| Author: | ASia Scout Network |
|---|---|
| Location: | Asia |
| Expertise: |
15/07/2010 17:30
“You have a better life if you wear impressive clothes” Vivian Westwood once said. In Linda case, she has more than that. Seeding the love for fashion via blog, she becomes a phenomenon. People love her style and her sketches. In Linda’s blog, you can either find her favourite design of H&M, Forever21 or her daily clothes. Every new post is like an adventure with a little bit of mix and match. Her fashion style is very original and smart. It’s a cute fashion blog, a simple girly website where she can share her thoughts on fashion with other fashion lovers. Linda Tran is not only popular with her Street with love blog, but also onLookbook , she’s probably the most famous Vietnamese member. Her fashion is feminine and yet whimsical. She also sketches her own clothes. If she’s serious about her own fashion label, I bet it will be a big success since it’s very down-to-earth kinda style. In Vietnam, like Linda, the young people are the most active to keep their costumes with their own fashion and also to present who they are with. It's been great this summer to work on Asia Scout Network’s design theme. I have a chance to see all these cool youngster embracing the understated sophistication of well-designed clothes. Bonus: Disaster of fashion (lol)
15/07/2010 16:17
“You have a better life if you wear impressive clothes” Vivian Westwood once said. In Linda case, she has more than that. Seeding the love for fashion via blog, she becomes a phenomenon. People love her style and her sketches. In Linda’s blog, you can either find her favourite design of H&M, Forever21 or her daily clothes. Every new post is like an adventure with a little bit of mix and match. Her fashion style is very original and smart. It’s a cute fashion blog, a simple girly website where she can share her thoughts on fashion with other fashion lovers. Linda Tran is not only popular with her Street with love blog, but also onLookbook , she’s probably the most famous Vietnamese member. Her fashion is feminine and yet whimsical. She also sketches her own clothes. If she’s serious about her own fashion label, I bet it will be a big success since it’s very down-to-earth kinda style. In Vietnam, like Linda, the young people are the most active to keep their costumes with their own fashion and also to present who they are with. It's been great this summer to work on Asia Scout Network’s design theme. I have a chance to see all these cool youngster embracing the understated sophistication of well-designed clothes. Bonus: Disaster of fashion (lol)
15/07/2010 13:12
Forget the formula (A rebellious look - From Kenh14) Experimenting with new trends and styles is an adventure. Hip youngster have the urge to express their identity “I am me”. Some old generation thinks youngter is fashion obsessed. But this is how they are, under the influence of commercial and world trend. Brand can catch the pulse of Vietnamese youth through design. The designs needed to stimulate curiosity and communicate a look-at-me attitude to strengthen brand’s position as a leader, fashion trendsetter, and innovator. Like what Honda did. Don’t forget the past : (Old school motorbike) This year is the rising of vintage style in trend. It’s too obvious when you flick any magazines and websites for youth. Among plenty of trends: Some are aesthetic, some conceptual, and some cultural, you can't help notice the evolution of design. The diversity of modern and old fashion brings out the unique look as in clothes, accessories, camera, motorbike… Yahoo Vietnam has won the market with this commercial, a Vietnamese fairy tale but in a modern concept. Stay eco-friendly (Vietnamese Hand-made Soap) None of the brand (I havent yet seen one) in Vietnam has been focusing on Eco-go-friendly product. But Vietnamese young generation is now aware of the Global warming. They start using eco-friendly product or recycled products, such as hand-made soap, jelly shoes, recycle bags or printing on recycle paper...
15/07/2010 11:06
“You have a better life if you wear impressive clothes” Vivian Westwood once said. In Linda case, she has more than that. Seeding the love for fashion via blog, she becomes a phenomenon. People love her style and her sketches. In Linda’s blog, you can either find her favourite design of H&M, Forever21 or her daily clothes. Every new post is like an adventure with a little bit of mix and match. Her fashion style is very original and smart. It’s a cute fashion blog, a simple girly website where she can share her thoughts on fashion with other fashion lovers. Linda Tran is not only popular with her Street with love blog, but also onLookbook , she’s probably the most famous Vietnamese member. Her fashion is feminine and yet whimsical. She also sketches her own clothes. If she’s serious about her own fashion label, I bet it will be a big success since it’s very down-to-earth kinda style. In Vietnam, like Linda, the young people are the most active to keep their costumes with their own fashion and also to present who they are with. It's been great this summer to work on Asia Scout Network’s design theme. I have a chance to see all these cool youngster embracing the understated sophistication of well-designed clothes. Bonus: Disaster of fashion (lol)
10/07/2010 12:06
Nam Quan was sitting in a coffee shop. He cracked open the film box, popped off the film container top, there was a whiff of film, extracted the cassette, clicked open the camera's back, pulled out the rewind knob, inserted the cassette, threaded the leader, closed the back and finally advanced the film. Now he was ready to shoot the world. Compared with digital camera on/off buttons, what a sensuous experience! Nam Quan, a 20 year old promising photographer, is one among those youngsters fall in love with old-school camera. Although using film, photographer has some difficulty by the certain number of pictures a photographic film roll could contain. But it’s a sacred journey for those who love the smell of Film. Tell us a little bit about yourself ? I'm Nam, 20, Vietnamese - have been doing photography for more than 2 years now (started in March, 2008) - starting as hobby and been doing professional work for over 1 year now. Mainly doing portraits, documentary, wedding and commercial. Why on earth do you switch from Digital to Film Camera? I started photography 100% with digital. But, over a year ago, my mentor told me to try shooting with film to train myself to be more careful when shooting a picture. Since then I'm starting to do it and love it for many reasons, the color tone, the feeling of shooting film, things that you have to do "make a picture", not just "take a picture"... and a bunch of other reasons. Seriously, it might take you another article to answer why I love film rolls. What film camera do you own ? I'm having with me a bunch of different film cameras now. The first film camera I had, also the one that I used to shoot most with all the time is a Minolta X-700. But in the last year, I switch to medium format and hardly ever shoot 35mm format again, though I keep the X-700 since it's a great thing to have and it's a great buddy to me, it taught me a lot. I also have a Pentax K-1000, a gift from my very best friend. With medium-format, I now mostly shoot with a Hasselblad 503CW after experiencing the Yashica-A and Yashica-D TLRs. Toy camera is fun and amazing for whatever I do, I have a HOLGA to shoot fun stuff with friends and sometimes do some experimental photography. It's a gift from a young Japanese photographer whom I used to work with. I see your buddies adopt a film camera as well. Do you know the reason why youngster decide to stay with film? It's really hard to tell a reason but maybe mostly because young people think it's "cool " to have a film camera in your bag (photography, in the last 2 years, has been becoming more like a trend than an art), some kids consider a vintage film camera around their neck can be a fashionable and trendy accessory, like leather bag or Jason Mraz's hat. Others who really love doing photography experience it because - as I said, it really push you through all these feelings of making a picture yourself. You'll realize how much you love photography and how serious you are about it when shooting film. Do you develop your own film or send it off? How often do you use Photoshop? I shoot color film mostly and hardly anyone develop color film by hands nowadays, they do with B&W film but you can hardly ever find B&W develop chemicals here in Vietnam. I have all of my film developed at the photolab. I'm not really deep into Photoshop but needed, I will use it to make my picture closer to what I want. What lessons about photography can someone learn by shooting in film as opposed to digital? Being careful and patient are the 2 general things that young people will get to learn when shooting with film. Name your top 5 sources of inspiration. New cameras, old places in the city, indie music, my expat friends and my girlfriend. Do you use film for your own project or work ? I do a lot for my own project/portfolio but never for my work since I never went to photography school and got fully trained to work with film .It's a risk if I try to do work with film without knowing and understanding it. But surely I will do it someday. What's your favourite topic ? Besides your girlfriends, of course. Streetlife and documentary. Btw, I knew your love story but I feel like people would like to hear it. Tell us about her. Her name is Phuong Trinh. We knew each other more than a year ago after getting into contact with each other onFlickr, , but actually we never talked. I strongly admire her work and check her site all the time. One day there was this writer working for a Vietnamese teen magazine interviewed me to write about young and remarkable Vietnamese photographer on Flickr as well as the photography trend in Vietnam. I didn't know that she was also interviewed. When the article was out, she left a message on my flickr site like: "hey, I notice your names is next to mine on the article, congrats..." . And we started talking since then. After more than 3 months knowing her, I decided to visit her in Hanoi and it's been more than a year since then, I've been visiting her like 7 times during the last 14 months. And I am in Hanoi when answering your questions. She's using a digital camera - a Canon 450D and a bunch of film cameras as well, a Minolta X-700 like mine, a Olympus Pen-F, a Yashica-D... and some other toy cameras. Of course she's so deep into film photography, too. What is your biggest challenge as a Film photographer? The amount of money you have to pay for buying film, having it developed and scanned at the lab... Things getting a bit more expensive than they used to be now. Who is your most favourite - most influenced photographer? My bad point is that I don't spend a lot of time looking at people's work and seriously don't get to know many famous people in the industry, but if I have to pick a name to tell, Robert Capa is the one who inspires me a lot in doing documentary photography. What is your biggest dream? For myself? A Leica M6 and the production of film rolls never get stopped. On your Facebook, you more than once said the smell of film is sexay. What about it? It's real photography. Here are some of his works on film Official website : http://www.nam-quan.com/ Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/namquan1989 Flickr: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/namq_photo/ Bonus: Nam Quan is a very "bad" influence. He gave me his baby and taught me to shoot. Since then, I am addiction to the sexay smell of film and the shutter's sound. Here are my very first film photos.
