DESIGN
LEMON MAGAZINE
From the creative duo of Kevin Grady and Colin Metcalf, the team behind the lauded multi-formatGum Magazine, comes the bi-annual Lemon magazine. They call their second art-, culture-, and design-obsessed publication with a food-related title, "pop culture with a twist" and envision it as something like LIFE Magazine's little bro. If their debut "Supernatural" issue is any indication, it's a winning combination for many reasons, not the least of which is their indie ethos and for-us-by-us approachÑthe upshot feels like two creative types spent a year calling all their favorite artists, reinventing magazine concepts and layout, and drinking too much coffee.

Featuring a bug-eyed model on a cover printed with a transparent fleur-de-lys-type pattern, the premiere includes interviews with heavyweights like artist Jeff Koons and designer Rick Valicenti and a fanciful comic book-style spread on Aesop Rock, Annie, and Fischerspooner. Most of the issue keeps to the theme, especially Bill Armstrong's ghostly images, the results of Grady and Metcalf's project that tasked designers with illustrating Tarot cards, and a loosely-narrated column by the controversial author JT Leroy. Interspersed with full-bleed 60s Op-Art and lemon-scented inserts, the new magazine is a playful and sophisticated way to get a dose of culture in a just-unconventional-enough format.


HESTER STREET COLLABORATIVE: BAD DESIGN DARTS

Hester Street Collaborative, the non-profit devoted to improving NYC's physical places and spaces through community participation, has been coming up with innovative solutions to urban problems since 1997 when it was founded by the architecture firm Leroy Street Studio. Some of their approaches, including "Bad Design Darts," a game that targets unsuccessful elements of design and "Step on Your Neighborhood Pavers," neighborhood-specific imprinted concrete blocks, are the focus of an exhibit at The Municipal Art Society that's up now and runs through 19 April 2006. An opening reception happens tomorrow, 22 February 2006, from 6-8pm. RSVP by emailing rsvp at mas dot org or calling 212-935-2075.

The Municipal Art Society
457 Madison Avenue @ 51st Street
New York, NY 10022


READYMADE BLOG
The ineffable ReadyMade Magazine is the ultimate do-it-yourself (DIY) publication. Each issue is packed with how-to do-it-yourself fashion that's easy, inexpensive, and always creative.

You can get more than a light sample by checking out the brand-new ReadyMade blog. There's a wide range of samples here, everything from costumes for your iPod to designer vases made from recycled wine and liquor bottles.


ROTHCO CAMO FLASK, SNEAKERS AND SOCKS
Rothco has been hooking up military and civilian customers with their camouflage gear since the 1950s. We're fans of their classic sneakers, and find their camo flaskappropriately discreet for outdoor sippin'. The camo socks are another favorite.

A camo flask and a pair of hi-tops (men's size 8 only) will be given to the first CH reader who sends us the correct answer to this question: Andy Warhol painted many camouflage portraits, all of which were commissioned except for self-portraits and those of which person? Send your guesses to us here, and mention camo flask or camo sneakers in the subject.

Update: Thanks to all of the CH readers who wrote in. The correct answer according toDPM, our trustworthy guide to all things camo, is Warhol's friend and fellow artistJoseph Beuys.


THIS WEEK AT REFINERY29
Here are some highlights from this week atRefinery29: Steven Alan may be at the helm of a mini fashion empire in New York, but his local city roots go deeper than just apparel. He led Refinery29 to his favorite under-the-radar haunts and hangouts in his native Chinatown, including a a Pakistani tea house and the New York Ping Pong club. Robert Geller is another New York men's fashion icon with his Cloakimprint; now he's developed a beautiful new women's collection, Harald, which evokes a fresh spin on urban sophistication. In a similar vein, jewelry designer Lisa Levine may be based out of New York, but her sexy, slightly offbeat jewelry is inspired by way of the Southwest and Mexico and combine modern designs with found objects and organic materials.


MALFIS AND MORE
Miami-based makers of quirky toys Friends With Youhave been busy as usual. They were recently featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami during Art Basel where they debuted The BoyÑa new pleather figure that they call "a magical spirit." Currently, they have a solo show at Merry Karnowsky Gallery in Los Angeles that runs through 4 March 2006, and just last month introduced six new plush toys. One of these, a Super Malfi (pictured above, middle) showed up at Cool Hunting HQ and has been amusing passersby since with details like the bellybutton sewn in the center of its pleather squash-shaped body.

The other line of toys, the Burger Bunch, are a group of segmented, modular dolls that include Bumble Grump,Mr. TTT Burger, and Muffin. See a group shot after the jump.


WHAT'S UP? NEWS MAP

Jeroen Wijering is a recent graduate of the Design Academy in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. One of his most recent projects is a Flash-based news map called What's Up?. New stories are highlighted on the map, and a balloon appears with a headline; clicking on the balloon sends you to the source of the story.

We still think the Newsmapis the most successful news monitor because it also measures the volume of coverage a story is receiving, but we like Jeroen's approach and execution.


TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES

Evisu and Puma joined forces once again to make a line of premium denim jeans called "True Love Never Dies" officially dropping on Valentine's day. The launch party is set for this coming Monday, 13 February at a party held in Puma's Soho store where they will be sold exclusively. The three washes range from distressed to a dark non-distressed, the priciest of which will set you back $180. Of note is the back pocket "formstripe" that with wear reveals the classic Puma band.

Check out some detail shots on Hypebeast. See more images and a flyer after the jump.

Puma
521 Broadway
New York, NY

Publisher: coolhunting
Since February 2003 Josh Rubin's Cool Hunting has been a daily update on stuff from the intersection of design, culture and technology. Josh started the site as a way to catalog things that inspire him in his practice as a designer and strategist. Today Cool Hunting has grown beyond a personal reference tool-- designers, consumers and marketers from around the world visit every day to get their dose. As the site became increasingly fueled by contributions from readers, Josh realized Cool Hunting should be a collective. He now serves as Editor of the site and wrangles contributions from a small gaggle of hand picked writers who are out finding great things and looking at all the stuff readers are feeding us.
Web: www.coolhunting.com
Published: february 2006
Market: mens womens
Region: usa

DISCLAIMER
Information in this report relies on sources including Trade Shows, Associations, News Releases, Government Reports and other public sources. Infomat can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof.