Journal

A chronicle of people, places, happenings, and creations we admire.

Leica M-P Edition 'Safari'

The extremely limited M-P Edition 'Safari' from Leica is finished in exquisite and durable olive green enamel and is resistant to fingerprints, chemicals, solvents and UV light; the iconic 'Leica' brand script etched atop the camera body.  All of the exterior metal body parts are machined from solid brass.  It's so exclusive, you won't even find the usual red Leica 'Dot' logo on the front.

This modern digital instrument, meant for amateurs and professionals alike, is absolutely drenched in heritage paying homage to the fabled Leica brand as the leader in serious photography equipment.  The M-P Edition 'Safari' comes with a beautiful leather strap and memory / credit card holder.

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Eton of Sweden

The Swedish shirtmaker, begun in 1928 by David and Annie Pettersson, to this day, remains one of the world's leading  producers of fine shirts, suiting and accessories.  At the "Syfabriken' in Gånghester, near Borås in southern Sweden, a happy accident of sorts occurred at the beginning of the Great Depression, after the Pettersson's were forced to close their sawmill.  They retooled their factory to create shirts, and sublet surplus space to local shoemakers and manufacturers to keep the lights on, the company was renamed "Skjortfabriken Special", or 'Special Shirt factory'. 

With steady production until the end of WWII, the premium fabrics ban was eventually lifted, compelling the Pettersson's to venture out to find still finer and more varied fabrics for their products.  They eventually made it to London, eventually opened a shop there and the Eton name was established.  This was a result of finding a name that would be easy for English-speakers to pronounce, while at the same time adding prestige, naming the company after the exclusive men's college.

Audi at the Geneva Motor Show 2015

The 2015 Geneva Motor Show opens this week, where Audi AG debuts the new R8 and R8 V10 Plus, along with other concepts like the Prologue Avant, a (possible) glimpse into the future of the vaunted A9 platform currently under development.

R8 / R8 V10 Plus / R8 E-Tron

Quite possibly the most thoroughly resolved of its development, the new R8 pulls the new body panels even tighter around its now famously aluminum chassis, it appears to be leaping forward even at rest.  Front and rear aero is cleaned up considerably, rear exhaust exits are now further integrated into the rear diffusor along with the rear heat vents.  The side 'blades' are now visually 'woven' into the body panels giving it a more lengthened appearance; the belt-line, greenhouse, rear haunches and nose now look like they were carved from a single solid ingot.

The R8 offers a 601 bhp 5.2 liter V-10 only for now, with a new V8 coming online later in the production cycle; this is counter to traditional rollouts that had initially offered a V8 with the higher output V10 following.  The E-Tron version is a fully electric version with an achieved 280 mile range, giving production a green light.

Prologue Avant Concept

The Prologue Avant is the next concept variant to bow giving a possible preview to the much discussed A9 program. The coupe received positive reviews at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, and this latest offering expands the range of ideas brought forth from Ingolstadt as the new flagship platform continues to be developed.  Prologue Avant increases the scale of Europe's most popular upmarket form factor (estate / shooting brake)  for transcontinental travel in comfort with the preserved drivability, usability and fuel efficiency of traditional platforms vs. SUV's and crossovers that are more popular in the US.

RS3 / RS4 / RS6

Audi RS returns with facelift programs for its RS estate cars, new front and rear facias, interior finishes and wheel options for 2016.

TT / TTS

The long-popular TT coupe is all new with re-proportioned grille, an innovative instrument cluster with integrated navigation and information, and a harder edge throughout while keeping the classic 'teardrop' shape that was inspired by the streamlined Auto Union speed record cars of the 1930's.

R8 LMS

The LMS program for 2016 focuses on safety, to meet the latest GT3 competition regulations for enhance integrity of the driver cabin on impact.  A new insulated floor and rear diffusor allow the use of a smaller (yet still quite large) rear wing with no increase in drag. Audi plans to enter the works LMS at Nürburgring and Spa endurance races later this year.

R18 E-Tron Quattro

Audi's legendary prototypes, piloted by Tom Kristensen (recently retired), André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Allan McNish have dominated FIA WEC (World Endurance Championship) for over a decade; this latest version of the prolifically successful LMP1 car looks to beat back the challenge of Porsche, Toyota and Nissan for the 2015-2016 season.  Audi and its R18 have led the industry in diesel / hybrid / electric technology development on the racetrack with the adaptation of such systems for road car use.

Images ©Fourtitude.com / G. Achorn / Audi AG

Sustainable Sculpture: Enrico Marone Cinzano

Sustainability, honesty and purity are the core elements of the forward looking creations of Enrico Marone-Cinzano.  Created with up-cycled lumber from dismantled chalets around the Piemonte region of northern Italy, these pieces are deceptively sturdy and purposeful everyday sculptures for modern living.  Furniture and lighting alike are often framed with blackened industrial steel that has been discarded and repurposed.  The Swiss Pine (Pinus Cembra) is known to be rot and insect resistant, given its former life as part of chalet structures in many cases dating back to the 1700's.  The wood is finished with old-world techniques and non-toxic materials in keeping with the holistic and sustainable ethos that EMC stands for.  These and many other manufactured and bespoke pieces are available by request.

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Images ©Enrico Marone-Cinzano

PRADA X MARTINO GAMPER | 'CORNERS' WINDOW DESIGN CONCEPT

We became aware of Martino's work from the '100 Chairs in 100 Days' project in 2007, where he effectively re-purposed and built original chairs from pieces of discarded furniture.  This was a great creative exercise as well as a direct commentary on up-cycling and sustainability. Martino has recently created an incredible window design program for Italian fashion house PRADA.

Corners is an evolutionary window design concept by Martino Gamper in collaboration with Prada which pays homage to the humble corner. The design draws its inspiration from perspective, fragments and contrasts between natural materials. Those elements are enhanced by the simplicity of a corner which is a common thread for all the displays. Corners is a space within a space, making each display a unique story designed to evolve with the seasons. 
-from Prada Press Release

About Martino Gamper

Martino Gamper (b. 1971, Merano, Italy) lives and works in London. Starting as an apprentice with a furniture maker in Merano, Gamper went on to study sculpture under Michelangelo Pistoletto at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. He completed a Masters in 2000 from the Royal College of Art, London, where he studied under Ron Arad. Working across design and art venues, Martino Gamper engages in a variety of projects from exhibition design, interior design, one-off commissions and the design of mass-produced products for the cutting edge of the international furniture industry.

Images ©Martino Gamper / Prada