Vienna EOOS

One day, over 20 years ago, three men met while applying for admission to the University of the Applied Arts in Vienna.  Out of this chance meeting blossomed Vienna’s EOOS design firm.  EOOS, which derived its name from one of the four winged horses of Aurora, has a steadfast reputation for never doing a project they’re not interested in.  While this caused some lean times for the three founders in the beginning, it also garnered Gernot Bohmann, Harald Gründl, and Martin Bergmann a respected reputation, which after years of struggle not only paid off, but also allowed them to develop their signature approach – Poetical Analysis. Read the rest of this entry »

ic! berlin. Collaborating with White Line Hotels

“Elton John has a pair.  Madonna has 6 and the king of Morocco – he has 42!”

ic! berlin. Glasses with Heart.

Meet Ralph Anderl, the man behind Berlin eyewear legends ic! berlin.  There’s no doubt that his firm epitomizes style, confidence and individuality. Their daring runway walk made a big splash at Berlin’s Fashion Week, furthering their reputation as a firm that’s not afraid to take risks. Read the rest of this entry »

Vienna. Breaded Escalope and Fast Flowers

Vienna’s Breaded Escalope Studio (bE), run by Sascha Mikel, Martin Schnabl and Michael Tatschl has a history of challenging the system, or rather, improving upon faulty yet well established systems in our day to day lives.  Their design philosophy integrates strategies of social sustainability with the idea that objects and environments should facilitate interaction and add convenience to the lives of users.

The studio doesn’t create work; rather it makes “statements” which are often produced through playfully interactive performances.  They don’t believe in adhering to traditional standards of beauty, however they do believe in the poetics of a communicative and functional product.  Their statements are a result of a research-based approach and results in the production of a limited edition of “statements”. Read the rest of this entry »

Slow Cow

Slow Cow, it's no Bull

Lino Fleury founder of Slow Cow, whose mission it is to “de-stress the world”, announced recently that production of his Canadian “relaxation” drink will commence in Europe, China and the US in a matter of months.

Slow Cow (the name not totally inspired by Red Bull, but partly by the relaxed persona of the cow) contains a number of natural relaxation substances, helping you to slow down a little and take the stress out of life.

Ingredients include, L-Theanine – a relaxation substance that actually improves overall cognition while increasing cerebral levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter of pleasure.  Chamomile with its reputed anti insomnia qualities.  Passion flower – a helpful sleep agent. Valerian, Tilia and Hops are all popular in reducing anxiety and stress. Sodium is commonly used in reducing fatigue during exercise.

So, keep your eyes on the energy drink shelves in the coming weeks.  Slow Cow – the drink that will calm you down, is hitting stores near you soon.

Whiter than White

Byredo Blanche

Our favourite Swedish brand Byredo, who recently signed a deal to provide the Hotel Skeppsholmen with toiletries, have launched a new perfume called Blanche (White).   With their 8th fragrance to date, the colour white is approached as epitomising the essence of a person who remains unnamed.

According to Byredo founder Ben Gorham:  “The idea for Blanche is, as the name suggests, built around my perception of the colour white. For the first time i actually made a fragrance for and with a specific person in mind.  I wanted to capture her innocent and untainted side, with a fragrance almost transparent in nature. Blanche also represents an appreciation for classic beauty.  The fragrance is pure and simple in structure but extreme in character.”

A 100 ml bottle is priced at 115 € and available at shop.byredo.com.