Modern Design

Escape Pod

Coming soon, Tetra Shed is a new modular building system which, as a single module, has been designed to be a modern garden office...or a futuristic escape pod.

Tetra Shed is available externally finished in any ral colour or clad in either copper, zinc, corten steel or marine plywood and internally lined in either birch faced plywood or plasterboard.

Tetra Shed

The Aston Martin DB5 was driven by Sean Connery in several James Bond films including Goldfinger and Thunderball. The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer that was released by Aston Martin in 1963. The Aston Martin DB5 was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The DB series was named honoring David Brown (the head of Aston Martin from 1947–1972).

Image Credits: RM Auctions

Chiffre Rouge

Chiffre Rouge by Dior.

There is something about the classic mix of black, red and stainless steel.

Ladri di Biciclette

Finally there is a simple, affordable, elegant bike for riding around and doing stuff. Inspired by Old World bicycle design of the 1950's and 1960's, California based LINUS has created a bicycle that preserves the simple elegance, and pure form of that golden era but has all the benefits of modern comfort and reliability. LINUS is the utilitarian, city bike.. simple and reliable but with a personality and style that makes you feel like you're in an old French or Italian movie... you're floating a little from the wine you drank at lunch... maybe instead of going back to the office you'll take a nap under a tree, go for a swim in the sea or drop by your lover's house...

The perfect saddle to match, the B17 Saddle by Brooks continues to be made in England as it has for the last 100 years. The B17 is the Brooks flagship model.

Linus Showroom

1413 1/2 Abott Kinney Blvd

Venice, CA 90291

Phone: 310-857-7777

85 Led Lamps

85 LED Lamps Chandelier by Rody Graumans for Droog.

After a long hiatus, the beautiful 85 Lamps Chandelier returns as an energy efficient LED edition! The 85 Lamps Chandelier was designed by Rody Graumans for Droog in the Netherlands. The "Chandelier 85 Lamps" is a classic in the history of modern lighting. Since the first production of the 85 Lamps in 1993 the world has changed tremendously. With the introduction of LED lamps the screw-in incandescent light bulb got replaced by a more environmental friendly opponent.

As a respond to customers' needs Droog decided to replace the old incandescent light bulbs into LED lighting. With this recent change the 85 Lamps has become a more eco-friendly and customer-friendly product without losing the character of the iconic chandelier, which was created almost 20 years ago. The lamp uses only what is necessary to create light: bulbs, wires, connectors. By multiplying these essential elements an opulent chandelier is created. Less and more are united in one single product The 85 Lamps Chandelier is featured in numerous museum collections including the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The individual parts of this lamp are completely plain but the combination makes of them an opulent chandelier. Less and more, united in a single product. This new 85 Lamp uses 85 LED bulbs with E27 standard fittings (LED lights included).

85 Led Lamps Chandelier

Taal Monument South Africa

Organic Modernist Architecture: De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © Katarina Balgavy.

Organic Modernist Architecture: De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © Another Timothy.

Organic Modernist Architecture: De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © Paul Watson.

Organic Modernist Architecture: De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © nova68.

Organic Modernist Architecture: De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © Marc De Vries.

Organic Modernist Architecture: De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © Martin Zimelka.

Icons of Modern Architecture:

Taal Monument by Jan van Wijk (1926-2005), South Africa, 1975.

De Taal Monument: a journey into the fascinating organic modernist architectural masterpiece by South African architect Jan van Wijk which was inaugurated in 1975. A perfectly composed monumental, austere and elegant work of architectural art. De Taal Monument is one of the better examples of organic modernism although it remains largely unknown outside South Africa. The monument naturally blends into the surrounding landscape of Paarl Rock. Its wavy lines, fluid shapes and attractive curves mimic the natural landscape. The Taal Monument was dedicated to the South-African "Afrikaans" language and the struggle of having the language recognized. This beautiful free-flowing monument is shaped in several tall obelisks style columns erected on the granite of Paarl Rock and is visible from a great distance as one approaches Paarl. For more information, visit the Taal Museum.

"At any time of the year and any time of the day, in any kind of weather, you can watch the play of light taking place in there. You will see that every ripple of the water is a play of light, every pebble a word, every line a singing sentence . . . a shining tool, in there. That is what it is about."

Jan van Wijk, 1975.

Rosie Huntingdon at De Taal Monument by Architect Jan van Wijk, Paarl Mountain, South Africa, 1975. © James Meaking - Exit Magazine.

Rosie Huntington at De Taal Monument. © James Meaking - Exit Magazine.

Nomadic Fashion

A masterpiece: Proenza Schouler tank and raffia skirt.

Top, Skirt and Sandals by Marni.

One-shoulder draped dress and skirt by Bottega Veneta.

Iris Sandals by Jimmy Choo.

Shift dress by Michael Kors. Sandals by Gucci.

Tee and pants by Reed Krakoff.

We love this one! Belted double-breasted trench coat by Burberry Prorsum.

Ruffle-trim tunic and skinny pants by Giambattista Valli.

Belted double-breasted trench coat by Burberry London.

Silvana top-handle bag and dress by Fendi.

Halter dress by Ralph Lauren Black Label.

Rilla Sandals by Manolo Blahnik.

Halter-neck zip-front jacket and Circle Skirt by Donna Karan.

Dress and stretch jersey by Piazza Sempione.

For their 2012 Women's Spring Fashion Collection, Bergdorf Goodman hired the talented team of Querelle Jansen and the super-talented photographer Viviane Sassen for their ultra chic nomadic fashion shoot. Under the motto "Nothing looks more sophisticated than the Primitive", Bergdorf Goodman offers an urban take on timeless tribal with earthy color palettes and bold color patterns. The collection is shown against the modernist architectural backdrop of South Africa's Taal Monument (more about this building in our next post). Thanks to Peter-Frank Heuseveldt and Viviane Sassen for the heads up on that one.

Our favorite piece must be this Proenza Schouler tank and raffia skirt.

This beautiful fashion shoot reminded us of the late 1960s urban chic nomadic fashion style that blossomed under the stewardship of the guiding light of high fashion, Diana Vreeland. The chic nomadic fashion style had a huge following. Several notable designers of that time included Emilio Pucci, Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo, Donald Brooks, Dominic for Matty Talmack, Emmanuelle Khanh, Anne Fogarty, Joan Atkin, Laurence Gross, Jobere, Jacques Tiffeau, Bill Blass, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and others. Fashion photographer Henry Clarke, jet-setted around the world for breathtaking fashion shoots, visiting intriguing locals such as Egypt, Turkey and India. Henry Clarke's images captured models such as Veruschka and Editha Dussler in nomadic chic creations that merged Nomadic, Gypsy, Aztec, American Indian, Middle Eastern and South Asian influences among others. One of our all-time favorite fashions shoots is Henry Clarke's "Eastward to Eden" series, which appeared in the US edition of Vogue on December 1966. For this memorable shoot, Henry Clarke captured Editha Dussler against the backdrop of Turkey's Valley of Göreme, a spectacular landscape, entirely sculpted by erosion. Another notable example of the chic nomadic fashion style of the late 1960s are Franco Rubartelli's legendary portrayals of fashion icon Veruschka in Arizona, Egypt and Turkey. Hopefully, this renewed interest in chic nomadic fashion will herald the return of the beautiful Mini-Jibbas by Princess Tazi of Marbella (see US Vogue issue December 1966).