• another design describes themselves as a trans-media visual design team that challenges traditional thinking and expands design language boundaries. Located in Guangzhou, they specialize in cross-cultural and business design strategies creating solutions that balance cultural and commercial aspects.

    Branding Identity for LAI HUI Living by another design

    A recent project they released is for LAI HUI Living, a new Cantonese restaurant under the brand of Laihui. They created a brand visual system that utilizes encircling typography situated around differently shaped plates. They say that this represents “sitting around the table and eating together with the same plate,” giving a sense of community to the branding. For me, the plates end up looking like gemstones, giving the brand a very luxe feeling while still having a very approachable essence. The concept is so simple, yet when you see it in all it’s applications, it all comes together in such a nice way.

  • “In a world that often glorifies punctuality and values every minute of our day, it may seem counterintuitive to emphasize the importance of being late. However, there are moments when tardiness can carry its own significance and lessons, reminding us that life’s pace isn’t always a sprint, but sometimes a leisurely stroll.” That is the thinking behind Brutto’s adorable new wall clock, aptly titled BE LATE. It features a mid-century inspired “face” that gives you one time, Twelve, and nothing else, embracing the vibes of being late. I really enjoy the color palette they’ve used here, it feels both fresh and timeless. I imagine I’m going to be seeing a lot of this clock pop up on TikTok.

    BE LATE Wall Clock from Brutto
    BE LATE Wall Clock from Brutto
    BE LATE Wall Clock from Brutto
  • I’ve been spending a lot of time on Posts lately, a social app that still feels like a cute little community of creative folks. I’ve been able to find some interesting folks to follow, such as designer and illustrator Hannah Lee. She recently announced her upcoming 2024 calendar (it’s available for pre-order) which features a super clean design paired with her very charming illustrations. I love how they come as loose sheets so that you can hang up as she has photographed, it looks so wonderful.

    Charming and Minimal 2024 Calendar by Hannah Lee
    Charming and Minimal 2024 Calendar by Hannah Lee
  • In my household we cook a lot, especially during the week. Keeping things interesting is always a challenge, along with doing our best to cook seasonally. So when I see a new cookbook, I’m always interested. Hato Press has released their third edition of their Studio Cookbook series, inviting collaborators, friends and creators we admire to share a dish they enjoy as part of their working day. 

    I’m sold. There are 37 recipes in all, organized by Snacks, Mains, Sweets and Drinks. I’m so curious to try “The Pin” (photo below) which appears to be a cocktail with pear and lime and something sparkling, all pulled together with a giant nail.

    Studio Cookbook by Hato Press Shares Beloved Recipes from Creatives
    Studio Cookbook by Hato Press Shares Beloved Recipes from Creatives
    Studio Cookbook by Hato Press Shares Beloved Recipes from Creatives
  • A+ is the studio of Graham Bradley, who describes the practice as “a design and technology studio that creates type.” And as it turns out, they’re one of my favorite studios, I just didn’t realize it. So there’s this restaurant called Bell’s located in Los Alamos, a small town in the middle-ish of California’s, roughly 2.5 hours north of Los Angeles. Owned by Daisy and Greg Ryan, Bell’s holds. special place in my heart because the food, service, and experience of eating there, are all incredibly thoughtful. A small but important aspect of said experience, is the branding, which is where A+ comes in.

    Bell's in Los Alamos, branding and lettering by A+ Studio
    Bell's in Los Alamos, branding and lettering by A+ Studio
    Bell's in Los Alamos, branding and lettering by A+ Studio
    Bell's restaurant, Los Alamos - Deviled Egg with Sea Urchin and Caviar


    The look and feel of Bell’s branding is French by way of California (which is also how I would describe the food). A+ created a bespoke typeface, charmingly named Henri, as well as a number of custom logos, a flexible menu system that can accommodate new items, as well as some cutie illustrations that bring the brand some extra personality. It all feels haphazard in the best way, like an eclectic assortment of items you’d find at a French brocante.

    A+ also ended up working on Daisy and Greg’s other restaurant Bar Le Côte, a seafood tavern in Los Olivos that they opened along with co-owner and executive chef Brad Matthews. It’s like the eclectic, kinda zany cousin of Bell’s, and the vibe of the interiors and the branding help to communicate that.

    Bar Le Cote in Los Olivos, Branding and Lettering by A+ Studio
    Bar Le Cote in Los Olivos, Branding and Lettering by A+ Studio
    Bar Le Cote in Los Olivos, Branding and Lettering by A+ Studio

    The type work here astounds me, especially as A+ was able to create a dynamic typeface that can also be reorganized into a “wordmark built from geometric, Art Deco letterforms, stacked together like a set of blocks.” I hadn’t seen this animation until I found A+ and it’s so remarkable to see all the letters come together so nicely like that.

    The work Graham is doing is so inspiring and varied. He also recently worked on the new logo and typography for wework, and even an amoeba/bacteria inspired typeface that’s so blobby and beautiful.

  • In February 2020, editor Saul Taylor envisioned a groundbreaking magazine for the travel industry. Despite the unexpected disruptions of that year, we now celebrate the realization of that vision with the arrival of Sablos magazine. Led by Taylor, formerly of Wallpaper* and Monocle magazine, Sablos brings together a diverse network of influential figures who are actively shaping a more creative, positive, and responsible world. With their expertise in writing, photography, and illustration, these contributors, spanning the globe, proudly support established creatives while nurturing emerging talents.

