WORKERMAN HANDCRAFTED MACHOOK

This is a quality accessory for our iMacs, one that I'm surprised not to have seen made before. Hand crafted from Baltic Birch wood and sealed with an all natural wax finish, the Machook subtly hangs off the corner to hold our headphones. Without any adhesive to worry about, its nano suction technology holds it to the clean surface of the desktop. I reckon its aesthetics can be improved, much slicker and lighter, but it's great to have the concept available. It can be found on Workerman's website, which is also home to other quality miscellaneous goods.

MONOLITH WOOD IPHONE BACK PANELS

Coming to iPhone users in February, new American brand Monolith will be releasing their debut product to replace the phone's back with solid wood panels. Taking a similar approach to the leather backs by Sled, the wooden backs are to be fixed into place ourselves so that the material is seamlessly integrated into the Apple iPhone. There are three wood/colour options in oak, teak or walnut.

The designers at Monolith have provided a vintage feel to the smooth silver technology, a combination that is beautiful when executed well, and I'd say this ticks the boxes. It looks stunning. The packaging is also self-made, using cardboard custom laser-cut, housing the product nicely whilst highlighting its natural grain effectively. With the market for iPhone cases in more demand than ever before, these quality back panel solutions look to be the perfect addition and unique take we are looking for.

MONOCLE LIBRARY LAMP

Available at the Monocle Shop, the design savvy magazine has some new collaboration items released this month. It includes the beautiful Library Lamp, teaming up with Stockholm-based architect and product designer Andreas Martin-Löf for the second time. This gorgeous piece acts as a stylish bookend whilst softly illuminating the shelf through the upward-facing minimalist light bulb. It's hand-made using solid brass featuring a yellow woven cord and dimmer setting. Priced at £175, it's undoubtedly an excellently designed product, which would outshine any book on display. Love it.

LONDON 2012 FIFTY PENCE COIN FOOTBALL

As part of a commemorative range of coins for the London Olympics 2012, The Royal Mint have released this 50 pence Football coin. Quite a witty approach playing on people's lack of knowledge on the oh-so-important rule that is Offside, a competition winner designed this 50p piece which will be in circulation soon. Not much more to say but I thought it was funny.

HITRECORD TINY BOOK OF TINY STORIES VOL 1

The video sums everything up I think. Open-collaborative production company HitRECord released their self-published miniature book last year called "The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories" and its success caught the attention of IT Books by Harper Collins and this year we've been working on the content for the first officially published title, the first of a three-volume series. And Volume 1 is now ready, with huge retailers getting involved in selling it. The release date is December 6th but as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, or RegularJoe, announces in the embedded video, pre-sale has already begun. So put in an order because the Tiny Stories are brilliant. They're made by real Artists (of all kinds) from across the globe, collectively working together. For sure, I'm getting one.

COCA-COLA x WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

As of this month, Coca-Cola are supporting WWF in raising awareness for protecting the homes of Arctic polar bears. With polar bears being an icon for the soft drink kings since 1922, they have launched this campaign to save the animal's deteriorating habitat by changing the red cans to Arctic White for the first time, featuring a mother bear and her two cubs along the bottom and marked with bold red script. White caps will seal bottles across their whole range too, including Sprite, Fanta and Nestea, as they look for support and donations from consumers worldwide. A great campaign for a great cause, and the can design looks sublime. They'll be on shelves through to February 2012.

JAPAN RELIEF : ENTRY THIRTYONE

British artist Luke Jerram has created this sculpture representing the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Tohoku Japan in March. Using CAD, he has taken 9 minutes of readings from the seismograph and interpreted it into a piece of contemporary 3D art. It's quite a visually beautiful structure and it's unbelievable to think that the subject matter it is recording brought such disaster to a beautiful country.

The piece will be presented as part of the Terra exhibition in London's Jerwood Visual Arts gallery, which opens on November 9th. The exhibition explores "the relationship contemporary sculpture practice shares with the environment and landscape beyond the gallery itself."

THE MONOCLE CAFE TOKYO

As of this summer, I've been a regular reader of, and more so a committed fan of Monocle magazine. The content it covers is right up my street, discussing global affairs in business, culture and design with exceptional detail in its execution. It's a really great read, and I look good on the tube too.

Two weeks ago, they opened the Monocle Café in Tokyo, Japan. Located in upmarket department store Hankyu Men's Tokyo, it lies in the top business and luxury shopping district that is Ginza, thus aiming for a customer base of the country's most elite male professionals to pop in. That's not going to stop me from visiting the next time I'm over there.

They serve dishes from menus across the globe, handpicked during the editors' travels of the world, as well as classic selections and of course a good coffee too, original blends provided by baristas from OMOTESANDO KOFFEE. So the food on offer sounds deluxe and the shop doesn't disappoint either. using materials sourced again from all corners of the globe, finished with excellent fine detail, yet keeping it very simple and understated. And cool. I think we need one in London, preferably aimed for the elite students of the capital.

IL BUSSETTO IPHONE 4 CASE

Italian leather goods company Il “Bussetto” have created this smart case for the current Apple iPhone. They use traditional methods and techniques completely by hand with fine quality leather with an inside plastic lining, neatly embossed with the logo at the bottom. With constant use, the natural leather will mature nicely to give unique feels of wear and individualism. It looks a very charming case, though I think leather in this context doesn't appeal to me as the quality material I find it with other items. It's just a personal feeling and I might be talking shit, but I'm not sure. Other wooden or light metal cases are more attractive for me I'd say.

