it has to look like it.”

 

 

 

http://www.massaud.com

http://www.fabbricapelletteriemilano.com

INNOVATIVE MODULAR UNITS BY COODO

Coodo is is a young company which aims to improve existing standards of living through innovative design, modern technology and top materials. Coodo has developed a line of innovative modular units that are perfectly modern and would work just about anywhere.

Modular Unit by Coodo

Each unit can be customized to the owner’s needs and specifications. They’ve designed a multi-functional pavilion, a pergola, a summer kitchen, mobile living units (small summer houses), and a residential building (i.e., a house/condo). Rounded corners and simple designs, making these a great option for people looking for small modular spaces.

http://coodo.si/

OPEN MIRROR: OVAL MIRROR IPHONE:IPOD DOCK

Really design Ipod/Iphone dock. Open Mirror might be the alternative of  a swish Bang & Olufsen CD player with the sliding doors. Italian firm Digital Habits  designed Open Mirror,an oval mirror and custom iPhone/iPod dock with integrated speakers, motion-tracking controls and a mirror ideal to practice your lip-syncing skills in.

Open Mirror by Digital Habits

In the closed position the mirror is oval-shaped. Slide the mirror open to reveal a docking station for your iPhone or iPod to connect. Your various hand movements can control the volume, skip to the next song, or even pause the song you’re on.

Open Mirror by Digital Habits

Digital Habits has released the design of the Open Mirror hardware under the open-source license, which means you can download the schematics and build the whole thing yourself. Alternatively, they’re selling the various parts for you to piece it together, DIY-style, though you’ll still need to buy the Arduino separately and flash it with the appropriate software.

 

http://www.digitalhabits.it/

RECYCLED WOOD FURNITURE COLLECTION BY MITZ TAKAHASHI

Furniture designer Mitz Takahashi, born in Osaka and based Montreal, creates his signature collection of pieces using about 80% recycled wood and materials. Each piece has a mid-century feel with unique characteristics, often with a combination of beautiful woods.

Hallway Console recycled wood by Miz Takahashi

Working mainly on a commission basis, Takahashi crafts everything from bookshelves to guitar amps, and attempts to minimize even more waste by packing flat his designs when possible. His keen eye for harmoniously blending various types of wood keeps his furniture feeling cohesively pieced together, and the smooth finishes breathe new life into each design.

Bench Coffee Tabel recycled wood by Miz Takahashi

Takahashi’s sustainable style isn’t always serious. He recently created a small product line of humorous gifts like his “medieval assholes” coaster set, which showcases his ability to poke fun as well as his fine crafting skills.

 

One NightStand Reclaimed  recycled wood and reclaimed steel by Mitz Takahashi

For more information on Takahashi and his inspired designs, check out his site or contact him directly for commissions or sales inquiries.

 

http://mitztakahashi.com/

twitter.com/mitztakahashi

www.facebook.com/mitz.takahashi

MISS SISSI FLOS LAMP

The high-design lighting retailer Flos has partnered with Bio-on, an Italian biotech company, to reissue an iconic plastic lamp in eco-friendly bioplastic. Flos says Philippe Starck’s new Miss Sissi lamp is the world’s first design object manufactured with Continue reading “MISS SISSI FLOS LAMP”

FINALLY GOOGLE DRIVE CLOUD-STORAGE SERVICE

After weeks of rumors, Google has finally launched GOOGLE DRIVE its Cloud-Storage service. Like Microsoft SkyDrive, Dropbox and Amazon Cloud Drive, the service syncs users’ offline files with an online storage space that can be accessed from anywhere.

Continue reading “FINALLY GOOGLE DRIVE CLOUD-STORAGE SERVICE”

AFTER STEVE JOBS TRIBUTE HONG KONG STUENT DESIGNS COKE IMAGE

Hey, remember that kid who designed the iconic Apple logo incorporating Steve Jobs’ silhouette after the tech icon’s death? He’s back. Hong Kong-based design student Jonathan Mak Long has designed a new logo for Coca Cola, after being approached by Continue reading “AFTER STEVE JOBS TRIBUTE HONG KONG STUENT DESIGNS COKE IMAGE”