SY Design Blog

An Inspirational Journey to the Summit of Mt. Shasta

2010-02-11T12:46:00.001-08:00

Please join me on Wednesday, FEB 24Th, 6:30-7:30pm, at THE CLEANERS AT ACE HOTEL PORTLAND, for a CLIMB AGAINST THE ODDS MT. SHASTA slide show and story about teamwork, passion, healing, struggle, and triumph. One mother candidly shares her story about climbing to the top of Mt. Shasta alongside cancer survivors on the 2009 CLIMB AGAINST THE ODDS team. Her goal is to inspire other's to join this great cause and to become part of this year's CLIMB AGAINST THE ODDS team, guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience of a lifetime. You don't have to be a mountain climber to be a part of this team, so please come and learn more about this amazing journey.

THE CLIMB AGAINST THE ODDS is a benefit for the BREAST CANCER FUND, the BREAST CANCER FUND identifies-and advocates for elimination of - the environmental and other preventable causes of the disease.

No Host Bar and light snacks provided, this event is FREE so please spread the word to anyone you think might be interested in an inspirational journey of a lifetime.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. kim - 503.913.0069

Many thanks to THE CLEANERS AT ACE HOTEL for their generous donation of space for this event.

Cocona Xcelerator, is it really better?

2010-02-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

While walking the aisles at Outdoor Retailer I walked into the Cocona booth to learn a little about their newest technology Xcelerator™ that I read about before attending the show. Excelerator™ is a new form of Cocona technology that allows them to apply their technology to WPB laminates and 3-Layer fabrications further expanding where they are able to use their technology that offers these key features:

1) Coconut Activated Carbon - is a recycled sustainable material
2) It rapidly pulls moisture away from the skin
3) It spreads moisture across the surface to increase evaporation and drying
4) It attracts and traps odors that are released when it is washed
5) Washing and drying are good for it, refreshing it's abilities.

In a nutshell (or coconut shell) it makes you feel better, and makes you less stinky when you are working hard. And because it manages moisture so well, if you sweat like I do, it helps you stay warmer too by effectively managing the excess moisture, not to mention the stink.

I'm always skeptical about new technologies, can you really tell the difference, is there really a benefit? How will the customer/consumer understand it? So they gave me a sample to try it out, and for the first time ever a sample from a fabric/technology vendor was actually nice looking and fitting too! They also gave me a glove to try that has their laminate, insulation, and fleece inside a trifecta of Cocona!

All set for testing, but winter isn't cooperating as well as I'd like in the Pacific Northwest, but I'm hoping to get it on the mountain maybe tomorrow. In the meantime I've been maxing it out on the aerobic end to see if the stink part really works. I've even been putting it on at the gym after a big sweaty workout to wear around until I cool down. (My other jackets tend to stink to high heaven from this) So far, I can't smell any odor at all on the interior of the fabric, but the YKK pitzip is not holding up as well, there is an obvious stink on the zipper tape that does not exist on the fabric near by. Hmmmm. Stay Tuned, and if you want to test too head to their site and tell them why you'd be a great tester.

The Life & Love of Trees

2010-01-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

During my recent trip to San Francisco I weighed myself down with one book find after another. My MOST favorite of the loot is The Life & Love of Trees, with text by Lewis Blackwell.

Lewis Blackwell is recognized as a leader in creative and photographic practice. For almost a decade he led the creative development of the world’s largest photo agency, Getty Images, and previously he was widely regarded as a trend watcher and innovator with his work as editor/publisher of the prestigious title Creative Review. He is a visiting professor at the School of Creative Leadership at Steinbeis University, Berlin.

His books are considered some of the most critically acclaimed and bestselling in the creative field worldwide, and include The End of Print, Soon: The Future Culture of Brands, and Twentieth-Century Type.

I've always been inspired by nature, and besides the fact that this is mostly a "picture" book (designer's love them) the photo's are both inspirational and memorable at the same time. I found as I turned the pages that these photos invoked memories for me. For $50.00, you can't go wrong with adding this book to your coffee table or design library.

DoG - Get the code

2009-12-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

Full price is dead. You'll never have to choose between gear and groceries again

You gotta be crafty and sleuth your way in to Department of Goods, another new store from the team at Backcountry.com, selling the latest outdoor, surf, skate, bike, and mountain equipment from more than 400 pinnacle brands. Once discovered you might have just stumbled upon the promised land of premium gear. Boasting up to 70% off of tons of ski gear, up to 50% off everything bike, and up to 70% off of everything for riding too, how can you possibly go wrong?

