Saturday 28 February 2009

Nokia to release mini laptops

Finnish mobile phone producers, Nokia are planning to venture into the computer industry by releasing their own range of laptops. Nokia's CEO Mr. Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo confirmed on Finnish program, A-Plus (YLE) that Nokia are looking into the potential of such a product.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE51O6Z320090225

The interview with Mr. Kallasvuo on A-Plus (in Finnish). He touches on a variety of subjects including Lex Nokia and the economy :

http://www.yle.fi/java/areena/dispatcher/1923984.asx?bitrate=1



BBC Series - British Style Genius

"British Style Genius" (BBC2) looks into the history of British fashion and what has made it so individual and influential.

The series is broken up into 6 parts on YouTube. Here they are:



Part 1 Teds, Mods




Part 2
Teds, Mods (some hip hop styles)



Part 3 Mods, Fred Perry



Part 4 Skinheads



Part 5
Casuals, sportswear from the 80's



Part 6 Casuals, Chavs

Che Part I by Steven Soderbergh



I recently went to see the first installment (2h 13 mins) of "Che." Che is a two part biopic by Steven Soderbergh about the life of Argentine Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

The first installment of the movie (The Argentine) focuses on the Cuban revolution. The movie begins with Castro, Guevara and the other revolutionaries landing on the Caribbean Island and ends in the successful overthrowing of the dictatorship of Military Leader/President Fulgencio Batista. The movie follows the revolutionaries as they advance towards Havana and in between we get to follow Che in his role as the head of the Cuban delegation at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Puerto Rican actor, Benicio del Toro won the Best Actor Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for his portyal of Che in the movie.

I think the movie should of concentrated more on Che, the person. No reasons were given as to why he decided to leave to Cuba and leave his family behind or why he decided to leave Cuba after the revolution. Overall it was a good movie especially when taking into account that Che Guevara is probably not the most easiest topic to tackle for a movie. The directing by Soderbergh was, at times, visually stunning but the movie gives more of an image of another war movie than an actual biopic of Che.

Friday 27 February 2009

SW1 - High Quality Shoes


I am proud to introduce to you shoe company, SW1. Their trademark, the postal district of St. James´s in London, is a tribute to where some of the best bespoke shoemakers have had their workrooms throughout the centuries. Their store is located at Via Morone, 8 Milan.



Francesco D'Urso

Interview with Francesco D'Urso, one of the founding partners of SW1:

1) Please explain the idea behind your store?

Our store comes out from the passion of myself and my partner Enrico Hintermann for shoes. We simply wanted to put up a store we would have wished Milan had with the possibility to extend the project as a brand. As to the shoes themselves we wanted to give continuity to the styles and lasts of the great English and Italian tradition, with reference to the latter in particular the bespoke tradition, which is unfortunately disappearing and which we wanted to maintain at least with reference to styles and lasts in a ready to wear line. The shoes in our "Grandi Maestri Italiani" line are indeed exact replicas of actual bespoke shoes of the late 50s and the 60s, which was a golden age in Italian bespoke shoemaking (and not only).

2) When did you get interested in fashion?

Our project is actually the exact opposite of fashion but, paradoxically, there is a lot of interest for it by people of the fashion system.

3) Who are the most stylish men in your opinion?

I would not make a single name. On the opposite I would refer to the late 50s and 60s as a period. The average men in that period were dressed better than the best dressed men nowadays.

4) How would you define Milanese men's style?

The Milanese style as I mean it is all about refined traditional suits, shirts and shoes of base colours as blue and grey for suits, white and sky blue for shirts, for the formal ambit and a somewhat more colourful but never excessive look for week ends. Very traditional and very refined in any case.

5) What are some of your most popular shoes?

I would say that our most popular shoe is the "Sloop" which is a bit of a one of a kind. It is a loafer with a leather sole but with some elements of a boat shoe. Sort of a traditional italian loafer morphed in a boat shoe. The result is a shoe which may be worn with jeans or chinos but also with a suit or a blazer. Also very popular is our trad. Italian loafer, named "Flaminia", which is nowadays almost impossible to find ready to wear in its original likes.


SW1 offers a variety of elegant traditional shoes in different leathers, colors, and styles. Pictured above is the "Sloop." I warmly recommend SW1 to anyone who is looking to buy an elegant pair of shoes.