10/07/2010 07:44
The term 'Design' holds different interpretations among the youth. For some, design has to be cool, trendy or a new product packed with functionalities, whereas for others it resembles an extension of their personality and individuality.Customisation takes the CakeWhat I found interesting is the latter part, where design is not influenced by Bollywood celebrities, peers, TV, latest trends, etc., but is more dependent on an individual's personal taste. The youth is turning away from mass appeal items to opt for customised fashion products, like shoes, bags, outfits, accessories etc., to stand out from the trend-following crowd. They are willing to spend more in order to personalise the design, style and colours of the product. The need for such products arises from the fact that individuals want to purchase unique items that they can call their own. Personalised products is going to be the next big thing. Traditional yet ContemporaryIf to be different is the criteria then quirky items is the choice. Here traditional designs are given a brand new avatar that appeals to the modern sensibilities. Like Happily Unmarried, a shop based in suburban Mumbai, takes everyday object and converts it into something that is funny, wacky or admirable, like making a CD case from a traditional Indian tiffin dabba,or a bottle stopper is designed like a hand pump, widely used in rural India. Apart from the products, what's interesting is that such designs don't attract the masses, but a niche segment who fancy unusual stuff. Opportunity for BrandsIndia has large number of youth population, so opportunity is plenty to connect with them through design, since it forms an important part of their daily lives. From clothes, shoes, bags, to cell phones, laptops or automobiles, decisions are based on design – colour and style – functionalities, needs, and comfort levels.Depending on the target market of a specified product, brands can spread the word through new-age media, namely social networking sites, since youngsters love to socialise and network with friends.Generally when a global trend is adopted by the youth, it becomes a fusion of traditional design and western style/traditional and modern elements. For example – denims worn with kurtas/kurtis, beads in neck and Indian footwear, or even a sari worn with fancy blouses. The FutureDesign trends are ever-changing, following a cyclical reincarnation of sorts, never dying completely, but instead returning with a vengeance after being long forgotten. So based on that pretext, Bollywood, cricket, etc., will continue to have an impact on trends and influence the decision of youngsters. At the same time there will be growing interest in alternative and unique designs that is not mass marketed but attracts a niche segment. Cell phones have become a necessity for the youth, its like a gadget that entertains them. They use them to surf the Net, socialise, take photos, listen to music etc. The latest gizmos fascinates them and according to a report, by 2012 one in five of the world's mobile youth will be living in India.Keeping up with the popularity, innovative designs will capture the attention of the youth. In a nutshell, the future lies in design that help them accentuate their individuality.
10/07/2010 06:57
The Indian sari has been an essential fashion attire in a woman's wardrobe for ages. This 6-yard wonder has managed to keep its charm, grace and elegance despite the changing trends in fashion to be more westernised. Worn during formal occasions, festivities, workplaces, saris have evolved over the years, in terms of style and design, as more young women prefer to create a fusion, that is more trendy than the traditional sari. Saris are available in varied designs and fabrics, from cotton, silk to georgette, crepe and many more. Due to heavy western influence, saris and blouses are modified to suit one's style. AD Singh, a famous fashion designer based in Mumbai, explains, “The sari is synonymous to Indian fashion and the western influence on Indian design has always been very strong right from the beginning of the fashion era. Hence the complete trend of having funky and bold saris and blouses is very in. The newer generation is educated and modern so the cultural parameter is lighter and there is more emphasis on trends.” Saris in the Modern age: Convenient Beauty for Indians and OthersCatering to Youth's sense of Modern FashionStyles like reducing the width of the pallu (the loose end of a sari), wraparound saris, gown-styled drapes, narrow pleats are preferred by youngsters. Wearable by Everyone Draping a sari can be a difficult, so for those who like easy-to-wear attires, there are options like pre-pleated and lehenga saris. While pre-pleated saris are like skirts with pleats stitched on to them, lehenga saris have a flowing silhouette (kali) , and has a heavy pallu replacing a well-draped dupatta on the left shoulder. Lehenga saris are generally worn during marriages, parties etc., and the pre-pleated ones is suited for any occasion. The Art of Mix-and-MatchAn important part of saris are blouses, that add to the overall look of the attire. The traditional half-sleeved saree blouse is passe, glocal designs like halter neck, corsets, one shoulder, backless or low back blouses, spaghetti straps, short sleeves are popular now. Depending on the material, design, embellishments, etc., prices vary from anywhere between Rs 2000-3000 for a decent sari to over a lakh and more for designer, bridal saris etc. “Sari teamed with fancy blouses look really elegant, its a perfect blend of ethnicity and modernity. If I team it with the right accessory, the outfit looks incredible. I would prefer the pre-pleated saris since its easy to wear and carry as well, and there is no hassle of getting the pleats right while draping it,” says Dharini Parekh, socialite and counselor. Saris are available in different colours, but for the younger generation pastel shades would be the choice, like peach, blue, off-white, rusty reds, while bridal wear comprises traditional colours like red, maroon or green. Silk Leads the WaySilk saris is something which young girls cannot resist, especially Kanjeevaram silks, that gets its name from a town called Kanchipuram in south India, Chennai, has gained popularity in the fashion capitals of the world. Combine that with trendy corsets or em broidered blouse and its becomes a stunning attire for formal occasions, marriages etc. Also in vogue are georgette saris, made of silk, polyester or nylon, that is a popular designer fabric and is available in varied designs. Celebrity ChoiceNot only in India, saris are a popular choice in the global market as well. Celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Liz Hurley, Pussy Cat Dolls, Ashley Judd, and many more have worn variations of the sari on different occasions, which has created a buzz in the international fashion market. Generally the classic 6-yard sari with embroidery work on them is preferred in the western market.In fact embroidery work is not only restricted to saris, but international fashion designers - Elie Saab, Tony Ward to name a few - are using this Indian art in their collection namely gowns. The styles of this traditional-cum-modern attire will keep changing, but its certainly here to stay.