Not convinced yet? Check out this snapshot of the array of products you'll find from DoG:

What's in that bottle?

2009-11-03T15:52:00.001-08:00

I've been looking at this bottle sitting in our bathroom for a couple of year's now, mind you it's more than a couple of year's old...a bottle of Spohn's Compound, a bottle that I inherited from my dad who is ditching his vintage bottle collection. A bottle that is inspiring to me, almost every time I look at it. A bottle worth sharing with friends, of a "Stimulating Expectorant for HORSES, MULES, DOGS, RABBITS, apparently one of those wonders of the early 1900's. A bottle that would tuck nicely inside of a LaMerde jacket for the occasion that a gentleman might need it.

When I say Airblaster what comes to mind?

2009-11-03T14:35:00.000-08:00

Spending some time hitting the streets in PDX this week and yesterday's travels had me at the US Outdoor Store, where making a purchase choice can cause a veritable quandary, there is surely enough outdoor gear to meet any single person on the planet's need for gear. Since the last time I truly looked in every nook and cranny of the store things have changed. First of all, the amount of gear in the store this time of year is overwhelming, the assortment for the square footage is enough to wear you out just pushing back one style to see another. (This is more true on the main floor than upstairs where it is refreshingly open in comparison.) Secondly, I didn't realize there was a bargain/sale annex upstairs...maybe it's a sign of the times, but it could have also been there before.

I have to admit I didn't spend too much time on the first floor except to confirm my suspicions that outdoor still remains well, you know, the same. It was great to see Armada's new outerwear collection front and center though on the half of the store that isn't dominated by The North Face. So I rather quickly ended up upstairs this trip. I immediately found two brands that I didn't see at SIA, of course they could have been there, but I didn't see them.

That brings me to Airblaster, a brand that touts themselves as being a small company from Portland, Bend OR, Lake Tahoe CA, and San Fran CA and a sketchy RV somewhere in the great USA. Just one look at the line I was able to admire their irreverence, this is what I believe is missing in the outdoor industry where everyone takes themselves way too seriously for irreverence. (I heard one of the store employees asking another if they "had" to go to Outdoor Retailer, and when the other said no and how boring the show was, the girl who will be going lamented the same.) US Outdoor had a pretty decent size assortment of this new partially local brand, always great to see local support.

The SUMO SUIT had me laughing right away, there is something a little phallic about it, luv it!

The line is sort of a fun mix of bold 80's colorblocking with crazy bright colors, as well as a nod to classic ski styling of the late 60's and 70's. You can easily see that in the aptly named BIG SKY jacket here

Another fun style is the COLORING BOOK jacket and pant, where you can customize panels with your own fantastic creations for a a truly one of a kind look.

If I say 80's you say Airblaster....

There is not as large of an assortment for the girlies, but you gotta love the DONNA jacket and STRETCH bib, think how dry your back will stay, these babies got you covered, and I gotta say it, wish there were more brights for the chica's we like color too.

I've yet to try them on or hear anything on fit/performance, but if I do will be sure to share. Keep thinking about snow, and stay tuned for more soon!

Portland Fashion Week Ready to Roll, benefitting Oregon Manifest

2009-10-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

On October 10th a different kind of fashion show happened celebrating the bike friendly spirit of PDX. Ready to Roll showcased new designs via a runway show highlighting both bikes and fashion together from Apres Velo, Cestelli, Hell Yes, Icebreaker, Keen, Nau, Patagonia, Simple Shoes, and Showers Pass to name a few. Thought I'd share a few photos that found inspiring from this event.

Fun Design Project for Filson

2009-10-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about having a freelance design studio is the variety of work and projects that you get to work on. Last Spring I worked together with the Filson team up in Seattle to create some new outerwear pieces for their collection. Filson is one of the few classic American heritage brands that has been in business for a very long time, since 1897.

1897 Klondike gold seekers come to C.C. Filson for rugged outfits to survive -50 cold.
1902 Loggers line up for Filson's new clothing line for loggers.
1914 Patent is granted for Filson Cruiser coat, still made and sold today.
1927 Filson Cruiser becomes copied extensively when patent expires.
1941 Filson expands its line of boots.
1945 U.S. Forest Service commissions new water repellent garments, dyed Forestry Green.
1985 Factory moves to Seattle's historic Pioneer Square, 5 blocks from original 1897 store.
1991 Luggage line is re-introduced, made of Rugged Twill and Bridle Leather.
1996 Fly fishing vests are introduced after 10 years of research and development.
1998 New lodge-like store opens in historic building 10 blocks from original location.
2003 Original Wool Shirt made of 100% virgin Merino wool is introduced.
2005 New Recoil Pad Technology introduced in our Super Shooting Shirts and in several of Shooting and Hunting Outerwear products. New, easier to use website introduced.

