WHAT WE DO IS SECRET

branding the future

I haven’t been to Colette for a while, and a recent post in 1000fragrances certainly made me want to check out the store. It’s not surprising to hear that this hip store in Paris has done a good job of building its olfactive identity. After all this is the store in Paris run by an innovative trendsetter ’sarah’.

Olfactive branding is a relatively new area in the fragrance business… but I see two problems here.

The first issue is whether to scent a space or to launch an olfactive campaign, it doesn’t require tons of fragrance oil to achieve these goals. This is not really a good business for the suppliers. To profit from this new trend the suppliers will need to change their old-fashioned billing system which has been spoiling their clients for many years and be prepared for a new business form. Not an easy thing to do.

Solving the second issue could be even more difficult. Today’s big companies are like young people. They want to be cool. However both fragrance business and its market are uncool, and worst of all, this is contagious - an example: Tom Ford used to be cool, and Estee Lauder wanted to borrow some of his leftover aura. In the beginning of Lauder-Ford alliance, some people in the industry made fun of one of the big bosses at Lauder who was trying to dress like Tom Ford. How does the relationship look today? I think Tom blended in with Estee Lauder so nicely that it’s hard to remember that he had been undeniably cool in the ’90s… will it be possible to change this uncool environment into a cool one, and how? That I don’t know yet.

Don’t Think It’s Over Yet.

I’m happy to know that one of Made by Blog’s first projects is still moving forward. I just received two mods from Clement for Marina’s Holy Grail (thanks, Clement). Marina, I will hopefully send them to you on Monday. A limited number of Marina’s new mods are available upon request (sorry, samples will be send only to U.S. addresses).

Tokyo Underground

The images below look almost unreal. These are the images of Tokyo’s sewer system. It’s funny to think that this eye popping architecture was never meant to be seen by the external world.

Here is a simple formula:
Advanced Engineering × Japanese Precision = Awesome Beauty
(no aesthetic required)

Helmut Lang Supremacy

Hl-art.net: find the glory hole.

“V” for Valentino, not for Vendetta !

My all time favorite gets a funky treatment by Taschen.

Art Edition. Una grande storia italiana. Valentino Garavani
Hardcover + Box + 4 signed prints 13 x 17.3 inch, 738 pages, $ 4000.00 (October 2007)
Limited to 100 numbered copies, each signed by Valentino Garavani and accompanied by four prints of original drawings

Una grande storia italiana. Valentino Garavani
Hardcover + Box 13 x 17.3 inch, 738 pages, $ 1000.00 (October 2007)
Limited to 2,000 numbered copies, each signed by Valentino Garavani

ADC, 10/16

ADC, 9/27

Holy xxxx !

Beta Gel is a soft silicone gel developed by Tokyo-based Geltec Corporation.

For those who don’t follow the metric system, 22 meters is about 72 feet.

Tokyo Cool

In a recent article in Travel + Leisure, Lynn Yaeger writes: “Five minutes after you arrive in Tokyo, you’re struck by it: this is the most stylish city you’ve ever been in, a place where fashion is taken so seriously that many of its women and men are themselves veritable works of art.”

I’m not sure if fashion victims in Tokyo are works of art, but it is an interesting angle to view the phenomenon. For decades, Tokyo has been the place where the cutting edge of fashion can be found all over the city. If you live there and care about fashion, life could become expensive and tiring. (This is one of the reasons I fled to New York almost 20 years ago. New York is crude, and people here are not as chic as people in Paris, not as stylish as people in Tokyo. Things are quite casual and relaxed in New York City.)

My kid brother no longer belongs to the hip, young generation of Tokyo, but I was curious to check what he was wearing during a recent stay in Japan. Like any fashion conscience person, young men in Tokyo are very picky about their shoes. To tell the truth, I couldn’t completely comprehend the trend in men’s shoes this time… In one occasion, my brother was wearing ‘red enamel shoes’ which were kind of a visual assault on my senses (my eyes can only stand looking at a red Ferrari or a red Valentino Garavani dress) and couldn’t remember what kind of clothes he was wearing that day. The only thing I could understand about the men’s shoes in Tokyo was making a strong statement with a pair of shoes. They were more or less the same in shape, but varied in colors, materials and patterns (crocodile, snake, leopard…).

On the last day in Tokyo, we got together at Omotesando after his meeting with clients. He appeared in shoes which seemed to be a pair of Tod’s and a nice Dolce & Gabbana suit. It was a relief to me.

The image has nothing to do with this post, but it’s a common scene in Tokyo.

a desolate, magical place

I hate cold places but love this one.

A Wax-head from Down Under

In 1988, I came across an awfully attractive chair made of neoprene (used for wetsuits). I immediately sensed the designer was a guy who had a strong background in surfing, not just because of the use of the material but also of the overall aesthetic. From just one piece of furniture, it was evident to me that he was going to be the most celebrated designer of our time.

Last May, Marc Newson’s cabinet went off for $1.05 million in New York. Next month in London, Christie’s will auction off his Lockheed Lounge chaise (shown below) for an estimated price of $2.4 million. This is by far the most expensive work by a living designer (he’s only 43) ever to be auctioned.

Six Years After

South View from the Meatpacking District - September 11, 2001

Our older son is about to turn six. It’s been six years already…

My girlfriend and I were living in West Chelsea around that time, and whenever we opened the door of the south-facing terrace in our apartment we could smell a strange burning smell coming from the Financial District. The smell kept coming in our apartment for at least 3 or 4 months while the smoke was still rising from the massive debris. It was probably the most surreal smell that I have ever experienced.

- Gassho -

Lost in Translation

In brief, this short film is so Tokyo - it’s almost too good for an ad. I haven’t smelled the fragrance but am pretty sure that it isn’t anywhere near this level.

Oh, and ladies (and some gents), if you encounter a young caucasian male in a trendy part of Tokyo, he will likely be as handsome as the “gaijin” in this film. If he is driving a car, it could be a sporty Mercedes or a red Ferrari.

Manifestation

NATHAN COLEY There Will Be No Miracles Here, 2006

Move over Scarlett Johansson, and say hello to September.

Mikhail Gorbachev and LV photographed by Annie Leibovitz

A new ad by a great French luxury label that doesn’t sell its namesake perfume.