08/07/2010 13:31
Most of my favourite male friends are gay. They always have a very special way when it comes to fashion. They find ways to express their identities through their dress choices. No, not wearing skirt, high heel, wig or anything like that. My friends simply adopt an increasingly masculine image with Maschio. (Maschio Boutique) Maschio is a close fitting "European style", worn primarily by gay men, sold from the boutique in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. It is runned by two owners under the same name Dũng. Big Dũng is the marketing expert and Little Dũng is in charge with the design. Big Dũng once admitted that Maschio's target customer is homosexual because they are willing to pay. Who cares about the look more than a straight man and less than a straight woman? HOMOSEXUAL. Also, this specific market is more willing to experiment with new ideas, styles and fabrics in clothing. (Maschio outfit) There is no evidence to call Maschio fashion is for homosexual, specially in an age where homosexuality is greatly extented accepted in major urban centers, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish gay and straight men on the basis of their dress. But if taking a real close look, the adoption of a series of secret codes in Maschio allowed gay men to spot each other, while remaining invisible to the outside world. Long story short, with Maschio, Gay is the way. Top 290k-450k (VND) Bottom 400k-700k Bag 450k-800k. MASCHIO 377 Dien Bien Phu Str., Dist 3, HCMC, Vietnam Tel (+84) 3-8392950 Cell +(84) 907 611 488 dungthaiba@gmail.com http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14907894991
06/07/2010 17:17
Kissing goodbye the days of granny’s ugly homemade soap that was harsh to your skin and smelled like 'ew'. A bar of handmade soap turns the daily bath into something new, something zen, something exotic. Behind all that magic, making soap in its finest form is indeed an Art! A skilled soap maker, using great care in choosing the finest oils in proper ratio, can create a small bar of soap that is luxurious in the way it feels in your hands, arouse the senses and soothe the spirit after a hard day's work. Meet the artist of Sensoap, a local handmade soap business – MAI PHUONG . To make soap, do you need a giant lab? No, I dont need a giant lab, cozy space, and a stereo is all i need. My kitchen is probably the best smelling kitchen in Saigon. It’s full of herbs, dried flowers and drawers of essential oils. What kind of music do you listen while doing it ? Erm, something good enough to make me sway, but not jumping up and down. Bollywood fusion, east africa fusion, egyptian, and the likes. You are such a multi-tasker of working in an advertising agency and soap maker. How do you balance with your full time job and Sensoap ? I take sensoap as my leisure activitity, my giving and taking. I give my love, expression and give it to people who likes it. It’s not a job since theres no payment or responsibilities. So I don't need to put it on the scale with my full time job. (Lusty Toastie) I am looking at your first batch, Lusty Toastie. How did you feel when it was done? "I want to eat it". Thats how I felt Your first customer must have felt the same way. By the way, do you remember your first customer ? My husband. He paid me so I won't sell his favourite soap to somebody else. What have been the greatest challenges? Getting the right ingredients is the most difficult part of the job considering most Vietnamese are not big fans of DIY concept at all. Why waste time doing it while made-in-China stuff are out there at jaw-dropping cheap price, you know. Took me a few days on Google and an afternoon driving around to get basic things I need. (Sin Of Eve) I love the name of each soap you make. What inspire you in a name ? My mood when I make the soap, and look at the final products . I have pretty good imagination, I can associate words with feeling, guess because I read a lot. What about Hemingways Blue ? Erm, you ever read Hemingway? Very sharp and dry, yet bright and fresh like his stories. (Hemingways Blue) What is your favourite soap ? Is it what you are using now ? You don't see my favourite yet, its called Zim Zimma, rastafari colours, patchouli scent. I dont put it on my site. People only see it when they come to my house. Aw, why? Why? Because it’s a little customised surprise that I save for people who really love my soaps. Do you dream big , like bringing Sensoap out of Vietnam ? I don't normally plan that far. I'm happy where i am now, having a decent amount of customers, receiving their flattering feedbacks and love. I'll just go with the flow. Who knows the flow might bring sensoap out of vietnam. By handmade soap, you are giving Green a chance. And you are a vegetarian too. What do you think Sensoap can do as far as their contribution to help heal the planet? At Sensoap, we recycle and eliminate waste as much as we can. We only do minimum packaging if it's really needed. We prefer to give our soaps unpacked and natural as it should be. When required, we use recycled paper for packaging and encourage our customers to reuse them for following purchases. And purchasing from local suppliers is part of our effort to eliminate carbon dioxide and emission fume that destroy the ozone. Wow, I tell you it’s not easy to do that in Vietnam. People may think you are out of your mind. No, I consider myself as a free soul, a tree hugger and a lover of the earth. And you are trying to educate people through Sensoap? No, my business is to generate love. People should love themselves, love things around them, love anything thats beautiful, anything that’s raw and real. (Bath Bomb) (Lavender Love Block) (Summer Fruit) (Japanese Sunset) Find Sensoap: Official website: http://sensoap.com.vn Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sensoap Blog: http://sensoap.wordpress.com/
05/07/2010 15:44
When everyday is just "another day, another dime", a new cool icon set on your desktop can cheer you up big time. On www.the10most.com, they listing the 10 greatest websites you can get your free icons to build your next web app, blog or corporate website for your clients. One of 10 suggested sources is IconEden from Vietnam. IconEden belongs to Frexy a creative web design company. Those who run Frexy is pretty young, in their early 20s and have met at one point - drop-out by choice. Don't believe in the education system, they decided to "took the one less traveled by , And that has made all the difference" ( Robert Frost). I met the leader of Frexy one fine day over a cold street beer to know what he is up to. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Hello! My name is Min Tran. I’m a 25 year old pixel craftsman from Viet Nam. I was born in Quang Nam and grew up in Dalat. To be honest, I don’t have any formal education or training in my career. I'm a self-taught designer and still am I. I run Frexy – a small web design studio, where I also incubated IconEden, a service specialized in providing premium icons for interfaces. Whats about Frexy? How many members? Frexy is a small passion-driven design studio, which specializes in crafting user interfaces and websites. We also provide top-notch premium icons at IconEden.com. Frexy started its journey as a soloist’s business, till now we have grown to a company consisting five talents. Frexy will celebrate its 5th birthday this August. (Some of Frexy icon packages) You don’t actually design those Icon, right? Who design them? The icons were initially designed by myself and my brother Vu Tran. IconEden grew rapidly, and we needed help as the growth of the business. So we hired another icon designer. She does contribute some beautiful icons for IconEden. Why did you choose to start with icon design? I’m an interface designer at heart. I often scratched my head to choose the right icons for my interfaces. That's why I decided to learn about icon design. Back in 2008, we designed some icons for fun. We did like them a lot, and we thought people would like them, too. So we released those icons as freebies and we received a lot of compliments from the community. That encouraged us to launch IconEden.com as a side project, which dedicates to beautiful icon creation. We do what we love and we love what we’re doing so far. So we could tell you that the business part is rather natural. And to be clear, though I have made web stuffs since 2003, but we didn’t offer icon design service until 2008. Which method do you use to attract clients? I am thinking of direct contact and constant prayers. (Smile) We are not religious. At Frexy, we don’t either have any sales guy or marketing plan. The quality of work is our marketing secret weapon! Our professional skills are marketing skills themselves. We got some clients from search engines, but most of our potential clients came to us thanks to the fact that our good works caught their attention. We’ve always striven to produce better work and built strong relationship with our clients and partners. (Frexy free icon package) Did your free icons attract the clicks you were expecting? How many of those clicks have turned into customers? We “heart” icons, and we’d love to share our passion. Our icons have been featured on various magazines and communities around the interweb, even W3C uses our freebies, too! It’s the ambition for us to contribute more. I believe passion is something we cannot measure. I don’t have any number of conversion rate and I don’t really care about it. How Frexy Icon stands out to the market out there, compare to other competitors ? We don’t make competitors, we make friends. One thing we’re sure is we’re doing good and we can make it better in the years to come :) Frexy designs website too. What is your favourite work? Always the next one! We build Caravat, Bepgiadinh, Hy.Ly ... (Frexy porfolio) What is Frexy by the way? Frexy = Fresh + Sexy. And beside Frexy, what else do you invest in? In music. All Frexy members are music lovers, Rock to be exact. I started a small shop making handmade hi-end guitars. I don't know how it works out yet but very potential. I'll keep you updated. Word! Thank you for the interview, Min! Min actually doesn't want to talk much about his and fellow's drop-out. But from my point of view, it's a very brave, yet risky of them by quitting play safe, walk their way. Hey, you are the drop-out Champs ! To connect Min Tran on: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/min.tran.frexy Blog http://www.frexy.com/blog Twitter http://twitter.com/mintran Email min@frexy.com