The office location is near to the flagship store in Seattle, and they are one of the few brands that still has a factory right there making oilcloth and leather clothing, bags, and goods right there. It is a beautiful thing to see the craftsmanship that goes into the pieces that they make. Here are a few of the pieces that were created for Filson by SY Design that you can now find on their website. It doesn't take long to realize that they take their slogan "Might As Well Have The Best," very seriously.

Classic Down never goes out of style, these pieces utilize a unique polyester/wool blend fabric with a special down proof construction. The fabric really gives these style a unique outdoor twist for Filson.

The Wingshooting Jacket is Filson's first lighter weight WPB hunting jacket. This was a fun style to create because it uses many of the latest technologies, and has integrated inside pocketing to accommodate a recoil pad for either left or right handed shooters.

The North Fork Wading Jacket for $325.00 is a beautiful classic fly fishing WPB jacket, that has been lightened up a little from what the traditional Filson look would normally be.

I'm back! Outside magazine, Gear of the Year Award 2010!!

2009-10-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

I know... I've fallen off the face of the earth with my blogging since mid-summer. What's a girl to do? Twitter has been growing like mad and I've been spending more time doing updates more often there. You can always check them out here for almost daily tweets about the outdoors, adventure, fashion, green living, music, etc.

But, I'm promising to get back at it again and start getting some blog posts going on a more regular basis too. Besides it's time to post some thoughts on all the new Fall/Winter product out there right now.

I was really excited to hear that the FirsTurn softshell jacket that I designed for Cloudveil recently won Outside magazine's Gear of the Year award for winter 2010! Yipee, it's not every day that it happens so when it does it's time to celebrate. Thought I would share some photos of the creation and final product here for you.

Here it was way back in March of 2008 when I created it...

Tons of details to call out for the factory to make sure it ends up being just right

and finally the finished product, voila`!

At What Price, a sustainable movie in the making.

2009-07-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

Change is all around us, and I was excited to read about this short film, "At What Price", that is currently filming and attempting to be as environmentally responsible as possible. Are we finally coming to the end of our oh so wasteful and multi-million dollar movie set days? Probably not yet, but this is at least a start.

Giving Back to the Community
The local community - in this case East Hollywood - was important to Enci's internal green dialogue. Catering for the film production will be serviced by local restaurants and produce vendors. The crew will be asked to bring in their own coffee mugs while washable utensils and plates will be provided with meals. The location of the shoot in East Hollywood is readily accessible by public transit and the crew is encouraged to avail themselves of L.A.'s public transit system to help minimize parking issues with local citizens and thereby shrink the production's environmental footprint further. Enci is also partnering with a local organization to plant trees in the neighborhood as a testament to her willingness to ensure a green film with a lasting benefit to the community.
First time director Enci intent to make film green.
Enci's pre-production checklist includes facilitating most decisions online where possible. Casting calls were via electronic submissions and all paperwork relating to the film is done online as At What Price? is a SAG production. This simple procedure mitigates paper waste. Production meetings are held in locations that are convenient to and accessible by all modes of public transport. "Up to this point," says Enci "the 'green' journey has been somewhat conceptual with a bit of drama thrown in as we grapple with shade-grown versus free-trade coffee choices for our production meetings."

With shooting of At What Price? set to commence in July, Enci has looked into sustainable lighting, set design and film options. If necessary, her outfit, Rebel Without a Car Productions, has even looked into the availability of a solar-powered generator.

The Green Machine
"My husband and I are getting a team together that is quite a mix," she says with regards to the crew that will see her film dream come to life. "Some are already 'green', carfree, vegetarian, and some are not even close to being green. We don't just want to preach to the choir, we want to inspire those who are not thinking about their carbon footprint or the future of the planet.

"All these people are very excited about helping and being part of this production. I also hope to inspire the 'non-green' people in our production to be more sustainable, to drive less, to bring their own mugs and to order their drinks in glass or china when they sit down in a coffee shop. I would also like to encourage them to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables or grow some produce themselves."

