The peepshow bag by Vlieger & Vandam. And more...

The keyboard bag by Portuguese industrial designer Joao Sabino.

And now, Sony Pictures Classics creates a film directed by Sydney Pollack called 'Sketches of Frank Gehry'. Releases May 12, in the Old world nations. I look forward.

Frank Gehry's new jewellery line for Tiffany & Co.

The new Mikimoto store at Tokyo. By Toyo Ito.

Images of airline meals and other airsickness services from airlines all over the world . All on one website! Dont miss the Air India meals. Damn, I really cant understand my sudden obsession with Air India.

"Not that you asked, but we've gotten to the bottom of why Air-India employs the man-horse centaur of Greek mythology as its official logo.

Air-India's earliest long-range planes were Lockheed Constellations, the first one taking off in 1948. With the new planes came a new logo, and the plan was go with a constellation theme. The centaur, representative of Sagittarius, was a logical choice because it suggested movement, strength, and somewhat resembled the farohar, a Parsi heavenly symbol featuring a winged man, like a guardian angel. The Parsis are a Zoroastrian sect of the Subcontinent -- of which Air-India's founding family, the Tatas, were members -- and their farohar is a sign of good luck.

Furthermore, incarnation of the Sagittarius brings forth, in the mind of many Indians, images of the master archer Arjuna from the mythological epic Mahabharata. Whatever the exact reasoning, the emblem was adopted and has remained ever since."

Patrick Smith

Saul Bass designed title sequences. Well, very frankly, I didnt know. I didnt even know who he was till i came upon this website. Just feel like watching Casino all over again!

Just out. After Philippe Starck, Alexander McQueen and Puma. 13 styles at 250$ to 330$.
Not much, I'd say, compared to the very cool but very expensive Manish Arora Reebok range in India, which goes all the way to 20,000 Rs.

Scott Rench makes ceramics with very inspired computer generated prints using glaze instead of ink to screen print. The results are so very cool. I like his website too.

Indian airlines is now 'Indian'. I hate this, its such a damned pathetic choice of colour. To think of it, we shall probably now live with it for another 25 years. The very uncool RKSwamyBBDO performed this heinous crime. Design hell awaits.

Ryan Kearney's GerardTully 2005 jewellery line is very very cool. Called Animal Heads, I think I love each and every damn one of them. Specially like the little perspective hes added to the owl and the bunny! If you wish to buy, link up here.

The very charming Sheetal finds herself working with Panerai this season during her academic sojourn in Milan. Cheers to another smart accessory designer whos got a way to go!

The Formica Design a Laminate Competition. Yours. If you have the time anywhere between now and January 20, 2006.

I first saw Nipa and Jonathan at a wierd NID summit in Delhi earlier this year and quite liked their research and work for TEFAL that they presented there. Maybe you should get to know these guys, they really do seem to be getting somewhere. The DoshiLevien duo were also featured in FRAME magazine for their work, and then in Wallpaper this month.

"To express is to drive.
And when you want to give something presence,
you have to consult nature.
And there is where design comes in.

And if you think of brick, for instance,
and you say to brick,
"What do you want, brick?"
And brick says to you
"I like an arch."
And if you say to brick
"Look, arches are expensive,
and I can use a concrete lentil over you.
What do you think of that?"
"brick?"
brick says:
"... I like an arch""

Louis Kahn

May I please ask of you to download the LastFM player here and experience customised net radio at its best! Life is good, please help make LastFM make it better....

Oww. As I find out a bit later, its a certain Vikram Mitra from the NID whos responsible for the design of 'soulmates'. Well, well, well, well....

I thought he was quite a dud, one of those boring office and hospital machine 'white plastic' kind of designers. And then I saw this, and in a very queer way, I think I liked them. Satish Gokhale's soulmates. To think of it, he won the bronze this year at the IDEA BusinessweekIDSA awards for it! We really need more of 'India' up there!

I discovered architecture-radio today. As the name suggests, the site records and collects lectures, speeches, discussions or any audio (some visual too) concerning architecture and posts it for anyone and everyone to download. Im currently listening to a talk by Toshiko Mori, and it seems pretty nice.

The all new Apple mighty mouse. Heres the link to watch a Quicktime demo. I dont quite get it why Apple is so deliberately and at all costs trying to be different. Admire the explorations and investments behind their work, though! Viva la apple!

The 2005 EDIDA awards! Go read more. And send in that entry. Im told theres pretty pathetic stuff that gets sent each year. Last date July 31.

Daysleeper 2005

All our favorite design giants, now available as posters, each with a photograph and a quote. Now wouldnt I just love to have them all over that huge wall in my living room! Its a matter of days before these go for sale online, so read up and wait for that glorious moment when you dedicate those few firang dollars from your credit card to our 'design idols'.

Daysleeper 2005

I love this chap. I am so, so taken by his voice. Attaullah Khan is my hero for this month. His is this supposedly wierd life story where his girlfriend cheated on him, and so he killed her and went to prison in Pakistan, his native country. Thats where he started writing and singing and became yet another iconic Khan. The presence of his voice in every other highway truck and tea stall in the 1990s is proof enough of the power of his words, and how the common man on the streets and villages related to his songs. I strongly suggest the very popular 'Chan Kithan Guzari Raat Ve'. Buy it, download it, listen to it, worship it.

Daysleeper 2005

Folders galore is quite the place you need to go if you need customised folder and presentation material design/designed. Very professional, and prompt with samples. I havent had a project yet that required their work, so do let me know if you get to work with them. Heres the link.