01/07/2010 08:35
Walking with Lukas, I feel like I am such a nerd in my tshirt and a pair of jeans. In a plain white shirt, with retro-like glasses and hat, he has all the spotlight. Everybody kind of stops what they're doing just to watch him. Retro Glasses Say No to contact lens, Lukas chooses the big, chucky frames of the 80s. "They (the retro fashion eyewear) represents the intelligence and sophistication", he giggles. Runway models are now wearing the retro fashion eyewear on fashion runways. Vietnamese youth don't takes a lot of time and a lot of effort to look the way people did back in the day. They can easily shop for a retro style glasses at some flea market or night market at few bucks. The most popular colors for the frames are red, black, clear and tortoiseshell. The chunkier the size, the sexier you look. Kenh14 (www.kenh14.vn), a popular Vietnamese online magazine for teens, has promoted the style in several fashion shoots. (Kenh14) The Hat Men wore hats in the Fifties. Not sometimes. All the time. It's the story of confirmity. But in 2010 and late, wearing a hat is a fashion statement of the wearer. The hat is just that awesome extra thing. Straw hat, leather hat, round hat,... I love the way the look comes together. Casual but still chic and cute. With a retro style hat, you deserve the daily love. (Lukas) ( N.A , 24 years old)
01/07/2010 02:41
If is often said when something new meets something old, something unique happens. But Nude Jewelry also prooves when combining 2 different things old, we get something really unique, too.Most familiar as " Indian Henna Art" here, "Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. (Wikipedia)" Henna Art has become popuar around the world as something like "an instant tattoo" that girls can enjoy while it stays on the skin.The skill and technique for making pure god leaves also dates back before Christ. It's been seen in many regions, and the art of it was developed accordingly in the hands of skilled craftsmen in each such region. Japan is being one of them, and there is a long history for its gold leaf technique and artifacts. The most famous place in Japan for gold leaves is Kanazawa of Ishikawa prefecture. Their techinique supports the famous Kinkaku-ji(Temple of the Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto.Having roughly explained the 2 traditions, I would like to introduce Nobukhiko Akatsuka, also a jewelry designer, who created what is called "Nude Jewelry." It is reminiscent of the traditional henna body painting but with a twist - pure gold or platinum foil, along with Swarovski cyristal, is set directly on your bare skin. It is painless, set quickly, and easy to remove; however, it can only be applied by a certified Nude Jewelry artist.It has become famous among wedding brides...since the Japanese traditionally tends to spend a lot for weddings at the same time the bridal industry also charges a lot, knowing the tradition. It's also popular among models and party-goers.Additionally, dancers like it since it doesn't get on the way of their movement yet still adds to them such elegant glitters on stage.Of course, it costs more than the henna art since you are lavishing pure gold just for the few hours of whatever the special occation. But sometimes the time is worth more than gold, right?
29/06/2010 17:40
Retro is a style that evokes a previous period, usually the 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s. Vietnam youth is digging into the retro look (specially the 80s). It has never been a better time to look retro and they don't have to visit a second hand shop to do it. There are some unknown stores and many more outlets selling retro stuff from fashion, accessories to motorbike, camera and so on. I spent the whole afternoon with Lukas Huynh, a fasion Guru Guru and had him educate me about Retro. Lukas HuynhAge: 26Nationality: Chinese VietnameseOccupation: Sales and Marketing ExecutiveHow can you give your outfit that retro feeling? I found this somewhere, "Doing retro right is all about balance. If you do everything from the same period, your space can become cliche. What you mix retro with is what makes the space unique and updated.” I try not to bring the whole package on me. I mean, I don't want to look like an Alien in the street. I choose one or two pieces (of retro) at a time, may be a sunglasses, a hat, going together with my Gucci belt and AX shirt. What is the Inspiration? I mean how do you come up with the idea about Retro? Well, I am the 8X generation. To know about the 60s, 70s or 80s style, I have to find references, images that represent those years. There are Flickr, Youtube, Wikipedia, where we can learn more about that time in history and check some pictures of products, designs, and videos that were produced on those days. And of course, browse through your family old photo album where Mom, Dad and older generation looked so cool in their outfit. And from there? These images will give us an idea of the colors, the typography style, and the graphic elements that were mostly used in that period of time. From there, I can design them myself or buy at some Retro Style shops. Between the Q&A, me and him just simply sat in a street café shop, gossip, looking at people and found some hottest pieces that represents the trend we were talking about. Jumpsuit is back Lady GaGa, Dakota Fanning, Leona Hewis... stay stylish everywhere in jumpsuit. But it's no longer the jumpsuit as its predecessors. Nowaday, the design turns the classic jumpsuit into all-in-one jumpsuit, flying suit or playsuit. (Dakota Fanning) Vietnamese celebrities do jumpsuit too. (Singer Uyen Trang) (Miss Vietnam 2006 - Mai Phuong Thuy in her black jumpsuit)Maxi Dress Phenomenon Carrie in “Sex and the city” is such a Creative Urbanite Meets Fearless Fashionista. She brought Floral Maxi dress on the big screen and it becomes the phenomenon. This summer in Vietnam, maxi dress is the first pick of young ladies. And Lukas still has more to show me. I am slightly allured by this charm look of Retro.
19/05/2010 04:57
Its hard to define “Slang” as somewhat design. But to a teenager, no matter how hip he/she dresses up, if he/she doesn’t talk like one, it’s so out of the place. Identify teenager by this formula: Teenager = Fashion + Slang. By design, slang is wittier and more clever than standard Vietnamese. A lot may disagree with me at this point, since they are afraid of the fact that Vietnamese teenager new language will compromise students' ability to write and to communicate. But now, the use of slang and abbreviations is not limited just to e-mails, text messages or instant messages. It is showing up in kids' schoolwork or college tasks. What teachers, parents, adults take a peek at teenager (9X, 10X)’s twitter, facebook, hand-writing, chat window may scare them to death. “Its ALIEN language, I have no idea”, my sister, a secondary school in Nha Trang city, Vietnam, cried. Sure thing, top of the list “10 reasons for adult to hate teenager’s slang” is they feel cut off from their kids with all this texing and Iming, they can see it but they don’t get it. Since it affects directly to almost every field, from education to advertising , etc etc… Brands which aims to target customers from 13-20ish years old change their tactics too. (Beeline : New phone service using slang “hot” in one of their TVC) Or clothing line I posted earlier, Konheo. (Translate: Lúc trước đẹp zai lém, bi giờ đỡ nhìu zồi = Lúc trước đẹp trai lắm, bây giờ đỡ nhiều rồi) Seeping into youngster daily language, sometimes they inadvertently use the language all the time, even where it might be inappropriate. When being stumped by teen lingo, the conservative press and adults obviously show the extreme hostility, teens still use it as much as they can in daily activities. In other words, they pretty enjoy slanging, saying their generation is different than yours. C’mon, we all start using active slang when we are in junior high, it’s just different by time. Here is a handful of instant messenger lingo you may see somewhere either by accident or on purpose: (i=j, e=3, gi=z,với (with)= vs, o=0, i=1) My sister acknowledges the fact that she or others can’t change the situation. She now learns how to talk like her students. It blows chunks, and there’s a good reason for that. She is (or we’are) too old. it backfires when adults try to “be hip.” Her students laugh at her but they accept her willingness to adapt with them.