    Sablos’ debut issue is filled with captivating interviews featuring inspiring individuals who play a pivotal role in travel and have deep connections to their cherished destinations. It’s funny, I was actually reminded me of the bars Sips here in Barcelona, the third best bar in the world, thanks to Sablos. If you enjoy traveling, eating, and discovering new places in the world, you’ll definitely appreciate what they’re doing.

    Sablos Magazine
    Sablos Magazine
    Sablos Magazine
    Sablos Magazine
  • One of my go-to waking up in the morning, soothing ambient chillness records has been the new record from Purelink called Signs. I tend to put albums on repeat, listening to them over and over to get a better sense of the overall narrative, and this one works great for that.


    “Distilled from extended compositions prepared and performed across 2022 in Chicago, Kansas City, New York, and Los Angeles, Signs captures their chemistry at its most liquid and immaterial, mapped in mutating systems of glitch, glass, rhythm, and space. It’s music alternately subdued and subterranean, elevated and remote, attuned to the flickering sentience of outer spheres.”

    The other thing I’ll point out is the cover art by Ezra Miller (not that one) who has created what I would describe as a serene bathhouse vibe. This really comes to life in the video below for the track “4k Murmurs” where these inky washes of movement come to life, reminiscent of delftware plates, sumi ink, and weather patterns or fishes swimming in schools.

  • I’ve been following the career of Kustaa Saksi for more than a decade now, and it’s astonishing to see how far his work has evolved and transformed over the years. Saksi is a Finnish artist who describes his work as “specialising in graphic storytelling through patterns, textile art and installation.” It’s a fair statement as his work transcends a lot of typical descriptions, containing an alchemical mix of graphic design and weaving.

    Most recently, he opened a new exhibit at the Helsinki Design Museum titled In the Borderlands, which includes a wide selection of his textile art works, created with jacquard weaving technique between 2013 and 2023. His work now feels like the intersection between organic fractal pattern making and traditional weaving and tapestries, things you don’t naturally put together, and that’s what makes them exciting. I’m absolutely certain these have to be incredible to see up close in person.

    In the Borderlands runs until 15 October 2023.

    Kustaa Saksi Exhibits His Psychedelic Textiles at the Helsinki Design Museum
    Kustaa Saksi Exhibits His Psychedelic Textiles at the Helsinki Design Museum
    Kustaa Saksi Exhibits His Psychedelic Textiles at the Helsinki Design Museum
    Kustaa Saksi Exhibits His Psychedelic Textiles at the Helsinki Design Museum
    Kustaa Saksi Exhibits His Psychedelic Textiles at the Helsinki Design Museum
  • Sydney-based creative studio Christopher Doyle & Co. has been such a roll lately. Every time I see something new from them I’m so impressed. I’m going to do my best to focus on one of their latest projects, working with Troye Sivan on Tsu Lange Yor, his new brand of scents for your body and your home.

    Christopher Doyle & Co. for Troye Sivan's Tsu Lange Yor


    “Comprised of a constantly shifting set of elements, the visual language was born from free-form image-making and experimentation. Incorporating graphic and hand-drawn illustrated elements, as well as video and portrait photography, the brand presents a subtle yet crafted visual landscape that celebrates intimacy, texture, and feel.”

    For me what works so well about the branding is how authentic everything feels. There’s so many small details, like hand-drawn elements, tooth and texture on the typography, paper and print elements that give a sense of tactility. It’s all very quirky and charming with a bit of refinement, and that duality definitely works to catch my eye.

    Christopher Doyle & Co. for Troye Sivan's Tsu Lange Yor
    Christopher Doyle & Co. for Troye Sivan's Tsu Lange Yor
    Christopher Doyle & Co. for Troye Sivan's Tsu Lange Yor
  • As part of this year’s London Design Festival, Japanese designer and architect Daisuke Motogi partnered with Vitra on an exhibition titled Hackability of the Stool, which showcases 100 ideas for altering Alvar Aalto’s Stool 60. Motogi is known for exploring the relationship between objects and users, and creating functional and playful designs that incorporate surprise and whimsy. So you know this project was collaboration was right up his alley.

    Daisuke Motogi - Hackability of the Stool - Artek and Alvar Aalto

    “Developing numerous ideas on how to modify the humble design icon, Motogi first presented the results in 2020 as an online exhibition on his Instagram account, where it caught Artek’s attention. Originally over 400 ideas were boiled down to 100 modifications, which Motogi and his team developed by manually altering, or hacking, the Stool 60. In the beginning, they focused on functionality and form, adding the functions of household items onto the stool, or transforming existing tools into stools. Later ideas were centered around the user, transforming Stool 60 into sports equipment or pet homes.”

    He’s obviously created dozens of very smart ideas though I want to focus in one concept: this brilliant record player sound system. When I saw this I was in awe—how has no one thought of something like this? It’s portable, it’s out of the way, it’s charming as hell. I feel like design nerds would totally buy this for real, it’s so ingenious.

    Daisuke Motogi - Hackability of the Stool - Artek and Alvar Aalto