Daysleeper 2005

Just in case you thought the Basel fair was something really worth a visit, Id say Im glad you havent seen it. Devoid of any exciting work, the watch and jewellery world seems to be stagnating to its lowest depths. Id say the city of Basel could teach you much more than some congregation of tux clad jews selling diamonds and pearls! Maybe, just maybe if you feel like seeing something okey dokey, you could keep an eye out for Kiara and Carrera y Carrera.

Daysleeper 2005

Thats me with one of Alexander Calder's mobile masterpieces at the Fondation Beyeler. Just in case you didnt know, Calder was the inventor of the mobile, and drew some amazing shapes out of two dimensional steel to form the most 3d of mobiles. Learn more about him right here, at the website of the Calder foundation.

Daysleeper 2005

I got this close to Herzog and DeMeuron's Seniors residence and stadium at St. Jakobs Platz in Basel. Herzog and DeMeuron are Switzerland's star architects, besides being the winners of the esteemed Pritzker Prize.

Daysleeper 2005

I found this sticker on a lamp-post in Geneva, and then my eyes opened to a whole new circuit, an entire hidden life to Switzerland's otherwise stiff character. Grafiti, stickers, posters under bridges, small engravings behind toilet doors...all announcing the presence of some life to the otherwise dull countrysides, be it new CD launches in a hip hop bar, or simply someones appeal for world peace!

Daysleeper 2005

BlumenMythos means the myth of the flower, and thats the theme of a very captivating exhibit I happened to see at the Beyeler Fondation north of Basel in Switzerland.

It is absolute joy to stand before an original Van Gogh, Manet, Warhol and Chagall! If you happen to visit the BaselWorld fair, I sure do recommend a visit to the Beyeler Fondation, which is precisely 6 tram stops away from the fair. The building is designed by Renzo Piano and boasts of garden installations by giants like Alexander Calder and Herzog & DeMeuron (the guys who designed the Tokyo Prada store).

Daysleeper 2005

I happened upon the Ordning&Reda store while I was in Geneva last week, and believe me, you have to know that it exists! Some lovely, witty, exciting products that are very very dangerous for Indians traveling on measly Swiss Francs budgets! You can see the range on the website, but thats no fun. I suggest a visit!

Ordning&Reda started back in 1965 as a bookbindery in Sweden and was so until the day they tasted design blood. The firm is now a part of the famous Bodum group. And by the way, theyre looking for designers right now...

Daysleeper 2005

Pieter Woudt designed these really cool transparent playing cards for Kikkerland of the US. I loved them, so I bought them right away. Kikkerland has more cool stuff, right here.

Daysleeper 2005

I attended the Doors of Perception 8 conference in Delhi last week of March. The amount of informational excitement generated blew me apart. I managed to speak to Marco Susani, design hero at Daysleeper and Chief of Motorola's future concepts for ten minutes. Marco has earlier worked with my personal god Ettore Sottsass on the Memphis movement, so it was a pleasure to share time! What you see in the picture is me in 'speed dating', which is John Thackara's (the founder of Doors) amazingly refreshing interaction tool to meet 20 new people in 20 minutes! And by the way, dont miss the chap sitting next to me. Its our very own Dhiraj from the Class of 94. Hes a big shot at the Pearl Academy of Fashion in Delhi now. Read more and see more pictures at the Doors 8 website.

Daysleeper 2005

Das Ding. Davy Grosemans from Brussels understands our needs. God Bless him. More.

Daysleeper 2005

The 2005 Carbon website. Updated. Yet again. Drop in.

Daysleeper 2005

New Bag. Big. Spacious. Chic. Adidas. By Yohji Yamamoto. More.

Daysleeper 2005

Raf Simons designed this shoe you see right here. Raf Simons is interesting. Read more.

Daysleeper 2005

If you happen to have preschoolers as nephews and nieces, and if you dont give them enough of your time, theyre most likely to end up watching Dan Yaccarino's star character Oswald on TV. I happen to love Oswald, and Ive had some really great times watching him with my nephew.

It made me discover the man behind Oswald, the reality behind the make believe. This is so very painful, learning bit by bit about how your favourite TV character came to life from flash animation. Nevertheless, here is the very renowned Dan Yaccarino!

Daysleeper 2005

More iPOD news! The CrystalMini from Swarovski. Pure kitsch! I disown you the second I see one of these on you...

Daysleeper 2005

Beloved Sheetal finds herself in Milan. Bet you couldnt distinguish her from the firangs either!

Daysleeper 2005

Okay! People, the woman in the centre is the gorgeous Aditi Gowitrikar, and shes wearing one of my neckpieces from the Diamonds Natures Miracle competition. Now how did they ever figure out my liking for married models?

Daysleeper 2005

Good old Madras...never fails to instill that 'city' feel in me. I can never get to call it Chennai, it just doesnt go. I was there last week, and I do recommend the Eco cafe at Chamiers. Its right next to the Sheraton, and on Chamier Road, so you wouldnt miss it. Also, if you're looking for an architect just in case an aunt from Chikmagalur left you with a few dozen coffee estates and you decided it was finally time for that new lux boutique of your signature, I really do tell you to try out Mahesh Radhakrishnan of MoAD, the Madras Office for Architects and Designers. Mahesh is from REC Trichy, from where he went on to a full scholarship at our very own Bauhaus school. His website is on his way, but let me know if you want a pitch from someone very very interesting, and on his way to making it real big.

Booking tickets now? Learn more about Chennai from a very useful website. Right here.

Daysleeper 2005