17/05/2010 05:41
In my train of thoughts from part 1, I had another picture: defining what design is also like peeling an onion. Let’s pretend we see an onion for the very first time! Trying to find the core, or the fruit, of that onion, we keep peeling off the layers, but eventually the onion is gone. However, we know and taste what an onion is through each of those layers or through the totality of the layers, which is the onion. I think this picture can be applied to describing any kinds of essential truth since the nature of “truth” should be something that cannot be summed into sentences to begin with. The essence or truth of anything is formless, yet we all grasp it and feel the existence of it though its layers and aspects that certainly represent that thing.Therefore, the way to grasping what design is to surround ourselves with different forms of design, and just the place to be for it is Tokyo’s famous Design Festa. (I guess I did all this philosophizing to get to this point. HAHA!)Officail SiteOfficial BlogOfficial MySpaceDesign Festa is held 2 times a year, and the first one for 2010 was held over this weekend (May 15-16th). It is an international art event that offers an opportunity for any genres of artists to exhibit and showcase their productions freely however they desire. It is, indeed, a “melting pot,” or even a chaotic street bazaar, of expressions!
14/05/2010 11:24
Happily Unmarried firstly is something that is not common in India, here most people dream of settling down with their prince or princesses. But a duo known as Rajat Tuli and Rahul Anand, the founders of Happily Unmarried, a fun gift items and lifestyle products e-commerce website, targets those who feel their different.Happily unmarried takes everyday objects and convert it into something that is funny, whacky or admirable. Whats even more interesting is since the company is based here it has products specifically designed for the Indian market. Take for example the Mosquito quito, here in Mumbai and the rest of India we have a sever mosquito problem, generally when we buy mosquito coils, it comes with a flimsy cheap stand.The mosquito quito looks like a dish tv antennae, a very modern angle to an age old product, plus it also prevents the ash from falling on the ground, combining hep, unique and versatility in one product. The traditional Indian tiffin dabba, is converted into a cd case, while a bottle stopper is designed like a hand pump, a sight common in rural India. According to Neeti Mehra, a travel journalist and photographer, "The youth buy this stuff cause its quirky, different and appeals to a modern sensibility, yet is quite traditional and is not mass yet and perhaps will never be."But stepping out of the shoes of a traditional Indian, the site offers a lot of other cool stuff that will appeal to a different genre of people, like the flower power coasters or the recycled wine bottle lamps, space ship that holds toothpicks and more. The products appeal to a wide range of people from the college going teenagers to the young office goers, sometimes even older.The only set back is the price factor, most teenagers can't afford this, except if their rich or have a job. The sites ideal target market is the working youth, the brand is also pushing itself across the country as it garners fame with their unparalleled designs and packaging.
14/05/2010 11:00
Old is gold, goes the famous cliché, but gold is not always affordable, plus, it doesn't really count on the cool quotient among todays youth. Though junk jewelry saves the day, as its something which can be mixed and matched with almost everything. A popular place to get those trinkets, funky jewelry etc., is Colaba Causeway, in South Mumbai. Its a haven for cash-strapped fashioniastas, who love to buy junk stuff. Colorful bangles, ethnic wooden neck pieces, beaded jewelery, semi-precious stones to fancy hoops, studs, bracelets and much more is available at a good bargain here. Dharini Jhaveri, a shopaholic working in HR department of a leading company, says, “Junk jewelery goes well with my western outfits and there are plenty of unusual stuff available at places like Colaba and Linking Road in Bandra. It definitely is an affordable option, not forgetting, a bit of haggling involved to get it at a good price. Plus, the quality is reasonably good as it lasts for a while.” One of the popular stalls on the Causeway are the ones that allow shoppers to create his/her own jewelery by picking beads of different colours, shapes, sizes (wooden, glass or porcelain) and lining them to create a personalised accessory on the spot. It goes well with denims, skirts, shorts and dresses, no wonder the younger generation is in awe of this place. The cost ranges from anywhere between Rs 40 to Rs 1000 or even more, depending on the kind of jewelery one purchases. If its semi-precious stone or related items, then the cost goes higher up. Take a stroll down Causeway with this video - Youngsters also express their personal style by experimenting with jewelery of different materials like feathers, papers, shells, cartoon characters strung on a black thread, artificial pearls, glass, plastic, copper jewelery etc. Apart from the junk jewelery, Colaba Causeway also offers variety of shawls/stoles, cotton clothes, Kolhapuri chappals, glares, perfumes, unique antique pieces, artifacts etc. This place is a must visit among the tourists too, which explains the cosmopolitan nature of this place. If junk jewelery is on the cards, then the shopping experience is incomplete without a visit to the vibrant street of Colaba Causeway.
14/05/2010 07:08
Indian design today is becoming global, often associated with colours. Earlier days design would signify traditional patterns, intricate work and there is generally a story associated with that piece of work. But nowadays, design and colour have taken a different meaning altogether. Lets take a look at certain sets of colour trends that are hugely favored among the youth. In the previous post, we spoke about design and how its perceived among the younger generation, but how does design change with gender? Appeal to the Mass with Minimalist Design and Neutral ColourWhen you talk about design online, most sites today cater to both sexes without changing the look and feel for one. For example, Facebook has captured the mass audience comprising both genders. The site also managed to get a huge amount of its competitors' share, how did they manage to do that? Of course we are only looking at the role design had to play.Amit Ayre, a senior business analyst and freelance web developer, said, “When it comes to youth or even the working class, you can't go wrong with a minimalist design. Youth have shorter attention span, so showing only the things that matter in subtle colors, is the new trend.”Similarly, Facebook has a minimalist look, and with its recent revamp last month it put user notification, messages and friend requests upfront, the three most things a person uses. Gender-Based when going personal A good user interface is appreciated by both genders, however, a portal catering only to women or men plays with colors that makes the difference, in these cases vibrant colors are in. Like Sunsilk Gang of Girls, a community meant exclusively for girls, uses bright colours to attract its target segment. In the offline world, the same feature applies to even automobiles, like sccoty made for women and don't they love it. This is more to do with the experience of being mobile, chic and comfort. A striking example here would be TVS's Scooty Pep, available in various shades, showed in the video below. Brightful colours and the tween spirit;Like wise in cell phones, for instance, built for women would not only have feminine colours like pink, purple, sky blue, etc., but it also needs to be packed with easy-to-use functions and in all possibility a man would not like the same phone.There have been a number of cell phone manufacturers who have experimented with making phones for the fairer sex. You can see a list of cell phones for women here, where the shape changes too for some of them. Its not only restricted to cell phones, but more chic gizmos catering to girls are being introduced in the market, like trendy iPods, pen drives, headphones and earphones in innovative shapes and colours, are all catching the attention of young girls. Be it a green iPod that probably matches with their shoes, or slim and lightweight Sony Vaio notebook, many girls are using gadgets to make a style statement. Colourful and sleek laptops combined with stylish and funky laptop bags like animal prints, graphic art prints, polka dots etc., are getting popular among girls. Gothic Looks While for some the colour is black, the gothic look is quite prevalent among college students. So black nail paint, dark eye make up, heavy metal t-shirts, combined with traditional beads, bands and gadgets, is the Indian goth culture.Opposite Choice As compared to this, the opposite gender definitely don't prefer minimalist look when it comes to gadgets, bikes or even cars. For example, Harley Davidson, who recently made a foray into the Indian market, has got them excited due to its sheer power and speed. Though some feel differently about this. Jonathan Sreekumaran, who works for a digital media firm, explains, "Design isn't based on gender. it's based on perception - and perception isn't very gender-centric." In a nutshell, designs (gadgets, automobiles, apparels etc.) might differ according to gender since more women are entering spaces traditionally dominated by men, but in the online world, minimal look is what appeals to both.