"Living sustainably has been always close to my heart," states Enci as she explains that her environmental concerns predate this film project. "I came to the U.S. almost 13 years ago and I love it here in America but I always found it shocking how much is wasted. Food, disposables, idling cars, a/c running with doors and windows open, etcetera. Through all my years of living here I have tried to recycle - even when it was difficult because recycling bins were not always readily available. I've always used canvas bags when I shop and I started riding a bike when my husband, not only encouraged me, but also rode along with me everywhere, until I felt comfortable enough to ride on my own," she says before adding proudly, "Now we're both car-free!"

Are Bolo Ties the Next Big Trend?

2009-04-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I can bite off on this, but thought it was interesting that Refinery 29 said today:

"We Predict Bolo Ties Will be the Next Crazy Thing the Cool Kids Wear."

"In theory it's just a simple piece of neck wear, but there's something kind of rebellious about a bolo tie, like a little metallic trimmed f-you to the man and his pricey silk cravats. Pre-Madoff, we might have scorned the Rock-a-billy throwback, but after seeing a few rough-and-tumble trend setters tying one one, we've started to develop a definite string thing. Could it be that like Swine Flu (more on that later!), we've allowed this southwestern staple (and official tie of New Mexico) to invade our borders? After all, it's probably just the natural progression from this bow tie trend that's snuck away from its Upper East Side predecessors to the downtown kids, don't you think?"

And just in case you were wondering what is a Bolo? The bolo, or bola,was created in the late 1940s, when a silversmith named Victor Cedarstaff went riding with friends in the Bradshaw Mountains outside Wickenburg, Arizona. When the wind blew his hat off, Cedarstaff removed the hatband, which had a silver buckle he did not want to lose, and put it around his neck. When his friends complemented him on the new apparel, Cedarstaff returned home, and wove a leather string. He added silver balls to the ends and ran it through a turquoise buckle. Cedarstaff later patented the new neckwear, which was called the bolo because it resembled the lengths of rope used by Argentine gauchos to catch game or cattle. Now you know more than you'll ever need to know about a trend that may never happen! Giddy-up!

Globe-Trotter, hand made luggage

2009-04-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a new hat and bag project, and in my research I came across Globe-Trotter, and even though I can't fathom how much these babies must cost, they surely are a work of art, offering visual stimulation for sure. Keep your hands on your desk and take a look.

The one above is my fave, I'm not the girl to pick an outfit to go with my luggage, but these pieces conjure up images in my head of a girl in a crisp cotton dress, with a white linen dude hat, vintage shoes, and some sweet shades, waiting patiently at a tiny train station in Italia, all the while catching the eye of every guy near her. You know those stations right, tiny boardwalk surrounding the old station, cute flowers outside, and an old sign hanging from above denoting the station name. Usually there is a cigarette machine somewhere in the vicinity and a couple of sturdy wooden benches that could tell a million stories if they could talk. Who knew luggage could conjure up such thoughts?!?!

Ciao Bella!

The Cobrasnake

2009-04-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

You know you aren't just the average human when you are defined in Wikipedia:

Mark Hunter (photographer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Hunter (born 1986, Los Angeles, California), best known by his pseudonym The Cobrasnake, is an American photographer based out of the Los Angeles area. He maintains a photoblog, The Cobrasnake (formerly known as Polaroid Scene), which predominantly chronicles Los Angeles hipster and underground party culture as well as documenting the high fashion world. The blog has risen to popularity as an internet phenomenon, and has since been featured in The Los Angeles Times , The New York Times, Nylon Magazine, the LA Weekly and a number of other arts, culture, and fashion publications.

So next time you need a little divine inspiration, here's another great place to get it, a gratis!

Inspired by Polaroid

2009-03-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

Read today about Elizabeth Soule Photography here in PDX, and then while looking around her site, I stumbled on this photo of hers of a Polaroid camera. There is something about the Polaroid that everyone has a fondness for. So I thought I would share these vintage Polaroid camera images, the colors are great and the images could inspire some great design.

I remember my parents having a flash like this on our camera as a kid, each time they took a picture a bulb would burn out until you had to change the whole thing. We've come a long way since then, but you just can't replace the Polaroid.

F'09 Trends at Retail - Outdoor Chic?