Model Style - Taylor Warren




Taylor Warren
Nationality: American
Birthday: October 6, 1987
Born In: Gloversville, NY
Lives Now: New York, NY

1) How did you get into modelling?
Around the age of 9, I decided that this was what I wanted to do with my life..

2) What is the most exciting campaign you have been involved with?
The H&M Campaign shoot was all sorts of amazing. Amazing location, amazing styling, amazing CREW, amazing hotel. Amazing amazing amazing.

3) Who are your favourite designers?
This is an impossible question because I honestly believe I can find something to wear from any given collection. But surprisingly to some, I have a very big sweet spot for Jill Stuart. As far as clothes I can never afford; Balmain.

4) Where do you usually shop for your clothes?
Most of my clothes are very cheap. I save my money for shoes and bags. I don't find things that are super expensive to be worth the money most of the time, its usually way too trendy to invest that much $. But bags and shoes... I'll take a dive.

5) Which fashion brands would you like to work for?
Any of them that find me appropriate for their aesthetic. I would never say no. Unless it was absolutely terrible, but they probably pay more....

6) How do you stay in shape?
I have ridiculous genetics. I live in Major cities, so there's a lot of walking involved. I think if you are constantly moving, you don't necessarily need to count calories or carbs. Or anything for that matter. Eat when you're hungry, don't eat when you're not hungry and don't sit on your bum all day.


Thursday 26 February 2009

Classic Photos

Marilyn Monroe


Yves Saint Laurent


Twiggy

Keith Richards


Steve McQueen

Cary Grant

Enzo Ferrari
James Dean

Marlon Brando

Gianni Agnelli

credit: http://theimpossiblecool.tumblr.com , www.sensationalcolor.com , yeoj,wordpress.com , www.life.com

Uniforms - Prague Castle Guard

Wednesday 25 February 2009

President Obama Addresses Congress



Obama focuses on the economy and the promotion of his economic agenda in his address to the nation.

I warmly recommend "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream." The book among other things focuses upon President Obama's personal and political principles.

The audio version of the book won the 2008 Grammy Award for "Best Spoken Word Album."

Model Style - Veronika Fašínová




Veronika Fašínová
Nationality: Czech
Birthday: May 26, 1987
Born In: Olomouc, Czech Republic
Lives Now: London, United Kingdom

1) How did you get into modelling?

I went to the Elite model Look contest in 1998

2) What is the most exciting campaign you have been involved with?

I really enjoyed Lee Stafford's hair campaign. They cut my hair very short and it was quite interesting change as I've always had long hair.

3) Who is your favorite designer?

Definitely Matthew Williamson. I've been working with him for the last 2 years. I've always loved his clothes!

4) Where do you usually shop for your clothes?

I don't spend too much money on clothes so I usually go to H&M, Topshop, Abercrombie&Fitch...

5) Which fashion brands would you like to work with in the future ?

Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Gucci, Fendi, D&G, Chanel {of course!}

Lex Nokia




According to newspaper reports, Finnish mobile phone giants, Nokia have threatened to leave Finland if a change to current laws blocking companies from monitoring employee e-mails is not put into practice. Nokia claims that the new law will prevent their employees from leaking highly confidential information.

This has sparked a lot of controversy in Finland over the proposed change to legislation. Many people believe that the new law is going against privacy laws.

What is your opinion on the matter?

credit: uk.biz.yahoo.com

Oslo Opera House




The new Oslo Opera House was created by Norwegian architecture firm, Snøhetta. It is Norway’s largest project of this kind since the 1300s.

The opening was held on the 12th of April 2008. The Opera House won the culture award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona.

Barbour Waxed Jackets
























Barbour jackets are more popular than ever before:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-524329/Waxing-Lyrical-Why-Barbour-suddenly-rock-n-roll.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/barbour-is-born-again-777545.html


I recommend purchasing either the Northumbria or the Beaufort.

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Luigi Bocconi University by Grafton Architects
































Irish practice Grafton Architects are behind the new Bocconi University extension. I feel it's a great example of modern contemporary architecture. The structure is a finalist in the 2009 E.U. Prize for Contemporary Architecture.

Milan's Bocconi, is an internationally respected private university operating within the fields of business, economics and law. Bocconi was the first in Italy to award degrees in economics and business administration. The university was established in 1902 by Ferdinando Bocconi in memory of his son Luigi, who had fallen in the battle of Adwa, Ethiopia in 1896. The university was born of private initiative, in "an act of love resulting from sorrow."

credit: http://ireland.archiseek.com