BLUELOUNGE SUMO CABLE MANAGER

Innovative and sleek international design studio Bluelounge have launched their new product in cable management, the Sumo. The images are pretty clear, but the smart item essentially holds up the important cables preventing them from slipping off the desk. The laptop charger, iPod cable, it's a problem we all have. Bluelounge have elegantly provided their solution and it is very good. Available in white or black, the minimalistic tool acts as a paperweight thanks to the Japanese micro-suction technique used at the bottom which enables simple adhesion to the tabletop surface.

In fact, their entire range is just brilliant and worth checking out if you haven't already. The Milo also looks a sweet product. I'm paying a visit to Selfridges tomorrow to buy my new Bluelounge kit for sure.

BANKSY MYTHS & LEGENDS

Compiled by Banksy-savvy writer and journalist Marc Leverton is a new book, which tells stories old and new of a man the art world has much intrigue for. Banksy's mysteriously subtle ways of presenting his hugely impactful works across the world's streets have inevitably stirred up many myths and legends, all explored in this book now ready for pre-order online. I'm hopeful for it to be a good read, raising some provoking questions, but I fear there won't be much in the form of answers.

(Impactful is not a word. Obviously.)

MASTER-PIECE SUEDE IPHONE COVER

As part of master-piece's new Fall 2011 collection of the Equipment Series, this is their premium suede iPhone 4 cover. So so nice. The Japanese brand brings its quality and craftsmanship to these iPhone covers, including two leather choices too. But it's this deep teal suede cover that is so appealing to me. I find it has a sense of regality, the soft suede texture embossed with master-piece's signature branding. And it's practical too, thin and solidly constructed. For the material and design, it is unsurprisingly priced on the high side at £65 but by no means untouchable. Want.

MUJI NEW SEASON PREVIEW XMAS 2011

Today I popped in to Muji's Xmas 2011 preview event at Foubert Place, London. Samples from the upcoming Autumn/Winter collection and Christmas items were on show, accompanied by Asahi Super Dry beer and sushi which, I have to say, was well received by me.

Personally I fucking adore Muji. Their vision for simplicity and efficiency is one that I share and the products are spot on - clean and modern. To live in Muji would be a dream. (Though some of their range I do find totally bizarre, for example the pictured Felt Sushi Set, part of the Xmas range.)

Some pieces that stood out included their leather card case, plastic playing cards and the apparel looked refined and chic. My favourite product though is the Touchscreen Gloves. They're not gloves with an integrated touch screen, that would be silly, but the fingertips are made with some next innovative sensor fabric which allows for iPhone use whilst keeping your hands warm in the wool gloves. Genius. Coming in five colourways and priced at just £12.95, they are for sure my pick of the bunch. Very excited for their release and my eyes are peeled.

IPHONE 4 BRICK CASE

 

ThinkGeek have this incredible item available - the LEGO Brick Case for the iPhone. Though not licensed under LEGO themselves, the case is compatible with the iconic brand's infinite range of pieces, meaning you can now build whatever you like onto your iPhone 4. Genius. And it's only $19.99. Consider I shall.

THE ROYAL WEDDING 2011

Prince William and Kate Middleton today wed before the world, with some more keen than others. I personally quite enjoyed the buzz and hype for this historical day, as I watched the events unfold with a sense of proudness.

Catherine looked amazing, William was balder than I thought, the Queen was cute.

David Beckham's look was too cool. He looked cool with his new current hair, cool in his Ralph Lauren Purple Label tailor-made suit, cool with an OBE medal ha. Though, apparently it was on the wrong side of his jacket. And this Jonathan Ross tweet is fantastic: "Elton John is looking more and more like Churchill the insurance dog every day..."

It was a super fine ceremony and a wedding most people dream of. And with Ellie Goulding at the evening reception! Oh my..

Proud to be British indeed.

JAPAN DISASTER AFTERMATH

Help Japan.

ADAPT JAPAN RELIEF T

For anyone in the States, do check out this t-shirt from Adapt. "100% of the proceeds from the sale of this garment will go to the Japan Tsunami and Earthquake disaster relief efforts of the American Red Cross." Right here.

PRAY FOR JAPAN.

Let us just do it.

ALKR IPHONE 4 CASES

Now, I got myself an iPhone about a month ago and have been unconvinced with the range available in the market for cases. Thought I'd wait for something decent to come about. And bam - today I think I've found it.

This is the brand new Protection Case from stylish Apple accessory specialists, alkr. In five vibrant, sheek, beautiful colourways, this is the one. It looks pretty sound and solid from the outside, but the hidden playfulness on the inside is just too special. I am putting in an order straight after I post this article man! Though for which one, I'm torn..

LINKS : alkr

THE GREEN SOCCER JOURNAL

ISSUE ONE - WINTER 2010 from The Green Soccer Journal on Vimeo.


This is a magazine which I've just discovered and am now super interested in. As the title suggests, it focuses on the sport of football, but it's the manner in which it's been compiled that intrigues me most. The design is smart and sophisticated, it involves top contributors and photography, and it all seems pretty cool and unique - as you can see in the preview video. It looks like they're doing an issue per calendar season, with Issue 1 for Winter 2010 already in selected stores.

As a football coach and design lover, this really looks super good. Its look and feel is very much English, but with internationally relatable content, I believe this is something special. Think I'm gonna try get my hands on a copy now.

LINKS : The Green Soccer Journal