2009-03-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

Just read this on California Apparel News today

Fall '09: Hooked On Classics
Buyers were shopping for unique items and the best values during the recent trade shows in Las Vegas and San Diego. And the news from the trade show floor is that classics have returned. The look varied from outdoors-inspired chic to tailored-menswear silhouettes, and there was a rebirth of vintage à la "Mad Men."
Key looks such as the leather moto jacket were updated, the boyfriend jean continued and the plaid shirt made a huge statement on its own...

Start Tweeting!

2009-03-06T13:05:00.001-08:00

In the spirit of writing about everything and anything that's relevant to SY Design, here's something to consider if you haven't already, Twitter. Are you "tweeting" yet? Just RT(read this, in Tweet terms) at Fast Company about how fast, the free social messaging utility for staying connected in real time, is growing. I too am tweeting now, once you get on board you can follow my tweets too! But, keep it brief, no more than 140 characters per post!

And.....once you have an understanding for how the "game is played", you might appreciate the below parody.

"Twitter is down again, Mein Fuhrer", I apologize in advance if this offends anyone, please keep in mind it is a parody...

Tweet, tweet!

Send a Kid to Camp!

2009-03-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

This is something I am truly passionate about, anything and everything that contributes to getting kids outside. So here's a cool promotion from our friends at Mountain Hardwear. Go to this link everyday between now and April 15th, and each click you make will donate $1 towards Send a Kid to Camp. You can return to the site everyday to donate, and by all means help spread the word, they will donate up to $35,000 towards 10 different camps that have been selected for this promotion.

WHY OUTDOOR ORIENTED CAMPS FOR KIDS?

- Outdoor activities make kids healthier both mentally and physically
- Most adults who enjoy outdoor activities started as kids
- We loved our own camp experiences and want to share similar experiences with kids today

MTV's newest reality TV series

2009-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Nitro Circus Big Wheel Back Flip - More bloopers are a click away

If you are on your last buck stuck at home watching TV dreaming about the adrenaline adventures you used to have money for... don't get rid of cable just yet, and check out MTV's newest reality TV show Nitro Circus. It revolves around the world's greatest freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of top action sport athlete buddies and enablers. It's a little bit Jackass, Evel Knievel, Duke's of Hazard, and every stunt related thing you've ever dreamed up since you were a kid all insanely mixed together for a great escape from the reality of life right now.

Chino's and Khaki's Oh My!

2009-02-20T10:39:00.002-08:00

I guess it is inevitable, in fashion everything repeats itself, but we seem to be on a fast track to the early nineties, yesterday I was shopping at Lizard Lounge and was talking with the girl there who buys for them about my crazy cute suspender jeans from Stitch's, and we ended up on the subject of khaki's. She mentioned that she is dying to get some into the store, and that the ones she has seen so far...are different from those of the 90's...with the washes that they can apply to them now, etc. This all makes so much sense too, after all the bold brights from the late 80's hitting us as we crashed into a huge recession now things are starting to get a little more somber and realistic, less bling for sure and less flash. She mentioned that she really wants to get in some Pendleton shirts for Fall as well, I think this goes hand in hand with a return to things that are more local too as we all work to climb out of this recession we have to think about supporting things closer to home.

Taking Snowboarding to a New Level...

2009-02-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

I first heard about MTNOPS while talking with Paul Maravetz co-founder of Rome SDS, he mentioned that a lot of the guys around the office at Rome have been talking about them and were excited about their launch at SIA. They have a great online community with their "Riding Journal" users. One the first products that they launched was their weather proof riding journal. A collaboration with Rite in the Rain, the ALL-WEATHER RIDING JOURNAL is inspired by aviation and divers log books, to track the days you ride during the season. Everything from weather, to who you ride with, conditions, location and highlights are covered. In addition, the book features a "to work on section' to track your personal progression. And now with the use of iPhones and crackberry's, they also have a digital version of the journal so you can upload your day as it happens. Depending on how old you are and your level of "in the know", you might be wondering what the hell? But, you should check it out.

At SIA they were also launching their first products, 3 snowboards, down jackets, hoodies, knit hats...all MADE IN THE USA, another key point of differentiation for these guys. We all talk about getting more "local", and these guys are making it happen.

MTNOPS, Live Snowboarding every time you log in.

Top 7 Green Ski Resorts in US

2009-02-05T12:01:00.000-08:00

I was glad to see this article from Treehugger today showcasing the top 7 Greenest Ski Destinations in the US, and even more happy that our own backyard playground Mt. Bachelor made the list!

