2 | ON THE COVER
Editor-in-Chief/ Creative Director
Jacqueline Carlisle
Design Production
Samm Jordan
Contributing Fashion Editor
Jacqueline Carlisle
Contributing Technology Editor
Jennifer Darmour
Contributing Design Editor
Alexander Horne
Contributing Architecture and Design Logo Design Site Services
Karyn Linnell Sunny Fong Samm Jordan
ON THE COVER
He & She from Eden by Desislava Sredkova
ISSUE 005
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The idea of this magazine has always been to look towards the future of design instead of looking backwards.
If Jackson Pollock or
Andy Warhol were alive today they wouldn’t by any means look to the past in order to repeat work they’ve already done. They would have
IN THIS
created new work, explored a new direction
ISSUE
and continued to grow. I look for influences everywhere with a limitless eye and more often than not I see influences in nature. This is how this magazine came together. I wanted to report on designers that showed limitless potential in their work why they explore new techniques and materials. We searched the globe for designers that were changing the future and came across a hidden group of designers in Bulgaria. We wanted to draw attention to the Bulgarian industry because it is an untapped resource for designers that can shape our homes and how we live in them. I also had a lovely chat with a clothing designer whose outlook is not only charming but refreshingly absolute. As always we’ve included wearable electronic which has been slowly cropping up amongst the celebrity culture. And lastly an explanation for using the colour white and all the advantages that come with it. With this said this issue is aptly called The White Issue we hope you enjoy it. Have a great summer where ever you may be.
Fashion Interview with Peter Ingwersen
5
Technology 11 Technology, Expression, and the
clothes we wear
Architecture The New Bulgarian Renaissance
19
Design Carte Blanc
27
Interview with Peter Ingwersen What propelled you to become a clothing designer?
offered to other brands who want to
I actually wanted to be a rock musician
The cotton is grown in Uganda, Africa
but could not play any instruments so I
where the workers are trained in organic
thought the closest thing to music was
farming and educated in HIV/AIDS and
fashion and I then became a designer.
Malaria prevention.
What is your educational background?
What influenced you to create the garments for this project?
I went to the Design School in Denmark
The idea behind Illuminati II was to
but dropped out in the 3rd year.
showcase that ethical designs did not
Tell us about the Illuminati II project. Illuminati II produces organic and fair traded cotton fabrics for the NOIR and BL L ACK NOIR collections and is also
buy ethically produced cotton fabrics.
have to be granola or made out of fabrics so thick you could smoke them. I would like us to be known for turning corporate social responsibility sexy.
TEXT: JACQUELINE CARLISLE editor
Someone once told me that sustainable design is just a fad, what are your thoughts? I also thought that banning of smoking in restaurants was a fad, driving with your safety belt and so on...I think sustainable
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Every brand, small or large can embark on sustainability. It all depends on the focus for the brand and innovation in your core strategy.
designs will become a fad if the industry
What does the future hold for your company?
does not design great, innovative styles.
I do not own a crystal ball so I do not
Is ethical fashion a difficult process?
have a clue.
Ethical fashion is a more challenging process however once you go there it becomes routines and easy..
Can larger brands following suit or will be a difficult task to use ethical materials?
Are you intending to grow the brand, possibly creating accessories or even menswear? Yes, we might go for menswear or accessories....or designing a cool electric car.
Technology, Expression, and the clothes we we ar
There’s a new breed of garments on the horizon. Garments that sense changes in the wearer’s body and environment, react and adapt to the environment and the wearer’s context, and connect to each other and larger software systems. But this new breed isn’t really new. Designers, artists and innovators have been exploring the possibility of technology embedded clothing for years such as wearable computing pioneer, Steve Mann, and a variety of disciplines exploring this field today. However, most solutions separate the fashion and technology design process resulting in solutions that attach technology onto the garment or hide it in pockets. What’s new and on the horizon is the idea of seamlessly intertwining the aesthetics of the garment with the materiality of the technology. As an outcome, rather than simply attaching technology to clothing, this new breed of clothing investigates garments that have electronics built directly into them resulting in a new aesthetic of form and behavior that become a core part of our expression, our identity, and our individuality. Aesthetic: Intertwining fabrics and technology
eTextiles and smart fabrics are gaining
momentum. There’s a lot of innovation happening with eTextiles and smart fabrics. Overall, the industry is gaining momentum and opening up new ways to seamlessly integrate the technology into clothing textiles. An example of this seamless integration is a project called Ping: A Social Networking Garment. The Ping’s concept prototype uses a variety of sensors including flexible sensing and conductive threads that are flexible, sewable and washable. All of which are integrated directly into the fabric of the garment. The two side panels consist of geometric patterning made from the circuit’s wiring that connects the sensors to the “brains” of the technology. So rather than hiding the electronics in pockets and compartments inside the garment, portions of the circuit are exposed and used as part of the aesthetics and graphic patterning on the outside. In this case, not only is the wiring critical to the functionality of the circuit, exposing it creates the graphic
TEXT: Jennifer Darmour contributing technology editor
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patterning, which adds to the overall of their culture. And if you look around aesthetics.
