Orchestras of Bug Dreams

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Uniqlo is collaborating with Jun Takahashi of Undercover on a line of outerwear and clothing this fall.

While the clothing is beautiful, the real gem of the collaboration is the campaign shot with the whimsical insect instrumentallists.

They're a little robotic and creepy, but at the same time they have a feeling about them that reminds me of a forest spirit friend from a Miyazaki film.

This campaign has everything I could want: beautiful coats, scandinavianesque light filled rooms, and bug friends.

Dibs on the cricket.

Surprise Ideas

This Saturday, as it was too hot to think, I spent most of the day curled up next to my air conditioner, catching up on my reading. I finally opened the most recent issue of Fast Company, and I found this ad.

I think what drew me to the ad was that I really didn't know what on earth it was about, but the phrase "you talk. we draw. it's awesome."

Well, it really stood out.

I tore the ad out and went to their website. 

(way to go guys! very successful advertisement: it did exactly what it was supposed to do.)

Anyway, upon further investigation, it turns out Ink Factory Studio is absolutely brilliant.

In an age where engaging your audience is everything, and powerpoint is everywhere (boring), they have this amazing niche in creating unique and inspired real-time visuals during meetings for their clients.

The Chicago based team of three "graphic recorders" at once creates stimulating visuals, but also conveys important information in a very accessible way.

They've even worked with kids in the Golden Apple Foundation to teach the "next generation" of graphic recorders.

You can follow their blog to see some of their most recent projects and keep an eye out for what's coming next.

I have this feeling that it's going to be very exciting to watch.

The Orient Express

In an ingenius collaborative editorial project, Louis Vuitton has enlisted The Selby to embark on a Pan-Asian train journey from Paris to Shanghai.

The trip recalls the glamourous and fabled Orient Express of years-gone-by, but with a refreshing twist and an air of American nostalgia. 

It's a surprising collaboration, as Louis Vuitton is such an iconic legacy brand, and The Selby is much more of a grassroots documentarian, but the combination of the two in this project feels really fresh and exciting.

It's a 12 day journey documented through photographs, videos, and The Selby's signature scribbled watercolors and sketches. There's something so sweet and inviting about the whole adventure.

Right now, they're on day 2, as they're crossing Belarus and Poland into Russia. You can follow along all the way to Shanghai.

The whole adventure has me pining for a solitary train adventure across half the world and a luxury luggage set.

I didn't even know that was possible.