1. The Aspen Skiing Company, Aspen, Colorado
2. Smugglers’ Notch Family Resort, Smugglers' Notch, Vermont
3. Park City Mountain Resort, Park City, Utah
4. Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, Bend, Oregon
5. Sundance Resort, Sundance, Utah
6. Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock, Massachusetts
7. Alta Ski Area, Alta, Utah

Feeling Grungy? Me too.

2009-02-04T11:44:00.001-08:00

I found these shots from the ASR show that just happened last week in Cali, I felt it coming and now it's looking to be true, we're heading away from pure eighties into early nineties grunge, but there are new twists, and note all the high top sneakers, if you don't have any yet, put some on your list.

"Hot apparel trends for Fall ’09 were showcased in a nothing short of bold action-sports tradition during the Jan. 22–24 run of the show. Inspired by the edgy looks of the London Underground scene, the show combined plaids, stripes and checks with a mash-up of vibrant colors, textured fabrics and shiny glam fabrics. The look was reminiscent of the 1990s with a nod to the Kurt Cobain era of grunge. And there were plenty of T-shirts and denim to cover all fashion bases." - California Apparel News

Stylesightings, it's Free!

2009-01-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

It seems like everything in the "trend service" arena has a cost attached to it, that's one of the reasons that I love Stylesightings, it's free, and it's actually good! They have a trend service that you can subscribe to, but if you just want a taste of some great fashion when you are out there surfing around for trends then be sure to give them a try, I think you'll like it....

I'm off to the Outdoor Retailer show and then SIA soon after so stay tuned for more postings soon!
Love this bag...

Winter is finally here!

2008-12-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

SY Design, resident office dog and total slacker, Jasper

We've all been on pins and needles wondering if this winter was going to happen, waiting patiently, putting of that new jacket purchase until the last minute, but now it looks like it has finally arrived nearly everywhere with a vengeance. My top wishes for this season: a trip to Mt. Baker, and some time at Whistler with my friends from Extremely Canadian. If you have some extra cash and want to get the very most out of your trip to Whistler, check them out, they have the best freeskiers and riders on the mountain who know where all the best stashes are and take you there and beyond, and the apres' at Merlin's is one you won't forget with neverending beer and nachos mounded as high as you can see. Below are some shots of stuff, good stuff, you should take a minute and check it out, and then make plans to get outside, winter is here!

Priscilla Levac's snowboarding part from Ride Rats from Ride Snowboards on Vimeo.

Rome SDS rider LNP, love the colors in this shot. Below is a shot of just the sweet bus.

A recent shot from Mt. Baker, courtesy of Dog Lotion, oh how I long to be there.

Laura Hadar opened up her new boutique store FICE in Salt Lake City. A men's and women's snow, skate, street culture store, and art gallery, featuring apparel from companies such as WESC, ALIFE, Upper Playground, Insight, Nikita, Keep, Creative Recreation, Supra, Super, KR3W, MOB, Hellz Bellz, and more.

Sweet Nikita Down Jacket, the color and style are great.

I have to confess I've been thinking about this jacket since I saw it at ISPO last year, Burton's Women's AK 3L STATIC JACKET. I love it's simplicity, performance, and great style. I was very excited when I noticed today on the Burton site that it was on sale, just enough to reel me in, can't wait to try it out!

And last but not least there is a new snowboard shop here in PDX, Epic, 2318 NW Vaughn Street. Add them to the growing list of places to visit when you are in P-town again.

a great place for inspiration

2008-12-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's always fun to share great resources for inspiration and design ideas, if it's not on your list already, you should check out designboom. The site is focused on industrial design, but in a "Wallpaper" sort of way that really goes across many different categories of design and products. Below are just a few images from the "Design" segment of their site.

This bent plywood chair makes me think about new ways to use laser cutting and moulding together on garments.

This Audi concept car provides inspiration for backpacks, bags, gloves, trims, and more.

There's something about the irony in this piece that is really intriguing.

They also recently had a green earth contest, where entrants were charged with creating a 'green' graphic that illustrated environmental protection and how human beings and nature could coexist in a greener world. And incorporating 'earth' by giving the gift of a greener world at christmas.... Here are some of the winners:

You can also check out DESIGN-AEROBICS for some affordable online courses that include topics like, self promotion, sport, textiles, childhood, etc. I like the classes because they encourage you to think outside the box and expand your horizons beyond your everyday comfort zone.

I always find architecture very inspirational in apparel and product design, here are just a couple parting shots until next time...