Dodici Apologie Bike Polo Frame

10 August 2010

We received the second batch of prototype frames made by Dodici for our Bike Polo team, Apologie.

Aluminum tubing, steel forks allowing us to use either 700c or 650c wheels,
bosses for U-brakes, sloping geometry, track dropouts, and of course a “Bleu-Blanc-Rouge” paint job to celebrate our French Championship win.

Next step: putting them to good use at the 2nd World Harcourt Bike Polo Championships in Berlin.

Observation/Inspiration: Volos, Greece

28 July 2010

For two weeks now I have been spending my days in Volos, which has always been one of my favorite cities. When I was a kid we’d do short trips there from my house in the nearby mountains, and I’d always marvel at the busy harbor, noisy and messy streets, and wide array of shops selling everything from straw hats to boat engines, often in the same store.

Christophe Lemaire fashion show

11 July 2010

A few days ago I went to see the Christophe Lemaire fashion show. I’ve known him for years, and we’ve been working for quite some time too, both on Lacoste (he was the creative director for 10 years), and on his own brand (I designed the identity and created a custom typeface). He’s soon leaving Lacoste to go to Hermès, and this beautiful fashion show clearly proved that he is perfectly suited for his upcoming role. The catwalk was on a rooftop in Paris, with a very simple and elegant set up:

The Car Launch series / pt.6: Audi A1

9 July 2010

Last week I went to Berlin for the international launch of the new small Audi: the A1. Although this new small model isn’t as groundbreaking and original as the previous tiny Audi (the now-defunct A2), it brings an exciting addition to the range. Small and nimble, yet fully loaded with Audi technology and clearly following the brand’s design language (loving the head + tail lights as usual), I think it will do well. All we need now is an electric version, and of course a S1, or even a RS1…

Audi welcome pavilion at Berlin Tegel Airport:

Liking the two-tone options:

Audi had a customized A1, done a la Hot Rod. A bit surprising but rather well put together:

Steel wheels are the future:

They also seem to have listened to my plea for bringing back vintage Audi racing colors:

And since Germany was in a pre-world-cup-defeat mode last week, they had a custom Audi foosball table:

Friends and their wheels / pt.23: Andre Wyst

5 July 2010

Had a meeting yesterday in Berlin with the team from Intersection Magazine Germany, and the Art Director, Andre Wyst, showed up on his Diamant. A very nice vintage East German bike in mint condition.

Not pictured is his BMW 2002…

Previous Friends and their wheels:

pt.1, pt.2, pt.3, pt.4, pt.5, pt.6, pt.7, pt.7 v2.0, pt.8, pt.9, pt.10, pt.11, pt.12, pt.13, pt.14, pt.15, pt.16, pt.17, pt.18, pt.19, pt.20, pt. 21, pt. 22

Helmut Newton Car

3 July 2010

I’m in Berlin, and yesterday paid a visit to the Helmut Newton Foundation. The museum is a large building with a variety of exhibitions spaces, a bar and a good bookstore. On the ground floor is a permanent display of many artifacts from Mr. Newton’s life: full outfits, cameras and bags, faxes sent to editors, etc… A really fascinating show that gets you as close as can be to who he was and how he worked.

In the middle of the show towers a crazy vehicle. One of the many cars that Helmut Newton had in Monaco (we were meant to do a feature on him and his collection shortly before his death), this is an exclusive adaptation of the 2000 Touareg concept car by Italdesign Giugiaro. After being shown at the Turin motor show, the car was offered to Helmut Newton for his 80th birthday with a few modifications to make it road-worthy.

Loving the HN logo on the wheels and steering wheel:

AÏE magazine

3 July 2010

What happens when two creative, independent, sexy, and fiercely original girls get together? Aïe Magazine is what happens! The brainchild of Alexandra Birchall-White (NSFW), Aïe is brilliantly art directed by Elle Azhdari. Both are very close friends of mine, and it’s exciting to see a project I’ve been hearing about for a long time finally hitting the shelves. The magazine is really an extension of Alexandra’s persona – as most good magazines nowadays are – and showcases her friends and influences’ work, as well as her unrepentant sexual drive.

Front cover:

Spreads:

Back cover:

Starck + Intersection at Colette

30 June 2010

Last night we had the launch of the Starck+Intersection Soap Box Car at Colette in Paris. The car is in the window for a week, with the French edition on sale inside, pass by if you are in town…

Pictures of the event at SayWho

Thanks again to Sarah!

Waiting For The Sun glasses

22 June 2010

Three friends of mine recently launched a brand of sunglasses, with frames entirely made of wood.

Waiting For The Sun have been on the market for a very short amount of time, with only 3 frames so far, but are expanding fast, and judging from their success so far I’m sure they’ll do fantastically.

The glasses come inside triangular cardboard boxes, with a sort of scarf wrapping them up:

I love the round ones:

Nice engraving and details:

Find them at 0fr in Paris.

2010 Bicycle Film Festival

9 June 2010

The 2010 Bicycle Film Festival is on! Great trailer as usual by Marco Mucig:

My dear friend Brendt Barbur has been running the BFF since the start, and can be proud of celebrating the 10th anniversary of his creation this year.