at how people wear and interact with their clothes, there’s already built-in
Interactions: Gestures and self-expression
mechanics. People already perform a variety of gestures adjusting, zipping,
In the gaming industry, there is a push lifting, shifting, opening, buttoning and toward spatial gestures that you can even fidgeting with the garments they perform using body movements. For wear. This gives fertile ground to merge example, the Nintendo Wii and the the mechanics of the clothes we wear Playstation Move allow’s you to interact with technology and the trend of gestureand navigate by moving your hand and based interaction. So why not use these even your entire body. You can think of interactions to stay connected to your those devices essentially as a computer friends and groups of friends simply by mouse that you hold and move around in performing natural gestures that are the air. In the Fashion industry, clothing built into the mechanics of the garments is a way for people to express themselves we wear. Ping connects to your social in many different ways and in the context networking sites, such as Facebook,
wirelessly and from anywhere. Lift up a hood, tie a bow, zip, button, and simply move, bend and swing to ping your friends naturally and automatically. No phone, no laptop, no hardware. Simply go about your day, look good and stay connected. As a result, it is an example of how we can use our clothing to interact with our technology. You can think about our clothes as another “device� that can replace the computer mouse. With Ping, rather than having to hold a device in your hand, you can perform the gestures that you would naturally do anyway based on our clothing mechanics. These movements and gestures are turned into interfaces that allow us to connect with our friends and family and allow us to express ourselves in new and unique ways.
The new breed By merging the intimacy of clothing with the empowerment of technology, this new breed of clothing strives to enhance our lives by offering a much richer language for self-expression. These smart garments connect, react, and adapt in ways that enable a richer connection with people, our environment and result in a new aesthetic of form and behavior that become a core part of our expression, our identity, and our individuality. www.electricfoxy.com jennifer@electricfoxy.com
The New Bulgarian Renaissance Inspiring modern design emerges from one of Europe’s oldest countries. An essential element of humanity is our creativity. Like the shark, we are compelled to continually move forward. While talent and inspiration can be found all over the earth, there are notable times and places where new ideas and striking expressions of genius and beauty are in abundance. Bulgaria, an Eastern European country with a long and rich history, has given birth to several gifted individuals, including Svilen Gamolov, Desislava Sredkova and Nikolai Mihaylov, who are capturing international attention with cutting-edge design.
Svilen Gamolov Svilen Gamolov is an original and prolific designer who finds that the more he works, the more ideas he discovers. Gamolov is a believer not only in diligence, but in cherishing the soul, and he strives to create functional art that inspires people to find harmony and beauty in life. Thumbing through his portfolio is like taking a glimpse into another world. While the familiar balance of straight and curvy lines is readily apparent, the majority of his pieces are highly unexpected, and the broad range of shapes from creation to creation shows a truly unlimited mind. One would not be surprised to learn that Gamolov is inspired by a vast array of sounds, sites and memories.
Push Table
Embrace Chair
Unafraid of being too personal, he allows multiple aspects of his life; relationships and aspirations influence the direction of his pieces, both in the origin of the idea and in the end goal. Design is a science and an art, fulfilling need and providing comfort, fascination and joy. Gamolov makes no attempt to strip the expression of the human soul from his work. From the edgy and playful distorted webbed pattern of his Push table, to the simple, graceful petal-like folds of his Embrace chair, Svilen Gamolov’s work has the uncanny ability to evoke wonder and to stand out from the crowd in one moment, and in the next, to blend harmoniously with other decor to create a synergistic environment. His work is art and is a testament to both his dedicated efforts and naturally talented mind.
He & She from Eden
Desislava Sredkova Desislava Sredkova is a talented young designer who puts heart into every piece she creates. She is fully aware of the strong structural and practical elements of design and our modern obsession with technology but manages to bring a softer, emotional element to her work, highlighting several timeless elements of humanity. She is unafraid to allow the differences between genders to inspire her creations, yet does not allow them to limit expression of ability. Her work celebrates the complimentary differences in men and women, the beauty of domesticity, and the tenderness and joys of youth and family. Always aware of the importance of finishing and detail, she is fulfilled by her work, and considers it a natural and essential expression of her personality and passion.
TEXT: Karyn Linnel contributing architecture and design editor
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Her unique perspective is seen clearly in her Ladybird Smart Device. This invention harnesses Bluetooth technology in the shape of a cute little ladybug to help a woman easily run the appliances and tools she uses to maintain her home and her life. Exploring the balance of relationship, He and She from Eden is a set of two chairs symbolizing man and woman. While different from one another, they are harmonious, with simplyshaped frames supporting intricate patterns of glass and metal. Her graceful baby swing, Fiore, hangs delicately like a floating tulip almost belying its practicality. By incorporating her own personality in her designs, Sredkova invites us into a world of beauty, a grown-up fairytale that resonates with us on a more emotional level than traditional industrial design.