05/05/2010 11:29
Motorcycles today are getting faster, sleeker and incorporating more technology to improve performance. Today, the roads are full of the pro-street Pulsars and Yamaha Fz series, something that has got the Indian motor cycle industry revving up. But the thump of the beast is still heard, though mellowed by the government norms, the Royal Enfield's distinct sound catches attention of many. Before we go further, a little brief on what exactly is the Royal Enfield. A motor company based in Chennai, won an order to build war motorcycles for the Indian army in 1949. These bikes were imported from the British and assembled here, soon they started building the frame, and later expanded to building the entire bike here. The war was over, the British left, but the Bullet (a Royal Enfield Standard 350cc bike) still remained, as compared to the newer bikes. It was sold unchanged for over 20 years, and was extremely different from every motorcycle in the market, Everyone in Mumbai or the whole of India, are aware of the Bullet, but only few, generally more experienced riders, had the desire to own one. There are range of differences as compared to a main stream bike like the gear shift on the wrong side, the kick back thats capable of snapping your leg in to two, a design from the past and technology that's even older. Royal Enfield understood bikers' love for old alternate designs, rather than futuristic modern ones that are common. To appeal to a wider audience, the company modified their engine using better technology and electronic fuel injection system. The Royal Enfield Classic was born, a blast from the past, with an old school design that makes it the only classic motorcycle manufactured in the country. But how did the market respond to this new concept of alternate bike designs? Motorcycle enthusiasts were overwhelmed, and Royal Enfield didn't remain a bike for the select few. It gets 300 bookings a day, and the company, can't match up to the demand, churns out only 124 bikes each day. To own one of these alternate bikes, the person has to wait for over 8 months. The new launch has attracted customers like no other Enfield has before, perhaps its the combination of good looks, ancient design, new technology and a lot of power that has hit people in the right spots. However, the only deterring factor is the price of nearly Rs 1,50,000 that will make many consider this option. But it will still remain a dream to own one for a true motorcycle lover.
05/05/2010 11:14
In the earlier posts I mentioned about the Bollywood factor in setting a trend and how popular it gets among the masses. But, there is a segment who don't believe in following the latest trends and instead prefer creating their own design or style that would reflect their personality, albeit at a cost.The youth want to personalise their design by creating 'brand me', so it can be customised shoes, bags, outfits or buying off-the-shelf products, in order to stand out from the masses. Meghana Mehra, journalist and a shopaholic, says, “Made-to-order has emerged as an alternative to mass appeal products. I would prefer to have a customised bag, specifically designed to suit my requirements, in terms of colour, style, decorative items used on it, etc. It would be something I can call it as my own and it has a different feel to it.”There are several boutiques emerging in the city, like in Bandra, the hip suburb of Mumbai, where unique designs are on display, be it in clothes, accessories, wallets, and much more. Custom-made products are priced higher than the mass market designs, so the segment that likes it are generally high spenders. Let's take a look at a unique innovation of customisation with Bollywood as its main ingredient. Indian Hippy offers hand-painted products like wallets, handbags, belts, purses etc., styled in Bollywood film poster format. This combination of art and function is created by film poster artists of yesteryears. Hinesh Jethwani, founder of Indian Hippy, explains, “World over, the custom fashion products market is being touted as the next big thing. Early adopters and trendsetters are quickly turning away from off-the-shelf brands towards one-of-a-kind custom products that gives them pride of ownership and is extension of their character, something that mass market products fail to deliver.”“The colors and painting styles used in the designs remain exactly the same as they were decades ago – lending a very “retro feel” to our products. The art borrows heavily from Bollywood - depicting the beauty and splendor of some of the most magical moments in Indian cinema. Indian Hippy is where art and function collide to give birth to a new concept called “mobile art” ─ Miniature paintings that can be carried around and instantly become the subject of conversation at parties,” Hinesh continues.In fact Indian Hippy has taken customization a step further, they give individuals the opportunity to have either their own portraits or those of their loved ones painted on accessories like wallets, handbags, purses, etc. Youngsters who like to stand out from the rest, experiment with the design as well as be unique since custom-made products are generally not similar. How do you want your handbag?
27/04/2010 12:58
Its interesting to know various points of view when it comes to design hype. For me, every time I think of those two words, I remember a particular incident in my life. Few years ago, I had a tough time deciding if I should buy a Creative Zen Vision: M or an Apple iPod. At that time the Apple iPod was a rage, it still is, except today we have the iPod touch. But for me I finally chose the Vision M because of the host of features it had to offer, as compared to an iPod. But many of my friends choose the latter, because it was considered to be cool. The main requirement of any design is a good-looking product, and of course it needs at least the average market functionality. But what it needs to push it to the frontiers where it traverses across consumer segments beyond just the intended target audience? Since we are talking about Apple, how can we miss out on Steve Jobs, known as the marketing guru all around the world, his unfulfilled desire for innovation and excellence perhaps is a driving force of Apple's Design Hype. Here's what Jobs has to say on design, "Design is not just what it looks like and feels like, design is how it works." While Carl D'souza, a copywriter for an ad agency, explains, "Firstly I think design is far from hype, design is very real and admirable, and people lap it up without requiring too much hype. So I think it revolves around the design itself and not the brand, people or movement. Because it most often works in the reverse where good design elevates a brand, person or is the seed of a movement." The latest gizmo that has become a must-have among the younger generation is Blackberry. Initially Blackberry was associated with enterprise users who could access their corporate email accounts on-the-go, or out of office. But now the focus is also on the tech-savvy youth, who want to socialise and network through technology. Simoni Shah, a regular user of Blackberry and gift designer, says, “Basically the hype is about socialising and the product designed for this hype is a brand called BlackBerry. The consumers are the youngistan (a term used by Pepsi in their ads) in the constant quest of keeping in touch for fun, networking, and absolutely everything.” In fact Blackberry launched the Curve 8520 especially for the youth segment and its become a popular choice too. This phone was designed keeping in mind the social networking habits of the Indian youth, messaging, the love for music, entertainment, etc. This shift in consumer mindset was led by the company itself, who introduced lower subscription fees for as low as Rs 299. To go with their Blackberry, the biggest fad amongst youngsters are fanciful Ed Hardy mobile covers priced at Rs 1890, cheaper than the original leather case of Blackberry that costs around Rs 2000. Mobile covers are available in varied designs, patterns and are generally very colorful. Today's youth get fascinated by a functional, trendy design that is affordable, can be customised according to their needs, and also helps them stay connected!
