Craig Richardson’s weblog, guestbook, database of music and collections of writings

This week, our friends at Refinery29 uncovered some exceptional footwear styles for guys that use fabric and water-proof treatments in a modern, fashionable way. There are plenty of puddle-friendly possibilities—tapered zip-up boots from SWIMS have an almost Dandy refinement; rubberized Chucks from John Varvatos are tailored for the traditionalist who still wants to keep his feet dry; while Gram's Softshell Sneakers are chic enough...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend at the boutique Grand Hotel Central situated in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. The Grand has pulled off the rare feat of blending in completely with the city, making a stay in the hotel a perfectly subtle complement to one of the most exciting cities in the world. The hotel is constructed in the shell...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

While in Chicago last weekend, I had the opportunity to stop by the Dutch Bike Company's brand new Midwestern outpost. Having already wooed Seattlites into adopting the European city bike, founders Stephan Schier and David Schmidt were looking for a second outpost. It turned out that a majority of their special orders were going to Chicago, a city that, under multi-term Mayor Daley's continued green...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

In celebration of their 15th anniversary, Diesel spin-off brand 55DSL is changing its logo. Collaborating with digital design tournament gurus, Cut&Paste, they're keeping to their tradition of innovation by inviting you to redesign the iconic 55DSL Shield logo, allowing you to graphically play around with the label's fun-loving attitude. The laid-back brand is giving you full reign, but the panel of eight judges (including...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

Meadowlands, a monograph by New York photographer, Joshua Lutz, is a collection of photos taken of the 32-square-mile area between New York City and New Jersey. It's a locale that most New Yorkers have never heard of or taken the time to visit, unless you are a Giants or Jets football fan. This project—ten years in the making—includes an introduction by Robert Sullivan, who...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

Dortmund-born sculptor Stephanie Backes is making her solo debut at Berlin's Loop gallery. Entitled Wolkengraber, that's “cloudgrabber” in German, this exhibit of sculptures melds the aesthetic of biology with bionics, suggesting alien-like skeletons and spindly arthopods. Wolkengraber Opening reception: 24 October 2008, 8pm 24 October-13 December 2008 Loop Jägerstrasse 5 10117 Berlin-Mitte map tel. +030 28 39 00 28...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

It might be time to rethink that new floor lamp you're considering. If GE's latest invention (a new form of OLEDs or organic light-emitting diodes) lives up to its claims, incandescent bulbs will start to be a thing of the past as early as 2010. Which is a forward-thinking move on GE's part considering the impending ban on traditional bulbs. In their place, GE's...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

by Ariston AndersonWe haven't been so excited about a diffusion line since Proenza Schouler came to Target. Comme des Garçons, literally "like some boys," is about to take H&M by storm with a men's and women's collection that pulls up some of the avant garde design house's signature trends, like mad polka dots, externally embroidered jackets, wool suits, skirts and shorts with disjointed pieces. The...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

Known for his headline-grabbing, large-scale public interventions—like the one in which he placed giant PET bottles along the Tiete River in São Paulo to make a point about the notoriously filthy waterway—Brazilian artist Eduardo Srur's latest campaign, "Sobrevivencia" (survival) is irreverent but nonetheless carries a sincere message. Using a ladder, nylon, stuffing and rope, he's decked out dozens of statues around the city in...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting

When it goes on sale tomorrow, the T-Mobile G1 will be the very first mobile device to utilize Google's open source operating system, Android. I've been using a G1 for the last couple of weeks and am really impressed—a relief because since the iPhone there really hasn't been a mobile that I've been excited about. While the G1 comes in a nice form-factor with...

Josh Rubin: Coolhunting