Flore
Nikolai Mihaylov
Nikolai Mihaylov, a Bulgarian visionary and tapered to fit one another to form who both individually and corporately his sophisticated symmetrical lighting wishes to see his country make a sculptures
including
significant impact internationally in Cradle of Light.
Zax,
Eli
and
Multi-dimensional
the area of design, obtained a degree in with a unique space for a customizable industrial design at the University of centerpiece, his Second Floor table quietly Rousse in 2005 and garnered attention captures instant attention and approval. for his work, winning a scholarship Throughout Mihaylov’s work, a theme of to study in Italy.
After returning to change is readily apparent. Many of his
Bulgaria and gaining experience working works are easily moved or modified to with companies specializing in various suit varied needs, even further reducing aspects of design, he opened his own the limitations of an already uninhibited studio in 2008. Since then he has joined modern design aesthetic. A vast number forces with several other contemporaries, of patrons with differing points of view including Svilen Gamolov, to form can own the same Mihaylov creation and Cherga, a group devoted to cultivating and feel as if it had been custom designed. expanding Bulgarian design. His award- Mihaylov plans to continue to bring his winning work is simple, thoughtful and work to international competition, an thorough.
He is appreciably adept at area in which he has found much success,
merging geometric lines in unexpected to further his efforts to increase awareness ways. Cylinders and spheres are edited of contemporary Bulgarian design.
Cradle of Light
Eli
Bulgaria has made many significant contributions to world culture throughout its lengthy existence, and our modern century is no exception. We can expect big names and innovative breakthroughs to stem from this nation and grace the halls of international design. This is only the beginning, and the world waits with eager anticipation to see what these talented individuals will accomplish next.
Carte Blanc
28 | TEXT: ALEXANDER HORNE contributing design editor
As the summer months approach, we
the realms of materials where technology
yearn for clear blue skies without the
mixes with science and design, white
blight of heavy clouds blotting the
means a lot more than one product.
anticipated golden rays. Ironic then that
Materials such as Outlasts ‘Adaptive
at the same time of year when many are
Comfort’ textile, conceived through
wishing away amorphous white forms
NASA research, stretch the visual impact
from above that an ever increasing group
of white into one of high performance.
of avid followers of a certain fruit logo
Used by outdoor focussed brands such as
are rushing to pick up the latest seductive
Bison and Peak Performance, ‘Adaptive
white form on the high street. With a
Comfort’ is a thermo-regulating textile
New York headquarter that registers as
which works much like a second skin,
many tourist camera clicks as the Statue
storing heat to be released when it is
of Liberty and lines of eager consumers
cold and vice versa to cool the garment
paving the streets in anticipation of their
wearer down. Quite an evolutionary
latest gadget, Apple are on course to
breakthrough when compared to the
becoming the reference point for white
white washing of houses most typically
in contemporary societies consumer
seen in Greece that serves much the same
recognition palette.
temperature control function.
However, white
has been synonymous with more than one societal movement in history; from
The primitive bumps and grooves of
the white washing of Greek houses to
white washed stone gleam from a distance
keep them cool in the blistering med
and charm while walking through
heat to Le Corbusier and other Modern
the cobbled streets they are often next
architects signature structures. While
to. A recent wall panel material from
this most recent colour association maybe
Spain splashes a whole new dimension
one purely based upon trends and brand
of detail and aesthetic on to the surfaces
identity - white more often than not
of outdoor structures and also comes
provides function as well as an aesthetic.
with a compelling story of its origins. Duralmond is a composite material with
Often associated for its heat and sun
a forma-able surface - be that bumps and
repelling abilities as much as it can be
grooves or detailed patterns. The core of
heavenly and theatrical in presence,
the material is made from a silicone resin
white is a colour of impact. Indeed, in
mix while around 40% is actually
comprised of crushed almond shells!
to have more of an evolutionary stamp
As well as giving flexibility in terms of
than the latest coveted consumer objects.
finish, the material is water-repellent,
In fact, within the design industry today
resistant to insects and has good thermal
such knowledge is feeding an emerging
and acoustic properties.
Despite the
economy for design services such as
almond shell content, this material is
material libraries. Perhaps as this desire for
not edible but, it certainly is a mouth
more in depth and accurate knowledge of
watering prospect for designers keen to
subjects such as use of materials increases
explore decorative facades that would
and becomes more readily available, the
usually be difficult to achieve.
question consumers will ask retailers and producers before opening their cheque
Two materials with compelling stories
book will not be what a gadget does but
beyond their surface appearance that
where does it come from and how was it
may not be readily available at high
made.
street stores but, ultimately could be seen