26/04/2010 14:44
First saw a girl about 13 year old, walking on the street of Hanoi in the “I’m a b**ch” quote on her tee, I wondered if she understood that so called provoking message. Maybe, maybe not. Now, she or those who don’t speak English can be sure of their very clear message in Vietnamese with Konheo. Independence, Freedom (is) Happiness (Be aware: the language of Konheo design is NOT proper Vietnamese language. Konheo mainly uses the Internet slang, @language) What makes your life easier other than a nice humor driven t-shirt? Konheo fashion is practical and certainly conveys a look that is cute and ironic. It is simply a 100% cotton plain tee with some text and simple sketching. Beyond the usual jokes and silly quotes, it could be words of wisdom and determination, which specially reserved for peace-minded, positive youngster who smart, know how to express their minds with style. Everything is evasion. Wear helmet. My favourite design is the tee which is reinventing time-honored Vietnamese art – Đông Hồ painting. Wearing it is like speaking the naked truth, how the hip youngster see the world. See for yourself. Very creative indeed! Thou the idea of Konheo is not authentic at all, more or les a plagiarist, it becomes the closet therapy of Vietnam youngster aged from 16 -29 or expats. Older generation (30 and up) will never understand why there’s more peacockery and showmanship on the streets nowadays. A lot of people use clothing and attitude not to put forward the person that they actually are, but the person they want to be. By wearing on a controversial fashion, they are sending a very clear message: “I don’t play by the rules– I make my OWN rules”. On a final Note, Konheo, have sprung up, burned out, mutated, and evolved into a pop subculture phenomenon. (Image credit: www.konheo.com)
26/04/2010 09:09
We all watch “Desperate Housewives”. But do you happen to remember this scene? I can’t stand watching this scene. Once a kid gets fat, the parent is helpless. But who to blame? Not just kids, adult is suffering the same problem because of sitting all day in front of the computer, playing video game … Is there any thing that inspire us to get rid of this disaster ? If we can all afford a Wii then it’s another story. In Vietnam, there are a million dollar idea that you can adopt for less than 5$. Trust me, It's the single most stunning thing I have ever thrown. Made in Vietnam, TOSY UFO Returning (TUR) is inspired by the classic Boomeran, the hunting weapon of the Australian Aborigines. In V-shaped, it’s capable of flying as far as a hundred meter and returning exactly to the thrower. TUR is an advanced modern version to conquer its father disadvantages as it’s dangerous, difficult to play and needs a large space. TUR return exactly, play easily and safely and can be played indoor or outdoor. It’s elastic thin blades with adjustable flexure blast that allow TUR to fly for a long time and return exactly in an amazing curve. But the best is to play at night when the smart super bright LEDs automatically turn on when flying, creating a magnigficient rainbow. This thing is too adorable for its own good. It becomes a popular game for kids, youngster and a yummy plate for the counterfeit product market. TUR is so modest that a counterfeiter would not think to raise an eyebrow. 99% do not know the difference between the original TUR and a fake one. The fake products in the long run do not wear as well and lack the technology that contributes to comfort. But if the maker is to blame, so is the buyer. But hey, > 5$ is not too much for an effective loosing weight programme. So far, this design is exclusive from Tosy Robotics company. Once the children, youngster play TUR extensively , they can feel it has the ultimate potential to solve all the world's problems. It is an earth-shattering invention. The distributor: TOSY ROBOTICS,. JSC Address: 7/538, Láng street, Ha Noi, Viet Nam http://www.tosy.com Also, Tosy robot company impressed the 60th Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair in Germany with the Robot TOPIO. It’s 1m88, 120 kilos and can play ping pong at 40 levels. I can’t wait to have this cool dude challenge me over the table.
26/04/2010 09:05
As the oldster said "A picture is worth a thousand words" and I reckon it is even more! So get your Hipsta ready and lets shoot away! Carrying just only my iphone around is already make my life easier. Until it came along this kicky toy camera application called "Hipstamatic" that's made almost anything looks beautiful within just a few clicks - yes it is that easy! Suddenly things have changed from the inevitable mundane everyday's life to the surprisingly divine. My attention was first grabbed by its charming prints on my Facebook friend's post then later lots of article about it in cool magazines have appeared one after another. I used to sigh over these day's digital thingy that seem like it has taken over everything, including how we take a photo. I guess some youngsters might barely know how does it feel like to take a picture by using a real camera with a film roll. With all that long process from adjusting the focus, shooting and so on until when it developed and that moment you see and touch the actual paper for the first time. It is a bewilderment seconds which you can't get from a digi. But hey lets look on a brighter side of life, not holding a real picture-box isn't the end of the world. I am looking at my iphone with a Hipstamatic app on and already feel positive! It likes a proper camera, it has a front with changeable lens, flashes and films of your choices and a back where you can look through a virtual viewfinder while you are shooting your subjects. Waiting for a couple seconds for its prints is another fun moment and when you see it, you know right away that it is smashing. Even an ordinary shot of an old faucet which you use everyday, you are still proud to show off! I can see this app will taken the youth's idea of photography by storm, having talked to friends and lots of them have already own it! Go to http://hipstamaticapp.com/ for more info or .... have a look at some interesting Hipstamatic prints at http://www.flickr.com/groups/hipstamatic/pool/ for an instant inspiration where you can upload your very own hip pics and share with like minded people. Now I don't think it is about hand done or digitally finished as long as it is able to encourage the young ones to literally do things and be more creative. The trouble-free Hipstamatic (if I can put it this way) might even be able to triggers them to look back in their grandpa's treasure box and considering of taking picture by an old-skool camera.
26/04/2010 08:29
Tattooing is another hype that is gaining pace in Mumbai, thanks to the resident film industry, Bollywood. According to a trend report, the concept of “Cool Tattoos” came through mainstream Bollywood movie celebrities, instead of an underground/alternative route. Tattoos are considered to be cool and a fashion accessory among the youth, although most of the time it is unacceptable to parents. To state an example of the Bollywood influence, Sanjay Dutt, a popular actor, has got done 16 tattoos in recent times. There are many more to get inked – Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Esha Deol – to name a few. A large proportion of the youth agree that they'd be inspired by influential people in India like bollywood artists, models, while some use this medium to express themselves. The fact is that most youth don't get tattoos because its a piece of art, but its a conversation piece, something that speaks about themselves or they want to be tagged as 'cool'. Most of them prefer simple designs, followed by natural and abstract. Very few go in for complex designs or those dedicated to something or someone. Another interesting fact is nearly 31% of them leave it up to the tattoo artist to choose what they should get inked.What are the favorite spots to get tattoed? Most of them get it on their, arms, neck, waist, ankle, basically places that are exposed; they want to be loud about their tattoo. Tattooing at the moment is mainly, but not limited only to the high income youth bracket. The cost of getting inked in the city is quite high ranging from Rs 800 to 2500 for a square inch in black, while coloured one costs even more. But the cost factor does not stop the Gen Y from going ahead and expressing themselves, in fact since its for life, if they want one they go ahead and get it!
26/04/2010 08:17
A major trend setter in terms of fashion, in the city today would be the Indian film industry or better known as Bollywood. Celebrities spotted in a particular outfit in a film, hyped by the media, transcends into a fashion statement for the youth. For instance, actor Ranbir Kapoor's cartoon-themed t-shirts in the movie Wake Up Sid, or actress Priyanka Chopra dressed in shorts and mini skirts in the movie Dostana, made these attire most appealing to them. The fashion conscious youth look up to these celebrities as style icons or demi-gods. These trends, started by the stars, generate a hype that is short-lived and soon to be replaced by something else considered to be fashionable. An example cited by Hinesh Jethwani, owner of the trendy shopping site, Indian Hippy - the 'baggy' revolution among college kids – a fashion trend that originated mainly from the African American community in the US (popularized largely by rap music videos) became an instant sensation and rage among college kids in India. Wearing baggy clothing was instantly seen by teens as a way to promote their “I-don’t-care attitude” and be seen as cool and hip. The regular denims were replaced by low waists pants. However, this hype didn't last long, and the straight and regular fits were back in vogue. Some of the younger generation also absorb a trend and mix it with a traditional twist. Like a pair of denim will be teamed up with a Indian kurta, beads in neck, probably a Swatch in wrist, and traditional chappals (footwear). Design and styles never go out of fashion completely, as they are always re-introduced, just packaged differently. Like the retro look is back among the urban youth (age group 22, 23 onwards), the hoop earrings, small and large, floral hippie designs from the 60s and 70s, harem pants, or ethnic nose rings. One thing that has stayed constant and never really gone out of fashion are the faded and worn-out denims. In a nutshell, designs are born, few will transform into trends, some of them may turn into hype based on the people, brands and design appeal. Depending on what creates the hype, the time taken to fade away changes, but the truth is that every hype fades away to give way to newer hypes.
26/04/2010 07:36
Design Lives in Time In olden times, design would conjure up an image of intricate carvings on temple pillars in remote India or a mechanism that would serve people's basic needs like gharats to grind grain or a red postbox at every corner of the street. But the term itself has evolved over the years to cover every aspect of life, especially among youth. Idols, Peers, Cricket are Design Influencers In a city like Mumbai where Cricket and Bollywood is worshipped, the choices or perception of design of the younger age group is driven by these industries. A celebrity endorsing a particular product would perhaps see more takers as compared to a non-celebrity endorsed product with better features and looks. Simoni Shah, 27-year old, customised gift designer, said, “Youngsters only live on design trends. This is based on my experience with younger cousins who are 15 to 17 year old. Their decision is majorly influenced by friends or celebrities, be it clothes or stationery, they look at what their friends have and desire it.” The perception of design could be mainstream, but at the same time, youngsters would also like to keep themselves updated with the latest designs or cool stuff, a decision influenced by peers, friends, TV, online, etc. Coolness = Newness + Functionality Jonathan Sreekumaran, who considers himself high on the cool quotient and works for a new age digital media firm, said, “I would define cool as something new, something that stands out from what 'was' new. A cool product, design, dish or anything could also operate and manifest itself in an extremely innovative way to be perceived as cool. I often visit thecoolhunter.net website to get my dose of what's cool. Besides, I also like my design to be functional. That could be interpreted differently and is subjective. For instance, a door bell could has a cool design and is functional, I would like good looking functional designs to be a part of my daily life, a remote control for example,” he continued. Go Geeky, Go Futuristic Gadgets would stir some interest in students or young working professionals, who like to purchase the latest product in the market like cell phones, MP3 players, computer accessories etc. The look and feel is important to youngsters, even if it is at the cost of the functions the product has to offer. Yes to Design that Comforts Life Other aspects like colour, purpose and experience play a role in making their choices. Mark Fernandes, an aspiring pilot, explained, “Design based only on looks is temporary, because its based on trends. Trends change often, hence a product that solely looks good has a short life span. The comfort level is more important than the design, I choose products that make me feel comfortable with their working, no matter how ugly it is.” Simoni further added, “Sometimes a design appeals because of the colour combination, while at times its the intricacy or depth of the design itself. Whereas in terms of function I would like my design to be user friendly.” There is always a minority in any set/group of people, across students and working professionals, who believe in unconventional way of living and for them design should symbolise their way of thinking, intricacy in an object, or an aesthetically designed object/product. This choice can be part of their daily consumption like a wooden mirror or bamboo chairs.
26/04/2010 07:25
Lomo cameras, which are "toy" film cameras, have been quietly accumulating a cult following over the years, with one single Lomography store hidden in the depths of old Sheung Wan area, and select counters in Log On, a trendy Japanese-style accessories and stationery store. Along with the revered Polaroids, which make instant photos, these cameras produce photos which are "surprises" when they are developed and always have a vintage quality about them - the innate imperfections in the camera themselves make for unique, individual touches. Siu Ding, 26, is an avid fan of the instant photo. As a graphic designer and artist, she started different projects using photos of herself nude taken by her Fuji Mini 7x, and has had several exhibitions of her works. On her Facebook page and blog, she has attracted quite a lot of attention for her daring art, but mostly positive encouragement for doing something out of the ordinary. Because developing film is so expensive, as is purchasing Polaroid film, it's great news that there are now digital versions of the vintage cameras available. Similar to the Poladroid (where you can upload photos and instantly make them look vintage) or the US$2.99 iPhone app CameraBag that includes functions like cinema, widescreen photo, the Helga, 1974, 1962, Instant, Mono, Fisheye, Infrared, Lolo, and the Helga, one can buy a digital camera that makes the same effects, but actually see the finished product on the screen - one of my most frustrating moments with the Lomo cameras is when you've paid $100 to develop the camera only to realize it all turned out dark and blurry! But to many, this spontaneity is also the best thing about it. Unfreeze just released the FDC01 that is the size of a keychain and is a USB key - so that you can only see the photo once uploaded to the computer, maintaining this sense of "being in the moment" without breaking the bank if the photos don't turn out well.
26/04/2010 07:15
Hong Kong youth, like their western counterparts (ie Banksy), are turning to graffiti to make their marks and noise. In particular, Start From Zero is a collective that not only puts art on the walls, but also sells stickers and apparel with their distinct prints. Supporting their work is local art gallery NoBorders, in Soho, Central, a space that focusses on "Statement Art - contemporary art with an edge that examines social boundaries and norms across cultures as a broader spectrum of art in which Urban Pop and Street Art is included". Another space that supports wall art is Yumla, an hip bar in Central whose outer facade gets a facelift every few months to showcase different artists. In this picture, they let all their clients write happy birthday notes on the blacked out wall for its 5th year anniversary. News article about actor Wong Hei wearing a Start from Zero tee http://bee.newmonday.com.hk/shownews.php?id=1159 Not so cool... A blog complaining about Start From Zero's branding of a famous Taiwan historical spot http://www.wretch.cc/blog/ology/5527626 A blogsite about different graffiti found across Hong Kong http://graffitihk.firedale.com/
26/04/2010 06:56
Lately, molecular gastronomy restaurant Bo Innovations has been making noise with its clever blend of familiar,Chinese flavours with Western style presentation and cuisine. This is no cheap meal, but it's certainly an experience to try at least once in your life.. the menu (below) looks baffling, but when the bite sized courses are on the tongue, the whole thing makes wonderful sense. Chef Alvin Leung is known for his El-Bulli-esque cooking techniques (as well as his Mong Kok gangster look), using methods traditionally used in the laboratory to extract flavours, and put them into other foods, creating surprising textures. This dish (insert photo) is frog leg with golden pin (金針) and white chocolate with golden pin essence. This one (insert photo) is called "yak and mac" and is Leung's take on the ultimate comfort food, mac and cheese, only with "cheung fun" (rice sheet rolls commonly found during dim sum), black truffle, and yak cheese. Wow. Bo Innovations isn't the only restaurant to perform molecular gastronomy, although it is the only one that makes a theme out of fusing East and West. Chef Uve Opocensky at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is also renowned for his foamy creations, masterfully made to look more like pieces of art than food. Here's me with one of his famous desserts, the CandyShop - the "cigar" between my fingers is made entirely of chocolate and biscuits. How fun! There are moments, however, when enough is enough. FINDS, a bar near Lan Kwai Fong, tried its hand at molecular mixology (alcohol + things like liquid nitrogen, whipped egg whites, marshmallows, tapioca, sorbets to create different textures and flavors) and offered me its "smoking" cocktail, which was made from flavours extracted from cigar smoke and injected into the vodka. All I could think of while sipping this was "I thought the indoor smoke ban came into effect years ago!" Bleh!!
| Title | Relatedness score |
|---|---|
0 | |
0 |